Paul Roach UNITED KINGDOM
Member Since April 2014
128 Artworks | Watched by 61

2000AD and Starlord #86 Ro-Busters: Death on the Orient Express, page 9

Location: 2000AD: Ro-Busters
Artist: Dave Gibbons (All)

120  Views  -  20  Comments  -  17  Likes

Artwork Details
Location: 2000AD: Ro-Busters
Title: 2000AD and Starlord #86 Ro-Busters: Death on the Orient Express, page 9
Artist:  Dave Gibbons (All)
Media Type: Pen and Ink
Art Type: Title Page
For Sale Status: NFS
Views: 120
Likes on CAF: 17
Comments: 20
Added to Site: 1/26/2026

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Description
2000AD merged with its sister publication, Starlord, in this issue. So it’s the first 2000AD issue to feature Ro-Busters, a strip that carried over from Starlord alongside Strontium Dog. For the art in the 22 issue Starlord run, Carlos Pino, Ian Kennedy and José Ferrer took turns on Ro-Busters, but Dave Gibbons drew the third episode – and he returned to the strip on its move to 2000AD.

The premise was that the Ro-Busters acted as a commercial rescue organisation run by Mr. 10 Per Cent – only 10% of him is organic matter, but this meets the threshold to count as a person in a futuristic hierarchy in which robots are at the bottom. Gibbons uses a left bar roll call for readers new to the strip, of a style no doubt pleasingly familiar to JLA fans; I always loved those roll calls for the JLA/JSA crossovers. Strictly, the main characters are Ro-Jaws and Hammerstein, but fans of the strip may regard Mek-Quake (with his perennial cry of “Big Jobs” for pretty much any heavy duty work he was required to perform) as also deserving of a high billing. The three of them became members of ABC Warriors, the follow-on strip.

This title splash of a monorail disaster showcases Gibbons’ masterful talents for communicating depth and technology.

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Paul Roach
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Member Since: April 2014
Last Login: April 2026
Country: UNITED KINGDOM
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Comments on this Artwork

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Kavi H Member Since 2018
1    
Posted On 1/26/2026

I think those commuters may be late for work! Gnarly looking Monorail disaster scene and a fantastic 2000AD title splash by Gibbons. congrats!

J.  Lim Member Since 2008
1    
Posted On 1/26/2026

This a great Bolland 2000AD title page that grabs your attention with an  outstanding sci fi look 

Rick W Member Since 2017
1    
Posted On 1/26/2026

RO-JAWS and the team have their work cut out for them. Killer Gibbons title splash!

Dave W Member Since 2006
1    
Posted On 1/26/2026

Gibbons was born to draw this title - such a great match! Congrats!!

John C Member Since 2014
1    
Posted On 1/26/2026

This could have been avoided if they just fed the people in the back.

Marcus Wai Member Since 2005
1    
Posted On 1/27/2026

Primo Gibbons!  A most impressive time period of his artwork.  This reminds me of all those thrilling disaster movies of the late 70's with the action spilling out into the audience!

Miki Annamanthadoo Member Since 2003
1    
Posted On 1/27/2026

Outstanding opening splash - the train almost leaps off the page!

Toni S Member Since 2019
1    
Posted On 1/27/2026

Awesome cosmic scene! I like it very much!

Steve N. Comic/Fantasy Art Member Since 2017
1    
Posted On 1/27/2026

Love this EC cover-like art, pure nostalgia!

Tyler T Member Since 2020
1    
Posted On 1/29/2026

Great title page from Gibbons! That center image is loaded with detail and all of the characters on the left are wonderfully drawn. 

Chris K. Member Since 2008
1    
Posted On 1/29/2026

This is crazy cool!

Peter Roe Member Since 2009
1    
Posted On 1/29/2026

I also love the roll call on this page. The doomed train is headed for the reader! Boulder in shadow balances the black roll call on the opposite side. Crazy detail on the train. Train driver raising his arms to fend off boulders brings the human element to the title page.

Paul Roach Member Since 2014
1    
Posted On 2/2/2026

Peter Roe wrote:
"  I also love the roll call on this page. The doomed train is headed for the reader! Boulder in shadow balances the black roll call on the opposite side. Crazy detail on the train. Train driver raising his arms to fend off boulders brings the human element to the title page.
 "

That's a great point - Gibbons did bring the human side to tragedy using those tiny figures in broken and pummelled craft of various sorts. He did the same in Dan Dare whenever the Eagle was getting shot at or hit by meteors.

David Roach Member Since 2012
1    
Posted On 1/31/2026

Still so vivid in my mind- decades after I first read it- as did you! Such a wonderful page.

Joe Murray Member Since 2006
1    
Posted On 1/31/2026

Wow, very cool Gibbons splash, with all kinds of great influences, from an EC quality, ‘70s disaster flick, JLA rollcalls, and Kirby explosive action all pulling together perfectly, congrats!

Peter Sullivan Member Since 2006
1    
Posted On 2/1/2026

Terrible story. Great art. 

Paul Roach Member Since 2014
Posted On 2/2/2026

Peter Sullivan wrote:
"  Terrible story. Great art. 
 "

Ha ha. Well, one out of two ain't bad, Peter.

Paul P Spiderversity Member Since 2011
1    
Posted On 2/2/2026

Cosmic goodness!

M L Member Since 2015
1    
Posted On 2/3/2026

Dave Gibbons just shines on details - this page has all the incredible trademarks of a classic EC space page - LOVE it!

Tommy Kohlmaier Member Since 2008
1    
Posted On 3/31/2026

Amazing page from a historic Brit magazine with a coole "roll call" side art like in the 60/70s Dc team books "JLA" and "Legion of SH" books, as you mention in your detailed "description" ! Rowdy Ro-Jaws didn't change much since this first story but Hammerstein's look gladly got much cooler later and he even made it to Hollywood in the so-so, but still very nice Sly Stallone JudgeDredd movie 1995 (minus points for comic fans: Dredd without helmet in :) ! Look up my own small "ABC Warriors" gallery, Paul and greets to the UK , we miss you in the EU :)

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