2000AD, Battle Action and Commando artist Mike Dorey is in nostalgic mood this week. Over on Facebook, he reminded his many fans that “Himmler’s Gold”, a “M.A.C.H.1” story, his first work for The Galaxy’s Greatest Comic, appeared 48 years ago this week – the first strip he drew for 2000AD, including the cover.
“I’ve had a number of commissions to recreate the cover,” Mike noted.
Coincidentally, the original art for Mike’s 2000AD cover for Prog 6 is currently up for auction this Sunday over at Heritage Auctions – although it’s offered at a much higher starting price than Mike was paid to draw it!
Not so much a secret agent, more a secret weapon – he’s a Man Activated by Compu-puncture Hyperpower! He is … M.A.C.H.1!
Created by Pat Mills and Enio in 1977, M.A.C.H.1 was a secret agent given superhuman strength, speed, stamina, and a computerised buddy in his head! Probe takes care of organised crime, terrorists, spies, and other threats to national security – but who is pulling his strings?
“M.A.C.H.1” was, of course, inspired by the runaway success of TV’s The Six Million Dollar Man, but with more graphic violence – more in tune, perhaps with the novel, Cyborg, by Martin Cardin, that the show was based on.
The M.A.C.H. 1 strips have previously been collected by Rebellion, as The John Probe Mission Files (Volume 1) and Close Encounters (Volume 2).
Mike Dorey is an artist and illustrator whose breakout character Cadman, The Fighting Coward for DC Thomson established a precedent for creating anti-heroes and anti-establishment figures. He’s also known for his work on the ground-breaking Action – surely the only comic to be debated in Parliament – for which he co-created Hellman of Hammer Force, the first German military hero in the history of post- war British comics. Mike went on to draw the iconic Rogue Trooper for 2000AD.
Mike is noted for his dark, textured artwork, with an emphasis on line and form influenced by a study of Impressionist and Surrealist art. His strong draftsmanship is characterised by a bold and high-contrast style that makes his work instantaneously recognisable.
• Mike Dorey is online at mikedorey.co.uk
• Check out Mike’s cover for 2000AD Prog 6 here on Heritage Auctions
UPDATE, Wednesday 9th April 2025: The art sold for $9000
• M.A.C.H. 1: The John Probe Mission Files (AmazonUK Affiliate Link)
• Digital edition also available from 2000AD (print edition out of stock)
By Pat Mills, Robert Flynn, Nick Allen, John Wagner Roy Preston, Charles Herring, Steve Macmanus, Peter Harris (Writers) Enio, Ian Kennedy, Massimo Belardinelli, John Cooper, Mike Dorey, Barrie Mitchell, Jesus Redondo, Eugenio Zoppi, Marzal Canos, P. Martinez Henares, Luis Collado, Lopez, Pierre Frisano, Carlos Freixas, Carlos Pino (Artists); Bill Nuttall, Jack Potter, J. Swain, John Aldrich, Tony Jacob, Peter Knight, Tom Frame (Letterers)
Paperback, 225 pages
ISBN: 9781781086131
The Six Million Dollar Man meets James Bond in this first volume of the explosive adventures of 2000AD‘s super-agent! The world is a dangerous place, with terrorists, lunatics and other foreigners plotting destruction at every turn… fortunately the British Secret Service has the world’s back! And when the threats the world faces are extra-ordinary, they need an extra-ordinary man for the job.
Enter secret weapon and special agent, John Probe. Using the technology of computerised acupuncture, they grafted a computer circuit onto his skull and inserted special electro-needles into his body and now he can increase his energy flow until he has the strength of fifty men! Terrorists and enemy agents beware! John Probe is much more than a man: he is a Man Activated by Compu-Puncture Hyperpower!
• M.A.C.H. 1: Close Encounters (AmazonUK Affiliate Link)
• Digital edition also available from 2000AD (print edition out of stock)
By Pat Mills, Scott Goodall, Alan Hebden, Nick Landau, Mike Lake, Steve MacManus, Roy Preston, Gary Rice (Writers); Marzal Canos, John Cooper, Mike Donaldson, Mike Dorey, Trevor Goring, Garry Leach, Montero, Kevin O’Neill, Jesus Redondo, Ramon Sola (Artists)
Paperback, 260 pages
ISBN: 9781781086742
When terrorists, super-weapons and other-worldly forces plot destruction, the British Secret Service need John Probe – their number one super-agent. But when Probe begins to question the motives of his superiors and the ruthless logic of his cybernetic brain, he finds the service has dark secrets up its sleeve… including failed prototype, M.A.C.H. Zero! The agency will find out what happens when they try to control Men Activated by Compu-Puncture Hyperpower!
With thanks to Mike Dorey and Eamonn Clarke
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John is the founder of downthetubes, launched in 1998. He is a comics and magazine editor, writer, and Press Officer for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He also runs Crucible Comic Press.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine and Overkill for Marvel UK, Babylon 5 Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, and its successor, Star Trek Explorer, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics; and has edited several comic collections and graphic novels, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”, and Hancock: The Lad Himself, by Stephen Walsh and Keith Page.
He’s the writer of comics such as Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs”, with Dave Hailwood.
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