Dave at fine small press stable FutureQuake Press drops us a line to let us know FQP has a slew of new titles out just in time for the upcoming Thought Bubble, including the excellent 2000 AD fanzine Zarjaz – the new issue 13 can be seen above, complete with fab Rogue Trooper wraparound cover by Staz Johnson) and includes good pal of the blog Richmond Clements teaming with George Coleman on Rogue Trooper, plus tales of Dredd, Sam Slade, ABC Warriors and more.

The science fiction comic anthology FutureQuake hits issue 19, this year’s creeping horror anthology Something Wicked (a particular fave of mine) reaches issue 7 and there’s a special follow up to a surprise hit from last year with Dark Judgement 2, with writer Rich McAuliffe and artist Conor Boyle teaming up to bring four more tales of the Dark Judges: Fear, Fire, Mortis and our old chum, Judge Death. The guys will be at Thought Bubble and of course you can also order all of these via the FQP site.

In this round table, conducted for the Forbidden Planet International blog and Down the Tubes by Matt Badham, Matt Smith (editor of 2000 AD), Gerry Finley-Day, Staz Johnson (the artist on this new strip) and Pat Mills (veteran comics writer and friend of Finley-Day) all talk about the genesis of the new story, entitled Dead Ringer…

(NB: Matt Badham originally conducted these interviews by email. They were then edited together to make a ’round table discussion’.)

(cover art to 2000 AD Prog 2011, which features the return of Rogue Trooper under the guiding hand of Gerry Finley-Day)

Matt Badham: Gerry, what have you been up to writing-wise since you stopped working for 2000 AD?

Gerry Finley-Day: Once a writer, always a writer… I have written novels and some screen plays.

Matt Badham: And what brought you back to 2000 AD and to Rogue?

Gerry Finley-Day: When my friend Pat Mills returned from a comics convention in the States he told me that many people were asking about me. He seemed to think there was a demand for some fresh material from me and I thought, why not?

Matt Smith: Pat got in touch and said that he’d like to work (in an editorial capacity) with Gerry on a Rogue story. I think he felt that Gerry got unfairly sidelined out of 2000 AD, and wanted to help him try to write something for the comic today. The plan was to work on a standalone Rogue story, something that could slot quite easily into the comic.

Pat Mills: Gerry was the creator of Tammy, from which Battle, Action and 2000 AD are descended, so he is the founder of modern British comics. This has been pretty much ignored by comic historians and Gerry also had some insider-encouraged negative press on the web in years gone by, which made me seethe with anger with its inaccuracy and self-serving motivation. The reality is fans loved his work, but it didn’t find favour with 2000 AD editorial at one stage.

Having been Gerry’s editor, I know the relatively small problems they faced (pacing and some story logic issues) but it was my view that it was worth dealing with them ‘in house’ because his stories were so popular. We all of us have our scripting faults and eccentricities and it’s just something I felt we had to accept. Editorial didn’t agree and I can completely understand why. But fans didn’t agree with them either and kept asking for Gerry back, so I recently seized the chance and facilitated it.

(the return of Rogue Trooper, art by Staz Johnson, (c) Rebellion)

Matt Badham: Matt, where in Rogue continuity is the story set?

Matt Smith: During the original run. It starts with the commemoration of the fifth anniversary of the Quartz Zone Massacre.

Matt Badham: How did you go about finding an appropriate artist for this new episode and why did you choose Staz Johnson?

Matt Smith: It was always the intention to run it in black and white, so I was after a good b/w artist. Staz has experience drawing Rogue and was champing at the bit to do it.

Matt Badham: How excited were you to welcome Rogue and his creator back? Were you a fan of the strip way back in the day…?

Matt Smith: It’s good to see the original Rogue back in the prog for a simple, action-packed story. I was a fan of the original run, but he’s a character who’s been diminished, unfortunately, by too many ‘re-imaginings’ and new directions. Just seeing Rogue back on Nu Earth fighting Norts is quite reassuring.

Matt Badham: Staz, are you also a fan of Rogue from way back?

Staz Johnson: Absolutely I am. I was at the key 2000 AD readership age (17) when Rogue debuted in 2000 AD and it didn’t take long before he had usurped Dredd as my favourite character. Anyone who has followed my blog will have seen this post where I posted some of my attempts at Rogue from long before I became a professional cartoonist, and just drew him for the sheer love of the character.

(Rogue takes on the Norts, art by Staz Johnson, (c) Rebellion)

Matt Badham: So, how did you actually get involved with the new strip?

Staz Johnson: There was no alchemy to it, as it was simply the case that I had spoken to Tharg saying I was available. (I assume) when the script came in a few days later, he in his mighty wisdom figured I’d be a good fit, so he called me up.

Matt Badham: Pat, what was the exact nature of your ‘editorial’ involvement with the new strip?

Pat Mills: I made a few minor changes to Gerry’s new Rogue story strip, but frankly it was just like I remembered his scripts. Not a big deal to make a few alterations. He has a feeling for some stories – notably war – which the readers intuitively respond to because of his own military background in the TA.

Matt Badham: Matt, are we going to see more Rogue from Gerry?

Matt Smith: I think Gerry would be keen to write more, providing it goes down well. It would have to be an occasional thing, a retro blast now and then, as I feel, as a series, the story’s been played out.

Matt Badham: Gerry, do you think you’ll return to Rogue again after this outing or maybe even pen further instalments of some of your other strips, such as The V.C.s or Fiends on the Eastern Front?

Gerry Finley-Day:  I hope so, [but] that will be up to Matt [Smith].

Matt Badham: How easy was it to slip back into writing for the character and his world?

Gerry Finley-Day: As I said, I haven’t stopped writing and Rogue is a good character.

Matt Badham: Did you enjoy the experience?

Gerry Finley-Day: Yes, very much so.

Matt Badham: Why do you think that Rogue has remained a fan favourite among 2000 AD readers? What is the character’s core appeal?

Gerry Finley-Day: I suppose because war – like it or not – is the ultimate adventure and Rogue is still the recognisable soldier no matter how far into the future.

Matt Badham: Pat, you facilitated Gerry’s return so presumably you want to see him write more for 2000 AD?

Pat Mills: Reader reaction to Gerry’s impending return has been extremely enthusiastic and I’m hoping I can persuade him to write more.  We really don’t want anyone else writing Fiends, V.C.s or Rogue, any more than fans would appreciate anyone other than Alan Moore writing D.R. and Quinch or Halo Jones.  Gerry is entitled to the same respect.

Matt Badham: Staz, Would you like to do more Rogue?

Staz Johnson: I’d love to. I’d certainly hope that should Tharg choose to run more Nu Earth stories, I’d then be given the opportunity to draw at least some of them. I suppose the question is whether there is a thirst among the current 2000 AD readership for a strip that is essentially ‘retro’. There’s no point making strips just because the creators think it’s fun to work on them. I think there’s still a way to make war stories relevant to a modern, more sophisticated audience, without having to resort to gimmicks or by making a war story that isn’t really about war. Take a look at Saving Private Ryan and Band Of Brothers. A Rogue with that level of visceral realism, gravity and pathos would be fantastic I think.

(more Rogue in action, art by Staz Johnson, (c) Rebellion)

Matt Badham: What was it like working on a ‘classic’ strip with a ‘classic’ creator?

Staz Johnson: Well, that was the thing. As a fan of those original Nu Earth stories, it was a real thrill. Clearly, as the original writer, you can take as gospel that this IS Rogue… not just another writer’s ‘version’ of the character.

Matt Badham: What approach have you taken to the visuals for this new episode of Rogue?

Staz Johnson: Well, one of the things that pulled me into Rogue way back in ’81 was Dave Gibbons’ artwork. I had my old Titan Books reprint of the Gibbons strips on my desk the whole time I was working on the pages, so I took a lot of my design cues from him: things like the Southerner military police and the genetic camels, stammels. However, in addition to that, I looked at a lot of other old school 2000 AD artwork because I definitely wanted it to have that ‘feel’. In the end I think it wound up being close to someone like (Mean Arena artist) Mike White’s work, with bits of Jesus Redondo thrown in. Hopefully with a healthy dose of Staz Johnson too, obviously.

Matt Badham: Who is your favourite Rogue Trooper artist?

Staz Johnson: Dave Gibbons, all the way. That’s not to denigrate those who followed him, especially Cam Kennedy, but for me Dave is #1.

Matt Badham: Matt, Gerry isn’t the only creator to have made his way back to 2000 AD. You’ve also had Brendan McCarthy back in the mix. Why do you think these ‘classic’ creators are being tempted back to 2000 AD?

Matt Smith: Partly because it’s always there. If you’ve got a gap in your schedule, it’s worth tapping up 2000 AD for a short Dredd story or whatever. Also, because it’s fun – no hoops to jump through, no marketing men to approve every process, just get back to having fun with comics. And 2000 AD characters hold a special place in a lot of creators’ hearts – they’ve been with them for the past three decades.

Matt Badham: Are there any other ex-2000 AD creators you’re particularly keen to welcome back into the fold?

Matt Smith: Plenty. Steve Dillon, Kevin O’Neill, Garth Ennis, Pete Milligan, Trevor Hairsine, Duncan Fegredo…

Matt Badham: What else is in Prog 2011 and why is it a good jumping on point for new readers?

Matt Smith: We’ve got a twelve-page complete Dredd story by Al Ewing and Paul Marshall, called ‘The Chief Judge’s Speech’; the ten-page opening episodes of the post-apocalyptic Kingdom: ‘His Master’s Voice’ by Dan Abnett and Richard Elson, pan-galactic weirdfest Shakara: ‘Avenger’ by Robbie Morrison and Henry Flint, supernatural thriller Ampney Crucis Investigates: ‘The List of Ten’ by Ian Edginton and Simon Davis, and Hell-set Necrophim: ‘Civil Warlord’ by Tony Lee and Lee Carter; twelve pages of Celtic barbarity in Slaine by Pat Mills and Clint Langley; and a one-off Psi-Judge Anderson story showing her as a cadet, by Alan Grant and Patrick Goddard. If a new reader picks that little lot up, you’ll get a good idea of what 2000 AD is about – action, SF, horror, oddball characters and wild ideas, brilliantly written and wonderfully drawn. If you want a comic like nothing else out there, get into 2000 AD!

FPI would like to thank to Matt Badham for organising this round table. And of course thanksgo  to Matt Smith, Gerry, Pat and Staz for taking the time to participate (and extra thanks to Staz and Matt for supplying the artwork). Prog 2011 of 2000 AD will be available to buy in shops, including branches of Forbidden Planet International, from 15th December.

Will Kirkby, who I first came across (and loved) in the great Birdsong anthology (reviewed here) announces on his Live Journal that he’s putting together a 2000AD fanzine. That’s his Rogue Trooper above and there’s plans for others to join in:

“Also I’m working on a little Rogue Trooper Comic to go in a cheap (to be handed out free at cons) 2000ad fanzine I’m going to be putting together with a little help from some friends. So far I’ve got Rogue, naniiebim has been forced to draw a tharg/Durham Red cross-over, fueledbytea is thinking about some Judge Death awesomeness and Warwick was thinking about doing ABC Warriors. If you want to join in just let me know! The finished book will be cheaply photocopied like good old fanzines from the eighties and to be handed out for free since we don’t own the rights… ”

So if you do fancy getting involved head over to his Live Journal. Looks like fun. (Thanks to Matt Badham for the heads up)

And also sticking with a PJ theme, scribe Jasper Bark has scanned in an old Future Shock from 2000 AD (the short tale Future Shocks being a tried and tested place for many writers and artists to try out their craft and a much loved feature among 2000 AD fans, myself included), Autocrats Anonymous, complete with art by PJ and lettering by the late, great Tom Frame: