Steve MacManus

Steve MacManus (sometimes credited as Ian Rogan; born 1953) is a British comic writer and editor, particularly known for his work at 2000 AD.

Biography Born in London and educated in Devon, MacManus joined IPC in 1973, aged 20, as a sub-editor on the boys' weekly comic Valiant, until 1975 when he moved to Battle Picture Weekly under editor David Hunt. While working on Battle he also freelanced on Action, appearing as the title's mascot "Action Man", who performed and wrote up stunts and activities such as exploring London's sewers or flying a hot air balloon, as well as writing "The Running Man", "Sport's Not For Losers", and episodes of "Dredger".

In 1979 he was promoted to editor of 2000 AD, a job he held until 1986. This period is widely regarded as the title's "golden age", during which John Wagner, Alan Grant, Pat Mills and Alan Moore produced some of their best work, and new talents like Peter Milligan and Grant Morrison joined the line-up. MacManus had a hand in the creation of one of the comic's most enduring characters, "Rogue Trooper", alongside writer Gerry Finley-Day and artist Dave Gibbons, and he co-wrote the character with Simon Geller in 1986.

His one-off story "Shok!", created with Kevin O'Neill for the 1981 Judge Dredd Annual, was the basis of Richard Stanley's 1990 film Hardware. Only after a court case, which Stanley lost, were the two given writing credits on the film. Hardware is now considered the first 2000 AD story to be adapted into film.

MacManus gave up editing 2000 AD in December 1986. In the following year he became managing editor of the 2000 AD Group, during which time he launched Crisis, a politically aware comic which introduced Garth Ennis, John Smith, Sean Phillips and Duncan Fegredo, among others. After IPC's comics division became Fleetway, he quit Crisis after 50 issues following problems with censorship under new owner Robert Maxwell.

In the early 1990s he edited the first twelve issues of the Judge Dredd Megazine, and co-edited the Batman/Judge Dredd crossover Judgement on Gotham with DC Comics' Denny O'Neil. Other titles he oversaw in the 2000 AD Group included Revolver and Dice Man. In 1995 he became Managing Editor of the Pre-School Group of Fleetway's new owners Egmont, editing Sonic the Comic and overseeing titles such as Toxic and Ben 10.