On this day, 17 February 1979: 2000AD and Starlord (Prog 100)

On this day, 17 February 1979 … Thirty-eight years and nineteen subsequent centuple anniversaries later, here is a look back at 2000AD’s one hundredth celebration prog. Here we find a comic growing in confidence and the unique ‘thrill-power’ identity for which it was establishing itself. Dan Dare and Robo Hunter returned to the comic – Dan for the start of his final series for The Galaxy’s Greatest Comic, ‘Servant of Evil’, and Sam Slade for the second half of the seminal Robo Hunter series ‘Verdus’ – while Ro-busters and Judge Dredd continued two of their most fondly remembered series, ‘The Terra-meks’ and ‘The Day the Law Died’ (featuring some classic Chief Judge Trump tweets). A truly outstanding prog.

Ro-busters: ‘The Terra-meks’: Pat Mills (writer), Dave Gibbons (artist)

Ro-busters: ‘The Terra-meks’: Pat Mills (writer), Dave Gibbons (artist)

Ro-busters: ‘The Terra-meks’: Pat Mills (writer), Dave Gibbons (artist)

Judge Dredd: ‘The Day the Law Died’: John Wagner (writer), Mike McMahon (artist)

Judge Dredd: ‘The Day the Law Died’: John Wagner (writer), Mike McMahon (artist)

Judge Dredd: ‘The Day the Law Died’: John Wagner (writer), Mike McMahon (artist)

Judge Dredd: ‘The Day the Law Died’: John Wagner (writer), Mike McMahon (artist)

Judge Dredd: ‘The Day the Law Died’: John Wagner (writer), Mike McMahon (artist)

Judge Dredd poster: Mike McMahon (artist)

Judge Dredd poster (from Progs 100-103): Mike McMahon (artist)

Robo Hunter: ‘Verdus’: John Wagner (writer), Ian Gibson (artist)

Robo Hunter: ‘Verdus’: John Wagner (writer), Ian Gibson (artist)

Robo Hunter: ‘Verdus’: John Wagner (writer), Ian Gibson (artist)

Robo Hunter: ‘Verdus’: John Wagner (writer), Ian Gibson (artist)

Dan Dare: ‘Servant of Evil’: Tom Tully (writer), Dave Gibbons (artist)

Dan Dare: ‘Servant of Evil’: Tom Tully (writer), Dave Gibbons (artist)

Dan Dare: ‘Servant of Evil’: Tom Tully (writer), Dave Gibbons (artist)