Tharg the Mighty

Characterisation

Tharg is depicted as an alien from Quaxxann, a fictional planet that orbits the star Betelgeuse. 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. He eats polystyrene cups.

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.

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. For example, Warlord was supposedly edited by Lord Peter Flint and Bullet by a character named Fireball. 2000 AD's short-lived sister title Starlord used a similar device with the eponymous alien Starlord as did Tornado with Big E.

Pat Mills created Tharg but since regrets it, in 2015 describing him as an anachronism. 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. Bishop came to realise that Tharg is an intrinsic part of 2000 AD and that the Men in Black were "a tiresome encumbrance". Tharg's return and the ousting of the Men in Black was covered in the Vector 13 story "Case Ten: Case Closed?"

Comic strips

2000 AD regularly features self-contained, science-fiction short stories called Tharg's Future Shocks. Tharg is characterised as the host or presenter of these one-shots. 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. This trio of incompetent alien warlords hope to usurp Tharg's position and use the comic's powers to revitalise their planet. 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. The following is a short list, with approximate translations:

2000 AD editors

The part of Tharg has been performed in reality by the following editors:

1. Pat Mills, #1–16 (1977)
2. Kelvin Gosnell, #17–c. 104 (1977–1979)
3. Steve MacManus, c. #105–501 (1979–1986)
4. Richard Burton, #501–872 (1986–1994)
5. Alan McKenzie, #873–914 (1994)
6. John Tomlinson, #915–977 (1994–1996)
7. David Bishop, #978–1199 (1996–2000)
8. Andy Diggle, #1200–1273 (2000–2002)
9. Matt Smith, #1274–present (2002–present)

Assistant editor Nick Landau largely edited the comic himself in 1978 while Kelvin Gosnell was occupied with editing new sister title Starlord.