What age group was/is 2000AD aimed at?

davepain · 03 June, 2013, 12:59:35 PM

Hi, all.

First post. Be gentle!

As a 39 year old reading Dredd (and now Strontium Dog and Flesh) I'm curious who the target audience is (or is perceived to be). And what ages are reading it now.

I was aware of it but didn't read it as a kid. Read some Marvel, DC, Scream and relaunched Eagle but not 2000AD, somehow. The humour and setting feels suitable for anyone able to appreciate it. And even though there's lots of violence it all feels like good fantastical fun.

However, I just finished Dredd Case Files 05 and thought that the Apocalypse War was a bit strong for kids. (I felt some other things about it too but will save them for now)

Thoughts?

Cheers!

radiator · 03 June, 2013, 01:07:02 PM

I think initially it was aimed at 8-12 year old boys, but famously 2000ad 'grew up with it's audience', so over the years stories got ever more violent, sophisticated and gritty - to the point where nowadays pretty much anything goes (within reason).

Regarding your comment on The Apocalypse War, I think Alex Garland summed it up best whe promoting the Dredd movie last year, saying that reading 2000ad when you were a kid had the same thrill as watching 18-rated movies. So perhaps they were a bit much for their target readership, but 2000ad has always been a little rough and subversive, and that's always been part of the appeal.

Personally, I started reading 2000ad - specifically Dredd - when I was about 12/13. I think that's about the age when you start to be a bit more discerning and seek out certain writers and artists. What immediately clicked with me about Dredd was the quality of the writing - it seemed so consistent and accessible comapred to US comics which I had always tried to read but found impenetrable.

Colin YNWA · 03 June, 2013, 01:10:30 PM

Its certainly changed over time. So when the Apocalypse War was running it was defo aimed at kids, say (and this is a guess of course) 7 - 13 something like that. In those old days it always seemed to keep in mind that adults could get a lot from it, or that might rather have been just the creators entertaining themselves and adult appreciation being a by product?

Thinking back some of the stuff in Flesh when the comic first launched was pretty full on, but as a 5 year old I loved it. I wonder if as adults we get more sensitive to what kids can process than needs be?

Anyway these days is aimed at a more adult audience, or at least some swearing and nudity precludes some kids from getting it that's for sure, which is a real shame as very rarely does it (the swearing and nudity) add anything to the story. Now I don't mind a bit of SnN fat all just seems pointless to put barriers in the way of kids reading the comic. Whether they'd enjoy it is an entirely different thing.

The Adventurer · 03 June, 2013, 01:51:43 PM

Kids love stuff that seems 'grown up' to them. That's why kids often reject 'kid friendly' content. Because they don't like being talked down too.

JayzusB.Christ · 03 June, 2013, 07:50:00 PM

I started reading it at about 6, I think, when my brother was buying it. He was only 7, mind you. I believe the current market ranges from about 17 upwards. Mostly in and around 30s and 40s, I'd say

Minkyboy · 03 June, 2013, 08:08:18 PM

It is aimed squarely at the 39 year old demographic now.

Minky
Class of '74

Mardroid · 03 June, 2013, 08:34:18 PM

Quote from: Minkyboy on 03 June, 2013, 08:08:18 PM
It is aimed squarely at the 39 year old demographic now.

I've a year to go before I can read it then!

davepain · 05 June, 2013, 12:16:33 PM

Quote from: Colin_YNWA on 03 June, 2013, 01:10:30 PM
I wonder if as adults we get more sensitive to what kids can process than needs be?

Yes, this is probably it. And maybe the underlying heart of my question.

Only read the first few episodes of Flesh but it's hilarious so far!

These strips really are just the ticket for me right now.

Thanks for the replies, all.

Dodsy · 05 June, 2013, 01:06:42 PM

I'm sure Tharg said on the letter page once it was young adult and up these days which is fine by me. Like a lot of people on here I feel like the prog has grown up with me although I started collecting in 96 (when I was 11/12) so that might be different for some other people.

One piece of trivia I've always wondered about, when did the progs start "growing up" what was the first use of swearing in the prog (not including Drokk or other sci-fi swear words), nudity (both male and female) and anything else people would consider "not for kids"?

Frank · 05 June, 2013, 05:28:43 PM

Quote from: dodsy on 05 June, 2013, 01:06:42 PM
One piece of trivia I've always wondered about, when did the progs start "growing up" what was the first use of swearing in the prog (not including Drokk or other sci-fi swear words), nudity (both male and female) and anything else people would consider "not for kids"?

If you consider growing up to constitute something other than swearing and drawing crudely stylised nobs everywhere, that would be Halo Jones. Other than coy shower scenes in Strontium Dog (Bitch) and Anderson (can't remember), there are a bare arses - male and female - in Slaine The King and What if the Judges Did The Ads, so that would put the moment Tharg's voice broke around 86/87. Medb gave me my first glimpse of be-nippled tit, and it's no coincidence that my full complement of cock and balls emerged around the same time (i), all thanks to Horny God Simon Bisley.

(i) Slough Feg's sadly flaccid meat and two useless veg

Hawkmumbler · 06 June, 2013, 09:34:21 AM

I started reading at 15 and was slightly taken aback by the content, up until then I had assumed it was a childs medium.

o1s1n · 06 June, 2013, 12:41:08 PM

Started reading it at 7 or 8 - parents had a look through on one occasion and were horrified so wouldn't let me buy it anymore. (Obviously they just happened to pick up the random issue with extra boobage and gore!)

I did manage to get a run of 30-40 issues from prog 700 up in a swap with one of my friends (gave him a GI Joe Rolling Thunder playset!). Read them over and over. Specifically remember being blown away by Death Aid.

Finally managed to get the parents 'allow' me to buy it weekly when I turned 11 (would have been 1995). Always felt like I was reading something intended for teens far older than me. Thought it was great!

Recrewt · 06 June, 2013, 01:38:36 PM

It can be hard to put a finger on it but I think its basically 12+

2000ad presents a collection of stories so it is more varied than say, buying the monthly superman title. Recent progs have had younger-reader friendly Dandridge and at the same time, Zombo removing peoples eyes (both of which, I highly enjoyed).

SaintofKillers · 06 June, 2013, 03:10:40 PM

I started reading when I was ten.. In 1991.. Thankfully my newsagent working mama brought
A leftover prog home and I was hooked! ( for a few years at least...)

I'm now 32 by the way.....

Simon Beigh · 06 June, 2013, 03:52:20 PM

I started reading back in 86 at the tender age of 12, but my first proper recollection of a story arc is the Strontium Dog Bitch story from early 87 (because, I suspect, bitch was a slightly naughty word).

Having recently returned to the comic, I was quite surprised at the proper swearing in it. Using film certificates as a general guide, it is probably a 15+ with some of the language and, as Recrewt pointed out, the Zombo eye gauging!

Pity really. There is such a dearth of decent British comics for kids, relying instead on movie and TV franchises with crap toys stuck to the front.

Maybe there could be a more kid friendly version of 2000AD. Move Dandridge into that, and keep Zombo and Stickleback in a 15+ mag. I'd still buy both, and could try and convert my 9 year old to a more kid friendly proper thrill-power comic.