Comic Book Review: 2000 AD Sci-Fi Special 2019 edited by Tharg
Artist Carlos Ezquerra was a long-time contributor to the 2000 AD comics series, including co-creating the popular Judge Dredd series with John Wagner in 1977. He passed away in October 2018, and this issue is designed as a tribute to him.
“Night at the Museum” by Alan Grant and Robin Smith is a Judge Dredd story. Three muggers flee from the future lawman into a science fiction museum, and wind up in the Ezquerra wing. It’s mostly an excuse to reference favorite works by the artist.
“Strange Meeting” by Guy Adams and Dave Kendall is set in the Fiends of the Eastern Front series, about vampires in the World Wars. It’s a dark piece about fear and vampiric recruitment.
“Spector: Incorruptible” by John Wagner and Carlos Ezquerra is the centerpiece of the issue. This series about a police robot created to be incorruptible and more or less forced on a police force and city government that’s entirely corrupt would have been their next collaboration. Only two chapters were finished, and one scripted, before Ezquerra’s death.
Spector’s an interesting character, not quite human but trying out various human traits such as humor to see if he can get the hang of them. The story is driven by the fact that the very people who employ Spector don’t want him to succeed, because then they’d go to jail. But they can’t openly be against him, because that would admit they were afraid.
“Valhalla” by Mike Carroll and Patrick Goddard closes the issue with a story about Wulf Sternhammer, who was a supporting character in the Strontium Dogs series. A time-lost Viking, he became mutant Johnny Alpha’s partner as a bounty hunter. In this tale, taking place between stories in the original continuity, Vulf visits his old hometown only to discover that his old friends are not just dead, but forgotten, as was he himself lost to history. But perhaps one can take some pleasure in the present moment? Bittersweet.
There’s also a couple of pinups by Cliff Robinson featuring Ezquerra’s characters.
It’s a good tribute to a favorite artist, well worth having for 2000 AD fans.
