Timequake, Part 1

NAME
Timequake, Part 1

FIRST PUBLISHED
Starlord Issue 1

DATELINE
13 May 78

PAGE COUNT
6

REPRINTS
None

SYNOPSIS
An alien race from the future starts World War III and destroys the destiny of the Human race, but Time Control kidnaps a tramp steamer skipper to help them avert Armageddon.

FIRSTS & LASTS
First Timequake.

INFORMATION
In 1997, a man called Lyon Sprague discovers a means of travelling faster than light. The Sprague Interstellar Drive carries humanity to the stars. By the 40th Century humanity was the greatest power in the universe and adversaries of the Droon. The Droon are a highly developed but brutal race from the Rigel system with a desire for more territory. They could not hope to beat the humans with conventional warfare, but they managed to steal the secret of temporal warp-dis-placement time travel.

Time Control attempts to prevent the Droon from changing history and operates a sub-station in the Cretaceous Era (roughly 85 million years before 1978).

On the 1st of May 1978 at 07:14 Greenwich Meantime London, New York and Moscow were all hit by nuclear strikes, soon after contact with Paris is lost. Following the nuclear strikes all the Time Control sub-stations after the 20th century ceased to exist.

The Droon then attacked the Cretaceous sub-station.

JAMES BLOCKER
Skipper of a tramp steamer. He is abducted by Time Control seconds before his death in a nuclear disaster and taken to the Cretaceous Period Substation. They want him to travel back on 1978 and prevent himself from transporting Kemel Azwan to Israel.

OTHER CHARACTERS
HARL VINDA
Temporal Sub-station controller from the 38th century.

SUZI CHO
A princess of the Haniken Empire of the 32nd century. Time Control member.

QUEXALCHOLMEC
A pure-strain Aztec. Time Control member.

MARCUS GELADIUS
A centurion attached to the 9th Legion. Time Control member.

KEMEL AZWAN
The Droon travelled back in time and paid him to start a third world war. He bought illegal passage aboard a tramp steamer to Israel in March. Azwan is responsible for killings which broke up peace talks in the Middle East and is linked to the nuclear strikes on London, New York and Moscow.

DEATHS
Millions. Much of the populations of London, New York and Moscow are killed in a nuclear attack.

BEST LINES
Blocker: "Chew knuckles, Sunshine!"

WORST LINES
Marcus: "Temporal warp-dis-placement time travel"

CATCHPHRASES
None.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Unknown.

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: Jack Adrian
Artist: Ian Kennedy
Letters: Peter Knight

REVIEW
The opening page lends the story a grittiness that the Droon, dinosaur-proof force fields and the Time Control tunics couldn't. The continued use of the word sub-station and the weird details Harl Vinda supplies about his comrades makes Time Control seem a very odd bunch. I don't blame Blocker for being confused, but this strip still deals with the concept of alternative timelines very well.

Next Week: 'The DROON have WIPED OUT he FUTURE!'

Star Pin-Up: Buggo The Brave And Uglika

NAME
Star Pin-Up: Buggo The Brave And Uglika

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 AD Featuring Judge Dredd Prog 217

DATELINE
20 June 81

PAGE COUNT
1

REPRINTS
None.

SYNOPSIS
None.

FIRSTS & LASTS
None.

INFORMATION
None.


JUDGE DREDD
None.

OTHER CHARACTERS
BUGGO THE BRAVE AND UGLIKA
BUggo and Uglika have apparently had a son.

ARRESTS
None.

DEATHS
None.

BEST LINES
None.

WORST LINES
None.

CATCHPHRASES
None.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
Buggo The Brave And Uglika previously featured in Judge Dredd: The Judge Child, Part 8.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
None.

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: None.
Artist: Mike McMahon
Letters: None.

REVIEW
Probably the most obscure characters to get the Star Pin-Up treatment and very nice it is too.

Judge Dredd: The Mega-Rackets, Crime File: 5 - The Psycos, Part 2

NAME
Judge Dredd: The Mega-Rackets, Crime File: 5 - The Psycos, Part 2

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 AD Featuring Judge Dredd Prog 217

DATELINE
20 June 81

This prog featured Tharg's Future Shocks, Meltdown Man, Return To Armageddon and Strontium Dog strips, a Judge Dredd Star Pin-Up and a Tharg's Future Shocks cover by Mike McMahon.

PAGE COUNT
6

REPRINTS
The Best of 2000AD 28, The Complete Judge Dredd 21, Judge Dredd's Crime Files 5, Judge Dredd Mega City Vice Book 1 and Judge Dredd The Complete Case Files 05.

SYNOPSIS
Dredd goes after Squeers, Squeers goes after Dredd.

FIRSTS & LASTS
Last Judge Dredd art by Barry Mitchell.

INFORMATION
Mega City One's has a Ray Milland Block and the Third Eye Insurance Company has its own building. The city's Mega-Docks Area has at least three Atlantic Gates.

Judges are trained to resist Psi influence. Psi Division can undertake a brain search of an individual in their 'Psyke Tank'. The process requires a warrant and can legally only take twelve hours. Named Judges: Judge Grant.

Psykers can convince an individual of something untrue.

JUDGE DREDD
A Hover'porter crash narrowly avoids him and he stops a woman from climbing into the burning wreckage to rescue a baby she doesn't have. Assuming Squeers' involvement Dredd gets a warrant for a brain search

OTHER CHARACTERS
HODGE JONMAN
Hover'Porter driver affected by Psyker related hallucinations of a colossal monster.

REX SQUEERS
He lives at Ray Milland Block. Psi Division are struggling to get through his scramble shields, so they put him through a brain search and he lasts the full twelve hours without cracking. He returns home and uses his Psi powers to influence two Third Eye 'salesmen' to kill Dredd, they fail and end up in the Black Atlantic. He later turns up dead in the same waters.

JEREMY SOLL
Chief executive of Third Eye Insurance Company.

ARRESTS
None.

DEATHS
Three. Dredd shoots one of Squeers' two 'blitzers' dead, who then drives off the road and into the Black Atlantic drowning the other one. Squeers' corpse turns up later.

BEST LINES
Woman: "You - you saved my life, Judge Dredd! I - I don't know what came over me! I don't even have a baby!"

WORST LINES
Dredd (seeing sign of a car): "Headlights! Could be them!"

Bit jumpy, Dredd?

CATCHPHRASES
Dredd says "Drokk!", Soll thinks a "Rot",

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Ray Milland Block is named after actor Ray Milland (1905-1986) who starred in Dial M For Murder (1954), X: The Man With X-Ray Eyes (1963) and Aces High (1976).

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: T.B. Grover
Artist: Barry Mitchell
Letters: Tom Frame

REVIEW
As with Part 1, the opening page and a half are good, but the strip does not sustain the story.

The End

Judge Dredd: 'The Psycos', Part 1

NAME
Judge Dredd: 'The Psycos', Part 1

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 AD Featuring Judge Dredd Prog 216

DATELINE
13 June 81

This featured one of the all time great Judge Dredd covers by Brian Bolland, a Rogue Trooper preview and Tharg's Future Shocks, Meltdown Man, Return To Armageddon and Strontium Dog strips.

PAGE COUNT
6

REPRINTS
The Best of 2000AD 28, The Complete Judge Dredd 21, Judge Dredd's Crime Files 5, Judge Dredd Mega City Vice Book 1 and Judge Dredd The Complete Case Files 05.

SYNOPSIS
Dredd investigates a death caused a Psyker.

FIRSTS & LASTS
First part of 'The Mega-Rackets' not labelled as such. Last part of 'The Mega-Rackets' not labelled as such.

INFORMATION
Synthetti is synthetic spaghetti. Crepetto is a dish.

A hover taxi is taxi that hovers. Whizz bars are a automobile component.

Individuals with Psi powers, or Psykers, have been used by criminal gangs to ensure loyalty among members, to predict potential failure and to broadcast directly into the minds of individuals to convince them to pay protection money. A Psyker can confuse the senses of its target. The Justice Department's Psi Division can detect psionic interference in a corpse.

Third Eye Insurance is an insurance company that employs Psykers to force individuals to take out policies.

JUDGE DREDD
He is called to scene of Aldo Pollo's death. Under Section 59(d) of the criminal code he undertakes crime blitz search of Rex Squeers' home. Dredd later has him followed by spy-in-the sky cameras and strip-searched when he arrives at work.

OTHER CHARACTERS
ALDO POLLO
Wealthy restaurateur without insurance. He owns Aldo's Sintheria on the 698th floor of a high rise building. He hallucinates a synthetti monster and steps on an equally illusory hover taxi and falls to his death. He was subject to psionic interference that burnt out half his pineal cells.

FINGERS
Member of a criminal gang that was loyal to Low-Side Larry instead.

LOW-SIDE LOUIS
Fingers really works for him.

REX SQUEERS
Third Eye Insurance's top Psyker and Psi Division's top suspect for Aldo Pollo's murder. Dredd undertakes crime blitz search of Rex Squeers' home. Later Dredd has him followed by spy-in-the sky cameras and strip-searched when he arrives at work.

ARRESTS
None.

DEATHS
One. Aldo Pollo fell to his death.

BEST LINES
Gangster: "Put it this way, Bud - if you don't buy one of our policies, you're gonna have an accident for sure!"

WORST LINES
None.

CATCHPHRASES
Squeers says "Rot you"

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Squeers shares his surname with a character from Nicholas Nickleby (1838).

MISTAKES
Sintheria was presumably meant to be spelled Syntheria.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: John Wagner/Alan Grant
Artist: Barry Mitchell
Letters: Unknown

REVIEW
Sadly, Barry Mitchell's Synthetti monsters in the strip fail to live up to Brian Bolland's amazing cover and that is the general tone of this strip. It doesn't quite live up to the other 'Mega Rackets' that we've seen so far. The script gives us an interesting character in Aldo Pollo, but he doesn't survive past the second page. Rex Squeers, however, seems fairly unremarkable despite his abilities and isn't shown in close-up until the final frame at which point his desire to exact revenge on Dredd falls pretty flat.

Strontium Dog: Funfair Of Fear

NAME
Strontium Dog: Funfair Of Fear

FIRST PUBLISHED
Starlord Annual 1980

DATELINE
1 Sept 79

PAGE COUNT
6

REPRINTS
Strontium Dog: Search/Destroy Agency Files 01.

SYNOPSIS
Johnny and Wulf search for Colombo at the fun-fair.

FIRSTS & LASTS
First Strontium Dog strip in a Starlord Annual.

INFORMATION
Neridian 5 is a planet with at least one island on it.

Inter-Galactic Fun-Fun Tours built a fun-fair on an island on Neridian 5, but when the space lanes were re-routed the holidaymakers stopped coming.

JOHNNY ALPHA
He and Wulf go in search of Colombo. After Wulf is shot, Johnny climbs the helter skelter to get an aerial view, but instead he himself is shot with a stun-ray. He slides down to the bottom unconscious. He awakes to discover that Colombo has tied him to a duck. Colombo shoots a hundred bullets at Johnny but only successfully hits his S.D. bag. Colombo is about to shoot at Johnny again when Wulf crushes him with a Big Dipper carriage.

WULF STERNHAMMER
He and Johnny go in search of Colombo. Whilst in the hall of mirrors, he is shot in the shoulder. Gomo tends to his wound and he follows the sound of Colombo's laughter. He discover Colombo about tho kill Johnny and throws his hammer at the starting lever for the Big Dipper causing the ride to start and the carriage to crush Colombo.

OTHER CHARACTERS
COLOMBO HARLEQUIN
Criminal hiding in the fun-fair on Neridian 5. He adopts a variety of disguises. He shoot Johnny with a stun-ray and ties him to a large duck. When Johnny awakes he shoots a hundred bullets at him but only successfully hits his S.D. bag.

GOMO
The keeper of the fairground. He tends to Wulf's wound.

DEATHS
One. Colombo is crushed by the Big Dipper carriage.

BEST LINES
Wulf: "No-one shoots at Voulf and runs vithout a fight!"

WORST LINES
Johnny: "In the end we caught him fair and square."

CATCHPHRASES
Wulf says 'goot', 'vere', 'vill', 'vithout', 'vot' and 'Vulf'.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
Johnny and Wulf are travelling without the Gronk and so this presumably takes place at some point before Two-Faced Terror.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
The abandoned fun-fair is a widely used trope and, beginning in 1969, the backbone of the various incarnations of Scooby Doo.

MISTAKES
Colombo shoots a hundred bullets at Johnny but only hits his S.D. bag? And presumably his bonds?

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: Unknown
Artist: Brendon McCarthy
Letters: Unknown

REVIEW
This is a very slight tale that could have featured any characters and therefore doesn't really feel like Strontium Dog at all. Johnny's abilities are referenced, but entirely unnecessarily as they don't help him in the hall of mirrors nor are they any use in finding Colombo. The captions allude to Johnny's powers to pass for dead as if it was an amazing skill. I'm willing to concede there an element of acting ability involved, but how impressed are we supposed to be that he can play dead? Colombo is very a creepy design, but we find out almost nothing about him or his motivations and how scary can he be if he fails to hit Johnny with hundred bullets? And why has Johnny put his hand on Gomo's head like that in the last panel? It's bizarre.

The End

Judge Dredd: The Mega-Rackets, Crime File: 4 - The Blitz Agencies

NAME
Judge Dredd: The Mega-Rackets, Crime File: 4 - The Blitz Agencies

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 AD Featuring Judge Dredd Prog 215

DATELINE
6 June 81

This prog also featured Tharg's Future Shocks, Meltdown Man, Return To Armageddon and Strontium Dog, alongside a Star Pin-Up of Tharg and all behind a Judge Dredd cover by Brian Bolland.

PAGE COUNT
6

REPRINTS
The Best of 2000AD 27, The Complete Judge Dredd 20, Judge Dredd's Crime Files 2, Judge Dredd Mega City Vice Book 2 and Judge Dredd The Complete Case Files 05.

SYNOPSIS
Dredd takes on a pair of contract killers.

FIRSTS & LASTS
First of the Mega Rackets to be a single part. Last of the Mega Rackets to be a single part.

INFORMATION
In Mega-City One, Grover Cleveland Block is poor quality housing, Mark Clark Block is thought to be worse and Sir Kenneth Clarke Block is part of a new upcity development and considered much better accommodation. Mega-City One has a housing committee responsible for moving people out of slum housing. It's rare to see a human delivering things door-to-door in Mega-City One, it's work usually performed by robots.

Contract murder is also known as blitz, wipe-out, hit, big whack, among others. Organised contract killers are known as a blitz agency or 'blitzers'. All 'blitzers' are equipped with emotion-sensitive self-destruct devices or 'suicide boxes'. Conspiracy in a blitz agency murder carries a sentence of fifteen years in an iso-cube.

Munce can be fried.

Kneepads come in different grades.

JUDGE DREDD
He is called to the Lumly's home following the assassination of Teddington Lumly. He is present when an attempt is made on the life of Reeta Lumly. He intervenes and shoots a Blitzer dead. He arrests Reeta for her own safety.

OTHER CHARACTERS
REETA AND TEDDINGTON LUMLY
A jobless couple that rent poor quality housing in Grover Cleveland Block who upon being informed that they are expected to move into Mark Clark Block decide to commit suicide. They can't go through with it and they elect instead to spend their life savings taking a contract out on their own lives. They then discover that they are due to be moved to Sir Kenneth Clarke Block instead and that Teddington has successfully found employment as a kneepad grader, but at that moment the blitz agency strikes and he is killed. Reeta calls in the Judges. Dredd finds Reeta Lumly guilty of conspiracy in a blitz agency murder which carries a sentence of fifteen years in an iso-cube. He commutes that sentence in exchange for assistance in finding her husband's killer. When she discovers that the contract is still open and her life is still under threat, she insists upon serving it.

CHARLIE
Blitz Agency killer that Teddington Lumly contracted to kill him and his wife.

ARRESTS
One. Dredd finds Reeta Lumly guilty of conspiracy in a blitz agency murder which carries a sentence of fifteen years in an iso-cube. He commutes that sentence in exchange for assistance in finding her husband's killer, but she insists upon serving it for her own safety.

DEATHS
Two. Teddington Lumly is shot dead by a Blitz Agency Killer and a 'Blitzer' called Salinas shot dead by Dredd.

BEST LINES
Blitzer: "There's more than one way to fry munce!"

WORST LINES
Big Whack

CATCHPHRASES
None.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Grover Cleveland Block is named after Stephen Grover Cleveland (1837–1908) the 22nd and 24th president of the United States of America, the only president in American history to serve two non-consecutive terms in office (1885–1889 and 1893–1897). Sir Kenneth Clarke Block is named after Sir Kenneth Clarke (1903-1983) British historian and television presenter. Mark Clark Block is presumably named after a Mark Clark, but which one?

MISTAKES
Not necessarily a mistake, but why is Charlie so scaly?

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: T. B. Grover
Artist: Ron Smith
Letters: Tom Frame

REVIEW
The artwork is great, the idea compelling and the script drives the story along well. This is the most engaging suicide attempt I can think of.

The End

Ro-Busters: 'Avalanche!'

NAME
Ro-Busters: 'Avalanche!'

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 AD Annual 1980

DATELINE
1 Sept 79

PAGE COUNT
10

REPRINTS
The Complete Ro-Busters.

SYNOPSIS
Geneva is buried in an avalanche.

FIRSTS & LASTS
First Ro-Busters appearance in a 2000 AD Annual.

INFORMATION
Geneva is home to the world bank. The Robo-Hilton provides accommodation for robots.

Ro-Busters has medical and maintenance teams.

HAMMER-STEIN
He parachutes down to the avalanche site, but his landing sends his armaments circuits haywire and his weapons fire with one shell lodging in Mek-Quake. He rescues a little girl on her own and later a group of children.

RO-JAWS
He parachutes down to the avalanche site. He helps rescue a group of children

OTHER CHARACTERS
HOWARD QUARTZ
He keeps his money in the World Bank. When Mek-Quake's brain is damaged the Ro-Busters maintenance team suggest taking a scraping of Quartz' brain and grafting it into the robot. He does not get paid by the Mayor of Geneva.

MEK-QUAKE
One of Hammer-Stein's shells lodges in Mek-Quake. He pushes back the fallen rocks, but is ultimately buried. Hammer-Stein and Ro-Jaws attempt to use explosives to blow the rocks and expect Mek-Quake to be destroyed. Instead the shell detonates and Mek-Quake is freed and his positronic brain is damaged. The Ro-busters' maintenance team suggest using a scraping of Quartz' brain to fix Mek-Quake. It works and Mek-Quake rescues Quartz' money and eats it before aggressively attempting to cuddle him.

DOCTOR OPTICS
He hypnotises Mek-Quake to calm him down.

DEATHS
None, it seems.

BEST LINES
Ro-Jaws (about Howard Quartz): "Heh Heh! He doesn't know which is worse - bein' operated on or losin' his money!"

WORST LINES
Ro-Jaws (about Howard Quartz): "I reckon they should change his name to Howard Squashed! Heh! Heh! Heh!"

CATCHPHRASES
There are a few mentions of "Humes".

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Unknown.

MISTAKES
After the brain scraping graft to Mek-Quake, is Howard Quartz still Mr Ten-Per-Cent?

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: Unknown
Artist: Kev F Sutherland
Letters: Unknown

REVIEW
This strip features some good characters moments for Ro-Jaws, Mek-Quake and Howard Quartz and some heroism for Hammer-Stein, but the visuals fail to get the avalanche itself across and the story itself feels pretty throwaway.

The End.

Judge Dredd: The Sweet Taste Of Justice

NAME
Judge Dredd: The Sweet Taste Of Justice

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000AD Sci-Fi Special 1981

DATELINE
01 Jun 81

PAGE COUNT
10

REPRINTS
Judge Dredd (Volume 2) 6, Judge Dredd (Volume 2) 61 & Judge Dredd: The Restricted Files 01

SYNOPSIS
Dredd goes after smugglers of white powder.

FIRSTS & LASTS
First mention of sugar being illegal in Mega-City One.

INFORMATION
In Mega-City One, there is an Eezi-Walk over a speedway near to Muhammad Ali Alley. The Nose And Lip Shop stocks Kosmik Kiss lipstick. Mega-Prison West. All Pan-Can road traffic enters Mega-City One through the North Gate, everything is checked for signs of radioactivity.

In 1999, scientists declared sugar to be a major cause of heart disease, obesity and tooth decay. It was banned and only artificial sweeteners were permitted. In Mega-City One, the illegal importation of sugar is still a crime as are withholding information from a Judge and defacing a Judge's uniform are crimes. Named Judges: Judge Gale, Judge Medway, Judge Ridley. Judge Watson

Pan-Can exports clean soil from Mega-City One. The Canada Plantations also grow sugar.

Hover-Juggers are used for transportation of goods via road.

JUDGE DREDD
Whilst on patrol he sees Max Normal who gives him information about an illegal shipment of goods coming into Mega-City One tonight. They are shot at by a sniper. Normal is wounded. Dredd pursues the shooter, who takes a hostage. Dredd uses a ricochet shot to take him out and he falls onto the Mega-Way. Dredd investigates

OTHER CHARACTERS
MAX NORMAL
Whilst informing Dredd of an illegal shipment of goods coming into Mega-City One tonight, he is shot by a sniper and hospitalised. He recovers and the Justice Department authorises a payment of 40,000 creds.

ROXANNE GLEEG
She lives at Flat 17A, Ricardo Montalban Block, she is the girlfriend of Dave 'Boy' Tork and customer of The Nose And Lip Shop were she purchased Kosmik Kiss lipstick. Dredd arrests her for withholding information and defacing his uniform when she kisses his helmet.

DAVID SIDNEY TORK
Known mobster, nicknamed 'Boy'. Boyfriend of Roxanne Gleeg. He was released last week from Mega-Prison West. Dredd stops his Hover-Juggers at the North Gate and after a protracted chase and firefight. Dredd arrests him for the illegal importation of sugar.

JUDGE WATSON
He assists Dredd's blockade of the North Gate. He gets shot.

ARRESTS
Two. Dredd arrests Roxanne Gleeg for withholding information from a Judge and defacing a Judge's uniform. He later arrests Tork for the illegal importation of sugar and sentences him to twenty years.

DEATHS
Four. Dredd shoots the assassin who falls into traffic below and is "spread over 500 metres of mega-way". Tork's driver is shot dead by Judges and the driver and passenger of Hover-Jugger 1 die in a explosion.

BEST LINES
Adult with Susan: "Look, Susan - that what you'll get if you don't behave"

WORST LINES
Perp: "Judges! Whack 'em out!"

CATCHPHRASES
Dredd: "Halt in the name of the law!", a dying perp named Mico screams an "Aieeee!" and a Judge says "Drokk!"

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Muhammad Ali Alley

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: Staccato
Artist: Colin Wilson
Letters: Thomas

REVIEW
The action sequences are impressive and it's great to see Max Normal back again. The script is at great pains to avoid spoiling the reveal of the sugar, with its references to white powder, but the title has already given that away. Colin Wilson's art is magnificent and the layout of the panels really gives it a boost.

The End.

The A.B.C. Warriors: 'Steelhorn', Part 2

NAME
The A.B.C. Warriors: 'Steelhorn', Part 2

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 AD & Tornado Prog 128

DATELINE
1 Sept 79

PAGE COUNT
6

REPRINTS
A.B.C. Warriors Book 1, ABC Warriors 01, Sam Slade Robo-Hunter (Volume 2) 07, A.B.C. Warriors Mek-nificent Seven and A.B.C. Warriors: The Meknificent Seven

SYNOPSIS
Hammer-Stein trails 'The Mess' and then decants him.

FIRSTS & LASTS
First meeting of the A.B.C. Warriors and their superior.

INFORMATION
Fireman wear Asbestos suits.

HAMMER-STEIN
He follows the trail of death and destruction left by the Mess and finds a file full of slaughtered A.B.C. Warriors. Hammer-Stein scrapes the Mess off the ground and takes him back to base where he pours it into a vacuum flask.

JOE PINEAPPLES
He is present when Hammer-Stein pour the Mess into a vacuum flask.

HAPPY SHRAPNEL
He is present when Hammer-Stein pour the Mess into a vacuum flask. After hearing Hammer-Stein's information about the slaughter of 'demobbed' A.B.C. Robots, Happy Shrapnel resists having a human superior officer.

MONGROL
He recognises the pained noises that the Mess makes as being similar to the noise he made when beaten.

DEADLOCK
He doesn't need to be briefed. Deadlock has read the Tarot and already knows what will happen and that their enemy will be the devil.

OTHER CHARACTERS
'THE MESS'
It attacks the manager of the demob centre who mocked Steelhorn. It sees itself in a mirror and screams. It writes 'I accuse' on the wall. The Firemen are called and they attack it as they would a fire, but the Mess gets into one of their Asbestos suits and kills him. It escapes down a sink and outside where it kills an military policeman. If it cools down it will lose its ability to move. Hammer-Stein scoops it up into his gun to keep warm and later pour it into a vacuum flask.

DEATHS
Three. The Mess consumes the manager of the demob centre, a fireman sent to get rid of it, a military policeman guarding outside.

BEST LINES
Fireman #1: "The Mess Is climbing into the sink...it's escaping down the plug-hole! Get down their after it, men!"
Fireman #2: "What? Down the plug-hole, Sir?"

WORST LINES
Fireman: "Glug! Glug! Glug!"

CATCHPHRASES
Happy Shrapnel says "Bzzz" once.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
The Firemen wear Asbestos suits, the negative health effects of asbestos were first noted in 1899 and the first documented asbestos-related death in 1906. Deadlock's Tarot card, The Devil represents being seduced by the material world and physical pleasures, being caged by luxury and living in fear.

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script Robot: Pat Mills
Art Robot: Brendan McCarthy
Lettering Robot: Aldrich

REVIEW
Worth the price of entry for the full page panel of the death of the manager alone. The Mess looks great, but what should be a great twist for Hammer-Stein as he discovers that the humans don't have their best interests at heart is put to one side in favour of keeping the mysterious human officer storyline going.

Next Prog: Beat The Devil!

The A.B.C. Warriors: 'Steelhorn', Part 1

NAME
The A.B.C. Warriors: 'Steelhorn', Part 1

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 AD & Tornado Prog 127

DATELINE
25 Aug 79

PAGE COUNT
6

REPRINTS
A.B.C. Warriors Book 1, ABC Warriors 01, Sam Slade Robo-Hunter (Volume 2) 07, A.B.C. Warriors Mek-nificent Seven and A.B.C. Warriors: The Meknificent Seven

SYNOPSIS
Hammer-Stein attempts to goad Steelhorn into joining him and fails. The indestructible Steelhorn is melted down and becomes 'the Mess'

FIRSTS & LASTS
First appearance of Steelhorn and 'the Mess', also the first ABC Warriors strip not to feature Joe Pineapples or Happy Shrapnel.

INFORMATION
Marshall Volgod is Zarr and leader of the Volgan empire.

Allied forces advance on every front and the Volgan Empire is losing the war. The Allied A.B.C. Robot Steelhorn kills Volgod and the war is over. Decommissioned A.B.C. Robots believe they are going to be able to make a new life for themselves, but instead they are melted down.

A flame barrier is a forcefield that burns with a high intensity.

HAMMER-STEIN
He attacks a pacifist Steelhorn in order to goad him into fighting again. Later he gets a feeling that something bad has happened to Steelhorn

BLACKBLOOD
He has been operated upon and reprogrammed.

OTHER CHARACTERS
STEELHORN
Steelhorn is constructed from the toughest metals and cannot be destroyed. He can withstand the heat of a Volgan flame barrier. Steelhorn has spent ten years fighting. He takes vengeance on Marshall Volgod and then becomes a pacifist. Hammer-Stein attacks him to try and force him to change his ways. Steelhorn plans to become a fireman. Instead of being demobilised he is dropped into a fusion furnace, but it fails to destroy him and he becomes a 'mess' of flowing living liquid metal. 'The Mess' flows out of the furnace and kills its operator.

MARSHALL VOLGAN
Zarr of the Volgan Empire. With the war apparently lost, he is planning to go into exile aboard an imperial plane when Steelhorn arrives to claim vengeance.

DEATHS
Three. Steelhorn takes his vengeance on Volgod, Steelhorn is melted down and 'the Mess' kills the Furnace operator.

BEST LINES
Hammer-Stein: "Strodd help me!"

WORST LINES
None.

CATCHPHRASES
Steelhorn screams an "Aieeee"

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
Blackblood's 'operation' mentioned in 'The Bougainville Massacre' takes place here.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Zarr is presumably a futuristic spelling of Tzar and/or Czar.

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script Robot: Pat Mills
Art Robot: Brendan
Lettering Robot: Pete Knight

REVIEW
Steelhorn, we hardly knew ye and yet Hammer-Stein feels like a passenger in Steelhorn's strip. Steelhorn singlehandedly ends the war and it's shame that it happens so simply and between panels. Steelhorn would make a great addition to the team so, in a move that seems very unlikely, Hammer-Stein attempts to beat Steelhorn's pacifism out of him, then the big fella dies. 'The Mess' is an intriguing idea to pull off in a comic, years ahead of Terminator 2: Judgment Day and the artwork depicting it is phenomenal.

Next Prog: Revenge Of The Mess!

Star Pin-Up: Judge Anderson

NAME
Star Pin-Up: Judge Anderson

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 AD Featuring Judge Dredd Prog 213

DATELINE
23 May 81

PAGE COUNT
1

REPRINTS
Unknown.

SYNOPSIS
None.

FIRSTS & LASTS
None.

INFORMATION
None.

JUDGE ANDERSON
Depicted here both struggling with Judge Death and sealed in Boing.

OTHER CHARACTERS
JUDGE DEATH

ARRESTS
None.

DEATHS
None.

BEST LINES
None.

WORST LINES
None.

CATCHPHRASES
None.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
Judge Death and Judge Anderson last appeared in Judge Dredd: Judge Death.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Unknown.

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
This serves to remind the reader of two important characters that they haven't seen for eighteen months.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Artist: Brian Bolland

REVIEW
Bolland's art is wonderful as always.

The A.B.C. Warriors: 'The Bougainville Massacre', Part 2

NAME
The A.B.C. Warriors: 'The Bougainville Massacre', Part 2

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 AD & Starlord Prog 126

DATELINE
18 Aug 79

PAGE COUNT
6

REPRINTS
A.B.C. Warriors Book 1, ABC Warriors 01, A.B.C. Warriors Mek-nificent Seven, Sam Slade Robo-Hunter (Volume 2) 07 and A.B.C. Warriors The Meknificent Seven

SYNOPSIS
Blackblood takes a hostage and Joe Pineapples shoots him.

FIRSTS & LASTS
None.

INFORMATION
The A.B.C. Warriors are programmed to enjoy combat. Their motto is "Strike first...strike hard!"

HAMMER-STEIN
He captures a Volgan Daddy Long-Legs and attacks the Straw Dogs. He gets underneath Blackblood's position and catches his hostage when Joe Pineapples shoots the general.

JOE PINEAPPLES
Hammer-Stein regards him as the best sniper in the world. Joe shoots Blackblood dead, missing his heart by 1mm and misses the boy he was holding hostage.

HAPPY SHRAPNEL
He captures a Volgan Daddy Long-Legs and attacks the Straw Dogs.

MONGROL
He like to 'smush' Volgans.

DEADLOCK
He captures a Volgan Daddy Long-Legs and attacks the Straw Dogs.

OTHER CHARACTERS
GENERAL BLACKBLOOD
He has taken Stevie Proctor hostage and when his Daddy Long-Legs is crippled. Joe Pineapples shoots his dead. Hammer-Stein has him taken away and reprogrammed.

MISS SWEET
Her whole class was murdered by Blackblood's Straw Dogs. Hammer-Stein carries her up a tree to keep her out of danger.

STEVIE PROCTOR
After the attack on his school by the Straw Dogs, he is taken hostage by Blackblood. He is due to be in Miss Sweet's class next year.

HAMMER-STEIN'S SUPERIOR
He wants Hammer-Stein to get one more A.B.C. Warrior.

DEATHS
Unknown. It's not clear how many Straw Dogs are killed. Blackblood is shot dead.

BEST LINES
Joe Pineapples: "TGT - A - OK!"

WORST LINES
Hammer-Stein: "Miss Sweet, robots eat bullets for breakfast, spit 'em out at tea - but humans can't even che 'em for elevenses..!"

CATCHPHRASES
Blackblood "Ssss!" six times, Mngrol mentions smushing, Joe Pineapples says "N & V!" again and a Straw Dog yells an "Aieeee!".

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Unknown.

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script Robot: P. Mills
Art Robot: M. McMahon
Lettering Robot: Pete Knight

REVIEW
It's great to see Joe Pineapples very nearly take centre stage. He's been increasingly marginalised by the newer members of the team. Miss Sweet and the hostage taking are nicely handled. Hammer-Stein's feelings of guilt are interesting, but this feels like it needed more Blackblood.

We've Kept The Best ABC Warrior Till Last! Meet Steelhorn Next Prog!

The A.B.C. Warriors: 'The Bougainville Massacre', Part 1

NAME
The A.B.C. Warriors: 'The Bougainville Massacre', Part 1

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 AD & Starlord Prog 125

DATELINE
11 Aug 79

PAGE COUNT
6

REPRINTS
A.B.C. Warriors Book 1, ABC Warriors 01, A.B.C. Warriors Mek-nificent Seven, Sam Slade Robo-Hunter (Volume 2) 07 and A.B.C. Warriors The Meknificent Seven

SYNOPSIS
Blackblood attacks Bougainville.

FIRSTS & LASTS
First time Blackblood says "Ssss!"

INFORMATION
Bougainville is a remote Pacific Island with a jungle, mangrove swamps, inland rubber plantations and a beach with a mission school on it.

A.B.C. Warriors can regulate the power to their eye-scanners. The Magnum Macho 3000 is a Sniper Rifle.

Volgan Daddy Long-Legs are an amphibious walking vehicle, Men O' War are flying vehicles and Straw Dogs are robots equipped for jungle terrain and lead by General Blackblood.

HAMMER-STEIN
He came around to the idea of working with Blackblood when he heard that it would require killing him first and them reprogramming him. He carries Miss Sweet away from the remains of her school.

JOE PINEAPPLES
He is armed with a Magnum Macho 3000 Sniper Rifle.

HAPPY SHRAPNEL
He is in need of a new suit of armour.

MONGROL
He refuses to work with Blackblood. Miss Sweet reminds him of Lara.

DEADLOCK
His sword, X-caliber feeds on death and can home in on its target when thrown.

OTHER CHARACTERS
MISS SWEET
School teacher at a mission school on the Bougainville coast. She is trapped in the rubble of her school during the Bougainville massacre. Hammer-Stein rescues her and carries her out.

GENERAL BLACKBLOOD
Robot leader of the Volgan Straw Dogs. He is programmed to be extra cruel and as an expert in camouflage and guerrilla warfare. Blackblood got his name from the rumour that he drinks the oil of dead allied A.B.C. Warriors. He arrives on Bougainville aboard a Daddy Long-Legs.

DEATHS
Dozens. Islanders killed by the Straw Dogs and at least three Straw Dogs killed by the A.B.C. Warriors.

BEST LINES
Deadlock: "Remember my sword, 'X-caliber', feeds on death!"

WORST LINES
Deadlock: "Death is its nourishment!"

CATCHPHRASES
Joe Pineapples says "N & V" again, Happy Shrapnel says "Bzzz" twice, Mongrol refers to "Laaraa!" and Blackblood says "Ssss!" four times

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
The Volgan Daddy Long-Legs look very The War Of The Worlds (1897) or The Tripods, a series of novels by John Christopher that began in 1967.
A Straw Dog is an ancient Chinese ceremonial figure of a dog made from straw often thrown away after use, but also the title of a controversial 1971 film by Sam Peckinpah. The name Blackblood recalls noted pirate Blackbeard, real name Edward Teach (circa 1680–1718), better known as Blackbeard. The General says "No one expects...", which was the opening line of the Monty Python's Flying Circus Spanish Inquisition sketch (1970).

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script Robot: Pat Mills
Art Robot: Mc Mahon
Lettering Robot: Peter Knight

REVIEW
The attack on the school is shocking, the Volgan hardware is impressive and it's a great twist that Hammer-Stein has to recruit a member of the enemy, but as the team gets larger most members are reduced to a single characteristic (see CATCHPHRASES above).

Next Prog: The Best Sniper In The World!

Judge Dredd: The Mega-Rackets, Crime File: 3 - The Umpty Baggers, Part 2

NAME
Judge Dredd: The Mega-Rackets, Crime File: 3 - The Umpty Baggers, Part 2

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 AD Featuring Judge Dredd Prog 214

DATELINE
30 May 81

This prog also featured Tharg's Future Shocks, Meltdown Man, Return to Armageddon and Strontium Dog, a Pin-Up of Robo-Hunter, a Tharg's Future Shocks cover by Brendon McCarthy.

PAGE COUNT
6

REPRINTS
The Best of 2000AD 32, The Complete Judge Dredd 20, Judge Dredd's Crime Files 4, Judge Dredd Mega City Vice Book 2 and Judge Dredd The Complete Case Files 05.

SYNOPSIS
Dredd ends the Jongs themselves, but not their Umpty empire.

FIRSTS & LASTS
None.

INFORMATION
Evidence taken from addicts in withdrawal is not admissible. Umpty Squad wear a different uniform to street Judges. Named Judges: Brent

JUDGE DREDD
He leads a raid on a suspected Umpty factory and finds it recently abandoned. Dredd suspects a tip-off and blames Judge Cheyney. He lures Cheyney to the factory and knocks him out. When the Jongs arrive, there is a gunfight and Dredd kills them all.

OTHER CHARACTERS
JUDGE BRENT
Umpty squad.

JUDGE CHEYNEY
Dredd lures him to the Umpty factory at Malcolm Allison Block and knocks him out. When the Jongs arrive Dredd suspicions are proved correct and Cheyney is due to be sent to the penal colony on Titan.

ARRESTS
Three. Two elderly Umpty addicts are lead away and Judge Cheyney is due to be sent to the penal colony on Titan.

DEATHS
Four. Dredd shoots the entire Jong gang dead.

BEST LINES
Dredd (to Cheyney): "C'mon, Creep! You've got an appointment with the penal colony on Titan."

WORST LINES
None.

CATCHPHRASES
None.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
None.

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: T.B. Grover
Art: Emberton
Letters: T. Frame

REVIEW
This is a slight ending which deals with the threads left dangling by the first part in quite a perfunctory way. Dredd has no evidence about Cheyney's complicity, but rather than investigating he knocks him unconscious and hopes the evidence will be forthcoming. Ron Smith's characters designs for the Jongs are dispensed with and it's not clear who is meant to be who. The ending, however, is great and shows that although Dredd may win the battle, the war is another matter altogether.

The End

Judge Dredd: The Mega-Rackets, Crime File: 3 - The Umpty Baggers, Part 1

NAME
Judge Dredd: The Mega-Rackets, Crime File: 3 - The Umpty Baggers, Part 1

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 AD Featuring Judge Dredd Prog 213

DATELINE
23 May 81

This prog also featured Tharg's Future Shocks, Meltdown Man, Return to Armageddon and Strontium Dog, a Pin-Up of Judge Anderson, a cover by Brian Bolland as well as two packets of Buck Rogers stickers.

PAGE COUNT
6

REPRINTS
The Best of 2000AD 32, The Complete Judge Dredd 20, Judge Dredd's Crime Files 4, Judge Dredd Mega City Vice Book 2 and Judge Dredd The Complete Case Files 05.

SYNOPSIS
Umpty is back. Dredd investigates the supply chain.

FIRSTS & LASTS
Last appearance of Uncle Ump.

INFORMATION
In Mega-City One, there is a Malcolm Allison Block.

Umpty Bagging is the illegal manufacture and sale of addictive Umpty candy. 22nd Century medicology has permanently eliminated all known addictions, with the exception of Umpty. Mellowmel is an ingredient of Umpty.

The Justice Department has a dedicated Umpty Squad and operates Umpty Clinics where addicts can dry out. Named Judges: Judge Cheyney, Judge Jones.

JUDGE DREDD
He arrests Candy Man Fitchit for Umpty Bagging and investigates his supplier.

OTHER CHARACTERS
CANDY MAN FITCHIT
Umpty bagger working for Oggie Jong. Dredd arrests him and discovers he is addicted to Umpty. He uses this to get information out of him.

JUDGE CHEYNEY
Head of the Umpty Squad. Dredd is not impressed with his results.

OGGIE JONG
Member of the Jong crime family. They are tipped off that Uncle Ump is, contrary to popular belief, alive in space. The find him and acquire his Umpty recipe and kill him. Their Umpty factory is situated on the top floor of Malcolm Allison Block, but he is warned to get any evidence out by his informer.

UNCLE UMP
He is discovered two light years from Earth by the Jong brothers. Uncle Ump's recipe is so precise that it requires twelve drops of mellowmel and to be whisked clockwise for exactly thirty-seven beats. The torture him to reveal his Umpty recipe and when he does they throw him out of an airlock.

ARRESTS
Four. Dredd arrests Candy Man Fitchit for Umpty Bagging and three juves for taking it.

DEATHS
One. The Jong brothers leave Uncle Ump suffocating in space.

BEST LINES
Candy Man Fitchit: "Let me outa here! Umpty! I need Umpty!
Dredd: "Talk first - Umpty later

WORST LINES
Candy Man Fitchit: "Smashed the fire escape!"

CATCHPHRASES
None.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
There is a flashback to the events "over a year ago" of Uncle Ump's Umpty Candy. The Ump dumping is the second chump dumping in as many weeks.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Malcolm Allison Block is named after controversial footballer turned manager Malcolm Allison (1927-2010) who had just lost his job at Manchester City Football Club.

MISTAKES
Medicology isn't a word. Yet. The leader of the Jong gang is identified as both Oogie and Oggie.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: T.B. Grover
Artist: Ron Smith
Letters: Tom Frame

REVIEW
This sequel to Uncle Ump's Umpty Candy takes the drugs metaphor of the first and turns it up to eleven. This time around Ump himself is the first victim of his recipe and his death makes for a darker tale altogether.

Next Prog: Bagging The Baggers!

Star Pin-Up: Max Normal - Mega-City One's Pinstripe Freak!

NAME
Star Pin-Up: Max Normal - Mega-City One's Pinstripe Freak!

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 AD Featuring Judge Dredd Prog 212

DATELINE
16 May 81

PAGE COUNT
1

REPRINTS
None.

SYNOPSIS
None.

FIRSTS & LASTS
None.

INFORMATION
None.

MAX NORMAL

OTHER CHARACTERS
None.

DEATHS
None.

BEST LINES
None.

WORST LINES
None.

CATCHPHRASES
None.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
None.

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Artist: Brett Ewins

REVIEW
It's good to see Max surrounded by the chaotic nature of the Big Meg and the appalled expressions on the faces of the other citizens are wonderful.

The A.B.C. Warriors: 'The Order Of Knights Martial', Part 2 - The Tournament Of The Damned

NAME
The A.B.C. Warriors: The Order Of Knights Martial, Part 2

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 AD & Starlord Prog 124

DATELINE
04 Aug 79

PAGE COUNT
6

REPRINTS
ABC Warriors 01, Sam Slade Robo-Hunter (Volume 2) 06, A.B.C. Warriors Book 1, A.B.C. Warriors: Meknificent Seven & A.B.C. Warriors: The Mek-nificent Seven.

SYNOPSIS
Hammer-Stein and Deadlock fight.

FIRSTS & LASTS
First mention of General Blackblood.

INFORMATION
The Order of the Knights Martial claim to be nourished through death and they keep trophies of those that they kill.

HAMMER-STEIN
He is almost defeated by Deadlock, but he successfully disarms him and uses Deadlock's own strength sapping sword against him. He reports Deadlock joining the A.B.C. Warriors to his human superior. He is informed that General Blackblood is their next member, but Hammer-Stein refuses to serve with him.

JOE PINEAPPLES
His oil is drugged to prevent him interfering with Deadlock's fight with Hammer-Stein.

HAPPY SHRAPNEL
His oil is drugged to prevent him interfering with Deadlock's fight with Hammer-Stein, but Mongrol wakes him.

MONGROL
His oil is drugged to prevent him interfering with Deadlock's fight with Hammer-Stein, but a vision of Lara wakes him.

OTHER CHARACTERS
DEADLOCK
He worships Khaos, he can vanish at will and he can draw on the strength of other members of the Order of the Knights Martial. He almost defeats Hammer-Stein but fails when he is disarmed. He joins the A.B.C. Warriors.

DEATHS
None.

BEST LINES
Hammer-Stein: "Uuuuh? He - He's vanishing! Must be using light refraction! But..."
Deadlock: "Still trying to rationalise with science, Sergeant? Don't you understand yet, simpleton...everything in life is an illusion..."

WORST LINES
The Order of the Knights Martial: "Hhooooowwll!"

CATCHPHRASES
Happy Shrapnel 'Bzzzes' four times and Mongrol says 'Smush' once.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
In Tarot, the Ace of Swords is a card that indicates decisive ability and the ability to see through and expose deception. While the Ten of Swords is a Minor Arcana tarot card which represents destruction. Knights Templar, also known as the Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon, are a Catholic military order founded in 1139 and active until about 1312.

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script Robot: Pat Mills
Art Robot: Brett Ewins
Lettering Robot: Peter Knight

REVIEW
So much occurs in Part 1 that it's surprising how little does in Part 2. The fight itself is largely uninteresting and ultimately, Deadlock cheats, but loses and not a lot more happens. The artwork is great, but jars somewhat with Part 1.

Next Prog: Jungle Warfare - Robot Style!

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!

Judge Dredd: The Mega-Rackets, Crime File: 2 - The Perp Runners, Part 2

NAME
Judge Dredd: The Mega-Rackets, Crime File: 2 - The Perp Runners, Part 2

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 AD Featuring Judge Dredd Prog 212

DATELINE
16 May 81

This prog also featured Tharg's Future Shocks, Meltdown Man, Return To Armageddon and Strontium Dog, a pin up of Max Normal, a Strontium Dog cover by Carlos Ezquerra and a came with a free Buck Rogers sticker album.

PAGE COUNT
6

REPRINTS
The Best of 2000AD 31, The Complete Judge Dredd 20, Judge Dredd's Crime Files 3, Judge Dredd Mega City Vice Book 2 and Judge Dredd The Complete Case Files 05.

SYNOPSIS
Dredd outwits the perp runners.

FIRSTS & LASTS
None.

INFORMATION
'Chumping Up' is the luring to Earth members of alien races with promises of prosperity and luxury, while 'Chump Dumping' is to throw those individuals out of an airlock en route.

Members of alien species cannot enter Mega-City One without entry permits.

JUDGE DREDD
He escapes his shackles, breaking a bone in his hand in the process. Dredd warns the alien 'chumps' and they panic. In the resulting chaos he jettisons the ship's oxygen tanks and the perp runners elect to allow the Justice Department to catch them rather than suffocate. Upon his return to Mega-City One, Dredd has his face returned to normal and confronts Kolorado.

OTHER CHARACTERS
KOLORADO
Justice Department still have no evidence linking him to the perp running, but the last batch of perps are on their way back to Earth with scores to settle.

HULGO
Member of an alien hoping enslave humans in Mega-City One. He is disappointed.

ARRESTS
The perp runners are arrested and presumably so are the perps trafficked to Driadus K.

DEATHS
At least sixteen. At least fourteen members of a dolphin-like alien race are chump dumped and suffocate in the vacuum of space, two human perp runners later go the same way.

BEST LINES
Member of Hulgo's Alien race: "The hume's gone nuddly! Run for your lives!"

WORST LINES
Dredd: "Flake off, Creep!"

CATCHPHRASES
None.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Unknown.

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: T.B. Grover
Artist: Ron Smith
Letters: Tom Frame

REVIEW
Ron Smith's aliens are a beauty to behold and the lengths Dredd is willing to go to are impressive.

Next Prog: The Umpty Baggers!

Judge Dredd: The Mega-Rackets, Crime File: 2 - The Perp Runners, Part 1

NAME
Judge Dredd: The Mega-Rackets, Crime File: 2 - The Perp Runners, Part 1

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 AD Featuring Judge Dredd Prog 211

DATELINE
9 May 81

This prog also featured Tharg's Future Shocks, Meltdown Man, Return To Armageddon and Strontium Dog, a pin up of Meltdown Man and a Judge Dredd cover by Ron Smith.

PAGE COUNT
6

REPRINTS
The Best of 2000AD 31, The Complete Judge Dredd 20, Judge Dredd's Crime Files 3, Judge Dredd Mega City Vice Book 2 and Judge Dredd The Complete Case Files 05.

SYNOPSIS
Dredd goes undercover in an attempt to find evidence of perp running and finds himself trafficked to another planet.

FIRSTS & LASTS
First time we see Dredd's face. Sort of.

INFORMATION
Mega-City One is home to at least 54 Meg-Pens for the incarceration of criminals. Perp Running is the illegal transportation of wanted criminals to a place of safety off planet.

A Flash '99 Selfcon Roadster is a car. Genuine velvet is very rare and velvet kneepads are quite the fashion statement. Raw Munce is notorious for its odour. Munce Gum is a foodstuff.

Driadus K is a planet some 36 hours away from Earth

JUDGE DREDD
He catches Slick Ike Kolorado littering and lets him off with a caution. Dredd has his face changed to assume the identity of John Julius Brown and claims to have escaped from Mega-Pen 54. He approaches Brown's known associate, Lanny, who puts him in touch with Kolorado's perp runners who smuggle him, alongside a group of perps, out of Mega-City One is a Raw Munce Tanker and aboard a spaceship waiting in the Cursed Earth. Dredd uses the ship communications to contact the Judges, but the perp runners' ship is much faster and the perps are trafficked to Driadus K, where they have been sold to alien slavers.

OTHER CHARACTERS
SLIK IKE KOLORADO
A Perp Runner. He is travels in a chauffeur-driven Flash '99 Selfcon Roadster. Judge Dredd catches him littering, but lets him off with a caution. He sells the perps he runs to alien slavers on Driadus K.

JOHN JULIUS BROWN
He is also known as Icepick Brown. He is currently serving thirty years in Mega-Pen 54 for multiple homicide. Known associate of Lanny. Dredd assumes his identity.

LANNY
A known associate of John Julius Brown.

ARRESTS
Dredd gives Kolorado a caution for littering.

DEATHS
None.

BEST LINES
Dredd: "You! Littering the streets is an offence - Pick it up!...Not your driver - you!"

WORST LINES
None.

CATCHPHRASES
None.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
None.

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: T B Grover
Artist: Ron Smith
Letters: Tom Frame

REVIEW
It's good to see Dredd taking Kolorado to task over his littering, but the ensuing undercover-as-escaped-prisoner story comes a little out of nowhere. Kolorado was as guilty before the littering as after, but Dredd only takes an interest after it.

CHUMP DUMPING

Ro-Jaws And Hammerstein Book Of Robots: Ulti-Mek - The Ultimate Robot

NAME

Ro-Jaws And Hammerstein Book Of Robots: Ulti-Mek - The Ultimate Robot

FIRST PUBLISHED
Free with 2000 AD Featuring Judge Dredd Prog 199, 120, 121

DATELINE
30 June 79

PAGE COUNT
1

REPRINTS
None.

SYNOPSIS
Meet Ulti-mek

FIRSTS & LASTS
None.

INFORMATION
The Ulti-Mek is a recently completed robot that fits in the palm of your hand. It is self-regenerating and self-reproducing. The Ulti-Mek is smaller than a human eyeball. It has a Quasar reactor motor, with unlimited power output.

OTHER CHARACTERS

None.

DEATHS
None.

BEST LINES
++ Human beings now obsolete ++

WORST LINES
None.

CATCHPHRASES
None.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Unknown.

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: Unknown
Artist: Unknown
Letters: Unknown

REVIEW
This is more like it. A great science fiction concept illustrated in a brilliant way with a sarcastic air to it. Move over real robots, this 'micro-prog' should have been all Ulti-Mek in my opinion.

Ro-Jaws And Hammerstein Book Of Robots: Arok Home Loving Robot!

NAME

Ro-Jaws And Hammerstein Book Of Robots: Arok Home Loving Robot!

FIRST PUBLISHED
Free with 2000 AD Featuring Judge Dredd Prog 199, 120, 121

DATELINE
30 June 79

PAGE COUNT
2

REPRINTS
None.

SYNOPSIS

A real life robo-servant invented by Ben Skora.

FIRSTS & LASTS
None.

INFORMATION
Ben Skora has invented Arok, a robot that can performs various household tasks, and SNEB, a robot that can learn.

OTHER CHARACTERS
None.

DEATHS
None.

BEST LINES
None.

WORST LINES
None.

CATCHPHRASES
None.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Unknown.

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: Unknown
Artist: Unknown
Letters: Unknown

REVIEW
Another real life automaton. Ro-Jaws seems too impressed.

Ro-Jaws And Hammerstein Book Of Robots: Robotics 2000

NAME

Ro-Jaws And Hammerstein Book Of Robots: Robotics 2000

FIRST PUBLISHED
Free with 2000 AD Featuring Judge Dredd Prog 199, 120, 121

DATELINE
30 June 79

PAGE COUNT
2

REPRINTS
None.

SYNOPSIS
A look at robotic characters featured in 2000AD & Starlord.

FIRSTS & LASTS
None.

INFORMATION

DEATHS
None.

BEST LINES
None.

WORST LINES
None.

CATCHPHRASES
None.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
Artie Gruber of Harlem Heroes and Inferno, Charlie from Ro-Busters: The Terra-Meks,
Boots from Robo-Hunter's Verdus, Call-Me-Kenneth and the Heavy Metal Kids from Judge Dredd: Robot Wars! and Walter The Wobot of Judge Dredd and his own strip.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Unknown.

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: Unknown
Artist: Several
Letters: Unknown

REVIEW
It's nice to see some familiar faces.

Ro-Jaws And Hammerstein Book Of Robots: Robots For Real!

NAME

Ro-Jaws And Hammerstein Book Of Robots: Robots For Real!

FIRST PUBLISHED
Free with 2000 AD Featuring Judge Dredd Prog 199, 120, 121

DATELINE
30 June 79

PAGE COUNT
1

REPRINTS
None.

SYNOPSIS
Some real robots from the past.

FIRSTS & LASTS
None.

INFORMATION

OTHER CHARACTERS
None.

DEATHS
None.

BEST LINES
None.

WORST LINES
None.

CATCHPHRASES
None.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Unknown.

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: Unknown
Artist: Unknown
Letters: Unknown

REVIEW
This compliments the timeline nicely, but none of these are photos.

Ro-Jaws And Hammerstein Book Of Robots: Bomb-Buster!

NAME

Ro-Jaws And Hammerstein Book Of Robots: Bomb-Buster!

FIRST PUBLISHED
Free with 2000 AD Featuring Judge Dredd Prog 199, 120, 121

DATELINE
30 June 79

PAGE COUNT
1

REPRINTS
None.

SYNOPSIS
An examination of a bomb disposal robot.

FIRSTS & LASTS
None.

INFORMATION
The Remote Handling Equipment (Tracked) Explosive Ordnance Disposal bomb disposal robot is used by the army. It has been nicknamed the Wheelbarrow.

It is a mobile trolley with an electric cable connecting it to a remote control and it has a TV camera for relaying footage to its operator.

OTHER CHARACTERS
None.

DEATHS
None.

BEST LINES
None.

WORST LINES
None.

CATCHPHRASES
None.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Unknown

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: Unknown
Artist: Unknown
Letters: Unknown

REVIEW
This is better.

Ro-Jaws And Hammerstein Book Of Robots: Ro-Jaws' Robo-Race Game

NAME
Ro-Jaws And Hammerstein Book Of Robots: Ro-Jaws' Robo-Race Game

FIRST PUBLISHED
Free with 2000 AD Featuring Judge Dredd Prog 199, 120, 121

DATELINE
30 June 79

PAGE COUNT
2

REPRINTS
None.

SYNOPSIS
It's a game.

FIRSTS & LASTS
None.

INFORMATION

DEATHS
Hammer-Stein can wipe out a Volg patrol, Mek-Quake can destroy three robots and any of the robots can "fall foul of Asimov's Laws", which implies the death of a human.

BEST LINES
None.

WORST LINES
None.

CATCHPHRASES
None.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
The game sees the return of Dr. Feeley-Good and Greasy Gracie's from the Ro-Busters story The Fall And Rise Of Ro-Jaws And Hammer-Stein.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
The game works essentially like Ludo. A game patented under that name 1896, but based on the 6th century Indian game of Pachisi. In North America, the game is still known as Parcheesi.

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: Unknown
Artist: Unknown
Letters: Unknown

REVIEW
This is more enjoyable than the rest of the mini-prog so far, and it's nice to see the return of characters like Greasy Gracie and Dr. Feeleygood.

Ro-Jaws And Hammerstein Book Of Robots: Tin Stars!

NAME
Ro-Jaws And Hammerstein Book Of Robots: Tin Stars!

FIRST PUBLISHED
Free with 2000 AD Featuring Judge Dredd Prog 199, 120, 121

DATELINE
30 June 79

PAGE COUNT
2

REPRINTS
None.

SYNOPSIS
A look at the robot in popular culture.

FIRSTS & LASTS
None.

INFORMATION
None.

OTHER CHARACTERS
None.

DEATHS
None.

BEST LINES
Ro-Jaws (after listing how Asimov's laws keep Humans safe): "But they don't always work, Humes!"

WORST LINES
None.

CATCHPHRASES
None.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Metropolis (1926), Tobor The Great (1954), Forbidden Planet (1956), The Invisible Boy (1957), War With The Robots (1962) by Harry Harrison, Doctor Who (1963), Top Of The Pops (1964), Lost In Space (1966) and The Metallic Muse (1972) by Lloyd Biggle Jr. The Three Laws of Robotics are also listed, from 1942 story called Runaround by Isaac Asimov (1920-1992).

MISTAKES
Neither the Daleks nor the Cybermen are robots as described here.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: Unknown
Artist: Unknown
Letters: Unknown

REVIEW
The art is lovely, but the information is slight.

Ro-Jaws And Hammerstein Book Of Robots: They Were The Stars Of Star Wars!

NAME
Ro-Jaws And Hammerstein Book Of Robots: They Were The Stars Of Star Wars!

FIRST PUBLISHED
Free with 2000 AD Featuring Judge Dredd Prog 199, 120, 121

DATELINE
30 June 79

PAGE COUNT
2

REPRINTS
None.

SYNOPSIS
Ro-Jaws reviews the Star Wars robots.

FIRSTS & LASTS
None.

INFORMATION
Ro-Jaws has seen Star Wars and awards Tony Daniels and Kenny Baker the Ro-Jaws Sewer Droid Trophy For Good Robot Acting.

OTHER CHARACTERS
None.

DEATHS
None.

BEST LINES
None.

WORST LINES
None.

CATCHPHRASES
None.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Star Wars (1977)

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: Unknown
Artist: Unknown
Letters: Unknown

REVIEW
Ro-Jaws reviews the robots of Star Wars and is impressed.

Ro-Jaws And Hammerstein Book Of Robots: Once Upon A Robot...

NAME
Ro-Jaws And Hammerstein Book Of Robots: Once Upon A Robot...

FIRST PUBLISHED
Free with 2000 AD Featuring Judge Dredd Prog 199, 120, 121

DATELINE
30 June 79

PAGE COUNT
1

REPRINTS
None.

SYNOPSIS
A history of robotics

FIRSTS & LASTS
Well, I learned a lot.

INFORMATION

OTHER CHARACTERS
None

DEATHS
None.

BEST LINES
None.

WORST LINES
None.

CATCHPHRASES
None.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Unknown.

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: Unknown
Artist: Unknown
Letters: Unknown

REVIEW

This is very interesting. Electronic tortoises, Progress 1 etc, but it's not Ro-Jaws and Hammer-Stein

Ro-Jaws And Hammerstein Book Of Robots: Humes! You Will Obey Our Command

NAME
Ro-Jaws And Hammerstein Book Of Robots: Humes! You Will Obey Our Command

FIRST PUBLISHED
Free with 2000 AD Featuring Judge Dredd Prog 199, 120, 121

DATELINE
30 June 79

PAGE COUNT
2

REPRINTS
None.

SYNOPSIS
Humans learn that robots are not the blind obedient slaves humans think they are.

FIRSTS & LASTS
˙uʍop ǝpısdn ɔıɯoɔ ɐ uɹnʇ oʇ ǝɯ ʇoƃ ɹǝʌǝ ʇoqoɹ ɐ ǝɯıʇ ʇsɹıℲ

INFORMATION


RO-JAWS
He has apparently written this with input from Hammer-Stein.

HAMMER-STEIN
None.

OTHER CHARACTERS
None

DEATHS
None

BEST LINES
None.

WORST LINES
None.

CATCHPHRASES
Humes!

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
There is mention of Hammer-Stein's time in the Volgan War.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Unknown.

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT

NOTES

CREDITS
Script: Unknown
Artist: Kevin'ONeill.
Letters: Unknown.

REVIEW
I like the gimmick of turning the comic upside down, but otherwise there isn't much here. It doesn't even explicitly state that it is from Ro-Jaws.