Future Shocks - the Nerdgasm!

When we were kids there was a momentous occasion in publishing I now look back on and feel privileged to have been present for. It has resonance similar to seeing Star Wars: A New Hope at the cinema the first time around, back when no one really understood why it was episode four. This was the release of a new publication. The Way Back Machine is set to 1977 and the first issue of 2000A.D.

The first prog of 2000A.D. actually went to my brother, because he found it first (ever the canny watcher of future trends for a nine year old) and because there was also Starlord, a kind of younger brother publication, which went to me.

Both of these comics were mind blowing. Each on their own enough to melt young minds, yet eventually they became a single uber-comic. This new 200 A.D. comic power contained some of the finest story arks and character developments in British comics - hellfire, even in British writing! - I say this purely because of their long term and subliminal effect on my idea of narrative, science fiction and graphic novel forms.

The list of story lines and characters that came from these comics is incredible when looking back. Though steeped in the clouded view of nostalgia, they remain influential. I never realised at the time how much of them were homage, or derivative or pastiche but I find that this does not diminish them at all, rather it seems like artists and writers were reaching out to a younger generation and pointing the way to a very high road of culture and literary taste.

Harlem Heroes, Flesh, Robo-Hunter and of course Judge Dread started as iconic story lines. Dredd most of all and especially "The Cursed Earth" story arc, the first time I could conceive of a plot line that was allowed to stretch on into a wider back story. The first real experience of the sense of epic narrative.

Strontium Dog, Ro-Busters and ABC Warriors continued the legacy of great titles. Backed up by another epic Judge Dredd story, "The Day the Law Died". There was also an adaptation of Stainless Steel Rat stories that lead me to reading the back catalogue of Harry Harrison's work.

Judge Dredd continued to expand the Mega_City One universe with consistently grand scale story lines; "Judge Death", "The Judge Child", "Block Mania", The Apocalypse War". There was also the introduction of Nemesis the Warlock, Rogue Trooper, Ace Trucking Co, Skizz, D.R and Quinch, Marshall Law and Sláine.

Though all of these stories continued to inspire, there came a time when we had moved on to more serious comic series like Warrior, which was a whole other time line for me of great images, ideas, characters and stories. Still, I think that taken as a whole, the 2000 A.D. collection has provided influence to every creative coming from Britain in the last thirty years.

What I find most amazing from this long list is that the most powerful of them have come from one man, 'the godfather of British comics', Pat Mills. The direction and power behind the seminal comic series, Judge Dredd, A.B.C. Warriors, Invasion, Charley's War, Deadlock, Dinosty, Finn, Flesh, M.A.C.H.1, Nemesis the Warlock, Ro-Busters, Sláine, Torquemada, The Visible Man, Nemesis & Deadlock, Marshal Law - all were created or influenced directly by one writer.

You may wonder, why I have felt the need to reminisce and eulogise the wondrous influences of this British phenomena ( I think they call it a nerdgasm). Mainly because I was reminded how much of my youth and childhood was locked up these tales, and I was reminded because Mr Mills himself was kind enough to autograph a copy of Nemesis vol 1. Then while I waited for that he was kind enough to send me vol 3 with a signature and dedication.

All because my lovely wife, Snippety, makes an awesome sock monkey - but that's another story.