Request To Rebellion: Non 2000AD Graphic Novels

[seanharry]

There is a ton of great stuff out there that isn't available in a proper collection. From comics such as Warrior, Starlord, Toxic, Near Myths etc.

Great stuff that is sadly being ignored and not available in proper graphic novel format.

The news of a proper ZENITH graphic novel has thrilled me no end, but there are a couple of other comics that I'd love to see collected. Of course top of my list is Marvelman.

Anyway...

What about the two superb sci-fi strips by writer Alan Hebden and artist Jesus Redendo:
Mind War, which appeared in every issue of Starlord except for the first, is superb, and worthy of a proper collection, as is their 2000AD series, Return To Armageddon. Perhaps both in one collection?

What about another great, but overlooked, Starlord series, Planet Of The Damned? And Time Quake?

Rebellion must own the rights to all the Starlord stuff (correct me if I'm wrong), but how about looking into some of the other awesome stuff still out there.

Laser Eraser and Pressbutton: Fantastic series from Steve Moore and Steve Dillion, from character created by Alan Moore. The stuff in Warrior was mind blowing, add in the Eclipse series plus Alan Moores work on Sounds, and you've got something very special (and with Alan Moore and Steve Dillon's names attached, should sell very well).

The Spiral Path wasn't ground breaking, but it was a good solid read. I'd love to see this old Warrior strip back in print.

Is the Adventures Of Luther Arkwright still in print? Seriously, the best graphic novel ever. Rebellion should call Bryan Talbot up and try snapping this up.

[matty_ae]

Nice idea.

At first glance you have to question why Rebellion would pay to reprint material they don't own, when there's so much they do. But that said it would be great if something like Laser Eraser had a continuation and conclusion in the prog which was then reprinted with the original stuff in a case file.

I've already collected it. I'll bung up a scan if I remember. Mike Collins still remembers the strip fondly when I spoke to him about it a few years back.

[IndigoPrime]

Rebellion must own the rights to all the Starlord stuff

Nope. Rebellion only owns whatever characters made the leap to 2000 AD.

[The Adventurer]

Would be nice to get a collected edition of Third World War. Or Insiders.

[The Enigmatic Dr X]

Wasn't Laser Eraser from Whizzer & Chips?

[Colin YNWA]

I'd love reprints of a number of none 2000ad strips, some have been mentioned here, other like Doomlord etc have been discussed elsewhere. As Indigo Prime says alas on some that you think 2000ad owns the rights for they don't, which is a massive shame.

I therefore think the best hopes are twofold. The brilliant MaryandDavid wins the lottery, or has some other windfall so the wonderful Hibernia Press (sorry if the name isn't quite right) can expand its work. Or more possible, but I'm not sure how much more, Titan expands its programme of reprints beyond Battle and Action to include such stuff as they seem more prepared (able?) to buy rights to stuff.

Alas the fact that the Battle reprints, Johnny Red and the soon to end Charley's War aside seem to suggest that that line might not have been a success and have dried up, which my dampen hopes. On the other hand the Action reprint as and when it happens may provide some hope.

Who knows?

[seanharry]

So who does own the rights to the Starlord stuff? Mind War was an absolute classic with some stunning artwork by Redendo, and Planet Of The Damned was a lot of fun. Time Quake had some very clever plotlines, although the lead character was a bit dull. It featured some great Ian Kennedy artwork.

I think that if Rebellion were to reprint the Starlord stuff, there would be a lot of interest from 2000AD fans.

Reprinting stories from Warrior shouldn't be a problem, and I'm still shocked that in the past 30 odd years nobody has looked to reprint the other stuff other than Marvelman and V.

All the copyright on the strips rests with the original writers and artists, so with Laser Eraser and Pressbutton it would just be a quick phone call to Steve's Moore and Dillon (and maybe Alan, as the creator of Pressbutton). Add in Bolland and Leach's work on Zirk, Cam Kennedy's work on Ektryn, the Eclipse series with also featured David Lloyd stuff, and Alan Moore's run on Sounds.

Seriously, a collection featuring long unseen artwork by Steve Moore, Gary Leach, Brian Bolland, Cam Kennedy, David Lloyd and one of the only times that Alan Moore was the artist? Wouldn't that be a guaranteed best seller on both sides of the Atlantic?

Come on Rebellion: You let DC grab Marshall Law, don't miss out on Laser Eraser and Pressbutton!

[malkymac]

Funnily enough I was looking on Amazon for Leo Baxendale stuff (in particular Willy the Kid) and was suprised to see very little available. I would have thought such a famous comics artist would have more out there.

[Colin YNWA]

I think, though I stand to be corrected they still rest with IPC? Your quite right they are basically sitting there doing nowt so you'd hope if the will was there a way could be found. Rebellion has a lot of stuff on its books already though and possibly doesn't need to get into messy negotiations with stuff they don't own (complete speculation).

Also how big would the market be. A sample here would suggest quite big, but then we're not exactly representative!

You'd think people just sitting on license would want to shift um so they at least get something for them, but then look at DD foundation (or whatever they're called).

Laser Eraser and Pressbutton got reprinted by Eclipse, same as Marvelman. Now this was mentioned in that recent investigation into the rights of Marvelman over at The Beat, but I can't remember for the life of me if after this they are in the same mire as the often talked about Moore et al material?

[Frank]

Alas the fact that the Battle reprints, Johnny Red and the soon to end Charley's War aside seem to suggest that that line might not have been a success and have dried up, which my dampen hopes. On the other hand the Action reprint as and when it happens may provide some hope.

All the old IPC stuff which didn't make the jump to Rebellion is just taking up conceptual space in the offices of IPC's intellectual property department (i), isn't it? Talk round here seems to suggest it was freely donated fan labour (by W R Logan?) which allowed the Dredd archive to be properly archived and made ready for print, so maybe an approach to IPC by a similarly dedicated soul would remove one possible impediment to them cashing in on material that isn't currently making a penny for them.

Digital release and print-on-demand seem like the best ways of getting work with a small but eager audience back into circulation, and the price tag of the Zenith tome must have raised a few eyebrows.


(i) "In late 2004, IPC Media and DC Comics announced that: "DC Comics was to become the worldwide master licensee of the rights to produce and publish new comics material based on the IPC library of properties." This does not of course cover the rights to reprints, which remain with IPC Media"

[I, Cosh]

Reprinting stories from Warrior shouldn't be a problem, and I'm still shocked that in the past 30 odd years nobody has looked to reprint the other stuff other than Marvelman and V.

Other than the fact that they'd have to spend time and money negotiating the rights for each story individually. Obviously, I have as little idea of the inner workings of Rebellion's GN department as you do, but I just kind of assume given things like how unusual it is to see so much as an original cover these days and the fact they've never shown any interest in repackaging other people's material, that the margins are already pretty tight so they're going to go with stuff they already own where possible.

Seriously, a collection featuring long unseen artwork by Steve Moore, Gary Leach, Brian Bolland, Cam Kennedy, David Lloyd and one of the only times that Alan Moore was the artist? Wouldn't that be a guaranteed best seller on both sides of the Atlantic?

Or, to put it another way, a collection of reasonably interesting ephemera and juvenilia from before they started drawing proper comics? I imagine it would sell but not in great numbers.

[Dash Decent]

I want the Sweeny Toddler Case Files and The Leopard from Lime Street omnibus.

[Dandontdare]

You could probably fit the whole run of Starlord into one bumper book of sci-fi goodness. Now THAT I'd buy.

[JamesC]

I bought a book at a flea market called something like 'The Bumper Comics Library' or 'Bumper Comics Special' that was printed in (I think) the 70s and contained reprints of loads of defunct 50s comics - there was lots of Robot Archie in it and the whole thing ran to something like 300 pages. It was printed on cheap paper and was the sort of thing kids would be bought to read on a long journey.

It would be great to see something like this but with loads of 70s and 80s stuff. I wonder if this may be better than those 'Best Of...' books that seem to come out every Xmas that are full of articles and fluff but without much actual strip content.


Also, I think the best was to get lots of Leo Baxendale stuff may be to look out for BIG Comic on Ebay. The BIG Comic annuals were very chunky volumes full of great strips.

There was also a DC Thompson monthly reprint title called 'Classics from the Comics' that ran until a few years ago. You can probably pick those up cheap now.

[Skullmo]

I'd love reprints of a number of none 2000ad strips, some have been mentioned here, other like Doomlord etc have been discussed elsewhere. As Indigo Prime says alas on some that you think 2000ad owns the rights for they don't, which is a massive shame.

I therefore think the best hopes are twofold. The brilliant MaryandDavid wins the lottery, or has some other windfall so the wonderful Hibernia Press (sorry if the name isn't quite right) can expand its work. Or more possible, but I'm not sure how much more, Titan expands its programme of reprints beyond Battle and Action to include such stuff as they seem more prepared (able?) to buy rights to stuff.

Alas the fact that the Battle reprints, Johnny Red and the soon to end Charley's War aside seem to suggest that that line might not have been a success and have dried up, which my dampen hopes. On the other hand the Action reprint as and when it happens may provide some hope.

Who knows?

MaryandDavid should do a kickstarter project.