Black Hawk, Part 29

NAME
Black Hawk, Part 29

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 AD & Tornado Prog 137

DATELINE
3 Nov 79

PAGE COUNT
5

REPRINTS
Black Hawk: The Intergalactic Gladiator.

SYNOPSIS
Blackhawk and Ursa make an escape attempt.

FIRSTS & LASTS
None.

INFORMATION
Sector XL-5 is the territory used by a group of space pirates.

BLACKHAWK
He and Ursa attempt to escape to a scout craft. They destroy six drones and an automated door. They get as far as a scout craft which neither of them can fly. The Director plans to tie them to the hull.

OTHER CHARACTERS
URSA
He prays for a sign from his God to see if he should attempt to escape, Blackhawk provides it. They get as far as a scout craft which neither of them can fly. The Director plans to tie them to the hull.

THE DIRECTOR
He watches Blackhawk and Ursa's escape attempt and catches them in the scout craft. He goes to the aid of a cargo craft under attack by space pirates, but it is an ambush.

DEATHS
None.

BEST LINES
Blackhawk: "Come then - make the craft fly"
Ursa: "Ursa not know how! Blackhawk fly it, hokey-dokey?"
Blackhawk: "Are you crazy, Bear? How could I know how to make it fly? I thought you-"
Ursa: "No. Ursa see Sky-Bot one time. But never been in one!"

WORST LINES
None.

CATCHPHRASES
Blackhawk says "If the entertainers catch us, Sebek alone knows what they'll do!", and later "Jackal's Blood!", "By the sacred jackal!" and "By the dark gods". Ursa sings again: "My axe he chop with crunching thud he has been spilling plenty blood!" and "We fight and then we fight some more my friend he chop-chop talking door!", he also screams an "Aiee!".

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
The Director mentions the Oracle computer from Part 26.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Sector XL-5 shares its designation with Fireball XL5, a Supermarionation TV series that was first broadcast between 1962 and 1963.

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: Alvin Gaunt
Artist: Belardinelli
Letters: Jack Potter

REVIEW
This part is full of great moments. Of all the fantastical things Blackhawk has seen it is a talking door which surprises him most. Blackhawk and Ursa both assuming that the other can fly a "sky-boat" and the Director being out ambushed by the space pirates. The opening sequence of Blackhawk tricking Ursa into escaping with him could do with being a bit clearer, but overall Blackhawk and Ursa as The Odd Couple is a rich seam.

Next Prog: Meet Captain Psyko And His Bully-Boys!