Gerry Finley-Day
One of the most prolific writers in the
2000 AD’s history, Gerry Finley-Day holds a special place in many fans’ hearts as the creator of classics like
Rogue Trooper,
Fiends of the Eastern Front and
The V.C.s, as well as
Harry 20 on the High Rock and
Ant Wars.
A keen "ideas man", Finley-Day’s concepts of the horrors future warfare had in store were key to both Rogue and
The V.C.s’ continuing popularity, ensuring that their recent return to the Galaxy’s Greatest Comic was well-received.
Finley-Day also scripted episodes of
Judge Dredd and
Dan Dare, and co-scripted much of
Invasion! (and entirely scripted the prequel story,
Disaster 1990!).
Peter MilliganPeter Milligan is one of
2000 AD’s most prolific story creators, and has since, of course, graduated to much wider comics fame. As well as co-creating
Hewligan’s Haircut with Jamie Hewlett, Milligan created the classic future war story
Bad Company, in addition to creating
Freaks,
Shadows,
Sooner or Later,
The Dead and
Tribal Memories. He also contributed several short stories and
Future Shocks, and has written
Judge Dredd and
Rogue Trooper stories. His work outside the Galaxy’s Greatest Comic has received enormous critical and fan acclaim; notably Vertigo’s existentialist superhero mystery
Enigma, via
The Eaters,
Human Target,
Girl,
Tank Girl: The Odyssey,
A1,
Animal Man,
Batman,
Minx,
Shade the Changing Man and
Skreemer.
Pat MillsPat Mills is the creator and first editor of
2000 AD. For the Galaxy’s Greatest Comic, he is the writer and co-creator of
ABC Warriors,
Finn,
Flesh,
Nemesis the Warlock,
Slaine,
M.A.C.H 1,
Harlem Heroes and
Savage. He also developed
Judge Dredd and wrote one of the early Dredd serials --’
The Cursed Earth’. He wrote
Third World War for
Crisis!, a politically-charged spin-off from
2000 AD, and
Black Siddha for the
Judge Dredd Megazine. Outside
2000 AD he is the writer and co-creator of the long-running classic anti-war story
Charley’s War, as well as
Marshal Law. He has also written for the
Batman,
Star Wars and
Zombie World series for the US market.
Steve MacManusAfter working on
Valiant,
Battle Picture Weekly and
Action, Steve MacManus was headhunted to work on
Starlord, and from there he joined 2000 AD. He wrote scripts for the title’s
M.A.C.H. 1 strip, and was the main writer for its spin-off
M.A.C.H. Zero, as well as contributing episodes of
The V.C.s.
In 1979 he was promoted to editor of
2000 AD, a job he held until 1986. This period is widely regarded as the title’s "golden age", during which John Wagner, Alan Grant, Pat Mills and Alan Moore produced some of their best work, and new talents like Peter Milligan and Grant Morrison joined the line-up. MacManus had a hand in the creation of one of the comic’s most enduring characters,
Rogue Trooper, alongside writer Gerry Finley-Day and artist Dave Gibbons.
In 1987 MacManus became managing editor of the 2000 AD Group, during which time he launched
Crisis, a politically aware comic that featured initial work by newcomers Garth Ennis, John Smith, Sean Phillips and Duncan Fegredo, among others.
In the early 1990s MacManus edited the first twelve issues of the
Judge Dredd Megazine, and co-edited the Batman/Judge Dredd crossover
Judgement on Gotham with DC Comics’ Denny O’Neil.
2016 saw the publication of his memoirs,
The Mighty One: My Life Inside the Nerve Centre.
Grant MorrisonGrant Morrison has authored too many bestselling graphic novels to count.
Batman: Arkham Asylum,
Doom Patrol,
Animal Farm,
Flex Mentallo and
The Invisibles are just a few of the books with which Morrison has established himself as one of the masters of the medium.
Cam KennedyCam Kennedy is another hugely popular
2000 AD artist, having illustrated many
Judge Dredd strips and co-created luckless wannabe creator Kenny Who? and the Taxidermist. A key early
Rogue Trooper artist, he has also drawn
Batman/Judge Dredd: Vendetta in Gotham,
Judge Dredd,
Tharg the Mighty,
Tharg’s Future Shocks, and
The V.C.’s. His extracurricular work includes
Axel Pressbutton,
Batman,
Lobo,
Nick Fury: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D., and
Star Wars.
Jose OrtizJosé Ortiz Moya’s sixty plus year career began after he won a contest which ran in the Spanish magazine
Chicos. In the 1950s he worked on many digest strips for Editorial Maga, including
Capitan Don Nadie,
Pantera Negra and
Jungla. Agency work saw him produce several strips for foreign publishers, particularly in Britain where he illustrated
Caroline Barker, Barrister at Law for the
Daily Express,
Smokeman and
UFO Agent for
Eagle magazine and the
Phantom Viking in
Lion. In the seventies and eighties Ortiz worked on several British popular strips including
The Tower King and
House of Daemon for the
New Eagle,
Rogue Trooper and
Judge Dredd for
2000 AD and
The Thirteenth Floor for
Scream!, which he co-created with John Wagner and Alan Grant.
Whilst doing all of this work on UK kid’s comics, in the US Ortiz was also working on and is arguably best known for illustrating several stories for Warren’s horror titles, including
Eerie and
Vampirella.
Steve DillonSteve Dillon is a fan-favourite
2000 AD writer and artist, and the creator of both
Hap Hazzard and the Irish Judge Joyce. His writing for the Galaxy’s Greatest Comic includes
Future Shocks and
Rogue Trooper, while Dillon’s pencils have graced
A.B.C. Warriors,
Bad Company,
Judge Dredd,
Harlem Heroes,
Ro-Busters,
Rogue Trooper and
Tyranny Rex. Dillon shot to international superstardom as a result of his work on DC/Vertigo’s
Preacher, co-created with
2000 AD’s Garth Ennis.
Mike CollinsMike Collins is the illustrator and co-creator of
American Gothic. He has also worked on
Judge Dredd,
Rogue Trooper,
Sinister Dexter,
Sláine and several
Future Shocks.
Will SimpsonWill Simpson is the co-creator of
Universal Soldier, and has also illustrated
Judge Dredd, Future Shocks, Psi-Judge Anderson, Tyranny Rex and
Witchworld. Simpson’s work beyond
2000 AD includes
Aliens,
Animal Man,
Batman,
Hellblazer, and his co-created
Vamps series at DC/Vertigo.