Tharg the Mighty

Tharg the Mighty — known to devoted readers as "The Mighty One" — is the fictional alien editor-in-chief of the British science fiction anthology comic 2000 AD. The character made his debut on the cover of the very first issue in 1977, and has maintained a presence in nearly every issue since, placing him alongside Judge Dredd as one of only two characters to appear with such consistency throughout the comic's long run.

Though Tharg is a creation rather than a flesh-and-blood creator, the strips and editorial segments featuring him have attracted some genuinely distinguished contributors over the decades, including Alan Moore, Alan Grant, and John Wagner — all of whom typically received credit under the pseudonym "TMO," short for The Mighty One. This convention preserves the conceit that Tharg himself is the author of his own material.

In the catalog records, Tharg carries a writer credit across more than 300 issues spanning 1987 to 2025, with his byline appearing most prominently across the main 2000 AD title as well as special editions including the Free Comic Book Day issue, the 40th Anniversary Special, and the Christmas Annual. Whether regarded as a mascot, an editorial device, or a character in his own right, Tharg has become inseparable from 2000 AD's identity and its particular brand of irreverent, self-aware storytelling.