Strontium Dog: 'Planet Of The Dead', Part 1

NAME
Strontium Dog: 'Planet Of The Dead', Part 1

FIRST PUBLISHED
Starlord No 8

DATELINE
1 July 78

PAGE COUNT
5

REPRINTS
Strontium Dog: Search/Destroy Agency Files 01.

SYNOPSIS
Johnny and Wulf take on a job from a computer.

FIRSTS & LASTS
First appearance of robots and artificial intelligences in Strontium Dog.

INFORMATION
Circes is a planet. A hundred years ago the city states handed over power to their computers. Thirty years ago the five great city states were destroyed in the Great Neutron War. Radiation levels have almost returned to normal.

The indigenous lifeform are called the Jox. Twenty are believed to have survived the Great Neutron War and maintain a hidden base in the Northern District of City 4.

Infra-Red Torches can be used to pick up heat from footprints. The brighter the footprint, the more recent it is.

JOHNNY ALPHA
He and Wulf travel to City 4 on Circes to meet McIntyre. He tasks them with capturing the surviving Jox and forcing them to swear allegiance to McIntyre, in exchange the computer will allow them any one object of value of their choice from City 4. They head to a Jox base in the city's northern district and are fired upon. They stun two Jox, but are surrounded by many more.

WULF STERNHAMMER
He and Johnny head to City 4 on Circes to meet McIntyre. They head to a Jox base in the city's northern district and are fired upon. They stun two Jox, but are surrounded by many more.

OTHER CHARACTERS
McINTYRE
Computer and legal ruler on City 4 on Circes. Last year he was known as Zxplok the Terrible.

CRYNGE
Robot. He interprets McIntyre's instructions.

CROLL
Robot assigned to aid Johnny and Wulf in their mission.

DEATHS
None.

BEST LINES
Crynge: "As legal ruler of City 4, my master can choose any name he likes. This year he is McIntyre - Last year he was Zxplok the Terrible. Next year he will be something else."

WORST LINES
Shot Jox #1: "Aaah!"
Shot Jox #2: "Aaagh!"

It's an important distinction.

CATCHPHRASES
McIntyre says "Rot you!"

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Unknown.

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

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

REVIEW
The set up here is great and manages to be eerie, despite the inclusion of a cute robot and his comedy relationship with his master. In fact their dialogue is the highlight of this part.

Next Week: 'The Last Of A Whole Race - And I Helped Destroy Them!'