2000 AD publisher Rebellion has become the latest to reassess its publishing schedule in the wake of the impact COVID-19 is having on the publishing industry — and particularly the comic book industry — with a revised slate that divides digital and print releases and pushes back titles previously announced for this summer.
As part of the re-ordering, print collections scheduled for May through August of 2020 have been postponed until later in the year, with the exception of exclusive limited editions already printed for distribution through Rebellion’s online store. Other titles scheduled for 2020 release will be bumped into the following year, to avoid flooding the market when stores re-open.
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In a statement, Rebellion’s head of publishing Ben Smith said, “We won't be going on hiatus — the periodical comics will continue while some book collections will go digital-first so we can continue to share and shout about the amazing work our creators and editors are putting together while we're all in lockdown. Where special hardback editions have already been printed we will release these from our webshop on the planned dates.”
One element hit hardest by the revised schedule is Rebellion’s push into the U.S. market. The monthly Best of 2000 AD anthology, originally scheduled to launch this month, has been indefinitely postponed due to Diamond Comics Distributors’ pause on shipping product to stores, and Essential Judge Dredd: Origins, the second release from a line intended to introduce Judge Dredd to a new market, has been shifted from November 2020 to September 2021 in the new line-up.
The revised schedule, as released by Rebellion follows. As the publisher notes, the 2021 line-up is not complete, but simply the list of rescheduled titles initially planned for 2020.
The Complete Johnny Future Digital and standard print edition - April 30, 2020
Judge Dredd Case Files Vol. 35 Digital release - May 14 Standard print edition postponed to Oct. 1 2020
Smash! Special Print and digital release - May 27, 2020
Sláine: The Horned God Collector's Edition Digital and webshop-exclusive edition - May 28, 2020 Standard print edition postponed to Sept. 3, 2020
Strontium Dog: Search and Destroy Edition Digital and webshop-exclusive edition - June 11, 2020 Standard print edition postponed to Nov. 12, 2020
2000 AD Summer Sci Fi Special: Twenty Years of Rebellion Print and digital - June 24, 2020
Concrete Surfer Digital and webshop-exclusive edition - June 25, 2020 Standard print edition postponed to Sept. 17, 2020
War Picture Library: Battler Britton Digital - July 9 Standard print edition postponed to June 2021
Judge Dredd: Control Digital - July 9, 2020 Print edition postponed to Dec. 10, 2020
Tammy & Jinty Special Print and digital - July 29, 2020
Hope Book 2 Digital - Aug. 20, 2020 Print edition postponed to Jan. 21, 2021
Essential Judge Dredd: America Print and digital - Sept. 3, 2020
Battle Special 2020 Print and digital - 16 Sept. 16, 2020
Misty & Scream Special 2020 Print and digital - Sept. 30, 2020
The Dracula File paperback edition Print edition - Oct. 1, 2020
The Thirteenth Floor Vol.2 Print and digital - Oct. 15, 2020
Thriller Picture Library Special Print and digital - Nov. 11, 2020
Faceache Vol.1 paperback edition Print edition - Nov. 12, 2020
Death Squad Print and digital - Nov. 26, 2020
Misty Creepy Christmas Special Print and digital - Dec. 2, 2020
Sláine: Web of Weird Print and digital - Dec. 10, 2020
Sugar Jones Print and digital - Dec. 24, 2020
Cor! Buster Collection Print and digital - Dec. 24, 2020
King’s Reach: John Sanders’ Twenty-Five Years at the Top of Comics Print and digital - Jan. 7, 2021
2000 AD Regened Collected Edition Print and digital - Jan. 7, 2021
Judge Dredd: The Complete Case Files Vol. 36 Print and digital - Feb. 4, 2021
The Vigilant Print and digital - April 1, 2021
Thistlebone Print and digital - April 29, 2021
Devlin Waugh: Blood Debt Print and digital - May 2021
Ken Reid Football Funnies Print and digital - July 2021
The Rise and Fall of the Trigan Empire Vol. 2 Print and digital - July 2021
Essential Judge Dredd: Origins Print and digital - September 2021
Fiends of the Eastern Front Print and digital - October 2021
Black Max Vol.2 Print and digital - October 2021
