John Wagner

John Wagner

I thought I'd kick off with the guvnor, the man behind the iconic 2000AD tentpole character of Judge Dredd, John Wagner.  

I knew John had a long history of writing comic stories and even editing comics, before he began writing Dredd. Famously, in the early days he was hammering out stories for girls and boys adventure comics, along with mainstays like Cor and Whizzer and Chips, in a garden shed with Pat Mills.  He was a mainstay of 2000AD often writing under pseudonyms such as T.B Grover and John Howard, to name just a couple, crafting some great characters along the way. In partnership with Alan Grant, he created both Robo-Hunter and fan favourite Johnny Alpha the Strontium Dog. Of course we can't neglect to mention old stoney face himself, Judge Dredd with iconic art by the maestro Carlos Esquerra.

But, I want to concentrate on a graphic novel that I had no idea John was the writer of, 1997s A History of Violence. I'd seen the 2005, David Cronenberg, film adaptation starring Vigo Mortenson and Ed Harris, but never realised that the original story was by John Wagner. I discovered this fact when listening to Eamonn Clarkes Mega City Book Club and his guest was discussing the book*.  Needless to say my next stop was Ebay to get hold of a copy to read for myself.

On receipt, my first surprise was the size, I was expecting your average sized graphic novel but, the copy I got was more like a small paperback book. I even thought I'd got a prose version. Happily, on opening, I realised that this was not just a prose book but just a smaller format graphic novel. 

My next surprise was the artwork, none of the smooth, polished, sometimes in colour, style of art I'd been used to accompanying JWs work in 2000AD. The art from Vince Locke was a scratchy black and white artwork. After I got over my initial surprise of these two facts, a few days later I settled down to give it a read.

A History of Violence, fulfilled all those dust cover cliches that you read like, "I couldn't put it down" and " a real page turner".  Once I started reading I was drawn into its world, I really cared for the characters and what was going to happen to them next. Lockes style of artwork, really gives the book an edgy reality. 

Wagner's script here, as with much of his work, seems so effortless, hitting the perfect notes of acerbic wit and unsentimental storytelling.  I'm not going to give any spoilers here but, for me, at its heart the book is a tense story of change and of retribution for past deeds. Oh and violence, lots of violence, give it a read you won't regret it.

At a recent con I was able to meet John and go all fanboy, getting many items signed amongst which is my copy of A History of Violence. 

Bringing things right up to date, along with some excellent recent Dredd stories for the prog, John has been working on Rok of The Reds and the upcoming Rok The God. Teamed up again with Alan Grant on writing duties and art from the amazing Dan Cornwell. If you've not read Rok of The Reds you need to get it in your life. Here's a description from the blurb that sums it up…

'Dangerous intergalactic outlaws and an arrogant footballer collide, on the run after his home world is destroyed, Rok of Arkadi needs a hiding place. And that hiding place happens to be troubled football star Kyle Dixon. A black comedy about revenge, redemption and the 'beautiful game'.

*Note: I highly recommend listening to the excellent MCBC podcast but, be ready to deplete your bank account as you won't be able to stop yourself buying the books they talk about.