2000 AD #1653

Judge Dredd's scarred, helmeted face dominates this striking Prog 1653 cover — jaw set, bolt of lightning crackling behind him against a smoldering red wasteland — as cover artist Dave Taylor renders the lawman in an almost elemental fury. The tagline "Wilderness Days — But Can Dredd Bring the Law to This Lawless Land?" sets the tone perfectly for "Tour of Duty Part Four," with John Wagner writing and Colin MacNeil on art duties inside. Five strips pack this 2009 prog, including Strontium Dog, Nikolai Dante, Kingdom, and Shakara, making it a genuinely satisfying read from cover to last page.