Be Pure! Be Vigilant! Behave!: 2000AD & Judge Dredd: The Secret History

by Pat Mills

With his trademark humour and passion, Pat bares his soul and shares his experience of 2000AD in the five years since the Galaxy’s Greatest Comic celebrated its 40th birthday. This 45th anniversary special edition boasts a special introduction and a new, extended chapter–Thargshead Revisited 2–in which Pat explains his reasons for leaving the comic, and ponders its future. From the hilarious origins when Judge Dredd writer-creator John Wagner and Pat began their careers writing together in a garden shed by paraffin lamp, to the tragic stories of legendary comic artists who have passed, and the challenges as 2000AD fought for survival against The Suits determined to destroy it, this is a unique, personal, and passionate account by the man who created 2000AD . Everything you’ve always wanted to know about Judge Dredd , Sláine , Nemesis , ABC Warriors , Flesh , Strontium Dog and more, is in this book. Plus the writers and artists who created them and the real-life people and events they drew on for inspiration. The scandals, the back-stabbing and the shocking story that was regarded as "too sensitive" to ever see the light of day is finally told. "You'll be hard pressed to find a book so revealing." Tony Esmond - downthetubes.net

Genres: Nonfiction, Comics, Biography, History, Memoir, Autobiography

286 pages, Paperback

First published June 6, 2017

About the author

Pat Mills, born in 1949 and nicknamed 'the godfather of British comics', is a comics writer and editor who, along with John Wagner, revitalised British boys comics in the 1970s, and has remained a leading light in British comics ever since.

His comics are notable for their violence and anti-authoritarianism. He is best known for creating 2000 AD and playing a major part in the development of Judge Dredd.

Reviews

[Peter Gasston · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pat Mills is the (co-)creator of many of the comics and characters I read through my teens and early twenties, notably Charley's War, Volume 1: 2 June – 1 August 1916 and Marshal Law: Fear and Loathing, and an instrumental figure in British comics. These are his recollections of the many ups and downs of 2000AD, the long-running sci-fi anthology, and he doesn’t hold back on telling his side of the story. He has strong opinions, and he doesn’t care who knows it!

There are many illuminating stories, and many axes to grind. But all the way through you know he’s only angry because he cares about telling good stories and making sure that creators get the credit—and cash—they’re due. This is 40 years worth of stories in a single book, and there are frequent digressions along the way; in my opinion, it might have benefited from tighter editing. But it’s a very compelling read, I got through it in just a few days; and if you’ve grown up with 2000AD, as I have, this is pretty much an essential—if partial—history.

[Jez Higgins · Rating 4 out of 5]

By turns slightly rambling and then infuriatingly brief, Pat Mills scattershot personal history of 2000AD is entertaining stuff. I especially enjoyed the stories around the creation of the comic. The later period becomes a bit jumbled and some of the chronology gets lost. Pat's drive and passion always shines through though and that, ultimately, is what engages and sweeps you along. If you've ever enjoyed 2000AD, there's something here for you.

[Robert Menzies · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just finished reading Be Pure! Be Vigilant! Behave! by Pat Mills.

It's been a few years since I was unable to put a book down and I now realise how much I miss that.

Mills is a creative force of nature whose anger and frustration are barely restrained companions to his unblinking honesty and scrupulous need to give credit where it's due. After the hollow pointlessness of Steve McManus's The Mighty One: My Life Inside the Nerve Centre, a soulless enumeration of his time as Tharg that lacks any insight, humour or charm, this was a truck driven through someone's living room by a laughing maniac quoting Orwell and wiping his arse with the Union Jack.

I loved it.

I can even forgive him his contempt for superheroes. (Just don't tell Captain America I said that!)

Robert Menzies.

[Seb5253 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating insight into a pivotal moment in comics history. Would have been worth an additional star if the focus had broadened a little to cover authors impressions and experiences with working alongside some of the best artists in the industry - particularly Kevin O'Neill who warrants far greater attention considering his huge influence on 2000ad and the medium in general.

[Ralph · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a very personal account of a British comics career. It's a bit of a rant at times but it's never dull. Over the years Pat Mills has created some great comics despite the obstacles put in front of him.
It's a shame there are so many things wrong with the British comics industry and that this has quite justifiably set the tone for this book

[Rehan Mirza · Rating 5 out of 5]

After 50yrs of creating and writing for comics Pat Mills finally tells his side of the story.

The Be Pure book is much more than its title states. It falls into three areas:-

1.            Pat Mills memoirs/career.

2.            The Secret History of 2000AD and Judge Dredd

3.            Polemic on comic creators rights (rightly so) and the current comic market.

Each one is as enjoyable as the last.

[David Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book - I was delighted to hear this important , new book was being produced
( as a Kindle version first ) , and so I also waited till the paperback edition was available -
( I don't own a Kindle , plus I like to physically look at a book ) .
I have now read the book , and its just wonderful, and very detailed on the History behind the development and production of 2000AD
Where this scores , is that it gathers not just the internet interviews by Pat Mills , and his blog descriptions of Judge Dredd - but adds a whole extra layer to the story . You also get a real sense of how bad things were at IPC Comics - and the Management interference .
I loved the descriptions of Gerry Finlay-Day - and how he helped create some iconic characters , like Rogue Trooper and ' the VC's ' .
Gerry has been airbrushed from the early stories of 2000ad ( in Future Shock DVD - he is never mentioned )
I also loved the stories of the daft ideas that later editors tried to bring to the Comic - this was eye-watering stuff .
Thank you Pat Mills - you brought me Charley's War and Ro-Busters and the A.B.C Warriors - a mark of a Comic Legend
is that 40 years later you still remember the characters like it was yesterd

[Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

An okay read. Lots of complaining about how poorly paid and treated comic artists and writers were (and still are) in the UK. Not much humility in the writing - how i read it, everything Pat does is brilliant, and if it failed it was due of someone else or was ahead of its time. Honestly, I've not followed Pat's career so maybe he really is that great, but even if he is, some humility please?

The writing seemed to jump around a lot as well, too much, i would have much preferred the writing to follow a clear timeline, and give dates as we go because the anecdotes just seem to bounce forward and back through time, with several mentions of "I will talk more about that in a future chapter".. which didn't read well
summary: could have been much better, but if you read 2000AD as a child (as i did) its worth a read, it's just not a great read (IMHO).
If you live a breath comics - no doubt you will get much more out of it which is fair enough and probably explains some of the high review ratings it has received.

[Eamonn Murphy · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘Be Pure! Be Vigilant! Behave!’ was the catchphrase of the villain Torquemada in ‘Nemesis The Warlock’, a Pat Mills series and is also the title for this history of the creation of ‘2000AD’, a British comic of some renown. Mills admits from the start that this is his truth, a popular conception today and that other recollections and opinions may differ, which is fair enough. Even if you haven’t seen him interviewed in person, it’s clear from the book that he’s a bombastic and forceful personality, not shy of airing his views in fiction or memoir.

For example, some unwary minion at Titan Books referred to him as the co-creator of ‘2000AD’ and Mills chased them up. As it happens, Titan founder Nick Landau started out working on the comic. Mills demanded to know the identity of the other co-creator and insisted that he created ‘2000AD’ and no one else. On the evidence, this seems true because IPC executive John Sanders, who also has a book out, had to pay Mills £250 a week in 1976 to get him back on board when he quit as the comic was being developed. That was twice what Sanders himself earned. I started work in 1977 as an office junior and made £18 a week. A pint of beer was 25p back then, so £250 a week was a considerable sum and hard-nosed publishers would not have paid it if they didn’t need him.

What does created mean, though? Mills would admit that he didn’t write every individual strip, but he emphasises development. Before the first script and first art pages, a character has to be devised and his background world thought out in some detail, especially for a Science Fiction concept. One of Mills’ main complaints here – and there are many! – is that publishers don’t pay writers for time spent on development. So Mills was the principal writer on many of the scripts but worked with both writers and artists in giving them a good foundation so that the characters might last a while. In some cases, notably Judge Dredd, it worked.

‘2000AD’ was the third attempt by a new generation of comic writers to break away from the traditional British mould of staid characters and dull plots and do something that would appeal to teenagers. ‘Battle’ and ‘Action’ were the first comics to try a bit of subversion and violence. ‘Battle’ kept going for a while but ‘Action’ was cancelled after some controversy in the media, ripped up live on the BBC by Frank Bough! Then Mills realised that you might be able to get away with more violence and subversion, even satire, in a Science Fiction comic because Science Fiction isn’t so real. The new kids were fond of the excellent old stuff, like Dan Dare, but he wanted to do something relevant that wouldn’t fit in the 1950s ‘Eagle’ comic. British comics at the time were dominated by IPC/Fleetway in London and DC Thomson in Dundee, big companies with a conservative point of view. IPC management didn’t care about the comics at all as their primary income source was women’s magazines.

Comics were deemed to be in decline, killed off by television and the man in charge, John Sanders, had a policy of ‘hatch, match and dispatch’. Launch a new title with a tacky plastic free gift because kids will buy something new. When sales inevitably start to flag, merge it with another title and ultimately close it down. Meanwhile, launch another new comic. It was a policy of managed decline, as some old civil servants once told Maggie Thatcher when she wanted to make Britain great again. Mills was the Maggie Thatcher of the comics world! I’m sure he’d love the comparison.

While in charge of ‘2000AD’, Mills sought reader feedback to find out which strips were working. He distinguishes between readers and fans. Readers are the majority and fans are a noisy minority. He thinks too many editors listen to the fans’ tastes and sometimes lose the readers in doing so. I think he’s right. As he mentions, the ‘Doctor Who’ television series has this problem, too. In mainstream media, you want to keep the general reader. A publication is not economically viable if only bought by hardcore fans.

Writer and artist credit boxes were introduced by artist Kevin O’Neill who snuck them in without consulting anyone. Management was opposed to giving creator credits on the sound principle that once the names were out there, other companies would try to poach your best talent. Perhaps they were right. One of ‘2000AD’s main problems is that British talent is lured away by the siren call of American comics, Marvel and DC. Mills was not so tempted because he is an anti-establishment rebel and dislikes superheroes who fight for the status quo. He’s very forceful on this point. Most young men give up their rebellious attitudes as years go by and settle for the way things are in the world or realise that if you get rid of ‘The Establishment’, you simply replace it with a different one that might be worse. Mills has not yet done this, perhaps to his credit.

I enjoyed the book, which is written in a pleasant, conversational style. The first half focuses on the creation of ‘2000AD’ and has lots of behind-the-scenes information. I was glad to learn about Doug Church, art director on the first six issues, who laid out most of the stories to give the artists a design lesson. ‘He was my Obi-Wan Kenobi’, says Mills. The second half of the book is about the comic’s chequered history with a kind of happy ending when Rebellion publishing took it over. Mills has some complaints about Rebellion which may be why this book is self-published and not put out by them. There’s also plenty about how a creator’s lot is not a happy one because the publishers keep too much of the loot. He knows the industry well and makes some good points, but the book’s tail end is more griping than gripping.

Even so, an entertaining and informative read overall and perhaps essential for anyone interested in the history of the Galaxy’s greatest comic. It’s reasonably priced, too. If you need balance, other books on the subject are available and I’ll be reading them soon.

[Aaron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Credo!

Fantastic read from one of the most influential people in the comics world.

A passionate, unvarnished telling of not only 2000ad but also the state of British comics history in general, from the 1970s to the present day. Pat not only points out where things went wrong, he also is very generous in shining a light on other people's talent.

Very entertaining and sincere.

[Darren · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a bit rambling and a bit ranty, but if you have any interest in the history of 2000AD and the creation of some of it's most iconic and enduring characters, then this is a must read.

[Ben Baker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Needless to say, he had the last laugh.

[Javi Manzano · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyable read, if you're a fan of 2000AD and/or you're interested in its history. Very recommended if you liked the Future Shock documentary.

[Willy Boy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mr Mills asks readers of 'Be Pure, Be Vigilant (etc.)' to leave an honest review, hence my contribution to the pile. Pat Mills is a name spoken with hushed reverence in this house. Moreso than Alan Moore, even, his was the name bandied about like an incantation by my brother and I circa 1989, when the 2000 AD universe began to reveal itself to us, and thereafter intense, exciting and troubling encounters with Marshall Law and whatnot. Although, we had probably already read work by the master in suchlike as Battle and other inky weeklies. We committed to 2000AD and stuck with it through what I retrospectively discovered were troubled times, and bought every issue of Toxic! (... and Strip, which reprinted all of Marshall Law, I was too young to get Crisis, though brother did, and bits and pieces of it left a lasting impression) ... this spew of reminiscence is to establish that Mills did wonderful things to my mind and carved an indelible mark on the bedrock of my psyche. I read him to this very day, so why the middling three-star rating? I don't like the star rating system too much, but as a shorthand it has it's uses ... The book is an enjoyable read, but one can't help feeling slightly underwhelmed. It's deflating, too, that so much of the book is bile directed at shoddy treatment by publishers, editors, etc. Pat is quite right to rail against such contemptible treatment, but it is dispiriting for the reader who holds this particular writer in such high regard. At one point he laments that present 2000AD publisher Rebellion have never even sent him a Christmas Card! One can't help feeling that years of ill-treatment have contributed to a reservoir of resentment, and the book is basically an opportunity to vent this. It's rather like Morrissey's Autobiography in this sense, though rather more justified, I feel, and less pompously verbose. Pat should perhaps have marketed the book as Comics Babylon, or similar expose title and concentrated on settling scores, since the sense of joy implied by a chronicle of the creation of Action, 2000AD, and so on, is there, but in meagre portions. But, the truth must be told, not some sanitised, glittered-up version of it. Whatever, I love Pat and am eternally grateful for his creations, the fact that he is not more widely recognised as a national, nay, global (galactic!), treasure and pillar of our culture, held aloft on our shoulders, shames us all. What he has done really is vital, and one seethes upon learning of the insults he has received. But add to the debit column an autobiography somewhat compromised by it's brevity and an emphasis on what feels like a memoir of penal servitude rather than the incredible delight of days spent dreaming up Warlocks, Fatties, Horned Gods ... and others, of whom, merely writing the names conjures a portal into a fantastic world, so potent because, rather than simply offering escapism, Mills' creations seem in some way to express unspoken truths about this world - in this way, the reader, young and not, can in some way master the challenges of this world. It's also cherishable to read Mills' contempt for Superheroes, and know he means it. I'm old enough to disappear - disappear into a reverie of weekly, inkie comics on rough paper, supplemented by boxes and boxes of cheap sweets, neon-cloured and laden with toxic additives. Such smells have dissipated. Later, mind-blowing covers on comics albums, influences blowing in from the continent, from US mags (whose influence Mills scorns - as well he might, he was plowing his own parallel furrow) - sophistication, no speech bubbles on covers. It was Great. I still have the craving, supply lines severed. Responsible citizen, a Werewolf by night. Breeding exploits unsatisfactory, have to Tunnel Under World ... if you are interested, you will buy this book - review, irrelevant - Media Package, media landscape - all about metrics, DIG THE LANDFILL. Bury me here, with the broken Star Wars model kits - Yoda's House, e.g. - clean em up, sell em on eBay. You had to smell the floorboards to get Punk Rock - Punk Comics, Comic Rock, in Pat's coinage, an unnecessary appellation, best left unsaid, but understood - definitions define limits. Have you got the rare issue of 2000AD William Burroughs guest edited? Pat has been afflicted by the British national pastime of Apathy - actually an entity worthy of a Belardinelli centre spread, sucking all in it's wake ... sucking, and sucking. Certainly, not apathy of his own creation - he, indeed, peddles nourishinganti-apathy - but the apathy cultivated by super-heavy bring-down merchants. The eternal struggle, one creates momentum, another resistance. Form and nothingness, form dissipates. Apathy can fester in any of us. Don't let Apathy get you! Regularly, dose yourself with THRILL-POWER OVERLOAD. Remember you're flying through space, always.

[Gareth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pat specifically asks readers of this book to rate it and write a review, so here I am.

Although Pat talks a lot about the moribund state the British comics industry in the 1970s and 1980s, (and the p1ss-poor pay and conditions), he recognises too that the output of this industry nonetheless fired the imaginations of generations of children, and especially working class children.

In my case, piles of second-hand IPC comics such as Monster Fun, Whoopee!, and Whizzer and Chips effectively taught me how to read in 1977/78/79. My reading age jumped up a year in a few weeks, once I got started. Even these formulaic humour comics, which Pat hated working for, were so much more relevant, challenging and understandable than the middle class, mostly boring, completely safe, graded story books on offer at my primary school and the bizarre, American, culturally-imperialist SRA robotic reading system that was imposed on us there (anyone else remember that Orwellian nightmare?)

Crucially, these IPC comics - and especially Misty, Battle, Action, and 2000AD when it came along in 1977 - helped children to ask the big questions, including, in my case, 'Who says you're in charge?' and 'Why are you the boss of me?'

In this book Pat makes it clear that creating oppositional thinking was always part of his plan and I am grateful to him, and also to John Wagner and all the other creatives and writers on 2000AD, for their work. I now teach critical thinking and English at a university, and for me there is a clear link between my job and what I read while growing up. I still read 2000AD every week.

These aspects of the book - the fight against the status quo at IPC, the fight to get challenging stories, complex characters and flawed heroes into children's comics, and Pat's own experiences of education and work - are interesting and well worth the price of the book alone. I've wanted to read his side of the story for years, and here it is.

But then again, I'm massively interested in the minutiae of comics production in that period, in the history of 2000AD, and in the idea that sci-fi/fantasy/historical fiction are especially useful genres in the quest to get children to think about the real world around them, now.

If you're not interested in these things, and if you think comics are comics (i.e., that American Marvel and DC costumed pro-establishment superheroes are in the same universe as 2000AD), then maybe this book is not for you.

I'll read anything that Pat Mills puts out, to be honest, and I'm even happy to let him use a later chapter or two to make the case for improved rates of pay for the current writers and artists on 2000AD and The Judge Dredd Megazine. He's right, after all.

But I was annoyed that this book doesn't have any photos or pictures in it, and also by all the typos. I'm all for bashing out your ideas and throwing them at the reader in any old order, no problem (and Pat does tend to do that here) but authors should always get their work proofread properly. Pat, I would happily have proofread the text for you in return for a couple of pints; bear this in mind for next time.

[Paul Spence · Rating 4 out of 5]

Patrick Mills is a legend. I don't mean that he's a mythical beast talked about in hushed tones that no one is quite sure actually exists, more that he's, well, legendary. the simple truth is that his contributions to British comics, from girls & war comics to creating 2000AD, are immeasurable. Not that Pat doesn't mind giving it a go, as in this autobiography he details as much as he can remember (and print without getting sued), focusing on the Galaxy's Greatest Comic in particular.

The book promises the 'Secret History' of 2000AD and Judge Dredd, but if you've read other, official, books there isn't a great deal here that will come as a surprise. the value here is in reading such a personal account of a man who has been a constant presence in the comic since it's inception. Anyone who knows Pat will know he can be an opinionated, tetchy sort, and to be honest that's the only way I'd have him. Throughout the book he rails against bad editorial decisions, bad company policies, bad artists, and bad everything else (although he does leave the strip Bad Company alone). This could just be the rantings of a bitter man, but it's patently obvious Pat's gripes are authentic and with very good reason. It's a miracle there was such a massive Britsih comic scene, and no surprise that it collapsed in on itself.

There are plenty of plugs for his 'Serial Thriller' book (see review elsewhere) thoughout, although in fairness it does deal with British comics in the 70s. There's also a lot of repetition and some awkward subject jumps, not to mention a few words that don't actually exist. I have to say that Mrs Lisa Mills could have been a bit stricter in her editing! Nothing gets too annoying (unless you are wound up by new paragraphs instead of paragraph breaks), and the whole thing kept me up late at night to see what would come next (hint: someone annoys Pat). As a bonus, readers are offered an unpublished account of a staff party if they subscribe to Mills website, a smart move if ever I saw one. The frustrating thing is the times when he tells you about something then says something like 'it's too long to go into here'. Pat - we love your stories, and are happy to read any length accounts, so please don't hold back on our account!! I think we can be safe in assuming a further volume will be forthcoming to fill in some of the gaps.

So the Godfather of 2000AD may not be the cheeriest soul in the world, but neither would you be if you'd battled 'through a minefield of imbeciles and chimps' for over forty years. Pat has delivered the expected frank account of his time in the British comics system, and it's a wonderful companion piece to the likes of editor Steve MacManus' book, or even the official '40 Years Of Thrill Power'.

[Garrie Fletcher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Be Pure. Be Vigilant. Behave

First off, I loved this book. It took me back to the late 70’s when Saturday couldn’t come soon enough. I would devour 2000ad from cover to cover and then read it all over again. I never realised that Pat was behind so many of my favourite strips such as Dredd, ABC Warriors, Nemesis, Slaine etc. I also never realised how poorly run the British comic book industry is - some people have made a lot of money off of others toil.

As a short story and novel writer I found Pat’s gripes about unpaid development time amusing - I never get paid for the months/years I spend developing stuff! But he’s right; writers and artists should be rewarded for all the effort they put in.

I notice that another reviewer describes Pat’s narrative approach as scattergun I’d say it was more machine gun. Pat briefly tackles topics and moves on swiftly to the next, but often returns to areas covered throughout the book to riddle them again with machine gun criticism which gives the book a pub conversation quality. I’m fine with that, but it can be frustrating when he only hints at transgressions from others - I’d like all the details, but then I’m not the one who’d potentially end up in court. I’m desperate to find out who the writer was who ripped off Phillip K Dick!

I was surprised by the few mentions of Alan Moore; I would’ve expected him to be mentioned more.

Back in the early 90’s I put my lack of interest in 2000ad to discovering girls, music and clothes - the buying of clothes that is, I’d not been naked previously - but from reading this book it could well have been from the direction the comic had taken. On reflection, I can’t name you any of the stories that may have been in it at that time aside from Dredd and possibly Slaine.

Pat charts the creation, success and slight demise of 2000ad with passion, conviction and a genuine desire to show others who essential an art form comic books are and how to make a success of them. For anyone, like me, who spent their time ruminating on Dan Dare’s latest adventure or the likelihood of Dredd surviving the Cursed Earth this is a must read.

Credo!

P.s. Pat, if you ever read one of my books/stories I’d love a review.

All the best.

[Steve Barnes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pat Mills as insightful, funny, inspiring and uncompromising as ever

I started reading this book shortly after Steve MacManus’ ‘The Mighty One’ memoir with an urge to view both talismans’ perspectives on the golden era of 2000 AD and British comics in general.
Also, after watching (on numerous occasions) the brilliant ‘Future Shock’ documentary, I couldn’t wait to hear Pat Mills let rip on the dark ages of 2000 AD and take us behind the curtain behind the creation and development of characters such as Nemesis the Warlock, Slaine MacRoth, Ro-Jaws and Hammerstein.
This book definitely doesn’t disappoint.
Pat’s unique voice gives two fingers to the establishment from an early time - and when he reveals the brutal sources of inspiration for Torquemada and Pat’s take on Judge Dredd, you understand why.
However, it isn’t a simple run through/run down/run over of the obstacles that faced Pat Mills, John Wagner et al and how Pat plowed them down like a certain robot with a fondness for saying, “Big Jobs!”
The one thing that shines through is Pat’s passion for comics, artistic freedom and merit. The chapters where he discusses the payment and royalty (lack thereof) were definite eye openers. Similarly, you can feel how much the poor treatment by editors/suits and even fans of certain writers and artists have impacted him. It doesn’t seem that Pat is in a vengeful mood - he even discusses how he has made up with Andy Diggle, a frequent sparring partner during the Dark Ages of the Prog - if anything it would seem that there is a feeling of lost opportunities. That said, I may be making the book sound like doom and gloom when it really isn’t. I spent most of the book chuckling at Pat’s stories - his first meeting with Simon Bisley (spoiler: Bisley doesn’t like students) and take on Whizzer and Chips being standouts - also, I think I fell in love with the French comic scene. To have been at some of the Requiem Vampire Knight signings.
If one line could sum up the book (and the man), it would be mu favourite from here:
“Keeping your mouth shut is bad for the body and worse for the soul.”

[Gareth · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent account of what it was like to work in British comics from the Seventies onwards as a writer and editor, at least as far as relates to creating the hugely influential 2000AD and some of its best known characters. "This is a memoir, not a wikipedia entry" as Mills comments at one point. So don't approach this as a complete history of Action, 2000AD or of the author's own busy career. For example his Doctor Who strips for Marvel, two of the best ever written for the show, get no mention. Although an annoying encounter with the then script editor of the programme is retold.

I approached the book slightly worried that it was going to one of those "I was an amazing genius and everyone else just got in my way and didn't appreciate my talent" autobiographies, but I shouldn't have. Mills is proud (mostly) of his work and his achievements, but he is always keen for others to get their due credit and praises the contributions of writers like John Wagner, Gerry Finley-Day and Tony Skinner, and artists such as Simon Bisley, Carlos Ezquerra and Kevin O'Neill. He even manages to have some kind words for David Bishop, 2000AD's editor during its Nineties doldrums.

His reserves most of his anger for "the suits", the owners and managers of British comic publishing for their petty tyrannies, short sightedness, greed and conservatism. There's plenty of stories of their destructive influences. I enjoyed reading about the real life influences that led to Dredd and Nemesis. His insights on creating a good comic story were fascinating too.

Great entertainment if you've ever read "the Galaxy's Greatest Comic" or are interesting in the craft of commercial writing.

[Kevin · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great read. There has always been some version of the Dredd history and 2000AD history over the years from one person or another that was a little sugar coated (excluding Steve McManus' which I did enjoy) but Pat's is simply the best. I laughed at the funny parts, agreed that creators back then in the 70s' and still are been shafted and also thought bloody shut up whining.
I cannot believe the Joe Dredd is named after as bloody so call man of the cloth (but no real surprise really) and you can see where the Grand Master comes from too. It is a good in sight to how comics are created and how the business is quick to stab you in the back. Pat's history on all of this was an eye opener to me and I honestly could not put my Kindle down as I was so engrossed by it all. Well Done Mr Mills. A fantastic read.
One of my all-time my favourite Pat's Dredd stories is Blood of Satanus with the art by Ron Smith. I'm so pleased to see Pat write about it. Pat's script along with Ron's Noir artwork just blew me away when I was 13 and still today and I am now 50.
I would recommend to all 2000AD readers and fans of Dredd to read this as it is a really good and insightful history to the Galaxy’s Greatest Comic and the Hard Man of the Law as from the man who was there.
Oh by the way Pat, I may have to tell my son that his second name might need to be changed as he hate the church.....I knew I should have gone Bruce. HA HA :-)

[Richard Howard · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a child of the 60s I grew up reading comics. Our weeklies were British comics like The Beano, Cor and the like. We also got American comics, always in random sequences from swap-shops. Action came along like a kick up the backside with extreme stories full of subversion and gore, which - predictably - got it banned. 2000 AD took its place with it's clever storylines, iconic characters and sublime art. This book is certainly interesting, giving a behind the scenes look at that comic's creation, as well - sadly - an examination of the typically archaic and unfair practices of British publishers. The war between the 'creatives' and the 'suits' (or 'thargs') is so very depressing, as the suits have the money and therefore generally win. 2000 AD launched the careers of so many creatives who profoundly impacted on the current explosion of superhero movies, which the author of this book will loathe.
Sadly it seems that the Judge Dredd TV series never made it to the screen, nor any of the other wonderful characters that inhabited 2000 AD's pages.

[Sloe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ironic how the book by a founding editor of a legendary comic, that devotes so much space to criticising other editors, needs editing so much - while interesting, the book is chaotic, and the anniversary edition adds a couple paragraphs in the early chapters, and an enormous extra chapter at the end, that would be better served spread out more evenly - especially as some parts (like Finn getting reprinted) are very direct answers to complaints voiced earlier chapters.
Also, as much as it is supposed to be a personal, biased account, there are some clear factual errors that are inexcusable, such as completely ignoring the MacKenzie era and putting all the blame for the dark ages on David Bishop, or attributing dethroning Tharg to Grant Morrison.
Prepare yourself for same complaints restated dozens of times, a seemingly random way of deciding who to anonymize, and never admitting the fault may, in fact, sometimes actually lie in Mills's writing - but if you can bear all that, you're in for a very informative, but never dry look into The Galaxy's Greatest

[James B · Rating 5 out of 5]

The DEFINITIVE History of 2000AD!!

I really loved how Pat Mills provided the narration for the audiobook/audible version of this. Uncle Pat really explained the difference between comics in Britain compared to Japan, France & The US (with the hierarchy of countries that respect creators & compensate them fairly in that order & Britain being dead-last).

It was really cool how he explained what inspired Judge Dredd (strict Catholic schoolboys & teachers), Slaine (my favorite 2000AD series) & an underrated series of his called Finn (inspired by Paganism). Mills also explains what makes 2000AD appealing, why he hates superheroes (because they often-times represent fascism & are classist) & the missed but still unrealized potential of 2000AD (comparing it to the massive success of Games Workshop aka the owners of Warhammer & Warhammer 40k).

Overall this is definitely recommended reading for any 2000AD fan.

[Finn Cullen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm listening to the audiobook read by the author himself. It's an interesting insight into what the business was like back when the Galaxy's Greatest Comic was being created but the main joy of it is realising how much like Alan Partridge's fake autobiography "I Partridge" it sounds. Every anecdote is about how Mills has a great idea or concept but how the "suits" (yes he does call them "suits") spoil things because they don't have the vision and are (quote) "...just waiting for retirement or redundancy". He repeats his grumbles ad infinitum on the same strain and it is unintentionally hilarious. He points out without too much obvious glee that one "suit" who blocked his progress early on "was found dead in a swimming pool I believe."

Recommended for the facts and the unintentional comedy.

[Craig · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a long-time fan of 2000 AD and Judge Dredd this was a must read, despite my previous experiences of Mr. Mills (e.g. the Future Shock documentary) leaving me a little cold. Sure enough, it quickly becomes apparent that the favourite word in Mr. Mills vocabulary is "my" - "I recall him also enthusing about my other stories", and "(originally written by me)".

Whilst I appreciate that this is a personal account of the history of 2000 AD, Mr. Mills appears unable to treat the subject with the same degree of objectiveness (?) as I have seen in other works. His decisions were usually right whilst the decisions of others were usually wrong.

Having said that, I am grateful that this book has been published and that he has captured his thoughts and opinions - within them there are glimpses of aspects of the history that I didn't know and for that I thank him.

[Edward Crawford · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was excited to read this history of "The Galaxy's Greatest Comic", and it was mostly insightful. The only letdown is Mr Mills preoccupation with the criminally unfair British publishing industry. It's sobering and shocking to learn that the storytellers and artists who broadened my horizons beyond The Mighty Thor and dear old Spidey have never truly been given what they deserved. Pat Mills, as a writer and editor, probably developed more of my values and moral sense than my entire schooling. Without 2000 AD every Thursday my teenager years would have been very bleak. For the uninitiated this book serves as a handy intoduction to the kinds of stories (Judge Dredd, of course, Nemesis, Slaine, Rogue Trooper, Strontium Dog, Halo Jones, Metalzoic) that engage and challenge any mind to go beyond the predictable comics. This man made my life infinitely richer.

[Brian McCusker · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very interesting and eye opening account of the world of British Comics.
Mills is a very interetsing character who in turn has given us many interesting characters to follow. This book gives us a lot of the background into where and how these characters came to be and how he collaboprated with many great artist to bring them to life.

Written with a lot of angst and a huge Slaine sized axe to grind, this book is actually very easy to read. The only slight thing that grated a little was the repeat re-iteration of how 'unfair' the artist lot is. I think it would have had more impact if he introduced the subject built it up and the finally concluded it at the end,as that would have been more powerful - this doesn't detract from the story or the message though.

[Shane Filer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pat Mills was one of the earliest influences on my writing. I learned as a 9 year old that if his name appeared in the credits, it was sure to be a story I would enjoy. As I got older I realized part of the major strength of his writing is in the depth of his themes. Ro-Busters wasn't a story about robots. It was a story about slavery. Nemisis wasn't a story about aliens but about racism and specism.

It's also horrific to realize he and John Wagner and other creators were so shamelessly ripped off by comic book publishers, and writers and artists are still underappreciated today, perhaps driven only by a passion for what they have shown can be a important, artistic medium.

Pat, thank you.

[John Townshend · Rating 5 out of 5]

I consider myself a late comer to 2000ad only starting in 1985! As a then 20 year old I berated a friend of mine when I saw his pile of comics one day, I was too cool and grown up for that lol He duly put together the issues that had the Slaine saga Dragonheist by Pat Mills and Belardinelli and I was hooked and at the grand old age of 56 I’m still getting my weekly fix. Pat Mills has never disappointed in all that time and although it’s sad to read how badly he and many of the creators have been treated over the years it was still a fantastic read and insight into the magic that is 2000ad. I’ll continue to support it as long as it and myself are still going through thick and thin. Thanks Pat - onto Kiss My Axe next

[Stephen Keene-Elliott · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a long time fan of Pat's work (especially Charley's War) and 2000AD, this was a fascinating look into the history of the Galaxy's Greatest Comic.

You can tell that Pat's has such a great love for comics, and their power to be subversive and to have a message, even if the Suits don't like that!

A fascinating account of the history of 2000AD, and the lack of respect or care for the creators and creatives that make the stories... thankfully things are changing, with Matt Smith as Editor and Rebellion as publishers, but there is still more work to be done.

I was also fortunate enough to get the signed bookplate edition from GetMyComics!