2000ad – Afterwards

Corona Lock down Diaries – 3D Printing – Christmas thingymajig.

We isolate now so that when we gather again no one is missing…

Okay so I’m not technically locked down. Well not like I was before. That said I might be I really have no idea and find it all rather confusing most days so choose for the most part to remain at home where there are snacks and internet and things that don’t try to kill you.

Now I’ve probably not been printing as much as I ought to have and am putting that right presently but I thought I would share with you a little something I printed just today.

Now this is our Christmas tree.

It is a bit random and uncoordinated but that is because almost every bauble and trinket is something special collected over 20 year or so. There are things from before Mrs Afterwards and I were married, various unrecognisable ‘things’ the boys brought home at some point and a wide assortment of pretties we picked up on numerous travels. All lovely memories.

Today I printed this one for 2020. I will paint it gold I think and pop it on the tree tonight…

Screw you 2020!

2000AD Stuff – My Dredd and Anderson Badges…

The latest edition to my 2000AD collection of stuff.

I posted a while ago about my recently acquired Sov Badge which you can read about here. I have now added a Dredd and an Anderson PSI badge to my collection but this time I 3D printed them myself (ignore the buff bulbasaur 🙂 ). I am now looking forward to getting these painted and creating some sort of display with my Carlos Ezquerra style lawgiver…and to then display it with this, my pride and joy Ezquerra art…

Prrobably as close as I will get to a religious shrine I guess 🙂

I will let you see them when I have them all painted up…

You can get a peek here of some of the other stuff I have added about my love…

https://afterwards.blog/2020/04/06/2000ad-stuff-my-carlos-ezquerra-lawgiver-replica/

https://afterwards.blog/2018/09/02/2000ad-art-rogue-trooper-by-mike-collins/

https://afterwards.blog/2018/07/05/my-dredd-tattoo-2/

https://afterwards.blog/2018/07/07/my-other-dredd-tattoo/

https://afterwards.blog/2018/08/08/2000ad-art-dredd-and-the-dark-judges-david-bircham/

https://afterwards.blog/2018/07/22/2000ad-action-figure-judge-death/

https://afterwards.blog/2018/07/05/2000ad-script-t-b-grover-alan-grant-and-art-by-cliff-robinson/

Corona Lock down Diaries – 3D Printing.

Getting our print on!

At Christmas I tried to convince my 11 year old that a 3D printer would be a great idea. At the time, however, he had his heart set on a particular pair of trainers so it never happened. In April I suggested it would be a good idea to have one for his 12th birthday, and given that I had been telling him about them for a few months he was admittedly interested, but not enough to not ask for a Nintendo Switch.

I knew it would be good for him as he has quite the enquiring mind, would provide him a wonderful creative outlet, would let him explore…oh who am I kidding. at this point it felt like I was never getting a 3D printer.

6 weeks into Covid, with the stresses of isolation weighing on the family (I am trying to keep a straight face here) I suggested it would be a good idea to get one as it would allow him to do something different as he was not able to play rugby or cricket and school was already a distant memory.

At this juncture Mrs Afterwards suggested that if I want one I should get one and stop pretending it was for Tom. Tom though was now super interested and following a little research our Flashforge Guider 2 was winging its way to us. It is freaking huge, weighing in at about 30KG and about the size of an old style television. It pings and dings and lights up quite wonderfully too…

For those not familiar with them they mostly print things from plastic extruded through a hot nozzle using files you can make or download from the internet. Now that the remodelling is done we have been able to unpack it and have spent the weekend in the cellar printing cool stuff.

So far we’ve printed a couple of badges from 2000AD, a Totoro, a buffed up bulbasaur, some covid door hooks and even a couple of rings. It is such good fun! I even let him have a turn 🙂

May in photos

So after a sedentary April, May saw lots more walking and seemingly more eating than I realised…

April in photos

Mostly I just baked, cooked and ate in April. The building work has restarted, and then I grew a massive beard!

2000AD Stuff – My Sov-Judge Badge

The latest edition to my 2000AD collection of stuff.

Heres another one I purchased a while back. The 2000AD Apocolypse War stories were some of the most influential strips when I was growing up and I could not resist this when I saw it. It is a 2 type resin cast with a stand and just quite fabulous! It has a little stand for displaying.

You can get a peek here of some of the other stuff I have added about my love…

https://afterwards.blog/2020/04/06/2000ad-stuff-my-carlos-ezquerra-lawgiver-replica/

https://afterwards.blog/2018/09/02/2000ad-art-rogue-trooper-by-mike-collins/

https://afterwards.blog/2018/07/05/my-dredd-tattoo-2/

https://afterwards.blog/2018/07/07/my-other-dredd-tattoo/

https://afterwards.blog/2018/08/08/2000ad-art-dredd-and-the-dark-judges-david-bircham/

https://afterwards.blog/2018/07/22/2000ad-action-figure-judge-death/

https://afterwards.blog/2018/07/05/2000ad-script-t-b-grover-alan-grant-and-art-by-cliff-robinson/

2000AD Stuff – My Carlos Ezquerra Lawgiver Replica

The latest edition to my 2000AD collection of stuff.

About a year ago I ordered myself this little beauty. I think it was for an anniversary or birthday or Christmas, I don’t really recall, and it was mnostly just an excuse because really I ordered it because I wanted it.

I am a huge 2000ad fan and have every one of the weekly comics(2175 and counting) as well as an assortment of tattoos, artwork and other paraphernalia all 2000ad related. My youngest is actually named after Judge Dredd – so you get my general level of obsession.

Below is my replica lawgiver, Dredd’s sidearm. Released by Planet Replicas following the death of legendary Dredd Artist and co-creator Carlos Ezquerra.

I had to wait a ridiculous long time for it because of Donald Trump – he was due to be imposing tariffs so they shipped all the US orders first. Cheers Donald, who would have thought he could go down in my estimation! Well worth the wait though. Cast in resin and hand finished it is a quite lovely replica and one that I cannot wait to get on display once my current building project eventually finishes.

You can get a peek here of some of the other stuff I have added about my love…

https://afterwards.blog/2018/09/02/2000ad-art-rogue-trooper-by-mike-collins/

https://afterwards.blog/2018/07/05/my-dredd-tattoo-2/

https://afterwards.blog/2018/07/07/my-other-dredd-tattoo/

https://afterwards.blog/2018/08/08/2000ad-art-dredd-and-the-dark-judges-david-bircham/

https://afterwards.blog/2018/07/22/2000ad-action-figure-judge-death/

https://afterwards.blog/2018/07/05/2000ad-script-t-b-grover-alan-grant-and-art-by-cliff-robinson/

Feb and March in photos

Not much happening anymore…stupid corona virus

2000AD Art – Baberace 2000

Prog 886 11 May 1994

Not shown you any of this for a while have I.

I think perhaps I have too much of this art work lark because I found this behind the couch and have no idea when I bought it. The couch is about two years old so I guess I have a rough time frame.

Pretty stuff though. Acetate overlay on four pages of ‘Baberace 2000’ written by Mark Millar and drawn by Anthony Williams with lettering courtesy of the wonderful Ellie deVille. Glorioustically stylistice and so very of it’s time and it remainsl so wonderfully vibrant even after 25 years.

Ive just realised I have another Anthony Williams piece on the wall next to me where I am sat. I will have to show you that another time becasue it is a rather special piece indeed.

2000AD Annual 1978

Christmas 1978.

I have no idea where and when I got this but it is the 2000Ad annual from 1978, the year after 2000ad started. It is a pretty hefty offering and features no less than 21 different stories or features. Generous indeed! It still looks great for something nearly 40 years old!

2000AD Prog 453

18th January 1986

When I was going through some of my older copies this one really stood out as I actually remember reading it when it came out in 1986. I even cut the back page off, the Slaine Glen Fabry poster, and stuck it on my bedroom wall. I would have been 14 at the time and at a stage when I was desperate for anything 2000ad related.

It has some wonderful stories, a real collection of classics for sure. You get Dredd, Halo Jones, Ace Trucking, Strontium Dog and Slaine. Damn!

2000AD Art work.

Something from a sci fi special…

I have absolutely no idea who did this all I know is that it is from a Sci Fi summer special and alas I don’t have many of those to trawl through to try and find out but I do rather love the simplicity and the characters. It always reminded me of the ‘Ant Hill Mob’ in whacky races, you know the ones they were the gangsters that drove around in the ‘Roaring Plenty’.

I don’t even know where I got it from you know, maybe it was Ebay or maybe from a Con somewhere. Either way I rather like it especially because it has the lettering on the acetate overlay.

Farewell Carlos Ezquerra

A sad day indeed

Carlos Ezquerra passed away today and it is a sad day indeed. Whilst many have drawn Dredd it was Carlos’ work that was so instantly recognisable and held me captive from such a young age. Carlos brought Dredd to life and so much of what we now know and love about Dredd and the Mega Cities was of his making.

Beyond Dredd there is his work on Strontium dog and others. He really was one of the greatest comic book artists ever and his work has always meant such a lot to me and delights me every time I see it.

I remember going to a con a few years ago just to see him and was gutted when he couldn’t get there because of air traffic controllers somewhere or other and when I eventually got my hands on a piece of his work it was like all my Christmas’ rolled into one.

Below is one that I have shared before that really shows just how amazing an artist he was and by all accounts he was a pretty top bloke too.

RIP Carlos…

Portfolio!

Some of P.J. Holden’s work. Fab stuff indeed.

via Portfolio!

2000AD – Low Life

Rob WIlliams, Smudge, D’Israeli and Rufus Dayglo

One of my favourite characters in 2000AD is Dirty Frank. He’s an undercover judge with some serious mental health issues and an absolute bloody hoot. I fell in love with D’Israeli’s artwork a couple of years ago and really cannot get enough of it. It is jarring and somewhat unconventional and a real pleasure to behold. I love the black and white stuff and the writing in ‘Living the Low Life’ is as funny as hell. Well worth picking up.

D’Israeli actually did a drawing for me when I met him at a con a few years ago and I have been meaning to get it turned into a tattoo for a while now. Really must get that done. I should try find it…

2000AD – America

Colin MacNeil and John Wagner. Buy it, read it. It is bloody awesome.

I was reminded of this by something on Twitter this morning and have been rereading it. One hell of a story by John Wagner beautifully illustrated and bloody hell so on the money given what is going on in America right now.

I am not trying to bash the US, I grew up in South Africa loving all things America, so it saddens me to see what is going on now.

Don’t say you weren’t warned though okay…just saying.

2000AD Spin off CRISIS – #1

4th of Feb 1978

At some point in the late 1980’s I seem to have encountered the comic ‘CRISIS’. I don’t quite remember exactly when but I do remember it being something very different to 2000AD despite it being written and drawn by mostly the same pool of people.

I shall steal from Wikipedia I think…

Crisis was Fleetway’s response to the success of Deadline. David Bishop, in his Thrill Power Overload, comments “2000 AD had once represented the cutting edge of British comics, but was now in danger of looking staid and old fashioned next to Deadline”.[1]

Conceived by editor Steve MacManus, Crisis would offer to make the work creator-owned, which might lead to the chance for royalties and greater copyright control, which was a departure from the way they had done business up until then. They also planned to turn the stories into American comic books which would sell better on the other side of the Atlantic, although ultimately only the first few titles got this treatment and the title moved to shorter stories after issue #14.[1]

It was political and edgy, I recall a burning church at some point and there were people trying to save the planet and blowing things up. That is what I recall at least. I managed to buy most of them off of ebay in recent years and even now it remains an abrasive read at times but I did so enjoy it even though I didn’t really know what was going on sometimes. I have some of the artwork somewhere too which I should dig out really. Maybe next time.

Worth a read if you can pick up old copies if only to enjoy some of the Ezquerra artwork or Mills writing.

2000AD Prog 50

4th of Feb 1978

Prog 50 was a pretty amazing read, with no less than 8 different stories. The breadth and variety of art work alone makes it a thing of beauty and with writers such as Gerry Finley Day and Pat Mills and John Wagner it was bound to thrill. Art by Dave Gibbons, Montero, Ian Gibson and Belardinelli (amongst others) make it pretty stand out for me.

You know, a forty year old Comic smells pretty amazing too!

NECROPOLIS – 2000AD Progs 674-699

April – October 1990

I am no historian of 2000AD. Yes I have them all, in boxes all over the house, and I love them dearly but I am no expert on the matter. I simply enjoy reading them and the way they make me feel and the artwork and the wonderful stories and the places that they take me.

There are few stories that sum up 2000AD for me more than this one. Necropolis. I remember it so clearly from when I was younger and I think it is where I developed my love of the artwork of Carlos Ezquerra. The way he painted Dredd and the dark judges thrills me now still and the story…oh god the story was amazing. For me pipped by the “Apocalypse war” but only just. Perhaps that’s because Apocalypse resonates more with me because I grew up in the eighties and the idea of Russia vs the west was so prevalent.

Seeing Mega-City one in flames was insane and the dark judges were terrifying and there was a real desperation as the story unfolded over 26 weeks. Curiously though Dredd never appeared for the first dozen or so.

The photos are from the graphic novel collection, and I’ve posted a few pages and I was going to write more but I think I am actually going to go red it for a bit. Just enjoy Carlos’ work…

My Other Dredd Tattoo

Revisiting this as it got messed up by the WordPress shenanigans a while back…

Hard to take a photo of this but there you go, this is my other Dredd Tattoo which sits at the back of my left arm just below the elbow. I can then show it to people when they ask whether my Dredd is in fact Magneto. I can understand why I guess, think its the helmet.

It took about 4 hours as I recall, despite it having nowhere near the detail of the my larger Dredd one. All part of the larger collage I will likely complete one day. Might get another next year thinking about it…

My Dredd Tattoo

Revisiting this as it got messed up by the WordPress shenanigans a while back…

I think you know I love Judge Dredd by now, and a couple of years ago I decided to add to my tattoos with a Judge Dredd piece. I don’t quite recall how this piece was selected exactly but the cover of megazine 302 was just so brilliant and it was one that really struck me with the wonderful character of Dredds face and the Artist that did my piece, Lee Reynolds, really took to it.

The artwork was done by Simon Bisley and Glenn Fabry for the 20th anniversary edition of the megazine. This is the original.

I actually think I have one Simon Bisley piece of artwork tucked away somewhere but I’m not currently lucky enough to own a Glenn Fabry piece but it’s on my list of things to buy. Glenn Fabry’s Slaine work is particularly gorgeous and I’m pretty sure something that I will be covering in a future blog.

It took about 5 hours to do as I recall and the worst thing about it was not the pain of the needle but rather having to sit there lying forward with my left arm extended behind me for that amount of time.

I actually rather enjoy the pain and it certainly take your mind off everything when you’re sat there for that amount of time and in a weird sort of way it’s a quite fabulous way to relax and get away from everything else that might be on your mind.

Certainly well worth the time and money and a piece I just absolutely love. I have 2 other 2000AD pieces I will show you another time.

20180701_094330(0)5082702017456487395.jpg

2000AD Prog 10

30th of April 1977

Okay, so this one matter s for a number of reasons. Prog ten was the first ever multi part Dredd story and importantly was the first where John Wagner and Carlos Ezquerra worked together. Their work would become some of the finest to fill the pages of 2000ad and Robot wars was a sign of things to come. Inside is a wonderful double page Dan Dare spread. The cover was drawn by the unmistakable Carlos Ezquerra (I will show you my Ezquerra piece another time) and inside you will also find the following:

Dan Dare by Kelvin Gosnell and Massimo Bellardinelli
M.A.C.H.1 by pat mills and Enio
Judge Dredd by John Wagner and Carlos Ezquerra
Invasion by Gerry Finley Day and Eric Bradbury
Flesh by Studio Giolitti and Ramon Sola
A Tharg 2000AD vehicle testing thingy
Harlem Heroes by Tom Tully and- Dave Gibbons
On the back is the Flesh Card Game cut out

A freaking amazing prog!

2000AD Prog 71

1st of July 1978

I wrote about the banned Ronald McDonald storyline here, well here is another fantastic colour double spread from the story printed in Prog 71. A thing of real beauty drawn by Mike McMahon and written by pat Mills.

I’ll tell you about the time I met Mike another time, but he is a thoroughly pleasant chap.

2000AD Prog 78

12th of August 1978

Last week I showed you the 2000AD Ronald McDonald v Burger King episode from 1978 that will never see a reprint due to it’s copyright infringement. Today I will bring you another from 5 weeks later. This time they featured the Jolly Green giant and again, you’ll never see a reprint I am certain.

The prog also features Dan Dare, Ant Wars, a Future Shock and Ian Gibson’s unmistakable ROBO HUNTER art. Love it muchly! The back cover has a series of what were intended to be cu out cards that formed part of a board game that would be printed over a 6 week period. I’m rather glad the person who had mine originally did not!

2000AD Comic Art by Boo Cook

A couple of pieces by Boo Cook.

Last time out I shared this fantastic Boo Cook piece, and I said I would share more so here you go. These are pieces I picked up at a con in 2013 and the minute I saw them I had to have them. I’d just walked into the place and my entire budget was blown in the first 5 minutes. These are A3 pieces and they really show Boo’s wonderful sketching and I adore all the fine details which I hope the photos show. He was such a sound bloke and so friendly and I certainly treasure the pieces.