Ultraviolence For The Masses: Action Is Uncancelled!

Those of us of a certain age will have fond memories of United Kingdom's short-lived Action comic - the foundation upon which 2000AD was built - while the rest of you may only be encountering this controversial title for the first time.

During the mid-70s, this the shocking and ultra-violent comic attracted the ire of cartoonish, self-proclaimed moral guardian, Mary Whitehouse and helped fuel a tabloid-created "panic" that led to the withdrawal of Action from the shelves.

A neutered edition of the comic followed, but this was of little interest to its readership and Action was axed in 1977, with its earlier vim and vigour laying the groundwork for the arrival of 2000AD..

On April 15, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the publication of the first issue of Action, publishers Rebellion will be unleashing an all-new, oversized special edition.

This features:

Dredger by Garth Ennis and John Higgins. Britain’s deadliest secret agent returns, hitting the vengeance trail after the death of his partner, Breed. Dredger kills and maims his way across London, intent on delivering his own brand of justice. How much of London will be left when he’s finished?

Hook Jaw by Steve White and Staz Johnson. There’s a killer out at sea! The vicious Hook Jaw has been seen in the depths of the ocean again, the killer shark with no regard for human life – and he’s heading out on the hunt! As a crew of drug dealers attempt to complete a sale in lawless international waters, they attract the attention of the legendary shark… this isn’t going to be pretty!

Hellman of Hammer Force by Garth Ennis and Mike Dorey. Blazing battle action on the Eastern Front in 1944, as Panzer commander Kurt Hellman leads a small German armoured unit against massed Soviet forces. As the tank men struggle to survive in this frozen hell, they face a new and terrible savagery from their vengeance-crazed Russian enemies.

Look Out For Lefty by Rob Williams and Patrick Goddard. Footballer Kenny “Lefty” Lampton has the most dangerous left foot in the game, blazing the ball through the net. But Lefty doesn’t play fair, and his temper constantly flares up on the pitch, boiling over into fury and violence! After his anger leaves him stranded on the subs bench, he finally gets his chance – this could be his big comeback, a chance to regain his lost glory! As The Royal Family watch on from the stand, can Lefty keep it under control for ninety minutes?

I always enjoyed the 'future sports' stories, such as Death Game 1999, but my favourite strip was the bloody, Jaws-inspired, sharksploitation of Hook Jaw. So, I'm delighted to see that's returning in this special issue.