2D Comics Festival Interviews

Watch video interviews with 2000AD founder Pat Mills, author of zombie horror novel Flu, Wayne Simmons, and the guys behind Berserker Comics

Anyone who grew up reading the iconic UK comics of the late 1970s and early 80s is on some level familiar with the work of Pat Mills. Often referred to as 'The Godfather of British comics', he started out working in girls’ comics, writing for titles like Misty. However, after having been asked to take the helm at weekly boys' comic Battle, Mills began a career of writing subversive, edgy material that shook up the fledgling industry from the inside out.

He is probably best known for being the man who launched 2000AD, and being one of the team who dreamt up Judge Dredd, but for many his finest hour is the creation of Charley Bourne, the under-age everyman who heads off to fight in World War One, just in time to experience the horrors of the Somme.

In the video below, Mills recalls high-points of his exceptional and varied career, taking in Slàine, Nemesis the Warlock, Charley's War, Marshal Law and his current work in the French market with Requiem.

Rather than spend their days writing and drawing confessional mini-comics, Belfast brothers Andy, Ryan and Adam Brown focused their abilities where they are strongest - ideas and production. They have some of the biggest names in British comics working on their Berserker Comics titles, namely Alan Grant, Simon Bisley and Glenn Fabry, handling writing, drawing and covers respectively, while the brothers handle the inking, colouring and lettering.

They’ve also undertaken the onerous task of publishing and marketing their line of horror comics, all of which have worldwide distribution via Diamond Direct, the comics wholesaler. In the video below, Andy and Ryan discuss Berserker and how much horror the publishing business can offer... The Berserker Comics website is at www.thedeadcomic.com.

Wayne Simmons’ latest novel, Flu, is about a deadly strain of influenza sweeping through the city of Belfast. However, bed-rest has little or no effect, and after expiration the infected rise again, thirsty for blood. And brains, presumably.

Yes, it’s zombies, everyone’s favourite ‘bump-in-the-night’ subject. This is Simmons’ second book on the shuffling, moaning ne’er-do-wells, following his 2008 debut novel Drop Dead Gorgeous, also set in Belfast. In the video below, Simmons talks about the book, his love of the horror genre and where those tattoos figure into it all. (At time of writing, Flu is sitting at 9th position on Amazon’s Horror chart. Nice.) Visit Simmons' website here www.waynesimmons.org.