2000 AD publisher Rebellion has announced that Britain’s most controversial comic Action is set to make its return this year with the 96-page hardcover original graphic novel Battle Action Special featuring eight brand new stories from the pen of Garth Ennis (The Boys, Preacher) and drawn by a host of artistic talent including Kevin O’Neill (The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen).
A forerunner to 2000 AD, the original Action was a weekly comic launching in February 1976 which proved hugely popular, although its mature content and graphic violence quickly led to a moral panic amid outrage from moral crusaders and the media. It was pulled from sale that October and re-emerged in a toned-down form the following month, lasting for a year before it was merged with Battle Picture Weekly to form Battle Action.
Here’s the official details on Battle Action Special…
Behind a brand new cover by Andy Clarke (Batman and Robin) and Dylan Teague (Madi), the Battle Action Special will bring the best of Battle and Action’s action-packed and controversial comics back to life in all their bullet-spraying and enemy-shredding action!
Kevin O’Neill is the artist on the revival of Kids Rule OK, writer Jack Adrian and artist Mike White’s series about kids running amok in a post-apocalyptic landscape that was so infamous it helped lead to Action being pulled from shelves!
Take to the skies with artist Keith Burns and colourist Jason Wordie, and witness the air duel of the century as ace fighter pilot Johnny Red faces off against Skreamer of the Stukas.
Infamous German tank commander Hellman of Hammer Force bears down on American Colonel Glory Rider in Tunisia, drawn by the legendary Mike Dorey (Ro-Busters).
Blunt instrument of British Intelligence Dredger returns and takes no prisoners on the streets of 1980s London, courtesy of Watchmen colourist and Judge Dredd artist John Higgins, with co-colours by Sally Jane Hurst.
Take on the selfish but fearless Crazy Keller by Chris Burnham (Batman) and colours by Len O’Grady, and meet Nina Petrova, the scourge of the Eastern Front, with art by Patrick Goddard (Judge Dredd) and colours by Jason Wordie.
And roll out into Italy in the heat of 1944 with The Sarge as Ennis reunites with The Stringbags artist PJ Holden.
Battle Action Special is set to go on sale in June 2022.
