#robo-hunter

[all-action-all-picture]

Robo-Hunter Book One from Titan Books (1982), reprinting the first part of the Verdus (or Planet of the Robots) story from 2000AD.

Cover by Ian Gibson (1946-2023).

[quasar1967]

2000 AD #749-752

[zippocreed501]

ROBOT ROCK

Robot hunters - saviours or executioners?

[thisiscomics]

This splash page pretty much sums up Robo-Hunter. There’s pretty clear private eye references- Sam Spade, Farewell, My Lovely, the dramatic gun toting pose and a background that perhaps suggests movies- and the humour that undercuts any real seriousness in the plots.

The grinning face of Stogie, the robo-cigar (vaping 30 years early?) and Hoagie’s daft cartoon appearance, suggest that robots may not exactly be hard to hunt. The dramatic tag line promising his first case since his last makes it clear this may not be the serious tale that the dramatic pose implies. Humour definitely dominates the series, and I wonder if that led to its relatively short lifespan- where the satire of Judge Dredd has continued throughout the series, those strips that are more explicitly humorous seem to not last so long in 2000AD. Slade had several long story arcs, so it’s not as though it flopped, thus I imagine that either the humour was less attractive (editorially?) in later years (although the strip did make a return later, with Peter Hogan scripts and Rian Hughes art, with no attempt to dial down the jokes) or Wagner and Grant felt they could only take the gags so far before it felt tired to them. It’s not my favourite collaboration between the two writers, but one I would gladly revisit time and again for the excellent art by Ian Gibson throughout the series.

From “Sam C Slade: Robo-Hunter: Farewell My Billions” by Alan Grant, John Wagner & Ian Gibson, in 2000AD Prog 435, reprinted in Robo-Hunter: The Droid Files Volume 02

[judgeanon]

- Art by Chris Weston, for the 2000AD Ultimate Collection.

[oldcbd]

2000 AD Prog 276 - Cover Date 7th August 1982 "Come on, ya tin creeps! I'll murder ya!" Cover art by Ian Gibson

Published 35 years ago!

Inside the prog: Robo-Hunter: Killing of Kidd part 2 - Script: Alan Grant / Art: Ian Gibson / Lettering: Steve Potter Rogue Trooper: All Hell on the Dix-I Front part 11 - Script: Gerry Finley-Day / Art: Colin Wilson / Lettering: Bill Nuttall The Mean Arena - Script: A Ridgway / Art: Mike White / Lettering: P Knight Judge Dredd: Fungus part 2 - Script: TB Grover / Art: Carlos Ezquerra / Lettering: Tom Frame Ace Trucking Co: Too Many Bams part 4 - Script: Grant Grover / Art: Massimo Belardinelli / Lettering: Steve Potter

[2000adonline]

"Foolish Earthlings” by IAMTHESYSTEM

for the February art competition

Every month you have the chance to win a 2000 AD graphic novel, as well as a chance to vote for your favourite entries! There’s also a special “2000 AD Droid’s Choice” chosen by a creator from the Galaxy’s Greatest Comic and a prize for “Tharg’s Choice” picked by The Mighty One himself!

Theme:

Celebrating 40 Years of Thrills!

Art Comp Rules:

- You can enter as many times as you like but bear in mind it will split your vote!

- All entries have to be constructed specifically for this competition!

Deadline:

FEBRUARY 26th at 12 MIDNIGHT GMT

Enter on the forum here or by posting on the FB wall here

[all-action-all-picture]

"Or is it Mr Edals Mas?"

A great bit of visual comedy from Sam Slade, Robo-Hunter No.1, Volume 2 from Quality Comics (a colourised reprint from 2000AD). On first look it appears Hoagy is painting the business name on the outside of Sam's office window but you quickly realise Hoagy is inside the office and Sam is out on the street. This is from The Beast of Blackheart Manor written by Alan Grant with art by Ian Gibson, both now no longer with us.