Sunday 27 August 2017

2000AD prog 1100 All Slaine Special



The launch of a new multi-part collection of 2000AD stories has been at the centre of much discussion on social media by comics fans. Hey it was even advertised on TV so may bring some "civilians" back to the hobby.  This collection is the second 2000AD related project Eaglemoss having already published a long running Judge Dredd series.

To be fair these volumes are good value and if for those who want to read comics but can't be bothered with the whole "collecting thing" these are a great way to read complete stories. And the first volume features Slaine in The Horned God a classic story.

I won't be getting these volumes as I prefer to read the originals but thought since there was some interest in Slaine at the moment it was time to look at some of his other adventures.



Set in Ireland in the days before the floods Slaine originally appeared in prog 330 back in 1982 along with his treacherous little sidekick Ukko the dwarf. These were Celtic times from prehistory and the world was with magic, dragons demons and druids, the latter being a right bunch of evil bastards.

In prog 1100 we see an adventure in which Slaine tried to remain in his warped state channelling the power of the the Earth through his being and leaving humanity behind. Shunning his comrades and his wife & lover Niamh Slaine negates his responsibilities to his tribe to look after the creatures of the forest.

Such a luxury is not to be as a rebel druid and his Skull Swords appear in the forest threatening both Slaine and the very survival of his tribe. Slaine must return to human existence to save the day.

The whole issue is dedicated to this one Slain story and is well worth picking up. Slaine is one of my top three 2000AD features, the others being Judge Dredd and Strontium Dog.



   

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