If 2000AD is released every week, why choose a random prog (that’s 2000AD parlance for ‘issue’) to review?

Well, this one’s a really special one-off, which imagines that 2000AD absorbed sister title Battle in the 80s.

That means putting sci-fi spins on classic stories and characters that tended to be more grounded and gritty – as well as more overtly violent than the 2000AD of the early 80s.

It’s a really interesting and well done approach; it’s not without precedent either, given that 2000AD absorbed numerous lower selling titles in its heyday, ensuring that characters such as Strontium Dog – which began in sci-fi comic Starlord – lived on beyond the comics they first appeared in.

Here, ultra violent, adolescent urban power fantasy Kidz Rule OK crosses over with Judge Dredd, Rollerball-esque Death Game moves ahead 50 years in Death Game 2049, gritty western El Mestizo gets a sci-fi spin and surprising crossover, violent government agent Dredger also gets the science fiction treatment, German WW2 soldier Hellman literally goes to Hell and Major Eazy gets an Indiana Jones style twist.

It’s all wrapped up with an amusing, self aware framing story that explains the premise – and it’s bloody brilliant.

The only sad part is that it’s something I wish 2000AD did more often. I tend to enjoy one off specials like this a lot more than the weekly anthology comic, mostly because the strips can be so hit and miss.

Prog 2350 is an absolute success, however. The good news is that the crossover continues into this month’s Judge Dredd Megazine too, which has also persuaded me to buy that for the first time in a few years!

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