Black Hawk, Part 19

NAME
Black Hawk, Part 19

FIRST PUBLISHED
Tornado No 22

DATELINE
18 Aug 79

The last issue of Tornado featured The Angry Planet, The Mind Of Wolfie Smith, The Lawless Touch, Storm, Captain Klep, Victor Drago and two of Tornado's True Tales, with a Storm cover by Cam Kennedy.

PAGE COUNT
5

REPRINTS
Black Hawk: The Intergalactic Gladiator.

SYNOPSIS
Crassus tries to frame Black Hawk, who kills him and is somehow transported away.

FIRSTS & LASTS
Last Black Hawk to feature in Tornado, last appearance of Stronus, Batus, Crassus, Nero and the Hawk.

INFORMATION
None.

BLACK HAWK
He meets Nero who decides to inspect Black Hawk's men. Whilst waiting for the Emperor, he encounters an old woman who says his destiny lies in the stars and the night will bring death. He heads to the Emperor's Palace, where Crassus accuses him of planning to kill Nero. They fight and Black Hawk kills Crassus. A strange mist descends and he is transported somewhere else.

OTHER CHARACTERS
CRASSUS
He decides to frame Black Hawk in an assassination attempt on the Emperor Nero.

NERO
He meets Black Hawk and decides to review his auxiliaries.

STRONUS
He trains Black Hawk's men in readiness for the Emperor's visit.

BATUS
As he is transported away, Black Hawk puts him in command of the men.

DEATHS
One. Black Hawk stabs Crassus with his sword.

BEST LINES
The Hawk: "Skee? Skee?"

WORST LINES
Black Hawk (thinks): "Those traitors were Nubians - black as me - but they valued another colour - gold, given them by an enemy, but who is it that wants to see me dead?"

For eighteen weeks, Black Hawk dealt with race in a surprisingly forthright and progressive manner only to throw it all away at the end of the Tornado run.

CATCHPHRASES
A roman screams an "Aieeeeee!"

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Caligula (or Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus)(AD 12–41) was Roman emperor from AD 37–41 and was indeed assassinated.

MISTAKES
Black Hawk says he lacks Crassus' "viper's toneue"

RETROSPECT
Black Hawk will continue as a very different strip in 2000AD

NOTES
None.

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

REVIEW
Black Hawk's Tornado era comes to an end and goes out in style. Nero, the old crone, Black Hawk killing Crassus are all great, as is Black Hawk's exit, it's just as shame that, for obvious reasons, it all seems a little rushed.

Find Out Next Week, In 2000A.D. & Tornado!