Mean Arena is set in a dystopian vision of Britain where deadly games of street football are played in evacuated towns. Matt Talon plays for the Slater's Slayers, and he isn't just in the Mean Arena for the love of the game - he's here for revenge! This classic 2000 AD story by Tom Tully and John Richardson - two legends of British comics - is collected in a digital-only graphic novel for the first time.

This is first in a series of specials from Rebellion bringing classic British heroes out of the archive is availble only through the 2000 AD and Treasury of British Comics web shop. “Behold, Janus Stark! Master of illusion, son of the unknown! No lock can fetter me … no rope or chain can bind my limbs!” It will be exclusively from the Treasury of British Comics webshop from 27th November, with pre-order from 4th November. Early preview copies will be available from the 2000 AD stand at the Thought Bubble convention in Harrogate this weekend (Tables 10-12, Comixology Originals Hall)...

As anyone who's a long-term reader will know this has long been my little pet love. The Robo Machines comic ran for two arcs in the 1980s version of Eagle and remained pretty obscure until only a few years ago. I certainly hadn't found much information until I hunted down the old issues and found it to be not all that bad at all and scanned it to inflict on other people. Since then someone's done better scans, which is all good. What would be lovely would be a proper TPB reprint as the original comics were on newsprint but sadly with a fragmented rights situation - the Gobots trademarks co-opted for Robo Machine are possessed by Hasbro, the likenesses for the Robo Machines by Bandai and the actual comics by IPC/Fleetway - this seems unlikely. While the latter have shown a willingness to work with fans on reprints, such as for Doomlord and Leopard of Lime Street, the involvement of two rival toy giants would be a stumbling block.

By the year 2050, the game of aeroball has swept the world! It's football, boxing, kung-fu and basketball all rolled into one. Players roar through the air wearing jetpacks and fight to put the ball in the 'score tank'. One of the greatest teams is the Harlem Heroes, players like no others in the exciting, thrill-packed sport of the future! This volume also features the controversial and never-before-reprinted sequel 'Inferno'.