Black Hawk, Part 8

NAME
Black Hawk, Part 8

FIRST PUBLISHED
Tornado Issue 11

DATELINE
2 June 79

This issue featured The Angry Planet, The Mind Of Wolfie Smith, Wagner's Walk, Storm, The Lawless Touch and Victor Drago, with a cover featuring The Lawless Touch by Barry Mitchell.

PAGE COUNT
5

REPRINTS
Black Hawk: The Intergalactic Gladiator.

SYNOPSIS
Black Hawk arrives in Britain, prevents an assassination and witness a suicidal sacrifice.

FIRSTS & LASTS
First part set in Britain. First example of a supernatural phenomena in Black Hawk.

INFORMATION
(This part takes place in the first century AD and less than a hundred years after Julius Caesar's invasion of Britain in 55BC, so presumably between 1AD and 54AD).

In Britain, the followers of the Druids practice self sacrifice.

BLACK HAWK
He and his are sent to Britain to aid the local garrison in an assault on the Druid cult. He arrives in Londinium and heads to the Governor's villa, but is treated without respect and disarmed. When a group of Druid-followers attack, Black Hawk defends the Governor and follows his hawk to the location of only Druid-follower that escapes. Black Hawk witnesses this survivor sacrifice himself to the Druids causing the altar fire the flare strangely taking the appearance of a face.

OTHER CHARACTERS
CRASSUS
He watches Black Hawk leave the senate.

BARABBA
He does not enjoy the crossing to Britain.

MISTRESS
The hawk swoops into the governor of Britain's villa and picks up his food to reveal some hidden arrows. Later it finds the sole escapee beneath a bridge.

DEATHS
At least three. The Druid-followers kill the Roman guards and then the one that got away kills himself.

BEST LINES
None.

WORST LINES
Governor (as a bird flies through his dining hall and ostensibly steals his dinner): "Wait, something is wrong! A hawk never touches cold meat!"

CATCHPHRASES
A Druid-follower screams "Aiee!"

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Londinium and Mona are the Roman names for London and Anglesey respectively. Julius Caesar (100-44 BC) and his invasion of Britain are both mentioned.

MISTAKES
It seems very unlikely that Black Hawk would refer to Londinium as London.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: G.F. Day
Artist: Azpiri
Letters: Unknown

REVIEW
This is great, it's interesting to see Black Hawk on somewhat familiar territory and with something of a mystery beginning to unfold.

Next Week: The Power Of The Druids!