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Pat Mills launches new digital comics label, Millsverse

By John Freeman on July 3, 2014

PsychoKiller, written by Pat Mills, co-written with Tony Skinner, with superb fully painted artwork by Dave Kendall, is the first Millsverse digital title.

Pat Mills, creator of 2000AD and writer of numerous successful comic series such as Charley’s War, Slaine, Accident Man, Nemesis, Marshal Law and Requiem Vampire Knight, has launched his digital label, Millsverse, on the Comixology Submit digital platform.

“I’m starting with PsychoKiller, a black comedy horror story originally published in Toxic! in 1991, co-written with Tony Skinner,” he tells us, “with superb fully painted artwork by Dave Kendall. It’s a lot of fun: gory, violent and weird– featuring the mysterious Doctor Morbus who provides bizarre medical treatments for his demonically possessed patients.”

“We should have collected this story years ago but – because it is relatively short at 56 pages – somehow we never got around to it,” he admits. “Now, with the advent of digital comics, it seems the perfect story to kick off the Millsverse, which will include my creator-owned comic strips and graphic novels, some of which are out of print or haven’t been available in English before.

“The goal ultimately is to originate material and debut it on Comixology. But for now, I hope fans and new readers will enjoy the very British schlock that is PsychoKiller.

“Toxic! was aimed at a popular culture audience, at the ‘reader in the street’, rather than hardcore comic fans,” Pat says of the strip’s original appearance. “I’m really passionate about reaching this audience, especially as it has been lost in recent years in favor of more elite, older or superhero readers. In other words, I like to think you could download PsychoKiller and enjoy it, even if you rarely pick up a comic book.

“It’s the comic equivalent of watching a black comedy horror film, like Shaun of the Dead, something that there just isn’t enough of out there. Horror – yes. Comedy – no.”

• PsychoKiller is on sale now for £2.49, available from Comixology here

PsychoKiller story © Pat Mills & Tony Skinner. Art © Dave Kendall

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.