Tharg the Mighty

The Mighty Tharg is a character in British 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. Stories involving Tharg have been written by such notable writers as Alan Moore. (The main Tharg-free period in 2000 AD was when the men from Vector 13 staged a takeover (in prog 1014), while Tharg was away dealing with a crisis.)

Description

Tharg is an alien from the fictional planet "Quaxxann", supposedly in orbit around the real-life star Betelgeuse (but he works in a British publisher's office), with green skin and a "rosette of Sirius" on his forehead. His favourite 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.