24 July 2017

Review: Future Shock! The Story of 2000AD

Blu-ray & DVD: Future Shock! The Story of 2000AD

Borag Thungg.

I remember the 1970’s very well; flared trousers, everything being various shades of brown, having a slice of Black Forest gateaux once a year and thinking you were posh while you ate it. I also vividly remember walking into my local newsagent (are those still a thing!?) in 1977 and seeing a brand new comic on the shelves. Up until that point my comic buying had been the likes of Whoopee!, Whizzer and Chips and Cor! but that was about to drastically change.

Tempted by the thrills of space-age dinosaurs and a character bearing more than a passing resemblance to The Six Million Dollar Man (my favourite television show of the time…and STILL loved by me) I handed over my 8p and walked home. Little did I know then how many times that issue would be read over and over again by me, while waiting patiently…ok, waiting very IMpatiently for Prog 2 to appear. Imagine my delight when I was once again in my local newsagent and not only did they have #2, but it also had stickers on the cover that you could put onto your arm to make you look bionic…or ‘Biotronic’ as they named it to avoid any litigation. I spent the next few weeks alternating between reading Prog 1 and 2 and running around the park in slow motion with the aforementioned stickers on my right arm (Steve Austin fans will get that reference).

For the next 10 years or so I never missed an issue, filling box after box with well thumbed stories of Strontium Dog, Harlem Heroes, and of course Judge Dredd. It is my everlasting regret that sometime during the 1990’s, pushed for space during a house move, that I took all those boxes to a local tip. You now have my full permission to shout at me and call me names. I still can’t believe I did that!

So here we are many years later and a review disc drops through the letterbox. My excitement upon opening it and seeing what it was almost had me outside and running in slow motion again…though I’m sure that I’d get many more strange looks doing it at the age I am now!

Future Shock! The Story of 2000AD gives a fantastic overview of the comic’s history; from the early planning and development, through the unstable period of the 1990’s and to present day where new Progs (2000AD terminology for ‘issues’) are still hitting shelves across the world.

It features interviews with writers and artists who have all had their amazing work gracing the pages of this iconic comic, while also giving an interesting and insightful look into how the publication has changed over time. I have to admit that I was particularly entranced by the stories from Pat Mills whose passion for 2000AD is evident in his frank and forthright observations from the time.

There is also an incredible 6+ hours of extra content which not only extends some of the interviews in the documentary, but also adds new featurette’s and much more.

Future Shock! The Story of 2000AD is a must buy for all fans of the comic, as well as anyone who loves a good documentary. I am now going to my nearest tip, flog myself and cry.

SPECIAL EDITION CONTENTS: