After a time of Diamond-induced distribution uncertainty, British anthology 2000 AD is returning to American comic book stores – and giving US readers the O.G. weekly experience, to boot.
Announced at ComicsPRO, 2000 AD owner Rebellion has partnered with Lunar Distribution to co-publish the comic in the US, sidestepping the uncertainties (and costs) of international trade. Under the new deal, Lunar will handle domestic printing, warehousing and distribution for the Galaxy’s Greatest Comic to the North American market.
Weekly issues will become available in comic shops from May, with retailers being able to order copies via March’s edition of Lunar’s Next Phase catalogue or from the Lunar website. US pricing has yet to be confirmed.
Founded in the UK in 1977, 2000 AD is a weekly science fiction anthology comic which is best known as the home of Judge Dredd. Each 32-page issue (‘prog’) contains five stories, with Dredd the only constant. It has seen a number of acclaimed British creators in its pages including Brian Bolland, Alan Moore, Dave Gibbons, Grant Morrison, John Wagner, Alan Grant, Kevin O’Neill, Al Ewing, Rob Williams (we could go on). Recent hit series include Brink, Silver, Fall of Deadworld, and Red Dragon. Besides Dredd, it has a number of beloved characters including Nemesis the Warlock, Rogue Trooper, Slaine, ABC Warriors, and Halo Jones. Rogue Trooper is making the leap to the big screen this year – in a feature written and directed by Duncan Jones.
While traditionally released as a weekly in the UK for decades, 2000 AD was distributed by Diamond to the US market in the form of ‘prog packs’, containing a month’s worth of issues lagging three months behind the UK. That arrangement ceased in 2025 as Diamond entered extended, torturous bankruptcy proceedings. The new system will make 2000 AD available as individual issues each week, with the time lag reduced from months to two weeks. This will also ensure timelier releases of other Rebellion comics, including special issues such as 2000 AD Scifi Special, and Action. Also, with the removal of polybags, curious readers can finally try before they buy. 
Subscription prices direct from 2000 AD will remain unchanged as it is not within the scope of the Lunar deal, but American fans can put the prog in their regular pull list or arrange a subscription with Lunar through their local comic shop.
The news of 2000 AD‘s return to availability in the US was not a complete surprise – but the scope definitely was. On January 27 it was announced that Rebellion had partnered with Lunar to distribute the monthly Judge Dredd Megazine in the US market. At the time, the omission of 2000 AD in the announcement – for which the Megazine is a deluxe complementary offshoot – was curious, indicating something was afoot. The Lunar co-publishing deal is a definite big step as the acclaimed anthology seeks to further penetrate the US market.
The full press release:
2000 AD is coming back to America — and this time, it’s weekly!
Never before have American readers been able to enjoy a weekly hit of 2000 AD Thrill-power, but now thanks to a partnership between publishers Rebellion and Lunar Distribution, 2000 AD will arrive in US comic book stores every week — and just two weeks after the UK on-sale date!
The team behind the landmark weekly sci-fi anthology announced this week at ComicsPro that The Galaxy’s Greatest Comic will return to American shelves this May on a weekly schedule via Lunar. Copies will be printed and distributed within the USA for the first time in 2000 AD’s forty-nine-year history, meaning that retailers can now order individual issues of 2000 AD for their store.
The move means that rather than waiting months for copies, readers will be able to pick up issues of 2000 AD each and every week from their local comic store for the first time – making it a great addition to their weekly pull-lists. Issues will no longer be poly-bagged — so new readers can pick up copies from the shelf and discover a range of Thrills to reshape their reality!
This news means that now 2000 AD, the Judge Dredd Megazine, and seasonal Special issues including Action and the 2000 AD Sci-Fi Special will all now be available to order directly through Lunar.
Publishing since 1977, 2000 AD is the weekly 32-page anthology featuring five serialised stories in each issue. Featuring Judge Dredd – The Ultimate Lawman of the Future – 2000 AD has also been home to iconic and influential series including Strontium Dog, Halo Jones,Nemesis the Warlock, ABC Warriors and many more.
The crucible which introduced to the comics industry creators including Alan Moore, John Wagner, Pat Mills, Brian Bolland, Grant Morrison, Dave Gibbons, Al Ewing and many more, 2000 AD is the home to genre-defying and anarchic comics which challenge authority and give readers a taste of the unknown and bizarre. Currently 2000 AD is home to stunning visions of science fiction such as the cosmic horror of Brink; the violent and vampiric Silver; the fantastical steampunk universe of Brass Sun; and the dark and depraved dystopia of The Fall of Deadworld, as well as many other stories.
This year will also see Judge Dredd caught up in a massive crossover “Mega-Epic” storyline which crosses over between the weekly 2000 AD and the monthly Judge Dredd Megazine – which will also now be available in the US on a regular schedule through Lunar. As Judge Dredd enters “The Oubliette” and witnesses “The Black Tower”, readers will be able to pick up both titles straight from their local comic store to ensure they get the full story as a hyper-blast of electrified Thrill-Power!
Retailers looking to order the weekly 2000 AD will be able to find it in March’s edition of “Next Phase” available via Lunar, and on the Lunar website.
The future is calling, America – it’s time to answer!
