Wikipedia

Finn (2000 AD)

Not to be confused with Marvel Comics character Fin (comics).

Finn is a fictional pagan warlock eco-terrorist created by Pat Mills. He first appeared in British fortnightly anthology comic Crisis in 1989 in the strip Third World War and later moved to an eponymous series in 2000 AD after Crisis was cancelled in 1991.

Finn
Publication information
PublisherFleetway Publications
First appearanceCrisis #1 (17 September 1988)
Created byPat Mills
Carlos Ezquerra
In-story information
Alter egoPaul Phillips (or Paul Shawcross)[1]
Team affiliationsGreen Army
Eve Collins
AbilitiesWhite magic
Hand of Glory
Finn
Cover of 2000 AD #770, 1992 featuring Finn. Artwork by Jim Elston.
Created byPat Mills
Publication information
PublisherIPC Media (Fleetway)
ScheduleWeekly
Title(s)
Crisis
2000 AD
Genre
Publication date1989–1996
Number of issues53
Creative team
Writer(s)Pat Mills
Tony Skinner
Artist(s)Jim Elston
Liam Sharp
Paul Staples
Letterer(s)Gordon Robson
Steve Potter
Editor(s)Steve MacManus and Michael W. Bennent
Tharg (Richard Burton)
Tharg (John Tomlinson)

Publication history

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The character was popular but the series ended in 1996.[2] According to David Bishop the reason the character was suspended was due to concerns that he was in danger of duplicating the appeal of Mills's Sláine.[3] Mills has speculated that part of the reason was because some readers were complaining in the letters page about Finn "being a sinister witch and saying his authentic pagan practices were a bad example to readers".[4]

Plot summary

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Finn is the alias of Paul Phillips. In Third World War it is established that Paul was once a soldier in the British Army stationed in Northern Ireland, but he deserted to become Finn, an eco-terrorist fighting to save the planet from multi-national corporations. Third World War began as a relatively realistic story set in 2000, with very little in the way of fantasy or science fiction elements, but that changed as Finn became more prominent.

In the eponymous strip in 2000 AD it emerged that the leaders of the corporations were in fact a secret society of powerful aliens called Newts. In this strip Finn was a mini-cab driver in Plymouth by day, and a white witch fighting the aliens by night. He used military equipment alongside magical items such as the Hand of Glory.

Bibliography

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He first appeared as a supporting character in the series Third World War in the comics magazine Crisis; then in the eponymous strip in 2000 AD:

  • "Third World War" (Crisis)
    • Issues #1-27, 29-38, 40,[a] 41, 43, 44, 46-53
  • Finn:
    • "Finn Book 1" (by Pat Mills/Tony Skinner, with art by Jim Elston (1-10) and Kevin Wicks (5-10), in 2000 AD #770-779, 1992)
    • "Finn Book 2" (by Pat Mills/Tony Skinner and Jim Elston/Kevin Wicks, in 2000 AD #807-816, 1992-1993)
    • "Origins of Finn" (by Pat Mills and Liam Sharp, in 2000 AD #924-927, 1995)
    • "Interventions" (by Pat Mills and Paul Staples, in 2000 AD #928-927, #940-949, 1995)
    • "Season of the Witch" (by Pat Mills and Paul Staples, in 2000 AD #991-999, 1996)

Reprints

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  • "Finn Book 1" (in Classic 2000 AD #13-14, 1996; Judge Dredd Megazine #329, 2012)
  • Third World War Book One (Rebellion Developments, January 7, 2020) ISBN 978-1781087510
  • Third World War Book Two: Back to Babylon (Rebellion Developments, January 5, 2021) ISBN 978-1781089293

See also

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  • Sláine, a comparable character also created by Pat Mills

Notes

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  1. ^ "Third World War" focuses on Finn in Book Three: The Big Heat, from issue #40.

References

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  1. ^ Pat Mills and Tony Skinner (w), Liam Sharp (a). "The Origin, Part 1" 2000 AD, no. 924 (27 Jan 1995).
  2. ^ Mlls, Pat (4 March 2011). "Pat Mills Unwrapped Part 2". Forbidden Planet International Blog. Retrieved 26 April 2016.
  3. ^ Bishop, David (21 August 2006). "Typing about myself in the third person". Thrill-Power Overload. Retrieved 26 April 2016.
  4. ^ Mills, Pat (26 September 2012). "Finn to Appear in the Megazine". Pat Mills. Retrieved 26 April 2016.

Sources

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