Monday 30 June 2014

Strontium Dog: 'Journey Into Hell!', Part 9: Horsemen Of The Apocalypse!

NAME
Strontium Dog: 'Journey Into Hell!', Part 9: Horsemen Of The Apocalypse!

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 AD & Starlord Prog 112

DATELINE
12 May 79

PAGE COUNT
5

REPRINTS
Judge Dredd Megazine 3.66 or 3.67, Strontium Dog: The Early Cases and Strontium Dog: Search/Destroy Agency Files 01.

SYNOPSIS
Johnny keeps hope, rescues the Gronk and crosses the desert.

FIRSTS & LASTS
None.

INFORMATION
Across the Desert Of The Living from the River Inferno is Hate, the walled second city of Hell.

Nuclear grenades are a form of explosive device.


JOHNNY ALPHA
He is an accomplished horseman. He attacks Ky's horse and steals it and the Gronk along with it. He rides to the city of Hate as the four horsemen give chase. He is struck in the back by Lom's thrown axe, but makes it to Hate.

WULF STERNHAMMER
He, Wagner and Dork have crossed the desert and reached the city of Hate.

THE GRONK
Johnny rescues him from Ky.

OTHER CHARACTERS
FLY'S EYES WAGNER
He, Wulf and Dork have crossed the desert and reached the city of Hate.

DON DORK
He, Wagner and Wulf have crossed the desert and reached the city of Hate.

KY
Johnny Alpha knocks him from his steed and steals both it and the Gronk. Ky calls forth the other three horsemen and another steed. The four horsemen give chase.

LOM
First Lord of the Living Dead. He comes to Ky's aid when called. The four horsemen give chase and Lom throws his axe and strikes Johnny in the back.

OGAR
Fourth Lord of the Living Dead. He comes to Ky's aid when called. The four horsemen give chase.

SAMAZAN
Second Lord of the Living Dead. He comes to Ky's aid when called. The four horsemen give chase.

DEATHS
None.

BEST LINES
Johnny (to Ky's steed): "Buck all you like - I'll make you dance to my tune!"

WORST LINES
Johnny: "The net! Wrapping around me-"

CATCHPHRASES
Wulf says der, while the Gronk worries is about poor heartses again.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
None.

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: T.B.Grover
Artist: Ezquerra
Letters: Aldrich

REVIEW
This leg of the journey is diverting, but really only sees Johnny rectifying the cliffhanger of Part 8 and rescuing the Gronk. The more philosophical battle to maintain his sense of hope however is rendered far less impressive by the trio of Wulf, Wagner and Dork stood waiting for him at the Hate gate.

Next Prog: The Gargoyles Of Hate!

Sunday 29 June 2014

Strontium Dog: 'Journey Into Hell!', Part 8: Desert Of The Living Dead

NAME
Strontium Dog: 'Journey Into Hell!', Part 8: Desert Of The Living Dead

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 AD & Starlord Prog 110

DATELINE
5 May 79

PAGE COUNT
5

REPRINTS
Judge Dredd Megazine 3.66 or 3.67, Strontium Dog: The Early Cases and Strontium Dog: Search/Destroy Agency Files 01.

SYNOPSIS
Johnny and co attempt to cross the desert, but the Gronk is kidnapped and they are stricken by the mark of the living death.

FIRSTS & LASTS
None.

INFORMATION
Across the River Inferno from the City of Lost Souls is the Desert Of The Living Dead. It is ruled by Ky, Third Lord of the Living Dead.


JOHNNY ALPHA
He insists that the others keep hope walking through the desert and is unaffected by the skeletal mark of Ky. When the Gronk is abducted, Johnny goes after him, but eventually gives up the chase and Ky returns to gloat as his arm begins to change and his bones are visible through the skin.

WULF STERNHAMMER
He carries the injured Gronk through the desert. His arms begin to show the same transparency.

THE GRONK
Ky tells the Gronk that his mark is already upon it. The Gronk's upper left arm is rendered transparent and causes its owner some pain. Over time more of his skin disappears. Ky abducts him.

OTHER CHARACTERS
FLY'S-EYES WAGNER
Travelling through Ky's desert, his arms begin to show the same transparency as the Gronk's body.

DON DORK
Travelling through Ky's desert, his arms begin to show the same transparency as the Gronk's body.

KY
Third Lord of the Living Dead and master of the desert. He kidnaps the ailing Gronk. He is immune to blasters.

DEATHS
None.

BEST LINES
Gronk: "M-m-my hand! It-it's g-going all boney!"

WORST LINES
Johnny: "My hand - it's starting to change!...By sunrise I'll be one of the living dead!"

How do you know?

CATCHPHRASES
Wulf says gut, Gott, haf, ja, valking, vas, ve, vorld, vot, Vulf, . The Gronk worries about its poor heartses again, but to be fair it can probably see them.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT

NOTES

CREDITS
Script: T.B. Grover
Artist: Ezquerra
Letters: Aldrich

REVIEW
The cumulative effect and delayed reaction to the living dead following the group is very sinister, while the Gronk x-ray is great. Wulf's dialogue is at his most Scandinavian and Johnny is at his most heroic. All in all another great part.

Next Prog: Horsemen Of The Apocalypse!

Saturday 28 June 2014

Strontium Dog: Journey Into Hell!, Part 7

NAME
Strontium Dog: Journey Into Hell!, Part 7

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 AD & Starlord Prog 110

DATELINE
28 Apr 79

PAGE COUNT
5

REPRINTS
Judge Dredd Megazine 3.65 or 3.66, Strontium Dog: The Early Cases and Strontium Dog: Search/Destroy Agency Files 01.

SYNOPSIS
Johnny and co cross the River Inferno.

FIRSTS & LASTS
First appearance of Don Dork.

INFORMATION
(This strip is set in 2181)

The sores inflicted by the rain in the City of Lost Souls disappear as soon as you leave it.


JOHNNY ALPHA
Burnt and charred, he climbs out of the River Inferno and heals. He pulls Wulf, Wagner, the Gronk, the Preacher and Don Dork out of the river of flames.

WULF STERNHAMMER
Johnny pulls his burnt body out of the River Inferno and it heals.

THE GRONK
Johnny pulls its burnt body out of the River Inferno and it heals.

OTHER CHARACTERS
FLY's-EYES WAGNER
Johnny pulls his burnt body out of the River Inferno and it heals.

THE PREACHER
Johnny pulls his burnt body out of the River Inferno and it heals. He decides to return to the City of Lost Souls to guide others out.

DON DORK
Space trucker. He was pulled into this dimension by a dimension warp in 2179 and spent two year in the River Inferno. Johnny pulls his burnt body out and it heals. He decides to remain with Johnny's group.

DEATHS
None.

BEST LINES
Don Dork: "Any man that can truck the big red and come out smilin' is wall-to-wall and treetop-tall with Don Dork! You got yourself a new diesel jockey, Good Buddy."

WORST LINES
Johnny: "The other person on the chain - who are you?"

CATCHPHRASES
The Gronk worries about his heartses twice, Wulf says der, Ja, vith, Vulf, vun, and he describes Don Dork's space trucker slang as "crazy as der cucumber!"

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
The Candy Par Planet is presumably a reference to Mars.

MISTAKES
Not necessarily a mistake, but the First City of Hell is referred to here as the City of Lost Souls exclusively.

RETROSPECT
Presumably Don Dork's addition and dialogue were the inspiration for Ace Trucking Co, at least in part.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: T.B. Grover
Artist: Ezquerra
Letters: Aldrich

REVIEW
This is great. Johnny cheats death, but earns it because it is not with suffering and he saves the others. The preacher having served his expositionary purpose heads back and is replaced by a character from Johnny's world that is as stranger than his surroundings. Ezquerra's burnt offerings are excellent.

Next Prog: Desert Of The Living Dead!

Friday 27 June 2014

Strontium Dog: Journey Into Hell!, Part 6

NAME
Strontium Dog: Journey Into Hell!, Part 6

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 AD & Starlord Prog 109

DATELINE
21 Apr 79

PAGE COUNT
5

REPRINTS
Judge Dredd Megazine 3.65 or 3.66, Strontium Dog: The Early Cases and Strontium Dog: Search/Destroy Agency Files 01.

SYNOPSIS
Fly's Eyes Wagner comes back to life and a preacher talks Johnny and co into crossing a river of fire.

FIRSTS & LASTS
None.

INFORMATION
There is no death in the First City of Hell. The River Inferno is a river of flame that runs passed the Black Citadel. Hell is said to be ruled over by Satan.

Gronks worship a creature they call the Great Gronk.

JOHNNY ALPHA
He takes Wagner back into custody. Johnny meets a preacher who escorts him to the River Inferno and convinces him to cross it. Their boat burns and their flesh melts into the river.

WULF STERNHAMMER
He is compelled to stay in the First City, but Johnny forces him to cross the River Inferno. Their boat burns and their flesh melts into the river.

THE GRONK
It crosses the River Inferno with Johnny, Wulf, Wagner and the preacher. Their boat burns and their flesh melts into the river.

OTHER CHARACTERS
FLY'S-EYES WAGNER
He comes back to life. His dimension warps have disappeared, trapping them in this dimension. Johnny takes him into custody and forces him to cross the River Inferno. Their boat burns and their flesh melts into the river.

THE PREACHER
He guides Johnny to the River Inferno and forces him to cross. Their boat burns and their flesh melts into the river.

DEATHS
There is no death in the First City of Hell, however the cliffhanger appears to show Johnny, Wulf, the Gronk, Wagner and the preacher meeting their maker in the fiery Inferno.


BEST LINES
Wulf: "Y-you go, Johnny. Vulf stay!"
Johnny: "Not a chance, Big Fella!"

WORST LINES
Johnny (upon seeing the Black Citadel for the first time): "Strange...I haven't seen that before. A sinister place..."

CATCHPHRASES
Gronk worries about his poor heartses twice, Wulf refers to himself as Vulf, and "You are tricky as der cucumber"

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Satan is the antagonist in religions such as Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Yazidism and the Bahá'í Faith, while Satanism sees him take on more of a heroic role.

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: T.B. Grover
Artist: Ezquerra
Letters: J. Aldrich

REVIEW
Another excellent instalment. More great visuals.

Next Prog: The End?

Thursday 26 June 2014

Strontium Dog: Journey Into Hell!, Part 5

NAME
Strontium Dog: Journey Into Hell!, Part 5

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 AD & Starlord Prog 108

DATELINE
14 Apr 79

PAGE COUNT
4

REPRINTS
Judge Dredd Megazine 3.65?, Strontium Dog The Early Cases and Strontium Dog Search/Destroy Agency Files 01.

SYNOPSIS
Johnny Alpha saves the Gronk and kills Wagner, except the Gronk isn't safe and Wagner isn't dead.

FIRSTS & LASTS
First time that a Strontium Dog story has been explicitly part way through.

INFORMATION
The Black Citadel was built upon the Mount of Skulls.

A life-force meter can track an individual and shows red when they are near.


JOHNNY ALPHA
He carries a burning Gronk to shelter. His skin is burnt in the process and comes out in green festering sores. He

WULF STERNHAMMER
He finds shelter from the burning rain. His skin is burnt in the process and comes out in green festering sores. Wulf uses a life-force meter to track Wagner.

THE GRONK
It's fur catches fire and Johnny gets it to shelter. Its skin is burnt in the process and comes out in green festering sores.

OTHER CHARACTERS
FLY'S-EYES WAGNER
Johnny discovers him hiding in a large crowd and kills him. His body repairs and reanimates.

DEATHS
One. Johnny kills Wagner, but he comes back to life.

BEST LINES
Wulf: "Run! Run like der cucumbers!"

WORST LINES
Member of the Crowd: "Don't hurt us! We've suffered enough!"

CATCHPHRASES
The Gronk worries about his poor heartses twice. Wulf says der, gut, ja, und and, more importantly, see BEST LINES.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
"Give me liberty, or give me death!" is a quotation attributed to American attorney, Governor of Virginia and slave-owner Patrick Henry (1736-1799) from a speech he made in 1775.

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: T.B. Grover
Artist: Ezquerra
Letters: J. Aldrich

REVIEW
Another great strip. These four page parts have a succinctness that really lends itself to Strontium Dog.

Next Prog:- Inferno!

Wednesday 25 June 2014

Strontium Dog: 'Journey Into Hell!', Part 4

NAME
Strontium Dog: 'Journey Into Hell!', Part 4

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 AD & Starlord Prog 107

DATELINE
7 Apr 79

PAGE COUNT
4

REPRINTS
Judge Dredd Megazine 3.64, Strontium Dog The Early Cases and Strontium Dog Search/Destroy Agency Files 01.

SYNOPSIS
Johnny, Wulf and the Gronk explore the hell dimension.

FIRSTS & LASTS
None.

INFORMATION
The City of Lost Souls is the First City of Hell. The rain on is burning liquid fire and reduces the skin of Human newcomers from other dimensions to green festering sores. One individual spent sixteen years being burned by the rain.


JOHNNY ALPHA
He, Wulf and the Gronk explore the new dimension they find themselves in and go in search of Fly's-Eyes Wagner. Johnny sees Wagner and shoots him. The rain burns his skin.

WULF STERNHAMMER
The rain burns his skin.

THE GRONK
The rain burns its fur.

OTHER CHARACTERS
FLY'S-EYES WAGNER
Johnny Alpha shoots and wounds him.

DEATHS
None.

BEST LINES
Wulf: "Listen! Veeping...and vailing - like many souls in torment!"

WORST LINES
Johnny: "Some kind of hideous creatures! Their skin is just a mass of festering green sores."

Remember when Johnny judged someone purely on their appearance? No, me either.

CATCHPHRASES
Wulf says der, haf, vailing, ve, veeping and voork, Johnny says "My Dok!" and the Gronk pluralises gateses, wailings and weepings

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Unknown.

MISTAKES
The reprise of last week's cliffhanger is once again somewhat different, Johnny now thinks rather than says his final line, unless he is repeating it only for his own benefit.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: T.B. Grover
Artist: Ezquerra
Letters: J. Aldrich

REVIEW
This is excellent and the cliffhanger resorts to extreme measures to shock: causing harm to the Gronk.

Next Prog: The Death Of A Strontium Dog!

Tuesday 24 June 2014

Strontium Dog: 'Journey Into Hell!', Part 3

NAME
Strontium Dog: 'Journey Into Hell!', Part 3

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 AD & Starlord Prog 106

DATELINE
31 Mar 79

PAGE COUNT
4

REPRINTS
Judge Dredd Megazine 3.64, Strontium Dog The Early Cases and Strontium Dog Search/Destroy Agency Files 01.

SYNOPSIS
Johnny, Wulf and the Grink follow Fly's Eyes Wagner to another dimension.

FIRSTS & LASTS
First depicted arrival in a different dimension.

INFORMATION
Sharpsville is on Earth.

An electro-flare is a bright pyrotechnic that can be fired from a blaster.

Dimension warp (or D-Warp) allows access to a crack in reality that leads to other realities, but it is not something that man has learned to control.


JOHNNY ALPHA
He follows Fly's Eyes Wagner into the dimension warp.

WULF STERNHAMMER
He follows Fly's Eyes Wagner and Johnny into the dimension warp.

THE GRONK
It follows Fly's Eyes Wagner, Johnny and Wulf into the dimension warp.

OTHER CHARACTERS
FLY'S EYES WAGNER
His father chose not to pay for an operation to replace his eyes. He kills his father and uses a dimension warp to transport himself away.

DEATHS
One. Fly's Eyes Wagner shoots his own father dead.

BEST LINES
Fly's Eyes Wagner's father: "Yes, I could have had those eyes removed. But it was pointless. The real mutation was in your brain - it was always twisted...Evil! You were born with the mark of hell on you!"

WORST LINES
Johnny: "Some kind of stairway leading down..."

Yes, yes it is.

CATCHPHRASES
Fly's Eyes Wagner screams an "Aieeee!" when blinded by an electro-flare. Wulf says "Quick as der cucumber, Johnny!" and "Now ve are being all together again, like der three happy cucumbers, ja?", while the Gronk worries about it's "poor heartses" twice more.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Unknown.

MISTAKES
The resolution to last week's cliffhanger reimagines and reorders the action adding a new line for Hickman: "My boys - what's happening to my boys". Later, Johnny's line "We're too late! He's turned the D-Warp on on himself!" is a bit odd.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: T.B. Grover
Artist: Ezquerra
Letters: J. Aldrich

REVIEW
And with one bound they were, well not so much free as...trapped, but still the dimension warp takes an excellent strip and expands its possibilities in almost limitless directions.

Next Prog: The City Of Lost Souls!

Monday 23 June 2014

Strontium Dog: 'Journey Into Hell!', Part 2

NAME
Strontium Dog: 'Journey Into Hell!', Part 2

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 AD & Starlord Prog 105

DATELINE
24 Mar 79

PAGE COUNT
4

REPRINTS
Judge Dredd Megazine 3.64, Strontium Dog The Early Cases and Strontium Dog: The Search/Destroy Files 01.

SYNOPSIS
Johnny catches up to Fly's Eyes Wagner and things get ugly.

FIRSTS & LASTS
First use of dimensional travel in Strontium Dog.

INFORMATION
Sharpsville's Main Street has at least fifty addresses on it.

A dimension warp is a device that can send individuals into another dimension.


JOHNNY ALPHA
Atop a roadtrain as it topples, he is cushioned by the cargo of grain and unharmed. He and Wulf head to 50 Main Street in Sharpsville and await Fly's Eyes Wagner. Johnny peers through the wall and sees Wagner's father alone. Wagner arrives, but just before Marshall Hickman who attempts to arrest Johnny.

WULF STERNHAMMER
He accompanies Johnny to Sharpsville's Main Street.

THE GRONK
The Gronk worries about Johnny on the roadtrain.

OTHER CHARACTERS
FLY'S EYES WAGNER
He ties up the roadtrain's driver and heads into Sharpsville and 50 Main Street to kill his father, but he is interrupted by Marshall Hickman's activities outside in the street. Wagner uses a dimension warp to send four of Marshall Hickman's men to another dimension.

MARSHALL HICKMAN
He is trapped in his vehicle by the toppling roadtrain.

WAYNE
He is trapped in his vehicle by the toppling roadtrain.

DEATHS
None.

BEST LINES
Wulf: "Now you haf put der cat among der cucumbers, Marshal!"

WORST LINES
Johnny: "We could have taken him quietly. But now it's Strontium Dog against Strontium Dog - ... - For keeps!"

All good until the end. For keeps?

CATCHPHRASES
The Gronk reprises his fretting about his poor heartses, Johnny swears "Drokk!", Wayne finally utters something other than "Roger, Marshall!", but also says "Roger, Marshall!" for good measure, while Wulf says der, haf and begins talking cucumbers (see BEST LINES).

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Unknown.

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: T.B. Grover
Artist: Ezquerra
Letters: J. Aldrich

REVIEW
Another great four page strip that advances the plot only slightly, but allows for some fantastic character moments and shows that after a very typical Part 1, this story is destined to go off in a very different direction. Ezquerra's art is as brilliant as ever.

Next Prog: Through The Dimension Warp!

Sunday 22 June 2014

Strontium Dog: 'Journey Into Hell!', Part 1

NAME
Strontium Dog: 'Journey Into Hell!', Part 1

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 AD & Starlord Prog 104

DATELINE
17 Mar 79

PAGE COUNT
4

REPRINTS
Judge Dredd Megazine 3.64, Strontium Dog: The Early Cases and Strontium Dog: Search/Destroy Files 01.

SYNOPSIS
Johnny, Wulf and the Gronk track Fly's Eyes Wagner to a Roadtrain.

FIRSTS & LASTS
First four page Strontium Dog strip.

INFORMATION
(This strip takes place "late in the 22nd Century")

Sharpsville is a town in Western District Four. It does not admit Mutants and has a bypass to allow them to go around it. It describes itself as the home of the Umpty Man.

A Roadtrain is a wheeled convoy vehicle like a train that travels on roads.

Named Search/Destroy agents: Fly's Eyes Wagner


JOHNNY ALPHA
He, Wulf and the Gronk are on the trail of Fly's Eyes Wagner. Johnny catches him on a Roadtrain.

WULF STERNHAMMER
He, Johnny and the Gronk are on the trail of Fly's Eyes Wagner.

THE GRONK
He, Johnny and Wulf are on the trail of Fly's Eyes Wagner. Johnny catches him on a Roadtrain.

OTHER CHARACTERS
FLY'S EYES WAGNER
Mutant native of Sharpsville with the compound eyes of an insect. He is a Search/Destroy agent that killed his partner and has a warrant for his termination. He hid on a roadtrain heading back to his home town. Johnny Alpha catches up to him and they fight. Wagner knocks Alpha down, severs the roadtrain's coupling and escapes as the uncoupled roadtrain begins to topple.

MARSHALL HICKMAN
Marshall of Sharpsville. Not a friend to Mutants.

DEATHS
None.

BEST LINES
Marshall Hickman: "I run a clean town - an' I aim to keep it that way! So why don't you turn right round and drive your scummy Mutie carcass out of here?...No offence, boy."

WORST LINES
None.

CATCHPHRASES
Wayne says "Roger, Marshall" three times, the Gronk worries about his poor heartses once and Wulf says der, haf, ve and vun.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Unknown.

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
Fly's Eyes Wagner is another character named after John Wagner. Sharpsville is name of at least two actual US towns, one in Indiana, the other in Pennsylvania.

CREDITS
Script: T. B. Grover
Artist: C. Ezquerra
Letters: J. Aldrich

REVIEW
This is great and ticks all the usual Strontium Dog boxes nicely. Anti-Mutant prejudice? Tick. Western motif? Tick. Alpha catches up to his quarry in time for a scrap? Tick. What's impressive here is that it does so without feeling overly formulaic and with some lovely Ezquerra art as well.

Next Prog: Pile Up!

Saturday 21 June 2014

Judge Dredd: Knock On The Door

NAME
Judge Dredd: Knock On The Door

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 AD Featuring Judge Dredd Prog 195

DATELINE
17 Jan 81

PAGE COUNT
7

REPRINTS
The Complete Judge Dredd 19, Judge Dredd's Crime Files 6, Judge Dredd Definitive Ed. Hall of Justice, Judge Dredd Chronicles Book 25 and Judge Dredd The Complete Case Files 04.

SYNOPSIS
A knock on the door causes a citizen to incriminate himself.

FIRSTS & LASTS
First prog to contain two Judge Dredd strips.

INFORMATION
Barbra Streisand Walkways are in Mega-City One.

It is standard operational procedure for Judges to avoid using a doorbell when they can knock. A 59C is a Routine Crime Swoop. Justice Department robots will repair any damage caused during a 59C. A 531 It is illegal to run on a public walkway. A Judge can request supermarket records for the last twenty years. Overdue library slugs are a misdemeanour. Mack has access to spy-in-the-sky footage. An illegally obtained confession is not admissible evidence. Judicial Indictment Four concerns the illegal use of torture by a Judge and carries a sentence of twenty years penal servitude on Titan. Named Judges: Judge Pizmo Turpin, Judge Voor.

JUDGE DREDD
He and Judge Turpin conduct enquiries at an apartment, the citizens flees the scene and the Judges give chase. Dredd orders a full crime blitz, but it finds very little. He orders spy-in-the-sky surveillance of the citizen, but instead the footage reveals Judge Turpin beating a confession out of him. Dredd fools the citizen into freely admitting that although the confession was illegally obtained it was still accurate and rearrests the individual.

OTHER CHARACTERS
JUDGE PIZMO TURPIN
He assists Dredd in his enquiries. He beats and tortures a confession out of a citizen that results in an arrest and sentence. He is charged under Judicial Indictment Four and is sentenced to twenty years of penal servitude on Titan.

ARRESTS
An unnamed citizen is found guilty of running on a public walkway, but Dredd ignores it due to the individual's cooperation. Judge Turpin beats a confession for running a number racket in '96 and sentences the citizen to three years in an isolation cube. Turpin is charged under Judicial Indictment Four and is sentenced to twenty years of penal servitude on Titan. The confession was illegally obtained, but Dredd's second attempt by deceit provided another confession which saw the individual arrested and sentenced again.

DEATHS
None.

BEST LINES
Caption: "A confession obtained by torture is illegal...A confession obtained by deceit will stand up in any Mega-City Court of law."

WORST LINES
None.

CATCHPHRASES
None.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
A crime blitz was first seen in Battle of the Black Atlantic.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Barbra Streisand (born 1942) is an American Grammy Award winning singer-songwriter and Academy Award winning actress, starring in Funny Girl (1968), The Way We Were (1973), Funny Lady (1975), A Star Is Born (1976), Yentl (1983) and Meet The Fockers (2004).

MISTAKES
This strip ignores the Birdie lie detector established earlier.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: T.B. Grover
Artist: Emberton
Letters: Tom Frame

REVIEW
This is far better than its reputation would suggest. The artwork is stark and the scripting tight. It's nice to see Dredd's firmness but fairness illustrated again.

The End.

Friday 20 June 2014

Ro-Busters: The Fall And Rise Of Ro-Jaws And Hammer-Stein, Part 13 - 'The Angels Of Death'

NAME
Ro-Busters: The Fall And Rise Of Ro-Jaws And Hammer-Stein, Part 13 - 'The Angels Of Death'

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 AD & Starlord Prog 115

DATELINE
2 June 79

PAGE COUNT
6

REPRINTS
The Best of 2000AD 72, Cyber Crush 13, Ro-Busters Book 2, 2000AD Extreme Edition 24 and The Complete Ro-Busters.

SYNOPSIS
With the robot refugees safe, Ro-Jaws and Hammer-Stein go off into the distance arm in arm.

FIRSTS & LASTS
First Ro-Busters story to reach thirteen parts and therefore the first thirteen part story. Last Ro-Busters to appear in 2000AD.

INFORMATION
The Angels of Death are space interceptors armed with apocalypse missiles in Earth orbit.

RO-JAWS
He operates on Hammer-Stein and saves his life. Gottlieb flies him to safety in the Satan Dart.

HAMMER-STEIN
Ro-Jaws operates on him and saves his life. Gottlieb flies him to safety in the Satan Dart.

OTHER CHARACTERS
DOCTOR FEELEY GOOD
Gottlieb flies him to safety in the Satan Dart. When he last operated on Casey he inserted a homing device so he could track him and sets off to do so.

GOTTLIEB
He flies the Satan Dart to safety.

DEATHS
At least seven. A squadron of Angel of Death are vapourised. The PD Captain dies of "excitement"

BEST LINES
Doctor Feeley Good: "Sorry- it's my afternoon for golf"

WORST LINES
PD Trooper: "Zook 'em!"

CATCHPHRASES
Ro-Jaws repeats Gottlieb's refrain that "the eyes of da movement is everywhere!"

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Unknown.

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
Ro-Busters would return in a number of annuals.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: Pat Mils
Artist: McMahon
Letters: Pete Knight

REVIEW
Quite a disappointing end to a thirteen part epic, not to mention Ro-Busters as a whole. The Angels of Death are not worth their build up, the fighting at the aero space port just ends without much cause, the PD captain's death occurs between panels, Hammer-Stein's injury fails to provide much peril and the ending is dull, however the revelation that Casey can expect a house from Doctor Feeley Good is wonderful.

The End

Thursday 19 June 2014

Ro-Busters: The Fall And Rise Of Ro-Jaws And Hammer-Stein, Part 12

Sorry for the delay, it turns out that moving house is not conducive to a daily blog about comics...

NAME
Ro-Busters: The Fall And Rise Of Ro-Jaws And Hammer-Stein, Part 12

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 AD & Starlord Prog 114

DATELINE
26 May 79

PAGE COUNT
6

REPRINTS
The Best of 2000AD 72, Cyber Crush 13, Ro-Busters Book 2, 2000AD Extreme Edition 24 and The Complete Ro-Busters.

SYNOPSIS
A dozen robots take on the PD Troopers.

FIRSTS & LASTS
First Ro-Busters story to reach twelve parts.

INFORMATION
There are a group of Tarantula Strike Jets and a T98 Tank squadron stationed at the Aero Space-Port. Tarantula Strike Jets can take off vertically.

RO-JAWS
He is one of twelve robots who stay to fight the PD Troopers at the aero-space port to allow the others to escape. They secure the aero-space guns.

HAMMER-STEIN
He is one of twelve robots who stay to fight the PD Troopers at the aero-space port to allow the others to escape. They secure the aero-space guns and he takes command. When they engage in hand-to-hand combat, he is hit.

OTHER CHARACTERS
GOTTLIEB
He is one of twelve robots who stay to fight the PD Troopers at the aero-space port to allow the others to escape. They secure the aero-space guns and he shoots down three Tarantula strike jets.

DOCTOR FEELEY GOOD
He is one of twelve robots who stay to fight the PD Troopers at the aero-space port to allow the others to escape.

LITTLE MO
He and Ginger escape aboard the freighter which turns into a spaceship called The Black Butterfly.

GINGER
He and Little Mo escape aboard the freighter which turns into a spaceship called The Black Butterfly.

DEATHS
At least twelve. The PD Troopers destroy five droids, while the robots kill at least two troopers, three Tarantula pilots, two ground crew.

BEST LINES
Robot (upon seeing that Gottlieb has successfully hit every target): "...Every one a winner, baby!"

WORST LINES
Hammer-Stein: "It's hand-to-hand fighting now, men, but the refugees are safe. But a jet that turns into a space-ship..! How did you manage it, Gottlieb?"

Surely this is neither the time nor the place.

CATCHPHRASES
An unnamed droid mentions "humes".

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Unknown.

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: P. Mills
Artist: M. McMahon
Letters: Peter Knight

REVIEW
The action here is frenetic, the artwork fantastic and the moment of reflection from Ginger and Little Mo gives it a sense of worth.

Next Prog: The Angels Of Death!

Wednesday 18 June 2014

Ro-Busters: The Fall And Rise Of Ro-Jaws And Hammer-Stein, Part 11

NAME
Ro-Busters: The Fall And Rise Of Ro-Jaws And Hammer-Stein, Part 11

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 AD & Starlord Prog 113

DATELINE
19 May 1979

PAGE COUNT
6

REPRINTS
The Best Of 2000AD 71, Cyber Crush 13, 2000AD Extreme Edition 24, Ro-Busters Book 2 and The Complete Ro-Busters.

SYNOPSIS
The robots reunite and attempt to leave Earth, only to separate again for a suicide mission to allow some of them to get away.

FIRSTS & LASTS
First Ro-Busters story to reach eleven parts.

INFORMATION
Britain has a giant aero-spaceport with at least 93 hangers and multiple runways.

When the travel tube comes to an end, the monorail and road systems take over.

RO-JAWS
When they are caught by PD Troopers at the aero-spaceport, he volunteers for Hammer-Stein's suicide mission to allow the other robots to escape.

HAMMER-STEIN
He proposes a suicide mission to let the other robots escape.

OTHER CHARACTERS
GOTTLIEB
He takes the Satan Dart to location the other Ro-Busters robots were hiding and picks them up, before heading to the spaceport. When they are caught he volunteers for Hammer-Stein's suicide mission.

GINGER
He doesn't volunteer for Hammer-Stein's suicide mission.

LITTLE MO
He doesn't volunteer for Hammer-Stein's suicide mission.

DOCTOR FEELEY GOOD
Reunited with the robots in the Satan Dart. He prepares the human hostage for surgery. He volunteers for Hammer-Stein's suicide mission.

DEATHS
None.

BEST LINES
Hammer-Stein: "Hell, who wants to be a general, anyway? This is one mission we ain't comin' back from, Ro-Jaws- but we'll go out in style!"
Ro-Jaws: "All the way, Hammer-Stein!"

WORST LINES
Ro-Jaws: "Fancy a couple of smooth lubes, old matey?"

Crikey.

CATCHPHRASES
The Doctor Humm-de-humms again.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Brave New World is mentioned in dialogue, the 1932 novel by Aldous Huxley (1894-1963) takes its name from Miranda's speech in William Shakespeare's The Tempest, Act V, Scene I.

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: Pat Mills
Artist: Mike McMahon
Letters: Peter Knight

REVIEW
This is excellent stuff, has great visuals throughout and ends on real high.

Next Prog: The Heroes Dozen!

Tuesday 17 June 2014

Ro-Busters: The Fall And Rise Of Ro-Jaws And Hammer-Stein, Part 10

NAME
Ro-Busters: The Fall And Rise Of Ro-Jaws And Hammer-Stein, Part 10

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 AD Featuring Judge Dredd Prog 112

DATELINE
12 May 79

PAGE COUNT
6

REPRINTS
The Best Of 2000AD 71, Cyber Crush 12, 2000AD Extreme Edition 24, Ro-Busters Book 2 and The Complete Ro-Busters.

SYNOPSIS
The robots escape in the travel tube system.

FIRSTS & LASTS
First time a Ro-Busters story has reached ten parts.

INFORMATION
The travel tube system is an underground network for vehicles using linear magnetic motors. It is much faster than conventional road systems. At its centre is Carousel a huge interchange.

RO-JAWS
When Hammer-Stein is hit, Ro-Jaws starts a fight among the other robots to draw the P.D. Troopers fire.

HAMMER-STEIN
He and Gottlieb fight back. He is hit with an armour-piercing incendiary round which opens up an old stomach wound. He takes the P.D. Troopers' Captain hostage.

OTHER CHARACTERS
GOTTLIEB
He and Hammer-Stein fight back

GINGER
He escapes on the Satan Dart with Gottlieb, Ro-Jaws, Hammer-Stein, Little Mo and their human hostage.

DEATHS
At least seven. Seven corpses are seen floating among explosions during the Satan Dart police chase.

BEST LINES
Ginger: "I-I think I've flooded my engine!"

WORST LINES
None.

CATCHPHRASES
A dying PD Trooper scream an "Aieeee!"

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Graffiti mentions Robby. Robby the Robot is a fictional robot who first appeared in the 1956 film Forbidden Planet. Carousel shares its name with the second musical by the team of Richard Rodgers (1902-1979) and Oscar Hammerstein II (1895 – August 23, 1960) written in 1945. Someone sings 'We'll take the high road' paraphrasing the lyrics of 'The Bonnie Banks o' Loch Lomond', first published in 1841.

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
Complicated travel systems will play a big part in the first Comic Rock, which will introduce Nemesis The Warlock, and Ro-Busters sequel, A.B.C. Warriors.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: Pat Mills
Artist: Kevin O'Neill
Letters: Pete Knight

REVIEW
This part features a barroom brawl and a police chase, although it hardly does it justice to define it as such. The former features theatrical costumes and a fight-within-a-fight, while the latter is brilliantly bonkers.

Next Prog: Last Flight To Free Dome!

Monday 16 June 2014

Ro-Busters: The Fall And Rise Of Ro-Jaws And Hammer-Stein, Part Nine

NAME
Ro-Busters: The Fall And Rise Of Ro-Jaws And Hammer-Stein, Part Nine

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 AD & Starlord Prog 111

DATELINE
5 May 79

PAGE COUNT
6

REPRINTS
The Best Of 2000AD 71, Cyber Crush 12, 2000AD Extreme Edition 24, Ro-Busters Book 2 and The Complete Ro-Busters.

SYNOPSIS
The robots meet with Gottlieb.

FIRSTS & LASTS
First Ro-Busters story to reach nine parts.

INFORMATION
Greasy Gracie's is a robot night club.


RO-JAWS
PD Troopers raid Greasy Gracie's during their meeting with Gottlieb and he hides them in plain sight on stage.

HAMMER-STEIN
He regards Led Belly is one of the all time robot greats. PD Troopers raid Greasy Gracie's during their meeting with Gottlieb and he hides them in plain sight on stage. When Gottlieb is attacked by a PD Trooper, Hammer-Stein retaliates.

OTHER CHARACTERS
GINGER
He has a nuclear pile. PD Troopers raid Greasy Gracie's during their meeting with Gottlieb and he hides them in plain sight on stage.

GOTTLIEB
He meets with the other robots at Greasy Gracie's. He is attacked by PD Troopers.

LITTLE MO
PD Troopers raid Greasy Gracie's during their meeting with Gottlieb and he hides them in plain sight on stage.

DEATHS
One. PD Trooper destroy a robot with no papers.

BEST LINES
None.

WORST LINES
None.

CATCHPHRASES
None.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
The graffiti at Greasy Gracie's mentions Asimov and C-3PO, namely American author Isaac Asimov (1920-1992) responsible for the Foundation series, I, Robot and the Three Laws of Robotics, and a robot character from Star Wars.

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: P. Mills
Artist: K. O'Neill
Letters: P. Knight

REVIEW
This is more like it. The speakeasy, the the hiding in plain sight and a welcome end to Hammer-Stein's passivity.

Next Prog: Night Of Wrath!

Sunday 15 June 2014

Ro-Busters: The Fall And Rise Of Ro-Jaws And Hammer-Stein, Part 8

NAME
Ro-Busters: The Fall And Rise Of Ro-Jaws And Hammer-Stein, Part 8

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 AD & Starlord Prog 110

DATELINE
28 Apr 79

PAGE COUNT
6

REPRINTS
The Best Of 2000AD 71, Cyber Crush 11, 2000AD Extreme Edition 24, Ro-Busters Book 2 and The Complete Ro-Busters.

SYNOPSIS
The robots make contact.

FIRSTS & LASTS
First time a Ro-Busters story has reached eight parts.

INFORMATION
There is a fine for driving through a red light and for leaving your vehicle under certain circumstances.

RO-JAWS
They make contact with Gottlieb and arrange to meet at Greasy Gracie's.

HAMMER-STEIN
They make contact with Gottlieb and arrange to meet at Greasy Gracie's.

OTHER CHARACTERS
CASEY
He decides to stay on Earth and pass as a human.

LITTLE MO
Servo robot. His previous owner physically and verbally abused him. His owner slipped on a floor Mo had polished, broke through a window and fell multiple storeys to his death. He was blamed for his owner's death and sent to Ro-Busters.

GOTTLIEB
He was built in Chicago and pretends to be a traffic robot at Crossroads 27. He arrange to meet the robots at Greasy Gracie's.

DEATHS
None.

BEST LINES
Gottlieb: "Whose da gink an' da fink?"

WORST LINES
None.

CATCHPHRASES
None.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Led Belly references Lead Belly, born Huddie William Ledbetter (1888–1949), an American folk and blues musician.

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: P. Mills
Artist: M. Dorey
Letters: P. Bensberg

REVIEW
Gottlieb is a great addition, but Casey's far more interesting decision to stay behind is all too briefly handled.

Next Prog: Da Big Bust!

Saturday 14 June 2014

Ro-Busters: The Fall And Rise Of Ro-Jaws And Hammer-Stein, Part 7

NAME
Ro-Busters: The Fall And Rise Of Ro-Jaws And Hammer-Stein, Part 7

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 AD & Starlord Prog 109

DATELINE
21 Apr 79

PAGE COUNT
6

REPRINTS
The Best Of 2000AD 71, Cyber Crush 11, 2000AD Extreme Edition 24, Ro-Busters Book 2 and The Complete Ro-Busters.

SYNOPSIS
The robots head into London and find X27.

FIRSTS & LASTS
First Ro-Busters story to reach seven parts.

INFORMATION
Package holidays to Mars are available

There is a de-luxe model of Fred 2L Robot.

RO-JAWS
He joins the other robots as they head into London. He fights a Fred 2L de-luxe model robot.

HAMMER-STEIN
He joins the other robots as they head into London.

OTHER CHARACTERS
CASEY
He escorts the other robots to London pretending to be human.

GINGER
He knows his way around London and accompanies the other robots.

LITTLE MO
He joins the other robots as they head into London. He works out that X27 is the location of a contact.

DEATHS
None.

BEST LINES
Driver: "The air's getting pretty bad in here, I'd better open the windows-"
Ro-Jaws: "We, you know what they say, Squire...he who-"

WORST LINES
None.

CATCHPHRASES
Doctor Feeley Good Humm-de-humms again.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Unknown.

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: P. Mills
Artist: M. Dorey
Letters: Pete Knight

REVIEW
The hitchhiking is nice, but ultimately this builds to another damp cliffhanger.

Next Prog: Treachery!

Friday 13 June 2014

Ro-Busters: The Fall And Rise Of Ro-Jaws And Hammer-Stein, Part 6 - The Gold Ships Of Free-Dome!

NAME
Ro-Busters: The Fall And Rise Of Ro-Jaws And Hammer-Stein, Part 6 - The Gold Ships Of Free-Dome!

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 AD & Starlord Prog 108

DATELINE
14 Apr 79

PAGE COUNT
6

REPRINTS
The Complete Ro-Busters.

SYNOPSIS
X27? continues his tale.

FIRSTS & LASTS
None.

INFORMATION
On the sixth moon of Saturn, the robots built a gold dome. When the supply ship arrived, the robots killed the human crew and sent back reports that the planet was unsuitable for human life. Meanwhile they set up escape lines to ferry robots from Earth in secret

RO-JAWS
He listens to X27?'s story. It's his idea that Casey pretend to be a human.

HAMMER-STEIN
He listens to X27?'s story.

OTHER CHARACTERS
X27?
He continues to tell his story. He was sent to Earth on a secret mission to organise an escape line with a code X27, exchanging his gold suit for an ordinary metal one. He was chased by the Robot Investigation Police and fled into oncoming traffic on the motorway, losing his leg and his memory. He was sold to Ro-Busters by the motorist who hit him and believing X27? to be his name. After telling his story he died and the other robots buried him.

CASEY
He listens to X27?'s story. He masquerades as a human to escort the other robots.

DEATHS
At least three humans are killed in X27?'s flashback.

BEST LINES
None.

WORST LINES
Hammer-Stein: "May he rust in peace!"

CATCHPHRASES
Doctor Feeley Good Humm-de-humms another three times.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
X27?'s rallying cry of "Robots...our planet needs you!" echoes the slogan on a recruitment poster from September 1914 featuring Lord Kitchener with the caption "Your Country Needs YOU".

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: Pat Mills
Artist: Mike McMahon
Letters: Peter Knight

REVIEW
This feels slow to begin with and rushed later on. X27?'s flashback isn't as much fun this time around and his death is perfunctory. Costuming Casey is great, but the ending is a bit empty.

Next Prog: The Secret Of X27

Thursday 12 June 2014

Ro-Busters: The Fall And Rise Of Ro-Jaws And Hammer-Stein, Part Five - Genesis Of The Robots!

NAME
Ro-Busters: The Fall And Rise Of Ro-Jaws And Hammer-Stein, Part Five - Genesis Of The Robots!

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 AD & Starlord Prog 107

DATELINE
7 Apr 79

PAGE COUNT
6

REPRINTS
The Best Of 2000AD 71, Cyber Crush 10, 2000AD Extreme Edition 24, Ro-Busters Book 2 and The Complete Ro-Busters.

SYNOPSIS
X27? reveals all.

FIRSTS & LASTS
None.

INFORMATION
(X27?'s flashback contains a sequence that takes place on Thanksgiving)

Saturn's sixth moon (or Saturn Six) is rich in gold and affected by sulphuric acid storms. It has been declared the Planet of the Robots.

RO-JAWS
He listens to X27?'s story.

HAMMER-STEIN
He listens to X27?'s story.

OTHER CHARACTERS
X27?
A space robot that previously worked for a mining company that operated on Saturn's sixth moon. His human masters starved to death after the discovery that their crates of food supplies had been mislabelled and actually contained 5,000 rubber ducks. Following their deaths, the robots declared Saturn Six the Planet of the Robots and used the gold they found to replace their metal plating.

DEATHS
Ten. At least four robots are destroyed by sulphuric acid storms and cave-ins on Saturn Six, while at least six humans were killed when in a hunger induced hallucination, they removed their visors and suffocated.

BEST LINES
Human #1: "Rubber ducks!"
Human #2: "5,000 of them, to be exact!"

Please do.

WORST LINES
None.

CATCHPHRASES
Doctor Feeley Good Humm-De-Humms again.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Unknown.

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: Pat Mills
Artist: Mike McMahon
Letters: Pete Knight

REVIEW
A slightly odd diversion that slows down the action, undermines the peril and might have worked better as X27?'s memoirs, but the reveal of the rubber ducks is excellent.

Next Prog: The Gold Ships Of Free-Dome!

Wednesday 11 June 2014

Ro-Busters: The Fall And Rise Of Ro-Jaws And Hammer-Stein, Part Four - Hunted!

NAME
Ro-Busters: The Fall And Rise Of Ro-Jaws And Hammer-Stein, Part Four - Hunted!

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 AD & Starlord Prog 106

DATELINE
31 Mar 79

PAGE COUNT
6

REPRINTS
The Best Of 2000AD 71, Cyber Crush 09, 2000AD Extreme Edition 24, Ro-Busters Book 2 and The Complete Ro-Busters.

SYNOPSIS
The robots split into two groups, one are destroyed and the other smear themselves with excrement.

FIRSTS & LASTS
None.

INFORMATION
A Molek Grenade can destroy a Mark III War Droid. A Mek-Detector can track a robot from a sample of its oil.

RO-JAWS
He refuses to surrender to the PD Troopers. Realising that they are being tracked by the scent of their oil, he suggests that the robots smear themselves with pig manure.

HAMMER-STEIN
He refuses to surrender to the PD Troopers. He smears himself with pig manure to obscure the scent of his oil.

OTHER CHARACTERS
GINGER
He loses his blanket and the PD Troopers use the oil stains on it to track the robots. He smears himself with pig manure to obscure the scent of his oil.

X27?
He is attacked by the PD Troopers. He smears himself with pig manure to obscure the scent of his oil. The robots find themselves on the road where he had his accident and his memories return. He believes he is dying.

DEATHS
At least ten. The robots that surrender to the PD Troopers are destroyed. Hammer-Stein takes revenge on two troopers and Doctor Feeley Good operates on a third.

BEST LINES
Hammer-Stein: "We've given them the slip. But now we have to survive in a world where Humans hate us...with no identity papers...no hide out...no oil..."
Ginger: "And no blanket."

WORST LINES
None.

CATCHPHRASES
Doctor Feeley Good chalks up another four "Humm-de-humms!"

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Unknown.

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: P. Mills
Artist: M. McMahon
Letters: Pete Knight

REVIEW
Robots on the run. This would have been a great dynamic for the strip to follow. Its nice to see the actions of Ro-Jaws and Hammer-Stein reflect what we saw in each of their memoirs. Ginger's blanket, the pig manure and deathbed return of X27?'s memories are all excellent.

Next Prog: Genesis Of The Robots!

Tuesday 10 June 2014

Ro-Busters: The Fall And Rise Of Ro-Jaws And Hammer-Stein, Part Three - "Robots Don't Live Here Anymore..."

NAME
Ro-Busters: The Fall And Rise Of Ro-Jaws And Hammer-Stein, Part Three - "Robots Don't Live Here Anymore..."

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 AD & Starlord Prog 105

DATELINE
24 Mar 79

PAGE COUNT
6

REPRINTS
The Best Of 2000AD 71, Cyber Crush 09, 2000AD Extreme Edition 24, Ro-Busters Book 2 and The Complete Ro-Busters.

SYNOPSIS
The robots escape Quartz' plan, but find themselves

FIRSTS & LASTS
Last appearance of Miss Marilyn and Quartz.

INFORMATION
Most robots have screw fittings made to international standards and can swap body parts with each other.

The motto of Punishment and Discipline Troopers is "shoot first, ask questions later".

RO-JAWS
He suggests the robots play Swopsey and exchange body parts to annoy the overseer enough to open the pod door. He swaps his head with Hammer-Stein. It works and he and Hammer-Stein force their way into the cockpit and separate the pod containing the other robots from the Preying Mantis. The Preying Mantis explodes and the robots bail out of the pod over Britain. He returns Hammer-Stein's body to him. He declares himself a free robot.

HAMMER-STEIN
In Swopsey, he swaps his head with Ro-Jaws. He and Ro-Jaws force their way into the cockpit and separate the pod containing the other robots from the Preying Mantis. The Preying Mantis explodes and the robots bail out of the pod over Britain. He returns Hammer-Stein's body to him. He declares himself a free robot.


OTHER CHARACTERS
MEK-QUAKE
He remains behind at Ro-Busters.

X-27?
He memory seems to be returning since he became a free robot. He may have been to Saturn.

DEATHS

BEST LINES
Quartz: "Miss Marilyn, I shall have to deduct the time you've been crying from your pay packet. You can't make a profit out of sobbing your heart out!"

WORST LINES
Ginger: "What a gay day!"

CATCHPHRASES
Mek-Quake is hurt Quartz didn't come to him for Big Jobs, Doctor Feeley Good Humm-de-humms again.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Unknown.

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: P. Mills
Artist: McMahon
Letters: Peter Knight

REVIEW
This is liberating. Ro-Busters gone rogue. It's a shame that we don't get to see more of Ro-Jaws and Hammer-Stein wearing each other's heads.

Next Prog: Bits And Pieces!

Monday 9 June 2014

Ro-Busters: The Fall & Rise Of Ro-Jaws And Hammer-Stein, Part 2 - Robocide!

NAME
Ro-Busters: The Fall & Rise Of Ro-Jaws And Hammer-Stein, Part 2 - Robocide!

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 AD & Starlord Prog 104

DATELINE
17 Mar 79

PAGE COUNT
6

REPRINTS
The Best Of 2000AD 71, Cyber Crush 08, Ro-Busters Book 2, 2000AD Extreme Edition 24 and Judge Dredd The Complete Case Files 04.

SYNOPSIS
Qurtz puts his plan into action.

FIRSTS & LASTS
None.

INFORMATION
Imitation Humans are robots that are used for attempting medical treatment.

'The Robot's Farewell' is an illegal song popular among robots.

RO-JAWS
He and Hammer-Stein show Ginger around. Marilyn warns Ro-Jaws of Quartz' plan. He is sent on a mission in the Preying Mantis.

HAMMER-STEIN
He and Ro-Jaws show Ginger around. He is sent on a mission in the Preying Mantis.

OTHER CHARACTERS
HOWARD QUARTZ
In addition to Ro-Busters (Disasters) Ltd., Howard Quartz also owns Ro-Busters America Ltd., Ro-Busters U.K. Ltd., Ro-Busters (Espana) S.A., Ro-Busters Italia S.P.A., Ro-Busters Netherlands P.V, Ro-Busters Deutschland A.G, Ro-Busters (Africa) J.B., Ro-Busters Australia PTY Ltd., Ro-Busters (Tokyo) SHA, Ro-Busters International Holding Ltd., Ro-Busters Mercury Ltd., Ro-Busters Venus Ltd., Ro-Busters (Luna) Ltd., Ro-Busters (Mars) Ltd., Ro-Busters Titan Ltd., Ro-Busters Asteroids Ltd., Ro-Busters Saturn Ltd., Ro-Busters Uranus Ltd., Ro-Busters Neptune Ltd., Ro-Busters Pluto Ltd., Ro-Busters Interplanetary Ltd., Ro-Busters Solar Exploration Ltd., Ro-Busters Starships Ltd., Ro-Busters Global Dynamics Ltd., Ro-Busters Ley-Mek Ltd., Ro-Busters Reed Group Ltd., Ro-Busters IPC Ltd., Ro-Busters Terra-Meks Ltd., Ro-Busters Construction Ltd., Ro-Busters Demolition Ltd., Ro-Busters Aviation Co., Ltd., Ro-Busters Publishing Corporation, Ro-Busters Securities Ltd., Ro-Busters Missiles Ltd., Ro-Busters Submarines Ltd., Ro-Busters (Mek-Men) Ltd., Quartz Holidays Ltd., Quartz International Holidays Ltd., Quartz Luna Holidays Ltd., Quartz Martian Holidays Ltd., Quartz Solar System Holidays Ltd., Quartz Supermarkets Ltd., Quartz Pleasure Centres Ltd., Quartz the Tailors Ltd., Quartz Watches Ltd., Quartz Synthi Butchers Ltd., Quartz Catering Ltd., Howard Hairdressers Ltd., Howard Homes Ltd., Howard Underground Homes Ltd., Howard Homes Ltd., Howard Cinemas Ltd., Howard Night Clubs Ltd., Howard Mystery Tours Ltd., Howard Omnibus Company., Howard the Chemists, Howard Tobacconists., Howard Kiosks, Howard Model Agency, Howard Discos-A-Go-Go., Howard Hamburgers and a company making toys.

MISS MARILYN
She warns Ro-Jaws of Quartz' plan.

GINGER
Ro-Jaws and Hammer-Stein show him around. He is sent on a mission in the Preying Mantis.

CASEY
Imitation Human at Ro-Busters and sole patient of Doctor Feeley Good. Last week he was infected with The Dreaded Lurgey. He is sent on a mission in the Preying Mantis.

DOCTOR FEELEY GOOD
Robo-Doctor at Ro-Busters. He was struck off. He operates on Casey as often as possible. Last week he infected him with The Dreaded Lurgey. He is sent on a mission in the Preying Mantis.

DEATHS
None.

BEST LINES
Ro-Jaws: "Mankey Moses!"

WORST LINES
Quartz and Marilyn reiterate the cliffhanger from Part 1, but it's different (and not as good as) the original.

CATCHPHRASES
Doctor Feeley Good seems make a "Humm-de-hum!" noise four times.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
Quartz plans to buy more Terra-Meks with his insurance money.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Ro-Jaws says "Here's looking at you, kid!"

MISTAKES
Quartz and Marilyn's opening conversation reiterates Part 1's cliffhanger, but they get it wrong.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: Pat Mills
Artist: Kevin O'Neill
Letters: Peter Knight

REVIEW
This is nice, but it essentially stretches the plot of Part 1 a little too far.

Next Prog: Blow Up!

Sunday 8 June 2014

Ro-Busters: The Fall And Rise Of Ro-Jaws And Hammer-Stein!, Part 1

NAME
Ro-Busters: The Fall And Rise Of Ro-Jaws And Hammer-Stein!, Part 1

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 AD & Starlord Prog 103

DATELINE
10 Mar 79

PAGE COUNT
6

REPRINTS
The Best Of 2000AD 71, Cyber Crush 08, Ro-Busters Book 2, 2000AD Extreme Edition 24 and The Complete Ro-Busters.

SYNOPSIS
Ginger is reunited with Ro-Jaws, while Quartz plots the end of Ro-Busters.

FIRSTS & LASTS
None.

INFORMATION
Robettes are immature robots. Goldilocks And The Three Robots is a retelling of a fairy tale with robots.

Ro-Busters haven't been called to a disaster in months.

RO-JAWS
He hid Hammer-Stein's old head for a week. Ro-Jaws reads to the Robettes. He is reunited with Ginger.

HAMMER-STEIN
Ro-Jaws hid his old head for a week. Hammer-Stein reluctantly pays Mek-Quake twenty credits to leave Ginger alone.

OTHER CHARACTERS
GINGER
He was sent to the robo knacker's yard and reconstructed from pieces of other robots. He has been sent to Ro-Busters and is reunited with Ro-Jaws again.

MEK-QUAKE
He extorts money, comics or life from new arrivals at Ro-Busters. He is saving up for a twenty mega-ton atomic howitzer and collects Sergeant Rock comics.


HOWARD QUARTZ
With Ro-Busters' profits down, he plans to destroy the Preying Mantis whilst it is full of robots and claim on the insurance.

MISS MARILN
She is horrified by Quartz' plan.

DEATHS
None.

BEST LINES
Marilyn: "The mass murder of robots...robocide! That-that's horrible!"
Quartz: "Yes. Now I must make a list of the robots I want destroyed...No prizes for guessing which two robots will be top of my list!"

WORST LINES
Hammer-Stein: "Hmmm! You'll find him over there - telling a story to the robettes!"

Are they a Motown musical combo?

CATCHPHRASES
Ro-Jaws calls Ginger a "daft nerk" whilst complimenting him.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
Quartz hopes for a plague in Mega-City One or a pile-up in the Trans-Atlantic Tunnel. Ro-Busters reputation has suffered since Northpool's near demolition.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Mek-Quake collects Sergeant Rock comics. Sgt. Rock first appeared in G.I. Combat #68 (1959) as The Rock, gaining a his rank a little later and his own comic in 1977. Quartz references the 1974 disaster movie, The Towering Inferno.

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: Pat Mills
Artist: Kevin O'Neill
Letters: Peter Knight

REVIEW
The return of Ro-Jaws, Hammer-Stein, Ginger and Miss Marilyn does a great job of convincing the reader that this will be business as usual after three stories that bucked the trend, but Quartz' plot upsets the applecart brilliantly.

Next Prog: Robocide!

Saturday 7 June 2014

Judge Dredd: The Fink, Part Four

NAME
Judge Dredd: The Fink, Part Four

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 AD Featuring Judge Dredd Prog 196

DATELINE
24 Jan 81

This prog also featured Dash Decent, Meltdown Man, Return To Armageddon, Ro-Jaws' Robo-Tales and Strontium Dog strips, an Angel Gang Star Pin-Up and a cover by Dave Gibbons.

PAGE COUNT
6

REPRINTS
Judge Dredd Epics Judge Dredd And The Angel Gang, The Best Of 2000AD 13, Judge Dredd Chronicles Book 3, Judge Dredd Chronicles Book 20, Judge Dredd 16, The Complete Judge Dredd 18, The Best Of Judge Dredd and Judge Dredd The Complete Case Files 04.

SYNOPSIS
Fink attempts to recycle Hershey.

FIRSTS & LASTS
First appearance of Resyk.

INFORMATION
The Mega-City One Body Recycling Plant or Resyk is one of several such terminals that recycle human remains into 107 useful constituent chemicals. Resyk workers have a saying "we use everything but the soul."

Eleven million citizens die in Mega-City One each year.

Synthi-Velv is synthetic velvet.

Named Judges: Judge Fodder (deceased).

JUDGE DREDD
Upon hearing of Fink's break in, Dredd heads to Resyk and stops the conveyer belt just before Hershey is recycled. He struggles with Fink and his rat, before forcing the latter to bite the former. Fink stabs Dredd in the back and the Judge is hospitalised, but recovering.

OTHER CHARACTERS
FINK
He breaks into Resyk carrying Hershey and places her on the conveyer belt. Dredd intervenes and forces Ratty to bite Fink. Fink survives and is sentenced to life in an isolation cube.

RATTY
He was never captured and lived on at Resyk.

JUDGE HERSHEY
Fink carries her to Resyk and places her on the conveyer belt. Dredd stops the belt before she is recycled. By the next day she has recovered.

ARRESTS
One. Fink is arrested and sentenced to life imprisonment.

DEATHS
One. Fink kills Fodder.

BEST LINES
Resyk slogan: "We use everything but the soul."

WORST LINES
Dredd: "Those pellets are poisoned! Got to dodge them and reach the controls!"

CATCHPHRASES
Dredd says "Drokk!" twice and "Stop in the name of the law!"

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Unknown.

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: T.B. Grover
Artist: Mike McMahon
Letters: Tom Frame

REVIEW
Another great slice of Fink action, Hershey's thought bubbles are all wonderful and Resyk is an excellent addition of Mega-City One.

The End.

Friday 6 June 2014

Judge Dredd: The Fink, Part Three

NAME
Judge Dredd: The Fink, Part Three

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 AD Featuring Judge Dredd Prog 195

DATELINE
17 Jan 81

This prog also featured Dash Decent, Meltdown Man, Return To Armageddon, Strontium Dog and, for the first time, more than one Judge Dredd. It had a Return To Armageddon cover by Ian Gibson and a Torquemada Star Pin-Up by Kevin O'Neill.

PAGE COUNT
6

REPRINTS
The Best Of 2000AD 13, Judge Dredd Epics: Judge Dredd And The Angel Gang, The Complete Judge Dredd 18
Judge Dredd Chronicles Book 3, Judge Dredd Chronicles Book 20, Judge Dredd 16, The Best Of Judge Dredd and Judge Dredd The Complete Case Files 04.

SYNOPSIS
The Fink reflects on his past.

FIRSTS & LASTS
First time Dredd has missed out on part of a multi-part story in the middle.

INFORMATION
Biometric surgery augments the body with technological devices.

JUDGE DREDD
None.

OTHER CHARACTERS
THE FINK
At the age of seven he went to live in a hole. Following Mean Machine's surgery, he left home unannounced. He moved around poisoning as he went and the radiation physically warped him. Whilst digging a hole, he encountered the rat that would become his only friend. He became aware of the death of his family, when he discovered a newspaper cutting concerning the controversial end to Judge Dredd's search for the Judge Child. He heads to Mega-City One for revenge. He takes a paralysed Judge Hershey back to his base under a demolition site and then after darkness falls he relocates her.


JUDGE HERSHEY
Still paralysed, the Fink takes a her back to his base under a demolition site until night when he moves her.

PA ANGEL
He raises his sons to cultivate an individual style of killing. He takes his boys to Texas City on a raid.

MA ANGEL
She died in childbirth during Junior's delivery. Her epitaph reads "Ma Angel Gone To Hell".

MEAN ANGEL
Pa Angel worried he wasn't mean enough and has biometric surgery to fit the his mechanical arm and the dial that controls his behaviour. Doctor Fassbinder is his first victim.

LINK ANGEL
He spent much of his childhood chained to a post by his nose.

DR. C. FASSBINDER
Doctor kidnapped by the Angel Gang and forced to perform surgery on Mean Angel.

ARRESTS
None.

DEATHS
At least eight Ma Angel dies in childbirth, but then we only have Pa's word for that. At least four die in the Texas City raid. Mean Machine headbutts Doctor Fassbinder. Fink poisons at least two passersby at the Water Hoal.

BEST LINES
Junior: "Pa! Pa! Fink's gone!...He's taken his hole with him!"

WORST LINES
None.

CATCHPHRASES
None.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Fassbinder shares his name with Rainer Werner Fassbinder (1945–1982), German film director responsible for the films Why Does Herr R. Run Amok? (1970), Beware Of A Holy Whore (1971) and TV series Eight Hours Are Not a Day (1972–1973).

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: T.B. Grover
Artist: Mike McMahon
Letters: Tom Frame

REVIEW
This is excellent. By the end of this surprisingly Dreddless part, Fink has well and truly earned his place in Judge Dredd and his deterioration is brilliantly depicted.

Next Prog: The Body Factory!

Thursday 5 June 2014

Judge Dredd: The Fink, Part 2

NAME
Judge Dredd: The Fink, Part 2

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 AD Featuring Judge Dredd Prog 194

DATELINE
10 Jan 81

This prog also featured Dash Decent, The Mean Arena, Meltdown Man, Return To Armageddon and Strontium Dog and a cover by Dave Gibbons.

PAGE COUNT
7

REPRINTS
The Best Of 2000AD 13, The Complete Judge Dredd 18, Judge Dredd Chronicles Book 3, Judge Dredd Chronicles Book 20, Judge Dredd 16, Judge Dredd Epics: Judge Dredd And The Angel Gang, The Best Of Judge Dredd and Judge Dredd The Complete Case Files 04.

SYNOPSIS
Fink goes after Hershey, Dredd goes after Fink.

FIRSTS & LASTS
Last appearance of Judge Larter.

INFORMATION
In Mega-City One, the Hotel Oddfellow is near Last Chance Lane. Sleepybye produce Suction Beds.

The bite of a Cursed Earth rat is fatal.

Named Judges: Judge Steer.

JUDGE DREDD
The Fink's calling card leads Dredd to believe he may be a fifth member of the Angel Gang and following Larter's death, that Hershey may be in danger. The Judge heads to Hershey's last known location and pursues the Fink into the Hotel Oddfellow only to discover he has poisoned several guests.

OTHER CHARACTERS
FINK ANGEL
Eldest son of Elmer 'Pa' Angel. He kills a citizen with a sling and a spiked missile to attract Judge Hershey's attention. He paralyses her with his poison and kidnaps her. He poisons a pool filled with guests at the Hotel Oddfellow and makes his escape.

JUDGE HERSHEY
She investigates the sling related death in Last Chance Lane. The Fink paralyses her with his poison.


ARRESTS
None.

DEATHS
At least eight. The Fink kills a man with his sling and poisons a pool full of people at the Hotel Oddfellow. Ratty fatally bites Frank who then crashes his truck.

BEST LINES
Fink: "She's a-comin', Ratty!"

WORST LINES
None.

CATCHPHRASES
Dredd and Hershey both say "Drokk!". Dredd also chalks up another "Drokk it!"

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Unknown.

MISTAKES
Judge Steer's badge is spelt Sterr on the last page.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: T.B. Grover
Artist: Mike McMahon
Letters: Tom Frame

REVIEW
And then there was one. McMahon's art is excellent and the script is extraordinarily efficient.

Next Prog: The Making Of A Fink!

Wednesday 4 June 2014

Judge Dredd: 'The Fink', Part 1

NAME
Judge Dredd: 'The Fink', Part 1

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 AD Voted Britain's No: 1 Comic! Prog 193

DATELINE
3 Jan 81

The first prog of 1981 saw the price rise to 15 pence and proudly proclaim itself "Voted Britain's No: 1 Comic!". It also contained Dash Decent, The Mean Arena, Meltdown Man, Return To Armageddon and Strontium Dog all behind a Judge Dredd cover by Mike McMahon.

PAGE COUNT
6

REPRINTS
Judge Dredd Epics: Judge Dredd And The Angel Gang, The Best Of 2000AD 13, The Complete Judge Dredd 18, Judge Dredd Chronicles Book 3, Judge Dredd Chronicles Book 20, Judge Dredd 16, The Best Of Judge Dredd and Judge Dredd The Complete Case Files 04.

SYNOPSIS
The Fink comes to Mega-City One to take his revenge.

FIRSTS & LASTS
First appearance of Fink and Ratty. Last appearance of Larter.

INFORMATION
Rats in the Cursed Earth are tougher than their Mega-City One counterparts.

Named Judges: Judge Fe... (name partially obscured); Judge Fi... (name partially obscured)

JUDGE DREDD
The Fink plans to kill him.

OTHER CHARACTERS
THE FINK
He paralyses Judge Pilot Larter with poison, kidnaps him and takes him down into Mega-City One's sewers where he allws him to be eaten by rats. He leaves a calling card with the body that looks like an Angel.

RATTY
Cursed Earth rat and the Fink's pet. He can call an army of rats to his location.

JUDGE PILOT LARTER
He is still flying Justice 1. The Fink poisons and kidnaps him.

JUDGE HERSHEY
The Fink plans to kill her.

ARRESTS
None.

DEATHS
One. The Fink poisons Larter and allows him to be eaten by a swarm of rats.

BEST LINES
Fink: "One down, Ratty boy...Two to go!"

WORST LINES
None.

CATCHPHRASES
Larter says "Stomm!" and "Drokk!"

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
Larter and Hershey were last seen in The Judge Child.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Unknown.

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: T.B. Grover
Artist: Mike McMahon
Letters: Tom Frame

REVIEW
Dark, brooding and excellent despite its Dreddlessness. The Fink is a fantastic character design

Next Prog: Fink In The Drink!

Tuesday 3 June 2014

Ro-Busters: The Terra-Meks, Part Four - The Big Lie!

NAME
Ro-Busters: The Terra-Meks, Part Four - The Big Lie!

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 AD & Starlord Prog 101

DATELINE
24 Feb 79

PAGE COUNT
7

REPRINTS
2000AD Annual 1987, Judge Dredd Megazine 4.02, Cyber Crush 07, Sam Slade Robo-Hunter (Volume 2) 05, Ro-Busters Book 1 and The Complete Ro-Busters.

SYNOPSIS
Charlie saves the day, but is rewarded with an attack from the navy and a song from the town.

FIRSTS & LASTS
Last appearance of Charlie.

INFORMATION
HMS Nemesis is a Royal Navy Destroyer.

Northpool Evening Echo and Northpool Sun are newspapers.

Following their involvement in Charlie's destruction, Ro-Busters' share price falls to one credit.

CHARLIE
He is equipped with storm-proof plating. After he has finished with the Terra-Meks, he spots a ship out at sea and goes to help. It is the Royal Navy Destroyer HMS Nemesis, they attack him and he sinks to the seabed. Some weeks later, Charlie rises from the sea and clambers toward Northpool. The people of Northpool offer encouragement.


OTHER CHARACTERS
HOWARD QUARTZ
The price of shares in Ro-Busters falls to one credit each.

EXCAVATOR
He escapes Charlie with Tar-Mek, but they are destroyed two days later by a squadron of jets.

TAR-MEK
He escapes Charlie with Excavator, but they are destroyed two days later by a squadron of jets.

FATHER FLANNIGAN
He knows ships and can diagnose problems (or the lack thereof) by sight.

DEATHS
Two. Excavator and Tar-Mek are bombed by aircraft.

BEST LINES
None.

WORST LINES
None.

CATCHPHRASES
Mek-Quake says "Big Jobs"

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
There have been three ships called HMS Nemesis. One launched in 1780, another in 1826 and a third, an Acorn-class destroyer, launched in 1910. Northpool's residents sing 'You'll Never Walk Alone' to encourage Charlie, a song from the 1945 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical Carousel, it has become synonymous with Liverpool Football Club since the early 1960s.


MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: Pat Mills
Artist: Dave Gibbons
Letters: Dave Gibbons

REVIEW
This still features some beautiful artwork and it's nice to see Charlie's return, but the stilted dialogue causes the story to suffer somewhat.

The End.

Monday 2 June 2014

Ro-Busters: The Terra-Meks!, Part 3 - To The Death!

NAME
Ro-Busters: The Terra-Meks!, Part 3 - To The Death!

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 AD & Starlord Prog 100

DATELINE
17 Feb 79

PAGE COUNT
6

REPRINTS
2000AD Annual 1987, Judge Dredd Megazine 4.02, Sam Slade Robo-Hunter (Volume 2) 04, Ro-Busters Book 1 and The Complete Ro-Busters.

SYNOPSIS
Charlie fights back and wins. Quartz and Murdoch have other ideas.

FIRSTS & LASTS
None.

INFORMATION
None.

CHARLIE
He is equipped with lasers. He fights Tyranno-Mek and wins. He takes on Fantas-Tek and pulls off its head causing it to explode.

OTHER CHARACTERS
TYRANNO-MEK
He is equipped with lasers, a grabber, power cable and hydraulic tubes containing red hydraulic fluid. He fights Charlie and loses. When he falls to the ground, Road-Roller begins crushing and cutting him up, while Dumper buried them in rubble.

ROAD-ROLLER
When Tyranno-Mek is beaten by Charlie, Road-Roller begins crushing and cutting up his prone body.

DUMPER
When Tyranno-Mek is beaten by Charlie, Dumper buries his body in rubble.

HOWARD QUARTZ
He refuses to take responsibility for the action of his Terra-Meks. He and Murdoch plot to pin the destruction on Charlie. They call in the Navy and accuse Charlie of attacking Northpool.

RON MURDOCH
He refuses to take responsibility for not evacuating Northpool. He and Quartz plot to pin the destruction on Charlie. They call in the Navy and accuse Charlie of attacking Northpool.

FANTAS-TEK
He fights Charlie and loses.

MEK-QUAKE
He hides from Charlie among the rubble.

KING KONKA
He fights Charlie and loses.

DEATHS
Three. Charlie smashes up Tyranno-Mek, Fantas-Tek and King Konka.

BEST LINES
Quartz (in response to WORST LINES see below) "Yes, but experience has taught me -- the bigger the lie, the more likely we are to get way with it! We'll deny everything and put the blame on Charlie!"

WORST LINES
Murdoch (in response to Quartz first suggestion Charlie be blamed for Northpool's destruction): "But that's not true! It's a lie!"

Said the politician.

CATCHPHRASES
Mek-Quake says "Big Jobs". Howard Quartz CJ's again: "I didn't get where I am today without knowing when to pass the buck!"

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
This has a very Godzilla (1954) feel to it.

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: Pat Mills
Artist: D. Gibbons
Letters: D. Gibbons

REVIEW
The artwork is beautiful and the action is wonderful, albeit a little repetitive.

Next Prog: The Big Lie!

Sunday 1 June 2014

Ro-Busters: The Terra-Meks!, Part Two - Mek-Mania!

NAME
Ro-Busters: The Terra-Meks!, Part Two - Mek-Mania!

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 AD & Starlord Prog 99

DATELINE
10 Feb 79

PAGE COUNT
8

REPRINTS
2000AD Annual 1987, Judge Dredd Megazine 4.02, Cyber Crush 05, Sam Slade Robo-Hunter (Volume 2) 03, Ro-Busters Book 1 and The Complete Ro-Busters.

SYNOPSIS
The Terra-Meks get started.

FIRSTS & LASTS
First eight page Ro-Busters.

INFORMATION
There are caves beneath Northpool from the town's smuggling history, they connect with the Presbytery.

The Terra-Meks are owned by Ro-Busters (Demolition) Ltd.


CHARLIE
The destruction of Northpool forces Charlie into action and he challenges the Terra-Meks.

OTHER CHARACTERS
TYRANNO-MEK
Terra-Mek. Works closely with Dumper. They begin demolishing Northpool, starting by ripping the roofs off buildings.

FANTAS-TEK
Terra-Mek. They begin demolishing Northpool, he grinds buildings into rubble.

KING KONKA
Terra-Mek. He has ten forward and five reverse gears. He is required fulfil a work quota. They begin demolishing Northpool, starting by ripping the roofs off buildings.

MEK-QUAKE
Terra-Mek. They begin demolishing Northpool.

EXCAVATOR
Terra-Mek. They begin demolishing Northpool.

DUMPER
Terra-Mek. They begin demolishing Northpool.

ROAD-ROLLER
Terra-Mek. They begin demolishing Northpool, he flattens rubble into hardcore.

TAR-MEK
Terra-Mek. They begin demolishing Northpool, he oozes tar over the hardcore.

FATHER FLANNIGAN
Catholic Priest. He lives in a Presbytery in Northpool and has a housekeeper. He is the leader of the Save Our City action group in Northpool. He attempts to reason with the Terra-Meks, but to no avail.

STEVENSON
The Chief Robot Engineer who built Charlie.

DEATHS
At least two. A couple in a car drive into Fantas-Tek's crushing jaws.

BEST LINES
Road-Roller: "Let the good times roll!"

WORST LINES
Fantas-Tek: "Nogeee!"

What?

CATCHPHRASES
The Terra-Meks say "Big Jobs" five times, "Illogical!" twice, and both "Destroy!" and "Die!" three times each.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
King Konka obviously a homage to King Kong. Road-Roller either references "Let The Good Times Roll" a song recorded by Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five in 1946 or "Let The Good Times Roll!", a song recorded by Shirley and Lee in 1956.

MISTAKES
Why no name captions for Excavator, Dumper, Robo-Roller or Tar-Mek?

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: Pat Mills
Artist: Dave Gibbons
Letters: Dave Gibbons

REVIEW
Again the art is beautiful, although poorer for having less Charlie in it.

Next Prog: To The Death!