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!