2000 AD Online Forum

I'm new to these forums so umm...hi ^^
Anyways, a while ago I played the Rogue Trooper video game on the Xbox and I absolutely loved it. The story was awesome and I really liked the concept.

So once I found out it was based on a comic which was in the 2000AD magazine, I set off to try and find Rogue trooper to read it.

After a while of searching I have found out that Rebellion have re-printed all of Rogue's stories into 4 books known as
Rogue Trooper: The Future Of War
Rogue Trooper: Fort Neuro
Rogue Trooper: The Eye Of The Traitor
Rogue Trooper: To The Ends of Nu-Earth
Well, according to Wiki anyway. So what I wanna know is, are these all of Rogues stories? Have they been re-printed into these books in chronological order etc so I can read it just like it was when it came out?

Also, according to Wiki 'Additional stories have been collected into two more publications by Rebellion, Re-Gene and Realpolitik.'
What are these stories? Are these little side stories that bear no relevance, or do they need to be read at certain parts whilst reading Rogues other stories? Or perhaps are they just specials or something?

Any help will be much appreciated, thanks for taking the time to read this. :]

Welcome o the sight and thanks for posting a question I actually know the answer to. This doesn't happen often.

The first four books you mentioned collect together the first major Rogue Trooper storyline where he's tracking  a traitor wh got his mates killed. These are usually considered the pick of the Rogue stories and most consider the subsequent stoies to go progressively downhill.

Re-Gene colects the second arc and follows on pretty much directly after the first four books.  Realpolitik on the other hand is a collection of stories that were published more recently. They are flashback stories set around the time of the early stories. There has been a lot of Rogue material published between the end of Re-Gene and the stories in Realpolitik, many of which are thought of by most fans as substandard so these recent tales were an attempt to get back to what made Rogue great in the first place.

The early books are well worth a read in my opinion but be warned, they are very much of their time (early - mid 80's).

Ahh I see, thank you very much for clearing things up for me!

I'll buy the 4 Rogue books along with Re-gene and Realpolitik. Altough you said the latter aren't supposed to be that good I'll give them a shot and see what I think.

Any other Rogue material you think would be worthwhile reading?
Thanks again!

2000ad Extreme Edition #15 collects some interesting Rogue Trooper odds and ends that don't appear in any of the recent collections (including the popular Cinnabar storyline)- you might be able to find a copy on eBay:

(//http://www.2000ad.org/covers/reprints/mediumres/extreme15.jpg)

Here's where things get a little confusing: There were actually two Rogue Troopers. After the original Rogue Trooper series ended, it was 'rebooted' as a brand new series with a new Rogue Trooper - named Friday. The first story of the new Rogue, The War Machine, is quite highly regarded and might be worth a look.

The War Machine was published as a (long out of print) graphic novel, and it also appears in Classic 2000AD #6(again, try eBay):

(//http://www.2000ad.org/covers/reprints/mediumres/CLAS2K6.jpg)

The rest of the Friday Rogue Trooper stories (of which there were many published throughout the 1990's) are generally regarded as pretty weak - never matching the popularity of the original series - and attempts to combine the two Rogue Trooper characters and continuities together were a bit of a disaster. These stories have never been reprinted.

Can I just say that the storyline that unified the two Rogues was running when I first started reading the comic and not knowing any of the history at the time I took it on it's own merits and loved it. I think it was Friday for the first couple of months and then Rogue showed up and I was gobsmacked. Presumably the writer at the time was specifically briefed to clear up the continuity question and did a half descent job. I always thought that it was a little unfair that after taking all the flak over the unification storyline he then had the series cancelled from under him just as he was starting to bring his own ideas to fruition. Surely he'd earned a couple of series to bed his ideas in. I for one thought the whole Karvanu Jihad idea was a clever spin on the series and would have liked to see a lot more of it.

I realise all of the above probably sounds like gibberish to the new guy and isn't helping answer his question so I'll shut up now

Am i the only person who liked FRIDAY, i thought he was great




I also enjoyed the rogue/dredd crossover.

QuoteAm i the only person who liked FRIDAY, i thought he was great

TheEdge, I dare you to agree with the statement: "I thought the Golden Fox Rebellion and the Sahara Icefield War were terrific stories and a great use of Ron Smith and Simon Coleby's talents, and by no means some of the worst work either artist ever produced".  

Everything Fridayish after the excellent Gibbons/Simpson War Machine reboot was utter shite.  And I mean that in a thin-ice entirely subjective non-personal constructive way.  Honest.

Y'know- I've read a really good Fr1day strip...

It will be in Zarjaz 08 in October, and it rocks!

Thanks for all your help guys! Radiator, you said that Issue 15 of 2000AD Extreme had some stories from Rogue not featured in the recent collections, does that include Realpolitik? Faplad said that Realpolitik is a collection of more recent stories so I thought that maybe it had those stories in it too.

I've found The War Machine graphic novel on amazon so I won't need to hunt down the issue it was featured in.
Also Radiator, you said that there were more stories about Friday published throughout the 90s but were never reprinted, do you know which issues these stories featured in as I'd like to try it for myself.

Again, thanks for all your help.

ALL HAIL the ENORMOPOST!!!!! This is what you get for asking questions about 2000ad's most convoluted character!   Here goes...

Extreme Edition #15 collects together lots of Rogue Trooper rarities (mainly from 2000ad annuals, specials etc) that don't appear in any of the graphic novel collections - including some short stories by Alan Moore (Watchmen). It also features Cinnabar, which though popular, wasn't by the original series writer, and at the time of publishing didn't fit continuity so was subtitled 'A Nu-Earth Flashback' (which is why its considered something of an oddity, and was excluded from the graphic novels). Hope that makes sense.

In 2002, after a long hiatus, the original Rogue Trooper (Rogue) reappeared in a new series of old-school flavoured stories by a new writer, Gordon Rennie. The stories are 'flashbacks', set  during Rogue's original, classic era. It's these stories that make up the Realpolitik collection.

Here is a list of all of Fridays' subsequent appearances. All the stories by Michael Fleisher are generally considered to be among the worst material to see print in 2000ad - but personally, I very much enjoyed the Steve White/Dan Abnett era. I was quite young at the time, though, so maybe it really was a load of crap. If nothing else that era has some wonderful art by Steve Tappin and Henry Flint!

Golden Fox Rebellion 12 episodes (Progs 712 to 723) 72 pages
Script: Michael Fleisher, Artist: Ron Smith

Saharan Ice Belt War 12 episodes (Progs 730 to 741) 76 pages
Script: Michael Fleisher, Artist: Simon Coleby, Colour: Gina Hart

Apocalypse Dreadnought 12 episodes (Progs 780 to 791) 74 pages
Script: Michael Fleisher, Artist: Ron Smith

Scavenger of Souls Prologue 2 episodes (Progs 850 to 851) 12 pages
Script: Michael Fleisher and Falco, Artist: Simon Coleby, Letters: Glib

Scavenger of Souls 8 episodes (Progs 873 to 880) 48 pages
Script: Michael Fleisher and Falco, Artist: Chris Weston

Mercy Killing 3 episodes (Progs 889 to 891) 18 pages
Script: Steve White, Artist: Henry Flint, Letters: Bunty Mayhew

Mercenary Attitudes 4 episodes (Progs 896 to 899) 24 pages
Script: Steve White, Artist: Henry Flint, Letters: Bunty Mayhew

Casualties Of War 1 episode (Prog 900) 28 pages
Script: John Wagner, Artist: John Higgins, Letters: Tom Frame & Ellie De Ville

G.I. Blues 3 episodes (Progs 901 to 903) 19 pages
Script: Mark Millar (1), Steve White (2-3), Artist: Chris Weston, Colour: Gina Hart

Blue on Blue 4 episodes (Progs 928 to 931) 24 pages
Script: Steve White, Artist: Henry Flint
Featuring: Rogue Trooper, Venus Bluegenes
Other artists also involved

Mind Bombs 3 episodes (Progs 937 to 939) 18 pages
Script: Steve White, Artist: Edmund Perryman and Nick Abadzis

Ascent 4 episodes (Progs 946 to 949) 24 pages
Script: Steve White, Artist: Steve Tappin

Angels 3 episodes (Progs 950 to 952) 18 pages
Script: Steve White, Artist: Charlie Adlard

Descent 3 episodes (Progs 964 to 966) 18 pages
Script: Steve White, Artist: Steve Tappin

Combat Rocks 4 episodes (Progs 967 to 970) 24 pages
Script: Steve White, Artist: Steve Tappin

Hot Metal 4 episodes (Progs 983 to 986) 24 pages
Script: Steve White, Artist: Henry Flint (1), Steve Tappin (2-4)

Street Fighting Man 3 episodes (Progs 987 to 989) 18 pages
Script: Steve White, Artist: Steve Tappin, Letters: Ellie De Ville (1), Annie Parkhouse (2-3)

Collateral 3 episodes (Progs 1007 to 1009) 18 pages
Script: Steve White, Artist: Steve Tappin, Letters: Annie Parkhouse

Rogue Alone 4 episodes (Progs 1010 to 1013) 24 pages
Script: Steve White, Artist: Calum Alexander Watt, Letters: Annie Parkhouse

Rogue Troopers 9 episodes (Progs 1014 to 1022) 54 pages
Script: Dan Abnett/Steve White, Artist: Alex Ronald

You might also want to try and get hold of the Rogue Trooper Action Special, which includes some more (non-reprint) Friday-era material:

(//http://www.2000ad.org/covers/specials/mediumres/ROGUE96.jpg)

There are a couple of other series set in the Rogue Trooper universe that might interest you....

Venus Bluegenes:

On the Fragshell 4 episodes (Progs 976 to 979) 24 pages
Script: Dan Abnett, Artist: Simon Coleby, Colour: Gina Hart

Stealth 3 episodes (Progs 980 to 982) 18 pages
Script: Steve White, Artist: Henry Flint

The Pleasures of the Flesh (2000AD Sci-Fi Special 1988) 7 pages
Script: Grant Morrison, Artist: Will Simpson, Colour: PAINTED (page 1/2 only), Letters: Gordon Robson

Bitchin'! (2000AD Winter Special 1995)
Script: Steve White, Artist: Simon Coleby

Mercy Heights:

Mercy Heights 15 episodes (Progs 1033 to 1047) 91 pages
Script: John Tomlinson, Artist: Kevin Walker, Lee Sullivan and Andrew Currie

Dead of Winter 1 episode (Prog 1124) 10 pages
Script: John Tomlinson, Artist: Neil Googe

Mercy Heights Book 2 15 episodes (Progs 1133 to 1148) 91 pages
Script: John Tomlinson, Artist: Trevor Hairsine (1-5), Lee Sullivan (6-10), Neil Googe(11-15), Colour: Chris Blythe (1-5)
Not in Prog 1138.

Tor Cyan (itself a spin off from Mercy Heights):

Blue Murder 4 episodes (Progs 1223 to 1226)
Script: John Tomlinson, Artist: Kevin Walker

Crucible 2 episodes (Progs 1250 to 1251) 12 pages
Script: John Tomlinson, Artist: Kevin Walker, Letters: Ellie De Ville

Refugee 2 episodes (Progs 1252 to 1253) 12 pages
Script: John Tomlinson, Artist: Kevin Walker, Letters: Ellie De Ville

World Of Hurt 3 episodes (Progs 1254 to 1256) 18 pages
Script: John Tomlinson, Artist: Colin Wilson, Colour: Janet Gale, Letters: Ellie De Ville

The Dead Sorceror's Coachman 1 episode (Prog 1263) 7 pages
Script: John Tomlinson, Artist: Colin Wilson, Colour: Janet Gale, Letters: Ellie De Ville

Rahab 1 episode (Prog 1295) 12 pages
Script: John Tomlinson, Artist: Jock, Colour: Chris Blythe, Letters: Ellie De Ville

Phage 1 episode (Prog 1296) 6 pages
Script: John Tomlinson, Artist: Jock, Colour: Chris Blythe, Letters: Ellie De Ville

No Such Place 3 episodes (Progs 1297 to 1299) 18 pages
Script: John Tomlinson, Artist: Jock, Colour: Chris Blythe, Letters: Ellie De Ville

And finally, The 86ers (which is actually running it's final series in 2000ad as we speak...):

Touchdown 6 episodes (Progs 1480 to 1485) 30 pages
Script: Gordon Rennie, Artist: Karl Richardson (1-2), Paul J Holden (3-6), Colour: Chris Blythe (3-6), Letters: Tom Frame

Interference 3 episodes (Progs 1508 to 1510) 15 pages
Script: Gordon Rennie, Artist: Paul J Holden, Colour: Chris Blythe, Letters: Ellie De Ville

Grendel 6 episodes (Progs 1544 to 1549) 30 pages
Script: Gordon Rennie, Artist: Paul J Holden, Colour: Eva De La Cruz, Letters: Simon Bowland

Under Pressure 1+ episode (Prog 1625) 6 pages
Script: Arthur Wyatt, Artist: Paul J Holden, Colour: Eva De La Cruz, Letters: Simon Bowland

Good luck with all of that..,..

I will say that Friday was created as a grittier, more militaristic re-imagining of the Rogue Trooper concept. Somewhere around the Blue on Blue storyline the old Rogue meets the new Rogue (Friday), and everything gets weird and confusing as the two seperate storylines are welded together. If you can imagine, its a bit like if they made a new Batman movie where Michael Keaton Batman meets Christian Bale Batman, and they present a convoluted explanation as to why there are two Gotham cities and two Batmans running around.

To be fair, I think all of this was sort of forced on the writers, and after all that mess is resolved the Friday stories become a bit more entertaining.

I can remember being pleasantly surprised by that Rogue Trooper Action Special.

Wow Radiator, thanks for going to so much to answer my questions!
I guess I'm gonna spend a while getting all of Friday's adventures!

By the way, what does prog mean? I've seen it used a few times but have no idea to its meaning lol.

Also, do you know any sites that are good to buy all these progs from?

Thanks again!

Sorry for the double post, for some reason it wont let me edit my above post.

When you say for e.g. 'Progs 730 to 741' do you mean all of the progs in between? E.g. the story is in 730, 731, 732, 733 etc all the way to 741, or do you mean just progs 730 and 741?

Thanks!

Quote from: "-Rogue-"By the way, what does prog mean?

heh - when launched in 1977, 2000ad was super-duper futuristic, so it couldn't be a mere comic or issue - it was 'Programme 1' - every issue since then has been a prog - 32 years on, we're currently enjoying Prog 1627.

It was (and still is) billed as being "in orbit every Wednesday" rather than in the shops.

and then there's Tharg.........

Ahh, so prog is just their word for issue?
Thanks ^^

QuoteBy the way, what does prog mean?

Yep - prog means 'issue'.

Quotedo you know any sites that are good to buy all these progs from?

Hmmm - there are a few comic shops in London that stock back issues. It's also always worth a look in charity shops, and in my experience Second Hand bookshops generally have a comics section (but are there many Second Hand bookshops still around these days?) Couldn't really recommend any sites other than eBay. It might help to create a saved search for the issues you want and try every week. You might find it is easier/cheaper to buy up a job lot of progs if someone is selling their 2000ad collection, and take what you want from that. Occasionally someone comes on here offering their entire collection of 2000ads for free/best offer so just keep an eye out for that - It might also be worth asking around on the 2000ad Review board.

QuoteWhen you say for e.g. 'Progs 730 to 741' do you mean all of the progs in between?

Yes, unless stated otherwise, I mean all the issues in between as well. As 2000ad stories are serialised in 5 page episodes, they are spread out over a lot of issues.

Personally, I would suggest that rather than go to great trouble and expense tracking down these relatively obscure stories, maybe you could sample some of 2000AD's other great comic strips? If you enjoy Rogue Trooper, I'd recommend you check out the following graphic novels (most of which have a similar 'future war' vibe):

B.A.D. Company: Goodbye Krool World
Judge Dredd: Mandroid
Kingdom: The Promised Land
Xtcnt
Glimmer Rats
ABC Warriors: Khronicles of Khaos
The Ballad of Halo Jones
Durham Red: The Vermin Stars
Nikolai Dante: The Romanov Dynasty

Yeah that seems like a better, idea.
All of those comics with Friday would cost a fortune as there are so many!

Like you said, they are apparently pretty dire so I might just stick to The War Machine GN as opposed to following up all of his adventures.

I'll be sure to have a look at those you recommended.
Again, thanks for helping a noob in  need!

There was also a Rogue Trooper Annual in 1991.

Quote from: "Bolt-01"Y'know- I've read a really good Fr1day strip...

It will be in Zarjaz 08 in October, and it rocks!

My word, but that sounds very interesting. I shall look forwards to this with some trepidation.

While we're on the subject, anyone know why the writers ditched the 'Rogue-as-assassin' idea that they were publishing around prog 520? The obvious answer is 'because it was shit', but I thought the artwork from Dillon was great and I quite enjoyed the initial Yuan Toh hit. The writers had obviously come up with somewhere for the story to go, with all that new moral army stuff and some female assassin coming after Rogue - but after Cinnabar, which was supposed to be an interlude, they ditched it all together. Was there just general reader outcry saying they hated the hitman stuff? Anyone know what happened?

I've just been reading a book of old comics from around the time Cinnabar was ran by the way, I'm not some Johnny Nmemonic type (or however you spell that name)!

I believe The Hit plotline was unceremoniously wrapped up in a Winter Special or something like that. I think the reason for this is because it was poorly received, and it was decided to reboot Rogue rather than carry it on.

I wonder - have we really seen the last of Rogue, or is another reinvention around the corner? Wikipedia states that Rennie wanted to have another crack at the series, but was prevented from doing so. I remember someone proposing on the board that John Smith could make a go of an all new Rogue series - that I'd like to see.

Quote from: "radiator"personally, I very much enjoyed the Steve White/Dan Abnett era.

Glad I'm not the only one

I think it was largely to do with Steve Tappin's artwork - always hugely underrated imo.

Ah , so does this mean I am the only one to actually enjoy the stories themselves. Bugger, this is like Finn all over again.

I'm gonna read the adaptation with Friday and who knows, I might enjoy it ^^

By the way, are you talking about The War Machine or all of the stories about Friday?

Quote from: "faplad"Ah , so does this mean I am the only one to actually enjoy the stories themselves. Bugger, this is like Finn all over again.

I'M NOT ALONE, whoooo hooooooo. Your not alone i agree with you including finn

Wikipedia's wrong, I'm afraid.  I had no plans to continue on with Rogue.

Mind you, according to Wikipedia, I'm also a former music journalist.  Still got no idea where that came from.

Gordon is just 'pop-tastic' - you sure you didn't have a run in Smash Hits! ?