Alan Grant: a comic-book retrospective (video).
Writer Garth Ennis, editor Dan Raspler, and comics critic Chloe Maveal explore the influence and legacy of Grant’s work in a conversation that was captured at New York Comic Con before Ennis delivers a personal letter from Grant that uncovers the covert origins of Alec Trench!
After that, we hear a rare, never-before-heard interview in which John Wagner, Grant’s friend and longtime co-writer, and I discuss how we met, our time working together, and our comments on our illustrious careers. One of Grant’s last interviews, this one is not to be missed.
Alan Grant was a British comic book writer who made a name for himself in the industry with his work on various titles for 2000 AD and DC Comics. He is best known for his writing on the popular character Judge Dredd, as well as his co-creation of characters such as Anarky, Victor Zsasz, and the Ventriloquist.
Grant first entered the comics industry in 1967 as an editor for D.C. Thomson, before moving on to work for IPC in London in 1970. After a series of jobs and a stint back in college, Grant ended up living on social security in Dundee, where he reconnected with former colleague John Wagner. Wagner asked Grant to help him write for a new science fiction magazine called 2000 AD, and the two eventually formed a writing partnership.
Under the pseudonym T.B. Grover, Grant and Wagner worked on several popular strips for 2000 AD, including Judge Dredd, Robo-Hunter, and Strontium Dog. In addition to his work on 2000 AD, Grant also wrote for other IPC magazines such as Eagle and contributed scripts for animation projects such as Action Man and original anime.
In the 1980s, Judge Dredd became Grant’s main focus, and he and Wagner developed the character into one of the most popular in 2000 AD. They also created epic storylines such as “The Apocalypse War” for the character. In addition to his work on Judge Dredd, Grant continued to write for other titles and even formed his own publishing company, Bad Press Ltd, which released the humor title “Shit the Dog.”
Throughout his career, Grant was known for his contributions to fanzines and his work on various adaptations, including a comic book version of the novel “Kidnapped” and a screenplay for “Dominator X.” He was also actively involved in the annual Moniaive Comics Festival and continued to write for various characters and titles until his death in 2017. Overall, Alan Grant’s contributions to the world of comics and his work on iconic characters like Judge Dredd have left a lasting impact on the industry.
