We take a look at this week’s cyberpunk and dystopian comic releases.

REBELLION

2000 AD #2508

From the publisher –

Call me The Mighty Tharg, for I am the allpowerful Betelgeusian overlord of the GGC!

A ghafflebette new Rogue Trooper story starts this issue, courtesy of the Wessel & Edwards creator-bots, alongside Dredd, Durham Red and the penultimate parts of both Ghosted and Herne & Shuck. The clone-soldier will, of course, be storming his way to a screen near you at some point in the future as director Duncan Jones’ adaptation — fresh from its packed UK premiere at the London Film Festival — goes on a wider release.

Could it be out in time for 2000 AD’s fiftieth anniversary next year? Not for me to ponder upon, my Squaxx, as I leave such movie details to the beings responsible — but that’s not to say that the galaxy’s greatest party on 6-7 March in London doesn’t already have its fair share of zarjaz delights to entertain both new and longtime readers of this illustrious organ. The guest list grows ever bigger with droids from every era signed up to attend.

But that’s a few months from now — more pressing is the Thrill-power that’s lighting up this autumn. Engage eyepods and enjoy, humes!

2000 AD is a British science fiction comic book, which has been publishing for nearly 50 years 1977, famed for its dark British humour, and satirical and subversive stories. The jewel in the crown is Judge Dredd, a dystopian cyberpunk icon, whilst The Fall of Deadworld is a kind of an alternative history prequel series about Judge Dredd enemy Judge Death. Meanwhile Mega-City 2099 stories serve as a more traditional prequel.

DARK HORSE COMICS

THE SMART DIVISION #3

From the publisher –

The investigation lands detectives Stevie and William amidst the chaotic landscape of college campus AI development. Tensions rise between the partners as they take different tactics to catch a killer who seemingly uses AI to keep one step ahead of them!

The Smart Division is a near-future detective series. Following a pair of investigators, a chaotic Gen-Z savant and a veteran FBI agent, they are tasked with starting an AI crimes division by the FBI when a ‘perfect’ murder is instigated by an artificial intelligence.

IMAGE COMICS

THE LAST DRIVER #1

From the publisher –

AMERICA, THE NOT TOO DISTANT FUTURE — NO ONE KNOWS HOW TO DRIVE…EXCEPT FOR HIM!

As technology in America advanced, cities began creating the GRID — a robotic transportation system that not only made cars obsolete, it made them illegal. But an outlaw named “Clutch” has no choice but to get behind the wheel one more time. What starts out as a race to save his granddaughter’s life quickly turns into a rebellion against technology, fascism, and the future of a divided America.

Superstar artist and longtime gearhead SEAN GORDON MURPHY (Batman: White Knight, TOKYO GHOST, Punk Rock Jesus, The Wake) writes and draws this highly anticipated ongoing series.

The Last Driver is a brand new comic series, created by Sean Murphy. It’s a gritty love letter to the classic American road stories, a Mad Max for the cyberpunk genre. High octane, 100 mph, playing like a last hurrah for driving without care before the process is completely sanitised by automation. This is a reprinting of issue #1, the next issue due for release is issue #4 on November 25th.

REKCAH COMICS

THE FUTURE IS ****** #19

From the publisher –

THIS ISSUE: IT’S VILLAIN TIME, BABY! That’s right, this issue features a look at one of our series’ most popular villains, THE STRAY, and another who will alter the way you look at the title of this very series. WE’RE BRINGING ON THE BAD GUYS! ALL THIS PLUS: the SECOND variant cover presented in LAPHAM-VISION by the artistic mastermind behind STRAY BULLETS and (starting NEXT ISSUE) the new regular THE FUTURE IS ****** interior artist! Also, learn to be a hacker with Capture the Flag challenges in each and every issue!

The Future is… comic series attempts to tell stories in a plausible future, extrapolated from where we currently sit. It follows Black Mountain, a white hat team of hackers, as they struggle to prevail against the ruling powers, in a comic created by real cybersecurity experts. As a bonus, each issue will contain a clue that can be used to decrypt the ****** of the title.

INDEPENDENT

RONIN OF OKANE VOLUME 6

From the publisher –

This is the story of Noguchi, a quiet ronin who lives above a tattoo shop and has just started as a bounty hunter, and Nyx, a sassy bounty hunter with hologram tricks and a two-tailed cat yokai. Together they cross paths and fight through Okane, a cyberpunk city where humans, robots, and yokai from Japanese folklore live side by side.

With nothing but their skill, they clawed their way out of the gutter by proving to be a capable assassins. Maybe a bit too capable, as they’re begun to attract some attention…

The Kickstarter campaign for the Ronin of Okane Volume 6 Graphic novel is now live. RONIN OF OKANE is an R-rated graphic novel created by fans of cyberpunk and Japanese folklore. The series follows the story of Noguchi, a broke ronin above a tattoo shop, and Nyx, an unpredictable bounty hunter. There are a number of reward tiers, including digital and physical version of both volume 6, and volume 1-6 bundles. You can check it out and pledge on the Kickstarter page at https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/cybersheepfilm/ronin-of-okane-volume-6/description

THE FOUR ORPHANS #2

In the year 3000 AD, a sinister global organization known as The Bureau rules the world. Their ultimate weapon wasn’t a bomb—it was an absolute erasure. Using advanced technology, The Bureau successfully wiped the entire existence, historical triumphs, and global contributions of the Arab and Islamic civilizations from human memory.

Today, the world has no memory of the grand legacy that shaped the course of human history. The Bureau has replaced reality with a false narrative that minimizes the significance of an entire people on the world stage.

But deep in the shadows, four orphans—Qusai, Idris, Chaima, and Zahra—have discovered the truth.

Equipped with rogue tech and burning determination, they wage a secret war to uncover these secrets and expose them to the world. With every piece of history they reclaim, the population awakens. Memory is power. And they are determined to build a brand new future.

The continuation of a cyberpunk superhero comic rooted in identity, lost history, and futuristic rebellion, The Four Orphans #2 is currently funding on Kickstarter with a number of different reward tiers including physical and digital versions, as well as bundles including issue #1. Issue #1 is also available on YouTube as a 1-hour English-subtitled Motion Comic adaptation here – https://youtu.be/ijWyPwmDf10?si=2x29cYZ_0uVGp4cW

You can find the Kickstarter page here – https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/610pro/the-four-orphans-2-stolen-history-cyberpunk-comic/description