Tharg the Mighty

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Tharg the Mighty
Tharg.jpg
Tharg, from 2000 AD #1700
Publication information
Publisher Originally IPC Media (Fleetway) until 1999, thereafter Rebellion Developments
First appearance 2000 AD #1 (26 February 1977)
Created by Pat Mills
In-story information
Place of originQuaxxann
Notable aliasesThe Mighty One, TMO
AbilitiesRigellian hotshot

Tharg the Mighty or The Mighty One is the fictional editor of the British science fiction comic 2000 AD . The character was introduced on the cover of the first issue in 1977 and is one of only two characters to appear in almost every issue of the comic, the other being Judge Dredd. Tharg occasionally appears in stories and strips involving him have been written by such notable writers as Alan Grant, Alan Moore and John Wagner, albeit usually credited to "TMO" – "The Mighty One".

Contents

Characterisation

Tharg is depicted as an alien from Quaxxann, a fictional planet that orbits the star Betelgeuse. [1] The character has green skin, a white mohawk hairstyle and a red device called the rosette of Sirius on his forehead. He is written and performed for comic effect as an authoritarian egoist. [2] He eats polystyrene cups. [3]

Tharg writes the comic's introduction, answers letters, and doles out prizes to readers (for artwork or story suggestions) - winners could choose payment either in pounds sterling or in "galactic groats". Tharg speaks mostly in English, but with various pithy Betelgusian aphorisms thrown in for colour.

In addition to the editorial duties in 2000 AD being attributed to Tharg, all writing, art, lettering, sub-editing and PR is attributed to malcontent, feckless and long-suffering droids that appear as caricatures of their actual counterparts. [4]

In one episode, a Tharg suit in the comic's office was explained as a skin that Tharg had shed.

Creation and concept

The concept of using a fictional character to host the comic is comparable to the tradition of hosts in horror comics. It was commonplace in British comics in the 1970s when 2000 AD began publication. [5] For example, Warlord was supposedly edited by Lord Peter Flint and Bullet by a character named Fireball. [2] 2000 AD's short-lived sister title Starlord used a similar device with the eponymous alien Starlord as did Tornado with Big E. [6] [7]

Pat Mills created Tharg but since regrets it, in 2015 describing him as an anachronism. [5] In 1996 David Bishop was determined to get rid of Tharg and challenge the status quo, so replaced him as host in #1014 with the Vector 13 Men in Black. Reader reaction was "strong and vitriolic" and Tharg was reinstated in #1032. [8] Bishop came to realise that Tharg is an intrinsic part of 2000 AD and that the Men in Black were "a tiresome encumbrance". [5] [8] Tharg's return and the ousting of the Men in Black was covered in the Vector 13 story "Case Ten: Case Closed?"

2000 AD editors

The role of Tharg has been performed by the following editors:

  1. Pat Mills, #1–16 (1977) [9]
  2. Kelvin Gosnell, #17–85 (1977–1978) [10] Assistant editor Nick Landau largely edited the comic himself in 1978 while Gosnell was occupied with editing new sister title Starlord . [11]
  3. Steve MacManus, #86–519 [12] or #500 [13] (1978–1987)
  4. Richard Burton, #520–872 [14] or #501–872 [13] (1987–1994)
  5. Alan McKenzie, #873–914 (1994) [15]
  6. John Tomlinson, #915–977 (1994–1996) [16]
  7. David Bishop, #978–1199 (1996–2000) [17]
  8. Andy Diggle, #1200–1273 (2000–2002) [18]
  9. Matt Smith, #1274–present (2002–present) [19]

Comic strips

2000 AD regularly features self-contained, science-fiction short stories called Tharg's Future Shocks . Tharg is generally characterised as the host or presenter of these one-shots. [20] The format also sub-divides into genre-specific variants including: Tharg's 3rillers , Tharg's Alien Invasions , Tharg's Dragon Tales , and Tharg's Terror Tales .

On occasion 2000 AD includes short humorous strips that feature Tharg as a character. The plots often concern Tharg's conflict with Thrillsuckers, a plague of psychic pests that attempt to steal 2000 AD's Thrillpower, his abuse of his droid staff, and his battles against The Dictators of Zrag, rulers of the dull cube-shaped planet Zrag. [2] This trio of incompetent alien warlords hope to usurp Tharg's position and use the comic's powers to revitalise their planet. [21] Tharg uses the Dictators as convenient scapegoats whom he can blame for printing errors and plot holes.

Publication history

Catchphrases and jargon

Tharg occasionally uses words and phrases from a fictional language. This slang has become part of the vocabulary of 2000 AD fan culture, particularly in fan interactions with Tharg. [22] The following is a short list, with approximate translations: [23] [24]

Related Research Articles

<i>2000 AD</i> (comics) British comic magazine

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kevin O'Neill (comics)</span> English illustrator (1953–2022)

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Wagner</span> American-born British comics writer (born 1949)

John Wagner is an American-born British comics writer. Alongside Pat Mills, he helped revitalise British comics in the 1970s, and continues to be active in the British comics industry, occasionally also working in American comics. He is the co-creator, with artist Carlos Ezquerra, of the character Judge Dredd.

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<i>Starlord</i> (comics) British weekly comic

Starlord was a British weekly boys' science fiction comic published by IPC Magazines from 13 May to 7 October 1978, when it merged with 2000 AD after 22 issues. The comic was created by Kelvin Gosnell, and was originally intended as a fortnightly sister title for 2000 AD with higher production values and an older audience, but late changes in production saw it converted into a weekly.

<i>Tornado</i> (comics) British weekly comic

Tornado was a British weekly boys' adventure comic published by IPC Magazines from 24 March to 18 August 1979. The comic was partly created as a way to use up stories already commissioned for the other titles, and was marred by a difficult production. Tornado sold poorly and was merged with 2000 AD after 22 issues.

<i>Ace Trucking Co.</i> Comics character

Ace Trucking Co. is a comedy science fiction series that featured in the British comics magazine 2000 AD from 1981 to 1986. Created by writers John Wagner and Alan Grant and artist Massimo Belardinelli, it followed the misadventures of a space trucking company headed by Ace Garp, a pointy-headed alien who spoke in a kind of futuristic CB radio slang. The title was lifted from Ace Trucking Company, a 1970s improvisational comedy group whose membership had included Fred Willard, Patti Deutsch, Michael Mislove, George Memmoli, and Bill Saluga.

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Durham Red is a British comics character, originally created in 1987 as a female sidekick and lover for Johnny Alpha in the long-running comic book series Strontium Dog in 2000 AD. She is a bounty hunter with a mutation that gives her a vampiric lust for blood.

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<i>Thargs Future Shocks</i>

Tharg's Future Shocks is a long-running series of short strips appearing in the British weekly comic 2000 AD since 1977. The name originates from the fictional editor of 2000 AD and the book titled Future Shock, written by Alvin Toffler, published in 1970.

Steve MacManus is a British comic writer and editor, particularly known for his work at 2000 AD.

Richard Burton is a British comic publisher and editor who had a lengthy career at IPC Magazines. While an assistant editor at 2000 AD, he became known to readers as Tharg the Mighty's bumbling assistant Burt, who appeared in a number of strips with him. Earlier in his career, Burton published the popular fanzine Comic Media News, and was a co-founder of the Eagle Awards.

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References

  1. ↑ "Tharg Factoids [column]" 2000 AD ,no. 1033(March 1997). London :Originally IPC Media ( Fleetway ) until 1999, thereafter Rebellion Developments .
  2. 1 2 3 Kardwell, Mark (13 December 2013). "Tharg the Mighty on his return to comics in '2000AD' Prog 2014". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved 10 May 2016.
  3. ↑ MIB ( w ), S.B. Davis  ( a )."Vector 13 - Case Ten: Case Closed?" 2000 AD ,no. 1032(March 4, 1997). London, UK : Fleetway Publications Ltd. .
  4. ↑ Parkin, Lance. "Script Robot Alan Moore". Magic Words: The Extraordinary Life of Alan Moore. London: Aurum Press Ltd. p. 105. ISBN   9781781310779.
  5. 1 2 3 Goodwin, Paul (Director) (2015). Future Shock! The Story of 2000 AD (DVD). England: Metrodome.
  6. ↑ "A Brief History of Starlord". Starlord Blueprint. Archived from the original on 18 August 2014. Retrieved 4 May 2016.
  7. ↑ Best, Daniel (12 August 2010). "How To Beat People Up The Dave Gibbons Way". 20th Century Danny Boy. Retrieved 11 May 2016.
  8. 1 2 Bishop, David. "28 Days of 2000 AD #15.1: Dark Bish-OP Pt. 2". Vicious Imagery. Retrieved 3 May 2016.
  9. ↑ "BARNEY – droid zone". www.2000ad.org. Retrieved 2022-12-16.
  10. ↑ "BARNEY – droid zone". www.2000ad.org. Retrieved 2022-12-16.
  11. ↑ "A brief history of Starlord" from "Watch the stars!" website "A Brief History of Starlord". Archived from the original on 28 November 2011. Retrieved 2016-05-10.
  12. ↑ "BARNEY – droid zone". www.2000ad.org. Retrieved 2022-12-16.
  13. 1 2 MacManus, S. (2016) The Mighty One: My Life Inside the Nerve Centre, Oxford: Rebellion, pp. 228, 231
  14. ↑ "BARNEY – droid zone". www.2000ad.org. Retrieved 2022-12-16.
  15. ↑ "BARNEY – droid zone". www.2000ad.org. Retrieved 2022-12-16.
  16. ↑ "BARNEY – droid zone". www.2000ad.org. Retrieved 2022-12-16.
  17. ↑ "BARNEY – droid zone". www.2000ad.org. Retrieved 2022-12-16.
  18. ↑ "BARNEY – droid zone". www.2000ad.org. Retrieved 2022-12-16.
  19. ↑ "BARNEY – droid zone". www.2000ad.org. Retrieved 2022-12-16.
  20. ↑ Worley, Alec. "Tharg's Future Shocks". Alec Worley: Comics, fiction, films an' that. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
  21. ↑ Sims, Chris (16 December 2015). "Bizarro Back Issues: How Tharg Saved Christmas! (1981)". Comics Alliance. Archived from the original on 6 August 2016. Retrieved 10 May 2016.
  22. ↑ Lorcan McGrane. "2000 AD". In Booker, M. Keith (ed.). Comics Through Time: A History of Icons, Idols, and Ideas. Greenwood. p. 835. ISBN   9780313397516.
  23. ↑ "Talk Like An Alien [column]" 2000 AD ,no. 1033(March 1997). London :Originally IPC Media ( Fleetway ) until 1999, thereafter Rebellion Developments .
  24. ↑ Carter, Wakefield. "A Betelgeusian Phrasebook". BARNEY. Retrieved 3 May 2016.
  25. ↑ 200AD ThrilCast (-4:00, 27 January 2016 Thrill-Cast) Roger Blake.
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