Tharg the Mighty

Tharg the Mighty — known to devotees of British comics simply as "The Mighty One" — holds the singular distinction of being the fictional editor-in-chief of 2000 AD, the influential UK science fiction anthology that launched in 1977. Introduced on the cover of that debut issue, Tharg is one of only two characters to have graced the pages of nearly every issue published, sharing that honor with Judge Dredd himself.

Born of the editorial imagination behind 2000 AD rather than any single creator's pen, Tharg is presented as an extraterrestrial overseer presiding over the comic's roster of "Squaxx dek Thargo" — the devoted readership. Over the decades, strips featuring the character have been written by some of the most respected names in British comics, including Alan Moore, Alan Grant, and John Wagner, though such contributions are typically credited to the pen name "TMO." As a credited writer himself, Tharg has been active from 1987 through 2025, accumulating credits across more than 300 issues of 2000 AD as well as special publications including the 2000 AD Free Comic Book Day edition, the 40th Anniversary Special, and various Christmas Annuals. The character functions as both mascot and institutional voice, lending the comic a durable, self-aware personality that has proved remarkably resilient across nearly five decades of publication.