The Cartoon Museum in London has opened a new exhibition titled "The Future Was Then," showcasing visions of the future through the eyes of comic book artists. Running until 21 March 2026, the show features iconic characters such as Dan Dare, Judge Dredd, Buck Rogers, and Tank Girl, tracing how comic strips have imagined tomorrow from the 1940s to the present day. Highlights include a single page from the 1941 strip *Brick Bradford* that compresses a million-year history of nuclear war and planetary disaster, and Judge Dredd's dystopian quasi-fascism, which debuted in 1977 in *2000AD* comic.
The exhibition matters because it demonstrates how comic art has served as a cultural barometer for society's hopes and anxieties about the future, shifting from mid-century idealism to darker, more cynical visions by the late 1970s. By placing these works in a museum context, the Cartoon Museum elevates the artistic and historical significance of comic strips, linking them to broader movements like Pop art and the legendary 1956 "This Is Tomorrow" exhibition at the Whitechapel Gallery. It offers a timely reflection on how visual storytelling shapes our understanding of what lies ahead.