Roy of the Rovers to be rebooted by Rebellion

Out-of-print British football comic Roy of the Rovers is to be rebooted.

The adventures of Roy Race, a star striker known for his amazing football skills and sense of fair play, first saw print in the 1950s.

The character's weekly comic ended in 1995, and he featured in Match of the Day magazine until its cancellation in 2001. He has not been seen since.

Oxford-based Rebellion will publish a series of graphic novels and books alongside the 2018/19 football season.

The publisher bought the rights to the character last year.

It currently prints the 2000 AD comic and its sister publication The Judge Dredd Megazine.

The rebooted version will chart the start of the player's career at the fictional Melchester Rovers.

While most fans will recall Roy's once-fashionable 70s golden-haired bob, his new look is yet to be revealed.

Jason Kingsley, Rebellion CEO, said he was "delighted" the character was back "for a new generation of readers", calling him a "fantastic addition" to the company's roster of characters.

Ben Smith, head of books and publishing at Rebellion, said: "There are only a handful of truly iconic characters in British comics, and Roy Race is surely one of them.

"We look forward to bringing Roy to modern audiences in a completely fresh incarnation that honours the extraordinary legacy of the character.

"We will be telling stories that connect with readers both young and old.

"There is a dearth of football-related fiction on the shelves, and we're looking forward to correcting that, whilst giving a classic British comic character a new lease of life in the process."