indie box: Metalzoic

Tags

book review, comic books, DC Comics, graphic novel, indie box, Kevin O'Neill, metalzoic, Pat Mills, science fiction

This is the second time a book published by DC Comics has broken the rules and earned a place in my indie short box. This time, it’s Metalzoic by the legendary team of Pat Mills and Kevin O’Neill, and there’s not much about it you can call “mainstream”. Metalzoic takes place in a future where the Earth is ruled by intelligent, mechanical beasts patterned after modern and prehistoric animals — and boy, do they love to fight!

Yes, you just witnessed a brutal showdown between a gorilla with a saw blade on his head, and a lion with a chainsaw for a tongue and metal skis for feet. Do I really need to say anything about the story’s plot, or is that cool enough for you? Two of my favorite pages show a shark attacking a caravan of wooly mammoths during a trek across the ice.

It’s like some sort of psychotic nature special! I can almost hear David Attenborough narrating it for a BBC documentary.

O’Neill always delivers wonderfully twisted artwork, but he pulls out all the stops to illustrate Metalzoic‘s endless mecha-menagerie.

The story is interesting, especially since the main character — the saw-blade gorilla — is a brutal, amoral hell-raiser whose brawn and ferocity might be the only thing standing between the Earth and total destruction.

And just look at him go!

When all this takes place and how it came to be are slowly revealed throughout the story. We don’t get a clear timeline until about 50 pages in. It might have been helpful to see a historic summary earlier in the story, so here it is.

If you’re like me, and you wish Godzilla movies would cut out most of the human-related nonsense and just show more monster fights, then this 64-page epic adventure is the book for you!

Collector’s Guide: Metalzoic; DC Comics Graphic Novel #6, 1986. Though it’s often out of stock at MyComicShop, you can usually find it on Amazon for between $15 and $30.

indie box: Nemesis

Tags

2000AD, alien, Eagle Comics, indie box, Indie Comics, Kevin O'Neill, Nemesis, nemesis the warlock, Pat Mills, racism

What’s inside the short-box of indie comic books this week? Nemesis, published by the UK-based Eagle Comics, and originating in the pages of 2000AD. Thanks to Brian and his older brother Michael, the insanity of British comic books was percolating into my awareness by the mid-1980s. By the time creators such as Alan Moore, Grant Morrison, and Warren Ellis (to name just a few) were working on mainstream franchises at Marvel and DC (or their subsidiaries), I was primed for a ‘British Invasion’ of American comics that rivaled that of blues-based rock music in the 1960s.

For me, it began with Nemesis. When Brian saw this creative team sparked my interest, he also shared with me Marshall Law and Metalzoic. Since then, I’ve dug O’Neill’s art on League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, and Mills’ work on Flesh, which I only discovered decades after its original publication.

The following story about Nemesis begins in a dungeon where alien species are imprisoned, along with humans suspected of harboring or assisting aliens. Though they suffer, their spirits are lifted by memories of the revolutionary alien warrior: Nemesis!

Nemesis the Warlock! His name strikes fear into the hearts of humans everywhere — humans living in a religious monarchy that persecutes and exterminates all aliens! Just look at this glorious propaganda poster for Torquemada, the arch-nemesis of Nemesis and totally disgusting scumbag.

BE PURE! BE VIGILANT! BEHAVE!

That’s right. This evil freak is everywhere, spearheading an inquisition across the galaxy to torture and murder peace-loving aliens! It’s almost like living in the United States in 2019!

But take heart, species of the universe. Nemesis the Warlock has an even freakier face than Torquemada, and his sword is way more huge! So huge that it has its own origin story — a violent, grotesque space epic of suffering and sacrifice for all the wrong reasons. Suck it, humans!

Collector’s Guide: From Nemesis the Warlock; Eagle Comics, 1984. By Pat Mills and Kevin O’Neill.

Flesh: The Dino Files TPB

Tags

black and white, dinosaur, dinosaur comics, dinosaurs, Flesh, flesh dino files, Indie Comics, Pat Mills, UK comics

This isn’t the first time Flesh appears this blog, so let’s keep it brief and look at some awesome dinosaur art! We got our copy at MyComicShop but you can also find it on Amazon. You can see more pages in our Flesh Archives. Okay? Wow, what a beautiful volume this is. Check it out!

Harlem Heroes

Tags

2000AD, aeroball, black and white, brains, Dave Gibbons, Harlem Heroes, Indie Comics, Pat Mills, sports, sports comics, Tom Tully, UK comics

Audiences in the States may know 2000AD as the UK magazine that spawned Judge Dredd. Our readers know we love 2000AD for the dinosaur series Flesh, the violent time-traveling fantasy of writer Pat Mills. Artist Dave Gibbons may not be a household word, but the American film industry made more people aware of the most famous book he drew: Watchmen. Our gallery today features another of Pat Mills’ brilliant ideas: the Harlem Heroes.

Dave Gibbons drew the Harlem Heroes, of which we share with you the first fifty pages or so. Tom Tully’s script delivers action and heroism at a breakneck pace. The Harlem Heroes play a futuristic game called Aeroball, and the series blends an outrageous dose of science-fiction themes with sports in a barrage of non-stop conflict. When one of your team members is a brain in a vat, what else can you expect?

These second-hand scans we found years ago while looking for images from Flesh leave something to be desired, but they give a good impression of the awesomeness of this little-known series. If you want a high-quality reproduction of the complete series, you can buy the collected Harlem Heroes on Amazon. Also know that the UK’s version of Amazon has three informative reviews of Harlem Heroes that do not appear on the States’ version of Amazon.

Well, what are you waiting for? Let’s play aeroball!
 

The Man Who Drank the Blood of Satanus!

Tags

Blood of Satanus, dinosaur, dinosaur comics, Judge Dredd, Lizard Men, Pat Mills, Ron Smith, Satanus, science fiction, tyrannosaurus

Sometimes it’s hard to tell a good idea from a bad idea. Let’s say you had a totally evil tyrannosaurus that died in the Cretaceous but was brought back to life through cloning. Then, after being set loose by atomic weapons, he killed and maimed his way through the future before vanishing into the wild. As a scientist, at what point do you think it would be a good idea to drink that tyrannosaur’s blood?

Collector’s Guide: From Judge Dredd #17; Eagle, 1985.

Satanus first appeared in the Judge Dredd storyline The Cursed Earth. You can find that in the Cursed Earth TPB. But, be warned that due to being sued by fast food fast chains from America, the publishers of 2000 AD did not include four chapters of the 25-episode story (episodes 11-12 and 17-18.) So, go pawn some family heirlooms, and you can pick up the original Cursed Earth stories in 2000 AD, #61-85.

Satanus also appeared in a story gorgeously illustrated by Colin Macneil called Satanus Unchained in 2000 AD #1241-1246. Satanus fans will also enjoy Judge Dredd #7, which reprints the Satanus chapters of Cursed Earth with a cool Brian Bolland cover.

If you like Satanus, check out our gallery of Flesh from 2000 AD, featuring the mother of Satanus, Old One Eye. 

2000AD: Flesh Finale – The Cover Gallery!

Tags

2000AD, dinosaur, dinosaur comics, eating dinosaurs, Flesh, hunting dinosaurs, Pat Mills, time travel

We hope you’ve enjoyed the raging dinosaur time-travel madness of Flesh as much as we’ve enjoyed sharing it with you. To wrap things up with a bang, let’s rock these three 2000 AD covers that featured Flesh!

Collector’s Guide: From 2000 AD magazine, #1-19. Collected in Flesh: The Dino Files TPB; Rebellion, 2011. Originally printed in 2000 AD #1-19; Fleetway, 1977.

2000AD: Flesh 20 – The Flesh Game!

Tags

2000AD, dinosaur, dinosaur comics, Flesh, Flesh Game, Pat Mills

By the 23rd Century, most animals had been destroyed. Man survived on synthetic foods alone. But he still craved real meat.

But it wouldn’t be complete without The Flesh Game! Dig these dinosaur cards designed to play this twisted game which must have come from the mind of Pat Mills.

Collector’s Guide: Collected in Flesh: The Dino Files TPB; Rebellion, 2011. Note: the collection, while awesome, does not include The Flesh Game. Originally printed in 2000 AD #1-19; Fleetway, 1977.

2000AD: Flesh 19!

Tags

2000AD, dinosaur, dinosaur comics, Flesh, Flesh the Dino Files, Pat Mills, time travel

By the 23rd Century, most animals had been destroyed. Man survived on synthetic foods alone. But he still craved real meat… With the discovery of time travel, he was able to go in search of it – back 65 million years to the Age of the Great Dinosaurs!

Mars Will Send No More celebrates the original epic Flesh from 2000 AD magazine, created by Pat Mills, and starring Old One Eye, the mother of Satanus! Now fire up your electric whip and get ready for major dinosaur mayhem!

Collector’s Guide: Collected in Flesh: The Dino Files TPB; Rebellion, 2011. Originally printed in 2000 AD #1-19; Fleetway, 1977.

2000AD: Flesh 18!

Tags

2000AD, dinosaur, dinosaur comics, Flesh, Flesh the Dino Files, Pat Mills, time travel

“By the 23rd Century, most animals had been destroyed. Man survived on synthetic foods alone. But he still craved real meat. With the discovery of time travel, he was able to go in search of it – back 65 million years to the Age of the Great Dinosaurs!”

Mars Will Send No More celebrates the original epic Flesh from 2000 AD magazine, by Pat Mills, and starring Old One Eye, the mother of Satanus! Now fire up your electric whip and get ready for major dinosaur mayhem!

Collector’s Guide: Collected in Flesh: The Dino Files TPB; Rebellion, 2011. Originally printed in 2000 AD #1-19; Fleetway, 1977.

2000AD: Flesh 17!

Tags

2000AD, dinosaur, dinosaur comics, Flesh, Flesh the Dino Files, giant spiders, Pat Mills, time travel

By the 23rd Century, most animals had been destroyed. Man survived on synthetic foods alone. But he still craved real meat. With the discovery of time travel, he was able to go in search of it — back 65 million years to the Age of the Great Dinosaurs!

Mars Will Send No More celebrates the original epic Flesh from 2000 AD magazine, by Pat Mills, and starring Old One Eye, the mother of Satanus! Now fire up your electric whip and get ready for major dinosaur mayhem!

Collector’s Guide: Collected in Flesh: The Dino Files TPB; Rebellion, 2011. Originally printed in 2000 AD #1-19; Fleetway, 1977.

2000AD: Flesh 16!

Tags

2000AD, dinosaur, dinosaur comics, Flesh, Flesh the Dino Files, Pat Mills, time travel

By the 23rd Century, most animals had been destroyed. Man survived on synthetic foods alone. But he still craved real meat. With the discovery of time travel, he was able to go in search of it – back 65 million years to the Age of the Great Dinosaurs!

Mars Will Send No More celebrates the original epic Flesh from 2000 AD magazine, by Pat Mills, and starring Old One Eye, the mother of Satanus! Now fire up your electric whip and get ready for major dinosaur mayhem!

Collector’s Guide: Collected in Flesh: The Dino Files TPB; Rebellion, 2011. Originally printed in 2000 AD #1-19; Fleetway, 1977.

2000AD: Flesh 15!

Tags

2000AD, Day of the Dinosaurs Revenge, dinosaur, dinosaur comics, Flesh, Flesh the Dino Files, Old One Eye, Pat Mills, time travel

By the 23rd Century, most animals had been destroyed. Man survived on synthetic foods alone. But he still craved real meat. With the discovery of time travel, he was able to go in search of it — back 65 million years to the Age of the Great Dinosaurs!

Mars Will Send No More celebrates the original epic Flesh from 2000 AD magazine, by Pat Mills, and starring Old One Eye, the mother of Satanus! Now fire up your electric whip and get ready for major dinosaur mayhem!

Collector’s Guide: Collected in Flesh: The Dino Files TPB; Rebellion, 2011. Originally printed in 2000 AD #1-19; Fleetway, 1977.

2000AD: Flesh 14!

Tags

2000AD, dinosaur, dinosaur comics, Flesh, Flesh the Dino Files, Pat Mills, time travel

Mars Will Send No More celebrates the original epic Flesh from 2000 AD magazine, by Pat Mills, and starring Old One Eye, the mother of Satanus! Now fire up your electric whip and get ready for major dinosaur mayhem!

Collector’s Guide: Collected in Flesh: The Dino Files TPB; Rebellion, 2011. Originally printed in 2000 AD #1-19; Fleetway, 1977.

2000AD: Flesh 13!

Tags

2000AD, dinosaur, dinosaur comics, Flesh, Flesh the Dino Files, Pat Mills, spider, time travel

Mars Will Send No More celebrates the original epic Flesh from 2000 AD magazine, created by Pat Mills and starring Old One Eye, the mother of Satanus! Now fire up your electric whip and get ready for major dinosaur mayhem!

Collector’s Guide: Collected in Flesh: The Dino Files TPB; Rebellion, 2011. Originally printed in 2000 AD #1-19; Fleetway, 1977.

You Been Feeding the Monsters with Rotten Meat!

Tags

2000AD, dinosaur, dinosaur comics, Flesh, Flesh the Dino Files, Pat Mills, time travel

Mars Will Send No More celebrates the original epic Flesh from 2000 AD magazine, by Pat Mills, and starring Old One Eye, the mother of Satanus! Now fire up your electric whip and get ready for major dinosaur mayhem!

Collector’s Guide: Collected in Flesh: The Dino Files TPB; Rebellion, 2011. Originally printed in 2000 AD #1-19; Fleetway, 1977.

There’s a Dinosaur War A-Coming!

Tags

2000AD, brains, dinosaur, dinosaur comics, Flesh, Flesh the Dino Files, Pat Mills, time travel

By the twenty-third century, most animals had been destroyed. Man survived on synthetic foods alone. But he still craved real meat. With the discovery of time travel, he was able to go in search of it — back sixty-five million years to the age of the great dinosaurs!

Here is a spash page from the original epic Flesh in 2000 AD magazine, created by Pat Mills and starring Old One Eye, the mother of Satanus! Fire up your electric whip and get ready for some major dinosaur mayhem.

Collector’s Guide: Collected in Flesh: The Dino Files TPB; Rebellion, 2011. Originally printed in 2000 AD #1-19; Fleetway, 1977.

2000AD: Flesh 10!

Tags

2000AD, dinosaur, dinosaur comics, Flesh, Flesh the Dino Files, Old One Eye, Pat Mills, time travel

Mars Will Send No More celebrates the original epic Flesh from 2000 AD magazine, by Pat Mills, and starring Old One Eye, the mother of Satanus! Fire up your electric whip and get ready for major dinosaur mayhem!

Collector’s Guide: Collected in Flesh: The Dino Files TPB; Rebellion, 2011. Originally printed in 2000 AD #1-19; Fleetway, 1977.

The DinoPuncher Smashes Them out of the Way!

Tags

2000AD, dinopuncher, dinosaur, dinosaur comics, Flesh, Flesh the Dino Files, Pat Mills, time travel

Mars Will Send No More celebrates the original epic Flesh from 2000 AD magazine, by Pat Mills, and starring Old One Eye, the mother of Satanus! Fire up your electric whip and get ready for major dinosaur mayhem!

Collector’s Guide: Collected in Flesh: The Dino Files TPB; Rebellion, 2011. Originally printed in 2000 AD #1-19; Fleetway, 1977.

2000AD: Flesh 8!

Tags

2000AD, dinosaur, dinosaur comics, Flesh, Flesh the Dino Files, Pat Mills, time travel

Mars Will Send No More now celebrates with you the epic Flesh from 2000 AD magazine, issues #1-19. Flesh was created by Pat Mills. Fire up your electric whip and get ready for major dinosaur mayhem!

Collector’s Guide: Collected in Flesh: The Dino Files TPB; Rebellion, 2011. Originally printed in 2000 AD #1-19; Fleetway, 1977.

You Could Be Risking the Herd If You Went In!

Tags

2000AD, dinosaur, dinosaur comics, Flesh, Flesh the Dino Files, Pat Mills, time travel

Mars Will Send No More celebrates the original epic Flesh from 2000 AD magazine, created by Pat Mills and starring Old One Eye, the mother of Satanus! Fire up your electric whip and get ready for major dinosaur mayhem!

Collector’s Guide: Collected in Flesh: The Dino Files TPB; Rebellion, 2011. Originally printed in 2000 AD #1-19; Fleetway, 1977.

We Need Fuel to Burn the Dinosaurs Out!

Tags

2000AD, dinosaur, dinosaur comics, Flesh, Flesh the Dino Files, Pat Mills, time travel

Mars Will Send No More celebrates the original epic Flesh from 2000 AD magazine, created by Pat Mills and starring Old One Eye, the mother of Satanus! Fire up your electric whip and get ready for major dinosaur mayhem!

Collector’s Guide: Collected in Flesh: The Dino Files TPB; Rebellion, 2011. Originally printed in 2000 AD #1-19; Fleetway, 1977.

2000AD: Flesh 5!

Tags

2000AD, dinosaur, dinosaur comics, Flesh, Flesh the Dino Files, Pat Mills, time travel

Mars Will Send No More celebrates the original epic Flesh from 2000 AD magazine, by Pat Mills, and starring Old One Eye, the mother of Satanus! Now fire up your electric whip and get ready for major dinosaur mayhem!

Collector’s Guide: Collected in Flesh: The Dino Files TPB; Rebellion, 2011. Originally printed in 2000 AD #1-19; Fleetway, 1977.

Her Pack of Tyrannosaurs Came Screeching to Her Side!

Tags

2000AD, dinosaur, dinosaur comics, Flesh, Flesh the Dino Files, Old One Eye, Pat Mills, time travel

By the 23rd Century, most animals had been destroyed. Man survived on synthetic foods alone. But he still craved real meat. With the discovery of time travel, he was able to go in search of it — back 65 million years to the Age of the Great Dinosaurs!

Mars Will Send No More celebrates the original epic Flesh from 2000 AD magazine, created by Pat Mills and starring Old One Eye, the mother of Satanus! Now fire up your electric whip and get ready for major dinosaur mayhem!

Collector’s Guide: Collected in Flesh: The Dino Files TPB; Rebellion, 2011. Originally printed in 2000 AD #1-19; Fleetway, 1977.

I’ll Claw the Evil Breath Outta Ya – Before You Kill Me!

Tags

2000AD, dinosaur, dinosaur comics, Flesh, Flesh the Dino Files, Pat Mills, pterosaur, time travel

Mars Will Send No More celebrates the original epic Flesh from 2000 AD magazine, by Pat Mills, and starring Old One Eye, the mother of Satanus! Fire up your electric whip and get ready for major dinosaur mayhem!

Collector’s Guide: Collected in Flesh: The Dino Files TPB; Rebellion, 2011. Originally printed in 2000 AD #1-19; Fleetway, 1977.

The Ten-Ton Styracosaur Landed on Huck!

Tags

2000AD, dinosaur, dinosaur comics, Flesh, Flesh the Dino Files, Pat Mills, Styracosaurus, time travel

Mars Will Send No More celebrates the original epic Flesh from 2000 AD magazine, created by Pat Mills and starring Old One Eye, the mother of Satanus! Fire up your electric whip and get ready for major dinosaur mayhem!

Collector’s Guide: Collected in Flesh: The Dino Files TPB; Rebellion, 2011. Originally printed in 2000 AD #1-19; Fleetway, 1977.