Strontium Dog: 'Planet Of The Dead', Part 2

NAME
Strontium Dog: 'Planet Of The Dead', Part 2

FIRST PUBLISHED
Starlord No 9

DATELINE
8 July 80

PAGE COUNT
5

REPRINTS
Strontium Dog: Search/Destroy Agency Files 01.

SYNOPSIS
Johnny and Wulf are accomplices to genocide.

FIRSTS & LASTS
First time we really see Johnny and Wulf fail.

INFORMATION
The Jox have a military compound deep underground. There are twenty-six of them, but one of the women is with child. According to the laws of City 4 on Circes, a delegation of twenty-seven senior citizens was required to revoke the computer's power. Thirty years ago, a delegation was assembled, but before it could act the computer gave the command that started the Great Neutron War. Another law states that a formal warning of at least sixty seconds is required before detonating a neutron bomb.

Anti-Grav Chutes will slow an individual's descent using an anti-gravity field.

JOHHNY ALPHA
He and Wulf defeat the Jox, explain their mission and ask to be taken to the rest of the Jox. When Croll reveals himself to contain a neutron bomb, Johnny attempts to defuse it. He fails, Wulf saves them both with a time device.

WULF STERNHAMMER
When he realises Johnny will not be able to defuse the bomb, he saves them both with a time device.

OTHER CHARACTERS
McINTYRE
Thirty years ago it was called Milton the Marvellous and gave the command that started the Great Neutron War in order to prevent a delegation of senior citizens from revoking its power.

CROLL
Within its body is a small neutron bomb. Johnny tries to defuse it, but it explodes destroying the underground Jox base.

DEATHS
Twenty-Six. Croll's neutron bomb explodes killing twenty-six Jox, one of whom is pregnant.

BEST LINES
Croll: "McIntyre cannot risk having enough Jox alive to remove him. That is why I was constructed. You see, within my body is a small neutron bomb! The only problem was how to get me into this base - but now that I'm here...I hereby give you the formal sixty-second warning as required by law. 54 and counting..."

WORST LINES
Johnny: "But surely there has been enough killing. McIntyre only wants you to swear allegiance."

Oh Johnny, you poor naïve fool.

CATCHPHRASES
A Jox screams an "Aieee!" as he is shot, while another only manages "Aiee!" when hit with Wulf's happy stick. The Jox Elder screams "Aieee!" upon seeing the neutron bomb.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Unknown.

MISTAKES
Why doesn't Wulf use the Time Device on the neutron bomb?

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

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

REVIEW
Croll's inevitable betrayal comes as no surprise, but the Jox waiting until they number twenty-seven in order to make a legal challenge to McIntyre and the computer's inflexibility leading to history repeating are very nice touches. It's a shame that Part 1's Next Week tagline gives away a little too much.

Next Week: 'I've Got A Lot Of Hate To Get Rid Of!'