Review- 2000 AD PRESENTS SCI-FI THRILLERS

2000 AD PRESENTS SCI-FI THRILLERS (2000 AD, 2013; Softcover)

Collects selections from 2000 A.D. #47-61, 245, 296, 302, 368, 369, 408, 409, 479, 491, 537-540, 542, 543, 585-588, 2000 AD Winter Special 1995, and Judge Dredd Megazine #201-207, 209-241 (cover dates January 14, 1978- February 7, 2006)

Writers: Pat Mills, Jim Watson, Alan Grant, Alan Hebden, Grant Morrison, Alan McKenzie, Peter Milligan, Dave Stone, Rob Williams, Paul Cornell, and John Wagner

Artists: Carlos Trigo, Montero, Jim Watson, Massimo Belardinelli, Jesus Redondo, Ian Gibson, Mike Dorey, Steve Dillon, John Ridgway, Will Simpson, Tony Wright, Henry Flint, Simon Fraser, D'Israeli, and Mick McMahon

Curse those Free Comic Book Day offerings! The first part of the Visible Man (#47-52) was reprinted in the 2000 AD Free Comic Book Day edition this year and I loved it. Then they advertised this book in the back. Damn it! Another book that I was suckered into buying. Colony Earth (#52-61) is also worth the price of admission. Grant Morrison's Candy And The Catchman (#491) comes off like something from one of DC's Bronze Age mystery titles. Tribal Memories and Xtnct are both pure crap, and I am dumber for having read them. This was a mostly enjoyable read that has just enough good stuff in it to justify it's existence in my collection and avoid the eBay sell pile.

Junk Food For Thought rating: 3.25 out of 5.

The OCD zone- These Rebellion/ 2000 AD books are wider than standard US trades.

Paper stock: Glossy coated stock. The paper feels dusty, a common occurrence in these offshore produced books. It's probably lead particles or whatever.

Binding: Sewn binding in a softcover.

Cardstock cover notes: Dull matte coating, easily scuffed. 

Review- THARG'S CREEPY CHRONICLES

THARG'S CREEPY CHRONICLES (2000 AD, First US Printing, 2012; Softcover)

Collects selections from 2000 A.D. #706-711, 1170, 1191, 1209,1273-1278, 1296, 1343, 1645, 1674, Prog 2002, and Judge Dredd Annual 1981 (cover dates 1980- March 3, 2010)

Writers: Mark Millar, Gordon Rennie, Kevin O'Neill, Ian Rogen, Steve Moore, Al Ewing, Chris Blythe, Chris Weston, and Arthur Wyatt

Artists: Dave D'Antiquis, Frazier Irving, Kevin O'Neill, Mark Simpson, Greg Staples, Dom Reardon, Cam Kennedy, Chris Weston, and Edmund Bagwell

Colorists: some stories are black and white; Frazier Irving, Mark Simpson, Greg Staples, Chris Blythe, Chris Weston, and Edmund Bagwell

This is an assortment of Horror stories from the British anthology series 2000 A.D. It is Terror Tales: Counts As One Choice ( from #1645) by the incredible Chris Weston which steals the show. It is a story of a guy who subscribes to one of them book clubs to get two Judge Dredd Restricted Case Files books for the price of one and it ends up costing him far, far more than he anticipated. Great stuff there. This was an enjoyable if uneven read.

Junk Food For Thought rating: 3.75 out of 5.

The OCD zone- These Rebellion/ 2000 AD books are wider than standard US trades.

Paper stock: Thick glossy coated stock.

Binding: Sewn binding.

Cardstock cover notes: Dull matte chalky feeling coating.

Review- THARG'S TERROR TALES PRESENTS NECRONAUTS & A LOVE LIKE BLOOD

THARG'S TERROR TALES PRESENTS NECRONAUTS & A LOVE LIKE BLOOD (2000 AD, 2011; Softcover)

Collects selections from 2000 A.D. Nos. 1223-1230, 1243-1249, 1263, 1285 2000 A.D. Progs. 2001, 2004, and Metal Hammer Magazine (cover dates December 13, 2000- December 17, 2003)

Writers: Gordon Rennie and John Smith

Artist: Frazer Irving

I have no recollection of buying this book. Indeed, it might very well be a vile, cursed object which simply appeared in my collection. However it got into my house, I was delighted when I flipped through it and loaded it into my 'to read' queue.

The Necronauts is a League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen-style mash-up of Harry Houdini, H.P. Lovecraft, Charles Fort, and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The team takes on an ancient evil like the ones in Lovecraft's stories. A Love Like Blood is a Romeo And Juliet style tale about forbidden love between a member of the vampire clan and a member of the werewolf clan. Reefer Madness, Mars Needs Mates, and Monsters of Rock are one-shot short stories. Daughter Of Darkness, The Dead Can't Dance, The Devil Has The Best Tunes, Sound Of The Underground, Of Wolf And Man, and Monsters Of Rock* are all half-page strips originally published in Metal Hammer magazine. (*Not the same as the short story listed prior.)

The only thread connecting all of these works is the artwork of Frazer Irving. My only experience with Frazer Irving's artwork prior to reading this was the Grant Morrison Batman & Robin: Batman & Robin Must Die Deluxe Edition hardcover. He is right at home with the gruesome and the macabre, and he has a great style. I like how the The Necronauts was black and white while A Love Like Blood was in full color. Some artists seem to do well with one or the other, but he does great with both. These are some terrific Horror stories that you may have overlooked or been unaware of. 

Junk Food For Thought rating: 5 out of 5.

The OCD zone- This is the US edition of this book, co-published by Simon & Schuster. It retains the original UK edition's dimensions, meaning that it is marginally wider than a standard US trade paperback.

DVD-style Extras included in this book: Seven page Frazer Irving sketchbook.

Paper rating: 5 out of 5. Nice, thick glossy coated stock, perfect for modern material.

Binding rating: 4 out of 5. Perfect bound trade paperback. Read: glue.

Cardstock cover coating rating: 4 out of 5. While I find the coating on the cover of this book to feel sticky and distasteful, it is durable and scuff resistant.

Buy THARG'S TERROR TALES PRESENTS NECRONAUTS & A LOVE LIKE BLOOD TP at InStockTrades!