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Thrill seeker
As 2000AD reaches 30 years of age, David Pollock talks to David Bishop, former editor and author of the seminal sci-fi comic’s imminent definitive history.
hose of us at a certain age might remember the tooth-gnashing wait every Wednesday morning for 2000A!) to drop through the letter box. The boys” adventure comic was first published in l‘ebruary 1977. and the particular pool of creative genius and anti-authoritarian sentiment employed by the team behind 2000A!) were enough to establish it as — in the words of former contributor (irant Morrison — the first ‘punk comic‘. It was without a doubt the most influential and successful British comic ever. and celebrity fans like Jonathan Ross and Simon Pegg have been quick to point out its virtues. l‘ormer editor Pat Mills wrote lurid tales of time- travelling dinosaurs (‘lilesh‘i and tyranny and racism disguised as aliens (‘Nemesis the Warlock‘). Alan (irant penned brilliant. high—concept sci-fi tales in ‘Strontium Dog‘ and ‘Robo-Huntet”. and. of course. (irant's longtime co-writer John Wagner created ‘Judge Dredd’. a sprawling sci—fi action comedy which later squeezed in a rich political debate on fascism versus democracy. Like Morrison and the similarly successful Mark Millar. all of the above writers were Scots born or raised. or at the very least trained via l)(‘ 'l‘hompson. ()ther big names like Neil (iaiman. (iarth linnis. Andy Diggle and Alan Moore also made their name in 2000/ll)‘s pages while music video director (‘hris Cunningham. using the name (‘hris Halls. is a notable artistic alumnus.
Thirty years old this month and now owned by Oxford computer games developers Rebellion. 2000A!) is still afloat and thoroughly engaging. Sales might be down on the mid-80s golden age of l()().()()()
30 THE LIST 1 1?) Mi) 2007
‘A LOT OF ADULTS STOPPED READING, SHAMED INTO IT BY
THEIR SPOUSES'
a week. but much of the comic's content is up there with the best American series. Wagner. Grant and Mills all still write for it. joined by new creators such as Si Spurrier. Frazer Irving and Henry Mint.
‘1 think the challenge 2000A!) has faced over the last 20 years is that it‘s stopped being an adventure
comic aimed at boys.‘ says David Bishop. editor of
the comic between 1995 and 2()()(). and its first biographer with 'I'lrri/l l’ou‘cr Overload. ‘Where kids would traditionally read the Beam; or the Dam/y for a few years and grow out of them. the fact that people like Alan Moore made British comics storytelling vastly more sophisticated in the 80s meant they didn‘t grow out of 2000.41). lt inspired a reader loyalty which meant it had to mature and grow with its fans. A lot of adults eventually stop reading. once they’re shamed into it by their spouses.‘
So. by rights the comic should have ceased to exist some time ago but it was able to adapt and evolve with the times. ‘Rebellion quite rightly recognised it was being neglected and bought it up as their own publication in 200]. After all. pretty much everyone working in the UK games industry grew up reading it. Where it goes from here depends on how they use the intellectual property rights but we’re talking about something like 2()() separate character worlds. it‘s a matter of time before one of these makes it onto the big screen. or becomes a successful video game.‘
The 30th anniversary edition of 2000AD is out on Wed 28 Feb. Thrill Power Overload is published in March by Rebellion Books.
Hit >l< THE BEST B-OOKS, COMICS & EVENTS
Nosaawaow Mm
* Denise Mina 8: Leonardo Manco The queen of Tartan Noir (as Mina probably hates being dubbed) makes her debut trip into graphic novels with Hal/blazer: Empathy is the Enemy, which features the chain-smoking Constantine relocating to Glasgow. See review, page 32. Vertigo/Titan.
* Alan Grant & Cam Kennedy A very impressive attempt at squeezing RLS’ Kidnapped into the graphic form as the rollicking story is brought to vivid life. See Big Picture, page 11 and review, page 32. Waverley Books.
>i< Niall Griffiths The gritty author puts the long—standing shackle of comparisons to lrvine Welsh right behind him with Hunt, the tale of an odd kid from the city holing up with his uncle in the countryside. See review, page 31. Jonathan Cape.
>i< Anthony Swofford The man behind the memoir Jarhead goes hard on more war matters with this tale of two very different souls caught in the middle of conflict. See review, page 31. Simon & Schuster.
>i< One Book - One Edinburgh The campaign to get BLS’ Kidnapped firmly in the nation’s psyche begins in earnest. See Answer Machine. page 112. Various venues, Edinburgh, Thu 1 Feb—Thu 7 Mar.
>i< Alan Spence The talented polymath entertains you with the emphasis on The Pure Land, his tale of a Scot done good in Japan. North Edinburgh Arts Centre, Edinburgh, Fri 2 Feb.
5!: We Love Books More Mina action as Denise joins forces with Laura Marney to chat about the whole books business, all in aid of Dyslexia UK. Waterstone’s, Glasgow, Mon 12 Feb.