Alas the melancholy news continues into 2024 — after reporting Ian Gibson’s death last prog, all of us here in the Command Module were very sad to hear that Judge Dredd, Nikolai Dante and The Order artist John Burns died on 29 December.

Although John chose to retire last year — you’ll be able to read the last series he contributed to, the Kek-W-scripted Nightmare, New York, at some point in the near future, with David Roach taking over on art duties — he leaves behind an incredible body of work, with a generation of readers encountering his pages in different titles. His career started in the late fifties, and in the sixties he was drawing for the likes of TV Century 21 and girls’ comics such as Diana and June as well as daily newspaper strips. By the seventies and eighties, he could be found in TV Comic, Eagle and Look-In, illustrating UFO, The Bionic Woman and The Fists of Danny Pyke, before making his 2000 AD debut in 1991.

One of the last of the old-school painters, his glorious pages were beautiful to hold and pore over, channelling decades of experience in comics. RIP, John.

JUDGE DREDD // A BETTER WORLD, Part Two

Mega-City One, 2146 AD. Home to over 200 million citizens, this urban hell is situated along the east coast of post-Mega-City One, 2146 AD. Home to over 200 million citizens, this urban hell is situated along the east coast of post-apocalyptic North America. Crime is rampant, and only future cops the Judges — empowered to dispense instant justice — can stop total anarchy. Toughest of them all is JUDGE DREDD — he is the Law! Now, Accounts Judge Maitland has been conducting an experiment in Sector 304 in a bid to reduce crime…

THE DEVIL’S RAILROAD // Part Thirteen

The Earth year 3038, and Planet Diaspora X-167 is a world that has been ravaged by war, a conflict that sees no sign of ending despite years of death and destruction. One couple, Palamon and Constance, are attempting to escape the caranage, especially now that Constance is pregnant — if the baby is born on Earth, it’ll have full Earth rights. Seeking a new life, these refugees must take a risky journey…

ENEMY EARTH // BOOK THREE, Part Six

The near future. Mother Nature has turned against the people that live upon the Earth’s surface. Now, the planet’s flora and fauna have mutated and are viciously attacking humanity. As society crumbles, and survivors seek safety, young Zoe, who has lost her own family, has rescued Jules, who’s the prime minister’s son. Now, the PM and the two youths have been captured and held in a military base…

THISTLEBONE // THE DULE TREE, Part Two

Britain, 2020. It’s been over a year since journalist Seema Chaudry accompanied cult survivor Avril Easton back to the village of Harrowvale, where she suffered at the hands of THISTLEBONE worshippers, a crazed occult group that believed in an ancient woodland deity. One man in the village, Malcolm Kinniburgh, was keeping the Thistlebone legend alive — but now he’s dead, and his house is being cleared…

FERAL & FOE // BAD GODESBERG, Part Fourteen

It’s been over five years since the Last-of-All-War, when the Monarchy succeeded in defeating the Malign Lord. With their leader dead, his minions are scattered, fleeing retribution from the Wretchfinders. Necromancer Bode and warrior Wrath are two such beings, and were offered a deal — hunt and kill their own kind or be declared FERAL & FOE. Now, they’ve travelled to Godesberg, a stronghold that’s in trouble…