There is a lot to like about the 2000AD Annual 2025.
I went for the Bolland cover, the definitive cover artist for a 2000AD Annual, although there is a feature on the ‘modern’ cover by Jake Lynch so you don’t miss out on that.
Some nice touches like interior pieces, the legendary Dredd pic on page 5 and the back page Tharg illustration really add to the package.
I will let you spot the typo on page 4 (hey, it’s a Christmas game!) which neatly goes into a Dredd story. It’s only 2025 but this feels dated already and, but for a small quirk of fate, could have caused this story to be in bad taste or the annual pulped (depending on your political view). It that thought doesn’t pique your interest then I don’t know what will.
Annuals were always full of reprints and this is no different. Depending on when you read 2000AD these stories may be new to you, as they were with me. But even the ones I recollect meant you can enjoy the art of McMahon, Gibbons and Gibson all over again!
The Lawless text story is a welcome addition, as text stories were a staple of the old annuals (and, dare I say it, probably never read) and the articles about the characters are worth it for new readers.
With about 30 pages of original strips we are not messing about as it is the heavy hitters who appear here – Dredd, Strontium Dog and Rogue Trooper. I particularly liked the art of Hayden Sherman which has a Moebius meets Ezquerra quality to it.
If you take the ‘filler’ out of it you are looking at a tight 96 page annual. Less is more and I think I would have preferred the book without house ads but those little touches do add to the experience so I will forgive it.
I hope this is an annual occurrence as it was a lot of fun to receive and read. Get yours for £25 from here.
Get your ComicScene Annual for £12.99 hardback and £8.99 softback with 112 pages of original material here.
ComicScene magazine 
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