The Day Of Dredd Is Coming: All The Names, All The Dates

3rd October 2026 is The Day Of Dredd, an international celebration of all things to do with 2000 AD (and Britain’s) favourite comic character — and now we have the full details.

The Day of Dredd will feature a veritable host of signings all across the UK – and even wandering into Europe as SK Moore joins in from Prague, with the whole thing headlined by the likes of legendary creators John Wagner, Mick McMahon, Colin MacNeil, Barry Kitson & John Higgins.

But of course, there’s a damn sight more names than that; this really is promising to be something special for fans of 2000 AD, old and new. And I could list them all for you, but 2000 AD, bless ’em, have a visual for that …

Now that, you’ve got to agree, is a hell of a lot of talent. Very much skewed to the artists as well, with only Ian Edginton, Rob Williams and Robbie Morrison there as out-and-out writers. All the better to get a sketch to go along with a signature, don’t you think?

It all takes place around every bit of the UK, as well as the aforementioned Stewart K Moore over in Prague. And wouldn’t you know it, there’s a visual for that as well …

Now, if you’re scratching your heads, and wondering what the hell all this is about, well, I really haven’t been getting through to you with my Weekly 2000 AD column, have I? Every week, I chronicle the finest weekly sci-fi anthology there’s ever been, as it marches on to its 50th anniversary next year, giving you a weekly look at some great, great comics.

And of course, Judge Dredd is its flagship character, an unlikely hero in so many ways, chiefly as he’s the poster boy for a fascist future regime, taking place in an America of the future where democracy had fallen a long time ago and where the Justice Department and its Judges are out there dispensing summary justice to the downtrodden citizens.

Dredd’s always been cutting-edge stuff, steeped in political satire from the earliest days, but there are two things that have made it truly great through the years. The first is that it’s always been designed to be accessible. This isn’t some Marvel or DC thing where there’s a mountain of ever more bewildering continuity to get through when you’re reading the big characters there. No, Dredd is always accessible; you can drop into the latest adventure, and all you really need to know is what’s in the contents page blurb:

Mega-City One. Home to over 300 million citizens, this urban hell is situated along the east coast of post-apocalyptic North America. rime is rampant and only the Judges — empowered to dispense instant justice — can stop total anarchy. Toughest of them all is Judge Dredd — he is the Law!

That’s all you need to know. After that, you’ve got nearly 50 years of Dredd to drop into however you want. But week by week, you’ll find yourself loving it all.

Secondly, Dredd’s maintained its greatness by being a perfect receptacle for all manner of writers and artists creating all manner of tales. The scope of the series is so all-encompassing that all tales are able to be told within it. There are huge blockbuster epics to be enjoyed for sure, but there are also smaller tales, a few episodes long, some even just over and done in one week, just six pages and done. And within all of these, Dredd encompasses every imaginable genre. Sci-fi for sure, but there’s scope within it all for action-adventure, horror, mystery, crime, fantasy, suspense, brilliant comedy, even a little romance here and there, and a big heaping of political satire along the way.

As an aside here, a recent pin badge produced by 2000 AD for San Diego Comic Con absolutely nailed just how much of a political satire Dredd is:

Anyway, I digress.

Back to the whole Day of Dredd thing. We have the date — 3 October 2026. We have the talent, plenty of it. And we have the locations. I’d imagine there’s going to be a few more announcements coming before the actual day.

And of course, all of this is merely the beachhead for the events of 2027, the 50th anniversary of 2000 AD and Judge Dredd. Oh yes, there will be many things to be announced to celebrate that very special anniversary no doubt. So far we’ve had this Day Of Dredd and the Fifty Years of Judge Dredd collection, but you can bet there’s going to be a whole lot more to come.

Anyway, finally, here are the locations, thus far, of the events happening for The Day of Dredd — 3 October — mark your diaries and calendars now…

Forbidden Planet Birmingham: D’Israeli, Dave Kendall, Ian Edginton, INJ Culbard, Mike Perkins, Pye Parr

Forbidden Planet Bristol: Anthony Williams, Dylan Teague, Lee Carter, Patrick Goddard

Forbidden Planet Cambridge: Steven Austin

Forbidden Planet Liverpool: Joe Currie, John Higgins, Leigh Gallagher, Sally Jane Hurst

Forbidden Planet London: Ben Willsher, Boo Cook, Chris Weston, Dan Cornwell, John Wagner, Laura Bailey, Liam Sharp, Rob Williams, Silvia Califano, Simon Davis

Forbidden Planet Southampton: Mick McMahon

Forbidden Planet International Belfast: PJ Holden

Forbidden Planet International Glasgow: Colin MacNeil, Tom Foster

Forbidden Planet International Manchester: Andy Diggle, Robbie Morrison

Forbidden Planet International Norwich: Barry Kitson, Jake Lynch

Forbidden Planet International Sheffield: Nick Percival, Staz Johnson, Peter Doherty

Prague: Stewart K Moore