Big Dave
Encyclopedia
Big Dave is an infamous character created and written by Grant Morrison
and Mark Millar
, with artwork by Steve Parkhouse
, for 2000 AD.
The character was created for The Summer Offensive, an experiment in which the magazine was handed over to Millar, Morrison and John Smith
for eight weeks.
trying to take over the world and turn everyone into "poofs
" with the aid of some scary aliens. Big Dave, "the hardest man in Manchester
", manages to stop Saddam's plan with the help of Terry Waite
.
If this story was controversial then the next story surpassed it. It featured the British Royal Family
as robots plus The Princess of Wales
and The Duchess of York
as a pair of horny drunks. The story ends with Dave in bed with both royals.
A third had Dave leading a minibus full of disabled children to the football world cup final where they defeat a German team managed by Adolf Hitler
.
Both Morrison and Millar appeared happy with such controversy but the character did split 2000 AD
fans' opinion down the middle, with some praising it as the best series the comic had ever run, while others thought it was nothing more than puerile rubbish.
Grant Morrison
Grant Morrison is a Scottish comic book writer, playwright and occultist. He is known for his nonlinear narratives and counter-cultural leanings, as well as his successful runs on titles like Animal Man, Doom Patrol, JLA, The Invisibles, New X-Men, Fantastic Four, All-Star Superman, and...
and Mark Millar
Mark Millar
Mark Millar is a Scottish comic book writer, known for his work on books such as The Authority, The Ultimates, Marvel Knights Spider-Man, Ultimate Fantastic Four, Civil War, Wanted, and Kick-Ass, the latter two of which have been adapted into feature films...
, with artwork by Steve Parkhouse
Steve Parkhouse
Steve Parkhouse is a writer, artist and letterer who has worked for many British comics, especially 2000 AD and Doctor Who Magazine.-Biography:...
, for 2000 AD.
The character was created for The Summer Offensive, an experiment in which the magazine was handed over to Millar, Morrison and John Smith
John Smith (comics)
John Smith is a British comics writer best known for his work on 2000 AD and Crisis.Smith's work is characterised by intricate, sometimes obscure plots and an interest in taboos and the occult, told in an elliptic, fractured narrative style reminiscent of Iain Sinclair or the cut-up technique of...
for eight weeks.
Publication history
Big Dave first appeared in prog (the 2000AD term for issue) #842 in his first story which featured Saddam HusseinSaddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti was the fifth President of Iraq, serving in this capacity from 16 July 1979 until 9 April 2003...
trying to take over the world and turn everyone into "poofs
Homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
" with the aid of some scary aliens. Big Dave, "the hardest man in Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
", manages to stop Saddam's plan with the help of Terry Waite
Terry Waite
Terry Waite CBE is an English humanitarian and author.Waite was Archbishop of Canterbury Robert Runcie's Assistant for Anglican Communion Affairs in the 1980s. As an envoy for the Church of England, he travelled to Lebanon to try to secure the release of four hostages including journalist John...
.
If this story was controversial then the next story surpassed it. It featured the British Royal Family
British Royal Family
The British Royal Family is the group of close relatives of the monarch of the United Kingdom. The term is also commonly applied to the same group of people as the relations of the monarch in her or his role as sovereign of any of the other Commonwealth realms, thus sometimes at variance with...
as robots plus The Princess of Wales
Diana, Princess of Wales
Diana, Princess of Wales was the first wife of Charles, Prince of Wales, whom she married on 29 July 1981, and an international charity and fundraising figure, as well as a preeminent celebrity of the late 20th century...
and The Duchess of York
Sarah, Duchess of York
Sarah, Duchess of York is a British charity patron, spokesperson, writer, film producer, television personality and former member of the British Royal Family. She is the former wife of Prince Andrew, Duke of York, whom she married from 1986 to 1996...
as a pair of horny drunks. The story ends with Dave in bed with both royals.
A third had Dave leading a minibus full of disabled children to the football world cup final where they defeat a German team managed by Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
.
Both Morrison and Millar appeared happy with such controversy but the character did split 2000 AD
2000 AD (comic)
2000 AD is a weekly British science fiction-oriented comic. As a comics anthology it serialises a number of separate stories each issue and was first published by IPC Magazines in 1977, the first issue dated 26 February. IPC then shifted the title to its Fleetway comics subsidiary which was sold...
fans' opinion down the middle, with some praising it as the best series the comic had ever run, while others thought it was nothing more than puerile rubbish.