Happy 2000th 2000AD!

Borag Thungg!

Today marks a momentous occasion in comics publishing, in fact in any form of publishing, for today sees publication of the 2000th copy of 2000AD.

The current issue is a testament to all that is 2000AD - including its polystyrene-devouring, emerald-hued alien editor Tharg the Mighty - featuring many classic characters as well as a brand-new strip, all wrapped up inside an awesome Cliff Robinson cover with colours by Dylan Teague.

I didn't start collecting 2000AD on a regular basis until Prog 800, with its handy Series Index Micro-Guide, although I had bought it for the duration of Smith and Weston's Jack the Ripper Indigo Prime story Killing Time* and once when I was on holiday in Scotland. (All I can remember about that issue is that it featured a Rogue Trooper story.)

Since that time I have bought every single issue and now subscribe (to the weekly Prog and the Megazine) and am proud to have been a very small part of the ghafflebette publication, making into the weekly for the first time last Christmas.

I have also been fortunate enough to work with a number of 2000AD art droids in the past. Simon Davis (currently painting Slaine) illustrated my Warhammer short story Mark of the Beast, Steve Yeowell (who recently illustrated Black Shuck) joined me for The Tale of the Hound that was published in the Warhammer Comic, one of P J Holden's first published strips was my very own Slavebreak!, Paul Jeacock (sometimes Paul Staples) who painted Finn back in the day illustrated a Necromunda comic strip of mine called Kill Confirmed, Simon Coleby (producing phenomenal work for Jaegir) produced the cover for my first short story anthology SHARKPUNK,cover artist Neil Roberts produced an illustration for Shakespeare Vs Cthulhu, as did Absolom artist Tiernen Trevallion, and more recently I have been collaborating on gamebook projects with Kev Crossley, who has also painted covers for the House of Tharg. And then there are Pye Parr and Mark Harrison who have been in the Megazine and 2000AD and who both produced covers for my Pax Britannia novels. And not to forget Patrick Goddard, Dylan Teague and Lee Townsend who all worked on Ephrael Stern: Sister of Sigmar, and Clint Langley (of ABC Warriors fame) who produced the cover for my first ever novel The Dead and the Damned.

I own a number of original pages of art that has appeared in 2000AD, including Chris Weston's work on Canon Fodder. Colin MacNeil's work for Satanus Unchained, and Simon Fraser's line-art for Nikolai Dante.

But it's not only the artists I've worked with, I am fortunate enough to count many of the comic's script droids among my friends as well. Indeed, Ian Edginton recently wrote a story for me for Shakespeare Vs Cthulhu.

So florix grabundae to Tharg for all the zarjaz thrill-power over the years, and if you're a nonscrot who has yet to discover the delights of 2000AD, don't be a grexnix and get out there and buy one from your local thrill-merchant today.

And this isn't the end. There's still more to look forward to look forward to next year, namely 2000AD's 40th birthday party! Maybe I'll see you there. :-)

But for now, Splundig vur Thrigg, Squaxx dek Thargos!