The A.B.C. Warriors: 'The Order Of Knights Martial', Part 1

NAME
The A.B.C. Warriors: 'The Order Of Knights Martial', Part 1

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 AD & Starlord Prog 123

DATELINE
28 Jul 79

PAGE COUNT
6

REPRINTS
A.B.C. Warriors Book 1, A.B.C. Warriors: Meknificent Seven & A.B.C. Warriors: The Mek-nificent Seven.

SYNOPSIS
The Volgans attack, General Karnage is captured and Deadlock serves as his judge.

FIRSTS & LASTS
First appearance of Deadlock.

INFORMATION
The Watch-Tower is a huge fortress satellite which orbits the Earth. The Order Of Knights Martial use it to maintain constant surveillance of Volgan army movements on the planet for the Allied forces. It is struck by an enormous meteorite targeted by the Volgans and forced to crash-land.

The Order Of Knights Martial are A.B.C. Warriors that have become masters of the martial arts and meditation. There are rumours of strange experiments, terrifying powers and secret ceremonies that are unsubstantiated.

Volgans use storm tanks and are able to steer meteorites toward a target with accuracy.

Mek-food provides sustenance for robots.

HAMMER-STEIN
He regards the Order Of Knights Martial as the ultimate A.B.C. Warriors. He leads his A.B.C. Warriors in the fight against the Volgans attacking the crash-landed Watch-Tower. Following the battle and court martial, he asks Deadlock to join him.

JOE PINEAPPLES
He fights against the Volgans attacking the crash-landed Watch-Tower. After the capture of General Karnage he assumes Hammer-Stein wants him killed.

HAPPY SHRAPNEL
His boots may smell. He fights against the Volgans attacking the crash-landed Watch-Tower.

MONGROL
He refers to Hammer-Stein as "Boss-Warrior" and covets Happy Shrapnel's boots. Mongrol fights against the Volgans attacking the crash-landed Watch-Tower.

OTHER CHARACTERS
BROTHER DEADLOCK
Grand Wizard of the Order Of Knights Martial based on the Watch-Tower. He can read Tarot cards and predicts the attack on the Watch-Tower. Deadlock presides over the court martial of General Karnage. Hammer-Stein asks Deadlock to join him and in return Deadlock challenges him.

GENERAL KARNAGE
Known Volgan war criminal. He is captured by the Allies and tried in a court martial and found guilty.

DEATHS
Potentially thousands die in the battle surrounding the downed Watch-Tower.

BEST LINES
Deadlock: "Purge the filth that dares to attack us! Cleansewith fire and sword, my brothers!"

WORST LINES
Joe: "N and V, Sarge..?"

CATCHPHRASES
Happy Shrapnel gives us seven variations on "Bzzz!"

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Hammer-Stein mentions "Robbie the Robot", a reference to either a character from the Doc Savage adventure The Fantastic Island (1935), Isaac Asimov's short story Robbie (1940) or Robby the Robot from Forbidden Planet (1956). We see, The Tower, one of Deadlock's Tarot cards. The Tower is the sixteenth trump card in most Italian Tarot decks. It has been used in game playing since the 15th century and in divination since the mid-19th century, commonly interpreted as meaning danger, crisis, sudden change, higher learning and liberation.

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script Robot: Pat Mills
Art Robot: Kevin O'Neill
Lettering Robot: Peter Knight

REVIEW
Deadlock makes an instant impression and gives the strip a real shot in the arm, but his Tarot prediction was pretty useless seemingly coming mere seconds before the attack. The court martial illustrates his sense of justice beautifully and the cliffhanger is an intriguing one. So much happens in just six pages and The A.B.C. Warriors will never be the same.

Next Prog: See The Secret Powers Of Deadlock!