Tharg the Mighty
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Tharg the Mighty is a recurrent character in science fiction comic 2000 AD, one of only two characters to appear in nearly every issue of the comic (the other being Judge Dredd). Other than a spate of strips in the early 1980s, Tharg rarely appears in stories, but instead purports to be the comic's editor.
Tharg is an alien from the fictional planet "Quaxxann", supposedly in orbit around the real-life star Betelgeuse (although he works in the publisher's office in England), with green skin and a "rosette of sirius" on his forehead. His favorite food is said to be polystyrene cups.
Tharg writes the comic's introduction, answers letters, and doles out prizes to readers (for artwork or story suggestions) - winners could choose payment either in pounds sterling or in "galactic groats". Tharg speaks mostly in English, but with various pithy Betelgusian aphorisms thrown in for colour.
On occasion the comic does run short, humourous strips featuring Tharg. The plots of these often concern:
- His conflict with "the thrill suckers", a plague of psychic pests which attempt (inevitably unsuccessfully) to steal the comic's "thrill power".
- His abuse of the "droids" (robots which reportedly write and draw the comic, depicted as caricatures of the actual staff), who work long hours for little reward, and are summarily disintegrated should Tharg become displeased with them.
- His unbridled egotism.
- Battles against The Dictators of Zrag, rulers of the dull, cube-shaped planet Zrag. This trio of incompetent alien warlords hope to usurp Tharg's position and use the comic's powers to revitalise their planet. Tharg uses the Dictators as convenient scapegoats who he can blame for printing errors and plot holes.