In 1987
IPC Magazines had sold their comic titles to
Robert Maxwell's
Mirror Group Newspapers. The following year the experienced group editor
Barrie Tomlinson – who had previously launched the successful
Tiger spinoff
Roy of the Rovers and the 1982 revival of
Eagle, as well as the shorter-lived
Speed and
Scream! – was asked to create a new science fiction-themed anthology as a 'junior version' of
2000 AD. Tomlinson devised a novel concept for the new title,
Wildcat; whereas previous Fleetway
anthology comics had largely (if not universally) consisted of unconnected stories, he decided that the five strips of the new title would interlink. Tomlinson had enjoyed moving out of his comfort zone of sports comics previously and relished that
Wildcat gave him a chance to try science fiction; while
2000 AD itself was under his group, he largely left the capable
Steve MacManus to run the title unless his help was asked for. The idea of linking the stories was also something new for Tomlinson, while also giving
Wildcat a different twist to
2000AD. which was later written by Tomlinson's son James, who wrote for
Wildcat (as well as
Eagle and
Battle Action Force) under the
pseudonym James Nicholas to avoid the appearance of
nepotism. Tomlinson would also continue to write the ship-based stories, most of which were drawn by Joan Boix, and were later titled "The Wildcat Complete". Kennedy designed the
Wildcat itself, which Tomlinson felt was "superbly drawn". ==Publishing history==