Inferno, Part 26

NAME
Inferno, Part 26

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 A.D. Prog 61

DATELINE
22 Apr 78

This prog also featured Colony Earth, Dan Dare, Judge Dredd, M.A.C.H.1 and Walter The Wobot strips and a Judge Dredd cover by Mike McMahon.

PAGE COUNT
4

REPRINTS
The Complete Harlem Heroes.

SYNOPSIS
The Harlem Hellcats top their division, while the Syndicate steals Artie Gruber's body.

FIRSTS & LASTS
First mention of Hairy in Inferno.

INFORMATION
Influenza is a rare disease now, but there is still no cure.

Undertakers use hover-hearses.

The Harlem Hellcats play the Virginia Vics. Score unknown, by the Harlem Hellcats won by at least one cave-in. Thee Harlem Hellcats are now top of the fourth division.

GIANT
He scores a cave-in against the Virginia Vics from an assist by Teejay.

OTHER CHARACTERS
TEEJAY CASH
He makes a flame-leap over burning bikes to reach the Virginia Vics' score-semi and passes to Giant.

HAIRY
The late Harlem Hero. He was killed playing aeroball, but his family had his body frozen and placed in the Institute of Cryogenics' Hall Of Future Life. The Harlem Hellcats reached the top of the Inferno fourth division on the anniversary of his death.

MR. TORSO
He poses as the late Robert Bartholemew to get into the Hall Of Future Life. Once inside he kills three staff and steals Artie Gruber's body.

ARTIE GRUBER
He wasn't quite dead when a medi-scientist had him frozen, so a cure could be found for his insanity. He was in Tank Eighty-Nine at the Hall Of Future Life. His frozen body was stolen by Mr. Torso and taken to an underground laboratory in New York where he was to be revived.

MR. CHUBB
He supervises the revivification of Artie Gruber.

DEATHS
Three. Mr. Torso shoots three staff at the Hall Of Future Life.

BEST LINES
Unidentified Harlem Hellcat: "Hey that's one of them cryogenics centres, ain't it, Giant?"
Giant: "Yeah! But it's just an upholstered morgue, as far as I'm concerned!"

WORST LINES
Fan: "Top of the fourth division...and they got there fair and square!"
Fan 2: "Maybe they ain't the low-down schmuks we been lead to believe.."

How have the Harlem Hellcats managed to clear their name?

CATCHPHRASES
None.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
Hairy's death was seen in Harlem Heroes, Part 27.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Sleeper (1973) maybe.

MISTAKES
It's odd that Giant singles out "the anniversary of Hairy's death!", because Conrad King died on the same day, in the same game and in the same panel.

The act of freezing human tissue for later revivification is not cryogenics, but cryonics. Cryogenics is simply the study of low temperatures, how to achieve them and how materials behave at them.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
The Virginia Vics' distinctive pointy helmets are similar to the Boston Bullets ' distinctive pointy helmets.

CREDITS
Script: Tom Tully
Artist: Belardinelli
Letters: Peter Knight

REVIEW
This is fantastic, even though it's essentially a build up to the same cliffhanger as last time, the conspiracy element is driving the story and doing it well.

Inferno, Part 25

NAME
Inferno, Part 25

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 A.D. Prog 60

DATELINE
17 Apr 78

This prog also featured Colony Earth, Dan Dare, Judge Dredd, Tharg's Future Shocks, M.A.C.H.1 and Walter The Wobot strips and a M.A.C.H.1 cover by Brian Bolland.

PAGE COUNT
5

REPRINTS
The Complete Harlem Heroes.




SYNOPSIS
After surviving another attempt on their lives, the Harlem Hellcats decide not to withdraw from the Inferno league.

FIRSTS & LASTS
First appearance of Artie Gruber in Inferno.

INFORMATION
Judge HQ may has alarmed links to garbage robots.

Zanies try to live in peaceful isolation.

The Boston Bullets play in pointed 'bullet' shaped helmets.

The Harlem Hellcats play the Boston Bullets in a knockout cup-match, score unknown, but the Hellcats get at least one cave-in (3 points).

GIANT
He gives the rest of the team the option to withdraw from the Inferno league rather than risk the syndicate's wrath. They all elect to play on.

SLIM
He is fit to play again.

LOUIS MAYER
He can fly the chopper.

REGAL EEGLE
He overheats the energy-infusion cell on his bike and steerit into the path of Gee-Nine, the garbage robot, jumped clear and let it crash and explode, stopping the robot in its tracks and saving Giant, Louis and Moody Bloo.

MARVIN BLOO
He scores a cave-in against the Boston Bullets.

OTHER CHARACTERS
MR. CHUBB & MR. TORSO
They were responsible for the the garbage robot wielding assassin. They plan to revive Artie Gruber to kill giant.

ARTIE GRUBER
His body is in the Institute of Cryogenics' Hall of Future Life.

DEATHS
None, but Gee-Nine is destroyed.

BEST LINES
Regal Eegle: "So now we're in the cler. Perhaps one of you will thank me for saving your lives!"

WORST LINES
Moody Bloo: "Musta been like eatin' a bomb!"
Giant: "Yes, now let's take a look at the guy who started all this...Cold turkey! That chunk of masonry crushed his chest!"
Moody Bloo: "Ya mean...he won't be able to tell us anything, Giant?"
Giant: "You've got to be joking, Moody!"

Just how stupid is Moody?

CATCHPHRASES
Moody Bloo chalks up another "Holy Inferno!"

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
Artie Gruber was last seen in the flesh in Harlem Heroes, Part 22 (and later as a hallucination in Part 24).

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Unknown.

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: Tom Tully
Artist: Belardinelli
Letters: Pete Knight

REVIEW
The Gee-Nine sequence had gone on long enough, but Regal Eegle's presumption of gratitude is great. It's interesting that the Inferno game shown here is limited to single page and we aren't expected to follow the action as closely as usual. It acts as a backdrop for the discussions of Messrs Chubb and Torso. The reveal of Artie Gruber is a very welcome sight indeed.

Next Prog: Back From The Dead?

Inferno, Part 24

NAME
Inferno, Part 24

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 A.D. Prog 59

DATELINE
8 Apr 78

This prog features a Judge Dredd cover by Mike McMahon and Colony Earth, Dan Dare, Judge Dredd, Tharg's Future Shocks, M.A.C.H.1 and Walter The Wobot strips.

PAGE COUNT
5

REPRINTS
The Complete Harlem Heroes.

SYNOPSIS
Giant, Louis and Moody Bloo find Kalmann as Kalmann's killer finds them.

FIRSTS & LASTS
First Inferno part not to feature Zack. First and last work by Jack Potter on the strip.

INFORMATION
Garbage robots require instructions via radio link to be processed in their control centre.

GIANT
He is almost killed by the garbage robot Gee-Nine, but Louis blocks its signal.

LOUIS MAYER
He can detect body heat and signals from energy sources. He can direct his brain power to block radio links.

MOODY BLOO
He throws a boulder at Gee-Nine's new operator and kills him.

REGAL EEGLE
He arrives at the Beehive as Giant, Louis and Moody Bloo are threatened by Gee-Nine and rides his bike straight at the robot.

OTHER CHARACTERS
ARFON D. KALMANN
He has been murdered.

DEATHS
One. Gee-Nine's second operator is killed instantly by the lump of masonry Moody Bloo threw.

Also Kalmann may already be dead, but it could be inferred from what Louis says that he died during the last part.

BEST LINES
Giant: "Moody, Are you crazy? You'll never stop that thing with a chunk of masonry!
Moody Bloo (as he flattens the robot's operator with a thrown boulder): "Maybe not, Giant...but who said I was aimin' at the robot!"

WORST LINES
Giant: "Someone's frizzled his brains with circuit solder-rods!"

Frizzled?

CATCHPHRASES
None.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Unknown.

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: Tom Tully
Artist: Belardinelli
Letters: Jack Potter

REVIEW
The story may be slight, but it's enjoyable. Kalmann's corpse could have done with being a bit more gruesome to live up to the reaction in last part's cliffhanger. Moody's taking out the syndicate assassin with a boulder and despite his actions last time, Regal's appearance is still a surprise.

Next Prog: Death Run

Inferno, Part 23

NAME
Inferno, Part 23

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 A.D. Prog 58

DATELINE
1 Apr 78

This prog bore the last of Dave Gibbons fourteen consecutive Dan Dare covers and contained Colony Earth, Dan Dare, Judge Dredd, Tharg's Future Shocks, M.A.C.H.1 and Walter The Wobot strips.

PAGE COUNT
5

REPRINTS
The Complete Harlem Heroes.

SYNOPSIS
Giant, Louis and Moody Bloo go in search of Pearly's manufacturer.

FIRSTS & LASTS
First trip in the new superliner.

INFORMATION
Beehive Jungle in Up-State New York, was originally built for working citizens, but they revolted against being separated from the rest of society. It's now largely populated by bike vandals, 'Troggies' and 'Zanies'. A new brand of garbage robots patrol the area as well, they are operated by remote control.

The Harlem Hellcat's new superliner comes with a sickbay equipped with video-ray scanner, and has a satellite chopper in its transport bay.

GIANT
He, Louis and Moody Bloo go in search of Kalman.

ZACK
He is recuperating in the sickbay of the team's new superliner.

LOUIS MAYER
He has tracked down Pearly's manufacturer, Arfon D. Kalman. Kalmon runs Kalman's Kreations, a droid factory on level nineteen of the Beehive. He, Giant and Moody Bloo go in search of Kalman.

OTHER CHARACTERS
MOODY BLOO
He, Giant and Louis go in search of Kalman.

RIP VENNER
His broken arm is healing as he watches on the video-ray scanner in the team's new superliner.

TEEJAY CASH
He is recuperating in the sickbay of the team's new superliner.

DEATHS
One. Gee-Nine's operator is chompfed in the robot's pincer by an unknown individual using the remote control.

BEST LINES
Moody Bloo: "After the way you chickened out against the sharks? No way, Smoothie! I'd rather have my old granny along..."

WORST LINES
Giant: "Maybe Brain has a lead on those creeps. Let's go see him...he's in sick-bay with the others."

How long can Giant wait for potentially vital news?

CATCHPHRASES
Moody Bloo gives us another "Holy Inferno!", while Giant goes a bit Burt Ward as Robin with a "Holy 'Droid-Bait..."

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
The Beehive is described as "a rotting concrete oasis for 'Troggies' and 'Zanies', the dropout of society. Troggies were undergorund dwellers previously seen in Judge Dredd: 'The Troggies', while Zanies were rich socialites featured in Harlem Heroes. The punctuation implies these are nicknames and in the case of the former may well have been reclaimed by the time they encounter Dredd.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Unknown.

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
Robot rubbish collectors have already become a reality in some parts of the world.

NOTES
The is a reptile among the debris of the Beehive on the last page with an indecipherable thought bubble that implies an intelligence.

CREDITS
Script: Tom Tully
Artist: Belardinelli
Letters: Tom Frame

REVIEW
The depiction of the Beehive and the presumed Syndicate operative are great, but the tour of the superliner feels like familiar territory and the resolution to the cliffhanger has quite a lot to live up to.

Inferno, Part 22

NAME
Inferno, Part 22

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 A.D. Prog 57

DATELINE
25 Mar 78

This prog featured the penultimate Dan Dare cover in Dave Gibbons' extended run and Colony Earth, Dan Dare, Judge Dredd, M.A.C.H.1 and Walter The Wobot strips.

PAGE COUNT
5

REPRINTS
The Complete Harlem Heroes.

SYNOPSIS
The Harlem Hellcats almost have to concede defeat.

FIRSTS & LASTS
Last appearance of the Long Island Sharks.

INFORMATION
Inferno, Rule 37: Any Inferno team failing to field a minimum of six men, must concede the game.

Final score: Harlem Hellcats 3 cave-ins (5 points), to the Long Island Sharks 0 cave-ins (0 points). The Harlem Hellcats win the brand new Inferno superliner and accessories.

GIANT
His body armour absorbed trhe blast of his jet-pack explosion.

ZACK
He is rendered unconscious by Giant's jet-pack explosion. He is heavily concussed.

LOUIS MAYER
Listed as a substitute, he returns just in time to prevent to the Harlem Hellcats from being forced to concede the match.

OTHER CHARACTERS
RIP VENNER
He breaks his arm in Giant's jet-pack explosion.

MARVIN BLOO
He hurts his arm in Giant's jet-pack explosion. Marvin has been nicknamed the 'Flying Ape'.

MOODY BLOO
His hits an Inferno ball so hard that it goes into 'white heat'

DEATHS
None.

BEST LINES
Commentator: "And Moody Bloo is going to block it!"
Moody Bloo: "I ain't just gonna block it, Blabber-Lips...I'm gonna moider it!"

WORST LINES
Jaws Jessel: "Better start runnin', cave-man...Before I stuff this ball right down your..."
Louis Meyer: "(Tsk, Tsk) Such language."

Down his what?

CATCHPHRASES
There's a shout of "Inferno!" from either the commentator or crowd.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Unknown.

MISTAKES
Louis Meyer returns to his original spelling of Mayer.

Also the final scoreboard is illegible.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: Tom Tully
Artist: Belardinelli
Letters: Tom Frame

REVIEW
The resolution to the cliffhanger is disappointing, but the action of the Inferno match is great. The cliffhanger ending is oddly undramatic, because Giant is more interested in the prizes than any revelation Louis Myer has too offer.

Inferno, Part 21

NAME
Inferno, Part 21

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 A.D. Prog 56

DATELINE
18 Mar 78

This prog featured another in Dave Gibbons' line of Dan Dare covers and Colony Earth, Dan Dare, Judge Dredd, Tharg's Future Shocks, M.A.C.H.1 and Walter The Wobot strips.

PAGE COUNT
5

REPRINTS
The Complete Harlem Heroes.

SYNOPSIS
The Harlem Hellcats have more than the Long Island Sharks to worry about.

FIRSTS & LASTS
First work by Peter Knight on the strip.

INFORMATION
An Inferno Firebowl has at least three ramps for the bikers to get to the deathwall.

A cave-in scored by a flier touching down inside the score-semi, is worth three points and sometimes refered to as a maximum cave-in.

The score so far Harlem Hellcats 3 cave-ins (5 points) to the Long Island Sharks 0 (0 points).

GIANT
He confronts Regal Eegle about his confidence. He scores cave-in. His jet-pack overheats and explodes causing injuries to many other members of the team.

OTHER CHARACTERS
TEEJAY CASH
Unconscious and in the path of the Long Island Sharks biker, Marvin saves him.

MARVIN BLOO
He and Moody share a surname, which implies they are cousins on Moody's father's side. He saves Teejay from being runover.

REGAL EEGLE
He scores a cave-in. There was a rumour he had retired from stunt-work because he lost his nerve.

DEATHS
It's unclear from the last panel if the jet-pack explosion kills anyone.

BEST LINES
Giant: "Let's try a flanker around the death-wall, Eegle. Head for number three ramp."

WORST LINES
Marvin Bloo: "Don't write him off yet, Blabber-Lips!"

CATCHPHRASES
We get another "Holy Inferno", this time from the Long Island Sharks biker who didn't quite run Teejay over.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Unknown.

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: Tom Tully
Artist: Belardinelli
Letters: Pete Knight

REVIEW
This part manages to cram a lot of story into its five pages. Looking at the psychological aspects of Inferno and the effects upon its players is fascinating and Regal Eegle is an interesting case study. The resolution to last week's cliffhanger and the build up to this week's are both great, but the brief visit to the "floodlit beach" is a bit odd.

Inferno, Part 20

NAME
Inferno, Part 20

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 A.D. Prog 55

DATELINE
11 Mar 78

This prog also featured Colony Earth, Dan Dare, Judge Dredd, Tharg's Future Shocks, M.A.C.H.1 and Walter The Wobot strips, as well as the now practically required Dan Dare cover by Dave Gibbons.

PAGE COUNT
5

REPRINTS
The Complete Harlem Heroes.

SYNOPSIS
The Harlem Hellcats take on the Long Island Sharks.

FIRSTS & LASTS
Marvin's first game.

INFORMATION
Mega-City has a zoo, that may contain a spider-monkey.

The score so far: Harlem Hellcats 1 cave-in (1 point) to the Long Island Sharks nil.

GIANT
He assigns Marvin to mark 'Jaws' Jessel.

OTHER CHARACTERS
TEEJAY CASH
He scores a cave-in from an assist by Marvin. A Long Island Shark flyer distracts Regal Eegle and he crashes into Teejay.

REGAL EEGLE
A Long Island Shark flyer distracts him and he crashes into Teejay Cash.

DEATHS
None.

BEST LINES
Long Island Shark Flyer: "Only ever saw one othe4r freak with arms that long - the spider-monkey at Mega-City Zoo!"
Marvin: "Mister, I don't mind people calling me names...but I ain't a freak!"

WORST LINES
Both of Teejays lines "Hey, Jessel's got the ball past me - He's gonna score" and "Hey - something's spooked him! He's heading straight towards me...!" are crying out to be thought bubbles.

CATCHPHRASES
We get a "Holy Inferno" from a fan and "Saturn's moons it's...Inferno!" from the commentator. It's like product placement.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Unknown.

MISTAKES
Why does Teejay's cave-in only garner one point when others have been worth three?

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: Tom Tully
Artist: Belardinelli
Letters: Tom Frame

REVIEW
As our cast of characters grows there is obviously less story to go around. Teejay has had nothing to do for the last few parts and sadly this doesn't quite redress the balance because Marvin's hi-jinx are easily the highlight here.