Cybermatt is great but I miss...

[JayzusB.Christ]

...Tharg!

I think Matt is one of the best editors the prog has ever had, but I miss Tharg the Betelgeusian.

I mean the one that would give Trump a run for his money in the self-praise states, and that shoots down critical Earthlets with witheringly sarcastic remarks.  That eats plastic cups and feeds droids to Mek Quake, and that fights off Thrillsuckers and Zragian Dictators.

 I miss the droids being droids, and following the vastly exaggerated versions of what was really happening in their careers - Psmith, for example, and his near-destruction before a last-minute repurposing as a normal art droid.

The fun aspects of the Command Module seem to have been sidelined somewhat in recent years - I did enjoy the old days when the editorial goings-on were a little story in themselves, even when there wasn't a TMO strip.

Or is it just me and my progstalgia? Maybe we're all a bit too old for it now?  Or maybe it doesn't work as well in an era when we can chat with the writers and artists online?

[nxylas]

There's always the little tales in the small print of the contents page.

[M.I.K.]

Yep. The "Damage Report" in the teeny tiny text of the Nerve Centre. There's currently a Zragian computer virus wreaking havoc in the Command Module.

[IndigoPrime]

I dunno. I never much liked the Tharg strips and was mortified when an entire issue of Best of 2000 AD was taken up by them. Their very occasional appearances in the modern Prog are tolerable.

I like the current balance, really. MattTharg's little ongoing story on the contents page is usually pretty funny, and he has opportunities in the editor's intro for additional snark. It's a pity the letters page is so infrequent, but I do recall a while back it being revealed that's primarily down to not enough letters coming into the Nerve Centre.

[JayzusB.Christ]

Now you mention the Damage Report, I realise I'd completely forgotten about Droid Life, which helps keep the spirit of the old abusive, autocratic Command Module alive.

[Richard]

I'm with IndigoPrime on the Tharg stories.

If Matt Smith remains editor for three more years, which seems likely, then he will have been Tharg for 25 of the prog's 50 years!

[IndigoPrime]

It's quite the stint. Really impressive. Of publications I regularly read, the only editor whose tenure is comparable is Darran Jones's, over at Retro Gamer. (Hislop's 38 or so years on Private Eye is somewhat unbeatable, however, I imagine!)

[Vector14]

It's just the letters page and Thargs interactions there I miss.

I skip the nerve centre stuff when I'm reading old progs (and new) but the letters are usually fun.

And I think the letters page was more fun when the letter writers were younger.

[JayzusB.Christ]

It's just the letters page and Thargs interactions there I miss.

That's kind of what I was trying to say, though I think I may have done a bad job of explaining myself.  CyberMatt has done an incredible job over the years, no doubt about it.

I met him after a Q&A session at a con years ago - I remember him telling one of the audience that he got the job by applying for it.  Kind of blew my mind at the time,  the idea that you could send in a CV if you wanted to be Tharg.

[broodblik]

I'm with IndigoPrime on the Tharg stories.

Second
 

[Vector14]

I like having a Tharg story in the bumper Christmas issues. It fits with the general Nostalgic mood I'm in at that time of year and also it's not really wasting space in an oversized prog.

A Tharg strip in a regular five thrill prog in the summer time would be a different story

I'm basically comparing the Tharg strips to a dry piece of roast turkey.

[Funt Solo]

Tharg strips

Controversial.

[Vector14]

Tharg strips

Controversial.

Oh dear. Freudian slip.

[Dash Decent]

Even better, "Tharg strips at Christmas".

I liked the Nerve Centre goings-on, it was sort of like when we saw what was going on behind the stage of the Muppet Show.  Plus, the Thrill Suckers were rather excellent.  I don't think it would work these days simply because I don't think the modern droid designs I've seen for (e.g.) Molch-R look anywhere as good as Burt, AALN-1, and so on.  Perhaps it could work if the scope of Droid Life zoomed out a little bit sometimes to include some Tharg (and Thrill Suckers).

[Dash Decent]

that's primarily down to not enough letters coming into the Nerve Centre.

If they'd start offering two quid for every letter they published, and five quid for every drawing, then not only would the prog be entirely one long letters page, but I'd be MINTED.  "The Milky Bars are on me!"