Home › Comics › British Comics › 2000AD › Happy Birthday, 2000AD! From writer, editor and fan Richmond Clements

Happy Birthday, 2000AD! From writer, editor and fan Richmond Clements

By John Freeman on February 15, 2012

Name: Richmond Clements

Blog: http://thequaequamblog.blogspot.com

Currently working on:

Turning Tiger has just been released by Renegade Arts Entertainment.
I’m also working on a couple of books for Markosia and one for Com.X. I have a series called Operation Inferno, drawn by Nick Dyer, starting soon in Strip Magazine and a Brian Ború bio-strip for the new Irish comic imprint Lightning Strike.

First memory of 2000AD?

The TV ad with Tharg floating down over London (yes, I really am that old! Amazing, isn’t it?). I do remember suffering what I now know to be a Thrill Power Overload at the sight of dinosaurs and cowboys and Volgan invaders and the like too.

Favourite Character or Story?

Torquemada is, I think, not only the greatest villain ever created in comics, he’s arguably the greatest villian in fiction. Hyperbole? I don’t think is.

The strip Strontium Dog and lead character Johnny Alpha are my favourite strip and character in comics, not just in 2000AD. I feel really fortunate that we’re allowed to play around with these characters in our SD fanzine Dogbreath.

What do you like most about the 2000AD?

Anything and everything goes. It isn’t afraid to experiment. Yes, sometimes it fails, but mostly, when this happens, the fails are still more spectacular than a thousand lycraed muscle men hitting each other.

What would you most like to see in 2000AD as it heads to its Forties?

It just needs to keep doing what it’s doing. I’d like to see it sell more, but then I’d like to see every comic sell more!

If you worked on 2000AD, do you have an anecdote you’d like to shareabout your experience of Tharg and his minions?

I haven’t worked for 2K, but I could tell you some tales, and will do in exchange for a drink at the nearest comic convention.

• This post is one in a series of tributes to 2000AD to mark its 35th birthday on 26th February 2012. More about 2000AD at www.2000adonline.com

John Freeman

The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.

Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.

He’s the writer of “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.