2000 AD #278

This August 1982 prog of 2000 AD features a memorably absurd cover by Ian Gibson, depicting a grotesquely bloated figure — swollen to near-spherical proportions — desperately crying out "Do something, Slade! I'm gonna BURST!" to a rugged, wide-eyed companion below, all tied neatly into the headline gag "Inflation Hits Brit-Cit!" The comedy is sharp and the draftsmanship playful, with Gibson wringing maximum visual impact from the outrageous premise. Inside, the Robo-Hunter strip continues with "The Killing of Kidd, Part 4," written by Alan Grant with art and inks by Gibson and lettering by Steve Potter — a fine reason to track down this prog from the weekly British anthology's packed 1982 run.