Editing 2000 AD (comics) (section)

== Editors ==
{{Main|Tharg the Mighty}}
A long-running theme is that the [[editing|editor]] of ''2000 AD'' is [[Tharg the Mighty]], a green [[extraterrestrial life|extraterrestrial]] from [[Betelgeuse]] who terms his readers "Earthlets". Tharg uses other unique alien expressions and even appears in his own comic strips. Readers sometimes play along with this; for example, in prog 201 a pair of readers wrote to Tharg claiming that they preferred to be called "Terrans"; the resulting controversy ended in Tharg allowing readers to vote for the preferred term in prog 229. In prog 240 Tharg announced that the result was a draw, and "Terran" became an accepted term for readers' letters in the Nerve Centre.  In similar vein, Tharg used to draw distinction between male and female letter-writers with "Earthlet" and "Earthlette" until a letter was printed in Prog 314 complaining about the use, and Tharg agreed to use "Earthlet" (or "Terran") regardless of gender. From prog 531 the term "Earthlette" was reintroduced.<ref>{{cite news|title=Prog 531 |work=2000 AD|date= 18 July 1987}}</ref>

Another running theme is Tharg's use of [[robot]]s to draw and write the strips, which bear a marked resemblance to the actual writers and artists. A fictional reason for Tharg to use mechanical assistance was given when the robots "went on strike" (reflecting real-life [[industrial action]] that occasionally halted IPC's comics production during the 1970s and 1980s). Tharg wrote and drew a whole issue himself, but when he ran it through the quality-control "Thrill-meter", the device melted down on extreme overload. The offending issue had to be taken away, by blindfolded security guards, to a lead-lined vault where there was no danger of anyone seeing it accidentally.
<section begin=tharg />
The role of Tharg has been performed by the following editors:

#[[Pat Mills]], #1–16 (1977)<ref>{{Cite web|title=Pat Mills|work=BARNEY – droid zone|url=http://www.2000ad.org/?zone=droid&page=profiles&choice=patm|access-date=2022-12-16}}</ref>
#[[Kelvin Gosnell]], #17–85 (1977–1978)<ref>{{Cite web|title=Kelvin Gosnell|work=BARNEY – droid zone|url=http://www.2000ad.org/?zone=droid&page=profiles&choice=KELVING|access-date=2022-12-16}}</ref> Assistant editor [[Nick Landau]] largely edited the comic himself in 1978 while Gosnell was occupied with editing new sister title ''[[Starlord (comics)|Starlord]]''.<ref name="WPCleanerAuto1" />
#[[Steve MacManus]], #86–519<ref>{{Cite web|work=BARNEY – droid zone|url=http://www.2000ad.org/?zone=droid&page=profiles&choice=STEVEM|access-date=2022-12-16|title= Steve MacManus}}</ref> or #500<ref name=mightyone>{{cite book|last=MacManus|first= Steve |date=2016 |title=The Mighty One: My Life Inside the Nerve Centre |location=Oxford |publisher=Rebellion |pages=228, 231}}</ref> (1978–1987)
#[[Richard Burton (comics)|Richard Burton]], #520–872<ref>{{Cite web|work=BARNEY – droid zone|url=http://www.2000ad.org/?zone=droid&page=profiles&choice=RICHARDB|access-date=2022-12-16|title= Richard Burton}}</ref> or #501–872<ref name=mightyone /> (1987–1994)
#[[Alan McKenzie]], #873–914 (1994)<ref>{{Cite web|work=BARNEY – droid zone|url=http://www.2000ad.org/?zone=droid&page=profiles&choice=ALANMC|access-date=2022-12-16|title= Alan McKenzie}}</ref>
#[[John Tomlinson (comics)|John Tomlinson]], #915–977 (1994–1996)<ref>{{Cite web|work=BARNEY – droid zone|url=http://www.2000ad.org/?zone=droid&page=profiles&choice=JOHNT|access-date=2022-12-16|title= John Tomlinson}}</ref>
#[[David Bishop (writer)|David Bishop]], #978–1199 (1996–2000)<ref>{{Cite web|work=BARNEY – droid zone|url=http://www.2000ad.org/?zone=droid&page=profiles&choice=DAVEB|access-date=2022-12-16|title= David Bishop}}</ref>
#[[Andy Diggle]], #1200–1273 (2000–2002)<ref>{{Cite web|work=BARNEY – droid zone|url=http://www.2000ad.org/?zone=droid&page=profiles&choice=ANDYD|access-date=2022-12-16|title= Andy Diggle}}</ref>
#[[Matt Smith (comics editor)|Matt Smith]], #1274–present (2002–present)<ref>{{Cite web|work=BARNEY – droid zone|url=http://www.2000ad.org/?zone=droid&page=profiles&choice=MATTS|access-date=2022-12-16|title= Matt Smith}}</ref><section end=tharg />

Starting in December 2004, an additional editor's note, titled "Damage Control", began appearing in the legal fine print at the bottom of the first page of every issue. This editor's note is written not from the perspective of Tharg but from that of Matt Smith, the sitting editor since "Damage Control" started.