2000 AD #2244

The cover of this 2000 AD prog makes an immediate statement: Aquila, clad in Roman armour emblazoned with a crown insignia and sword in hand, goes toe-to-toe with a grotesque larval figure — the Maggot Emperor — in a visceral, cavern-set confrontation dripping with ooze. The tagline "Less Than Nero! Aquila Hooks the Maggot Emperor" perfectly sets the gladiatorial, horror-tinged tone that Rebellion's anthology flagship does so well. A reliably wild entry in one of British comics' most enduring weekly institutions.