| David Bishop | |
| Birth Place: | New Zealand |
| Occupation: | Editor, comic book writer, novelist |
| Nationality: | New Zealander |
| Period: | 1991–present |
| Genre: | Comic book, science fiction |
David Bishop (born 27 September 1966), also D. V. Bishop, is a New Zealand comic book editor and writer of comics, novels and screenplays. In 1990s he ran the UK comics titles Judge Dredd Megazine (1991–2002)[1] [2] and 2000 AD (1995–2000).[3]
He has since become a prolific author and received his first drama scriptwriting credit when BBC Radio 4 broadcast his radio play Island Blue: Ronald in June 2006. In 2007, he won the PAGE International Screenwriting Award in the short film category for his script Danny's Toys,[4] and was a finalist in the 2009 PAGE Awards with his script The Woman Who Screamed Butterflies.[5]
Bishop was sub-editor of the Judge Dredd Megazine and of Crisis,[6] before becoming the editor of the Megazine from 1991 to 2002. He became the editor of 2000 AD just before Christmas 1995, staying four and a half years before resigning to become a freelance writer in the summer of 2000.
Bishop was responsible for discovering many new British talents, including:
He also edited Judge Dredd – Lawman of the Future and, with collaborator Roger Langridge, contributed the insane asylum-set strip The Straitjacket Fits in the Megazine.
Since leaving 2000 AD in the year 2000, Bishop has enjoyed a successful career as a freelance writer, working on novels of Doctor Who,[12] Judge Dredd, Heroes[13] and Nikolai Dante, as well as comic strip adventures of The Phantom.[14] His Doctor Who novel Who Killed Kennedy, a journalist's point-of-view on the early Third Doctor stories, is highly popular with fans. Although most of his novels to date have been science fiction, in 2021 his first historical fiction novel was published under the name D. V. Bishop.
Despite his successes as a comics editor and as a writer of prose, Bishop scripted many extremely unpopular comic strips in 2000 AD and the Megazine, including the comics adaptation of A Life Less Ordinary, with art by Steve Yeowell. The Spacegirls, a badly executed parody of the Spice Girls, is on the list of 2000 ADs 20 Worst Strips as chosen by fan rating on the official website.[15] His most recent effort — a Fiends of the Eastern Front series for the Megazine — has proven much more popular with readers.
Away from British comics, his work on The Phantom has won awards for the "Best Phantom story of the year" for Egmont on several occasions. Bishop introduced several new important characters to the Phantom mythos, such as the pirate queen Kate Sommerset, which grew so popular with readers that Bishop was able to make her the main character of five stories.
In 2006, Bishop also signed on to participate in the writing of stories for American publisher Moonstone Books' two collections of Phantom short stories, called Phantom Prose Anthologies.
Bishop's history of 2000 AD, in a series of articles under the banner name of Thrill Power Overload, is the most comprehensive currently available. A revised, expanded and updated book version was published in the summer of 2007 to coincide with the 30th anniversary of 2000 AD. After that sold out, a paperback edition was issued in February 2009. An expanded edition with new material by Karl Stock was released in 2017.[16]
In 2008, he appeared on 23 May edition of the BBC One quiz show The Weakest Link, beating eight other contestants to win more than £1500 in prize money.
In 2010, Bishop received his first TV drama credit on the BBC medical drama series Doctors, writing an episode called A Pill For Every Ill, broadcast on 10 February.[17]
In 2021 he released his first historical fiction novel under the name D. V. Bishop,[18] "City of Vengeance".
"Case Ten: Case Closed?" (uncredited, with Simon Davis, in 2000 AD #1032, 1997)
"B.L.A.I.R. 1" (with co-writer Steve MacManus and artist Simon Davis, in 2000 AD #1034, 1997)
"Dan Dare 3000AD" (with co-writer Steve MacManus and artist Kev Walker, in 2000 AD #1034, 1997)
"Flesh 3000AD" (with co-writer Steve MacManus and artist Carl Critchlow, in 2000 AD #1034, 1997)
"Hike Harlem Heroes" (with co-writer Steve MacManus and artist Jason Brashill, in 2000 AD #1034, 1997)
"Invasion! 3000AD" (with co-writer Steve MacManus and artist Henry Flint, in 2000 AD #1034, 1997)
"Stalingrad" (with Colin MacNeil, in Judge Dredd Megazine 245–252, 2006)
Full Fathom Five (2003, Big Finish Productions)