Neil Gaiman’s first published comics in ‘2000 AD’

Writer Neil Gaiman is acclaimed for his bestselling prose and comics work, but his career as a comics writer began with four stories for the Tharg’s Future Shocks feature published in the British science fiction anthology comic 2000 AD. Utilizing just a few pages, Gaiman’s early comics explore rapid technological innovation, existential horror, the mysteries of technology, and the constraints of genre fiction.

Named after 2000 AD’s fictional editor Tharg, the Tharg’s Future Shocks feature offers short, self-contained stories only a few pages in length; the feature’s challenging format is used by editors to evaluate the skill of new creators, some of whom later achieved great success in the comics medium, such as Alan Moore, Grant Morrison, and Gaiman.

From “You’re Never Alone with a Phone” — art by John Hicklenton, letters by Tom Frame

The story “You’re Never Alone with a Phone” is Gaiman’s first published comic strip, appearing in issue 488. Illustrated by John Hicklenton in his signature style of grotesque caricature, the five-page story is a satire on the unintended societal consequences of rapidly evolving technology, specifically the addition of helpful features to phones. Although published in 1986, given modern concerns regarding the detrimental social and health effects associated with overusing smartphones, Gaiman’s story seems prescient.

From “Conversation Piece” — art by Dave Wyatt, letters by Tom Frame

In issue 489, Gaiman’s “Conversation Piece” presents a discussion between two unseen alien entities regarding the handiwork of one of the aliens — the alien seeds worlds with human life in order to generate civilization and structures on the planet so that it can eventually freeze the planet for use as a decorative ornament, killing all life on the planet in the process. The trick, however, is freezing the planet before the humans develop the capability to destroy themselves, because they always do.

Illustrated by Dave Wyatt, who skillfully renders the large alien scale and quick pacing the narrative requires, the two-page story is unsettling and sophisticated; it offers a horrific existential vision of humanity as the creation of an uncaring alien intelligence, but also suggests that humanity is not able to meet even the limited expectations of our creator. Readers are left to ponder humanity’s bleak options — are we to be destroyed eventually by an indifferent alien force, or do we destroy ourselves?

From “I’m a Believer” — art by Massimo Belardinelli, letters by Tom Frame

Published in issue 536, “I’m a Believer” features computer repair technician Harry Peterson; unable to make one of his computers work, Peterson questions why any computer should work. Peterson’s disbelief in computer functionality seems to cause a technological crash. As Peterson begins to doubt the workings of universal forces such as electricity and gravity, these forces cease to function and calamity seems imminent. With clean artwork by Massimo Belardinelli, Gaiman tries to establish a mood of pending disaster, but the story’s brevity leaves the mystery and implications of Peterson’s disbelief affecting reality unresolved.

“I’m a Believer” is a creative exploration of modern anxiety regarding our dependence on technology most of us do not fully understand. Today many of us are hard-pressed to explain the functionality of the complex but easy-to-use technology we depend on daily; the story reminds readers just how unsettling they would find the loss of such technology.

From “What’s in a Name?” — art by Steve Yeowell, letters by Jack Potter

Of Gaiman’s four Tharg’s Future Shocks stories, “What’s in a Name?” seems the most personal. Departing from the technological and existential anxieties explored in the other stories, Gaiman uses the comic to comment on the craft of writing, specifically exploring the creative restrictions of genre fiction.

Published in issue 538, the story’s protagonist, Alvin Puddle, is a prolific writer who imagines distinctive personalities for the pseudonymous pen-names he uses to write various genres — for example, “Lucinda Cartthrob” writes romance novels, “Harrison Cortex” writes “serious work”, etc. Puddle seeks medical help when these personalities take on a life of their own, and to the author’s horror start influencing each other’s work — Puddle’s pulp adventure novels are now romantic, his romance novels end violently, and so on.

Drawn by Steve Yeowell, whose artwork imbues the various personalities with distinctive features and neatly conveys the narrative’s intended humor, the comic is a thought-provoking statement on the restrictive narrative expectations imposed upon genre stories. Puddle takes action to correct the errant fiction of his genre personalities, sadly not appreciating that their unconventional stories may be more interesting than the proper genre fiction he expects them to produce.

Gaiman went on to create more popular comics such as The Sandman and The Books of Magic, but his debut comics work in 2000 AD displays Gaiman’s early writing talent. In four short comic strips, Gaiman crafts entertaining science fiction stories tinged with dread and humor that explore anxieties and concerns that remain relevant today.

NOTES: The letterer for “You’re Never Alone with a Phone”, “Conversation Piece”, and “I’m a Believer” is Tom Frame; the letterer for “What’s in a Name?” is Jack Potter.

The four Gaiman comics discussed above, first published in 1986-1987, are included in the collection All-Star Future Shocks.

The images above are the property of their respective owner(s), and are presented here for nonprofit, educational purposes only under the fair use doctrine of the copyright laws of the United States of America.