Flesh, Book One, Part 4

NAME
Flesh, Book 1, Part 4

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 A.D. Prog 4

DATELINE
19 Mar 77

PAGE COUNT
5

REPRINTS
2000AD Annual 1984, Judge Dredd Megazine 4.05, Scavengers 14 and Flesh: The Dino Files.

SYNOPSIS
Earl gets a sick Joe to Carver City, but Old One Eye tracks them.

FIRSTS & LASTS
First appearance of 'Claw' Carver.

INFORMATION
Carver City is like a western town, but with a plastic dome to keep dinosaurs out. It was founded by 'Claw' Carver. It has a saloon and a Robot Marshal. Guns are not permitted and must be surrendered at the entrance to the town, the sole exception is the Robot Marshall's laser gun.

The only cure for an infection resulting from a dinosaur bite is to inject fluid from a special gland in a Tyrannosaur's throat into the patient.

EARL REAGAN
He takes Joe Brontowski to Carver City for treatment. He knows 'Claw' Carver.

OLD ONE EYE
She tracks Earl Reagan by his scent to Carver City. Old One Eye breaks through the Carver City dome.

JOE BRONTOWSKI
His skin is breaking out in black boils and he has a fever after his dinosaur attack.

OTHER CHARACTERS
'CLAW' CARVER
He used to be a trail boss, but he retired and built the Carver City Trading Post. His right hand was bitten off and he had it replaced it with Dinosaur claw. He knows Earl Reagan.

CARVER CITY'S ROBOT MARSHALL
His laser gun perforates the town's plastic dome.

DEATHS
None.

BEST LINES
'Claw': "You was always too big for your boots, Reagan! I'm gonna rip you to shreds with my claw for what you've done!"

WORST LINES
Reagan: "Gotta act fast!"

Well, go on then.

CATCHPHRASES
A terrified Carver City citizen screams an "Aiee" and a ranger says "We'll have a kronj time in Carver City!"

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
The appearance of the Robot Marshal of Carver City bears a resemblance to the faceless version of Yul Brenner's character from Westworld (1973).

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
There are no credits printed in the strip itself and so the following are taken from Barney.

Script: Ken Armstrong
Artist: Sola
Letters: Bill Nuttall

Reprints of this strip credit the script to R.E. Wright.

REVIEW
Another strong part, which cements the Western aspects of the strip and maintains the quality of the gory action, but also provides the first signs of where the narrative is heading.

Flesh, Book One, Part 3

NAME
Flesh: Book One, Part 3

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 A.D. Prog 3

DATELINE
12 Mar 77

PAGE COUNT
4

REPRINTS
2000AD Annual 1982, Judge Dredd Megazine 4.04, Spellbinders 13 and Flesh: The Dino Files.

SYNOPSIS
Joe survives a Pteranodon attack only to suffer a Tyrannosaur attack, and Earl kills the former and renders the latter blind in one eye.

FIRSTS & LASTS
First appearance of Old One Eye.

INFORMATION
The Carver City Trading Post is a settlement with a doctor.

EARL REAGAN
He stabs a female Tyrannosaur in the eye to get it to release Joe.

OLD ONE EYE
A 120 year old female Tyrannosaur who attacks Joe Brontowski, but is fought off by Earl Reagan. He stabs her in the eye with an electric goad. Believed dead, she was actually only stunned. When she awoke Reagan's scent was in her nostrils and she wanted revenge.

JOE BRONTOWSKI
He survives attacks by a Pteranodon and a Tyrannosaur, but his legs are bleeding and Reagan has him taken to a doctor.

OTHER CHARACTERS
None.

DEATHS
One. A ranger is killed by Old One Eye (before she lost an eye).

BEST LINES
Joe: "No! I've not survived to die like this!"

WORST LINES
Reagan: "It's gotta be...the goad!!"

CATCHPHRASES
A terrified Carver City citizen screams an "Aiee" and a ranger says "We'll have a kronj time in Carver City!"

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Unknown.

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: Ken Armstrong
Artist: Ramon Sola
Letters: Bill Nuttall

Ramon Sola also provided artwork for Blackhawk, Tharg's Future Shocks, M.A.C.H.1, M.A.C.H.0 and Shako, as well as Hook Jaw for Action. He also drew covers for both 2000 AD and Starlord.

REVIEW
If a Pteranodon attack with a man in their claws is an amber alert, I look forward to see what a red alert would be. Meanwhile, Old One Eye is an instant hit.

Flesh: Book One, Part 2

NAME
Flesh: Book 1, Part 2

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 A.D. Prog 2

DATELINE
05 Mar 77

PAGE COUNT
5

REPRINTS
2000AD Annual 1982, Judge Dredd Megazine 4.04, Spellbinders 13 and Flesh: The Dino Files.

SYNOPSIS
After a visit to the Flesh processing facility, Joe is attacked by a Pterandon.

FIRSTS & LASTS
First appearance of the Fleshdozer.

INFORMATION
Dinosaurs are humanely stunned before they are dropped into the fleshdozer and turned into pre-packaged Flesh. Trans-Time rangers use spotter planes and air buggies, and are armed with power-assisted lassoes, blaster guns and electric goads. Alamosaurus are referred to by the nickname 'pinheads'.

EARL REAGAN
He is still impressed by the time travel device which sends the Flesh to the 23rd Century.

OTHER CHARACTERS
JOE BRONTOWSKI
He is attacked by a Pteranodon.

HUCK
Trans-Time Corporation employee. He is killed by a falling Styracosaur corpse.

DEATHS
Three. Huck is killed by a falling Styracosaur. The Styracosaur and Huck's friend are dropped into the Fleshdozer alive.

BEST LINES
Joe: "Carved up by the Fleshdozer! What away to go, boss!"
Reagan: "Yeah! He'll be turned into pre-packaged Flesh just like the Styracosaur."

WORST LINES
Joe: "It's gone!"
Reagan: "To the twenty-third century, where we comes from. Seen it happen a thousand time before - but it's still a miracle to a simple ranger like me."

CATCHPHRASES
None.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
The use of the words beamed and energise to describe teleportation recalls the transporter from Star Trek (1966-1969), although it wasn't used for time travel.

Alamosaurus was a quadruped herbivore and the largest known dinosaur from North America. Pteranodon is a genus of pterosaurs found across North America which included some of the largest known flying reptiles (wingspans over 6 metres). Both lived in the late Cretaceous Period.

MISTAKES
Pteranodon had no teeth and the plural form of lasso is lassos.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: Ken Armstrong
Artist: Boix
Letters: Bill Nuttall

In addition to Flesh, Ken Armstrong also wrote for Dan Dare and The Mind Of Wolfie Smith.

REVIEW
The Fleshdozer and the dinosaur attack are fantastic set pieces. Any comic strip that ends with a man attempting to strangle a Pteranodon is on to a winner. Flesh is shaping up to be very interesting.

Thrill Value Increases + + + Next Programme

Flesh: Book One, Part 1

As a result of the appearances of Satanus and Old One Eye in The Cursed Earth, it's time to take a look at Flesh...

NAME
Flesh: Book One, Part 1

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000A.D. Programme 1

DATELINE
26 Feb 77

PAGE COUNT
6

REPRINTS
2000AD Annual 1982, Judge Dredd Megazine 4.04, Spellbinders 13 and Flesh: The Dino Files

SYNOPSIS
Craving the taste of flesh, the people of the 23rd century send rangers back 65 million years to herd dinosaurs for their meat.

FIRSTS & LASTS
First Flesh, first appearance of Earl Reagan, Joe Brontowski and the Trans-Time Corporation.

INFORMATION
By the 23rd Century most animals have been destroyed and people survived on synthetic foods, but the discovery of time travel changed that.

The Trans-Time Corporation uses time travel to go back 65 million years and hunt dinosaurs, like Styracosaur, for their flesh. The company operates a base in the past to slaughter and process the meat and then beam it to the 23rd century.

Herder vehicles have two very large tyres and are designed to absorb shock.

EARL REAGAN
He works for Trans-Time Corporation as the boss of the rangers who drove herds of herbivorous dinosaurs. He uses an electric whip to turn the stampede away from danger.

OTHER CHARACTERS
JOE BRONTOWSKI
He works for Trans-Time Corporation and has just joined Reagan's crew. He shoots a tyrannosaur in the face and its head explodes.

MAVERICK
He works for Trans-Time Corporation. He is eaten alive by a Phobosuchus during his last tour of duty.

DEATHS
At least five. Maverick is eaten by a Phobosuchus, while Joe shoots a Tyrannosaur's head off. At least three Styracosaurs fall off the edge of the cliff during the stampede. Joe says that twenty rangers (not including Maverick) and six Styracosaurs were killed.

BEST LINES
Reagan: "You ain't seen nothin' yet, Joe. We're taking the flesh eating dinosaurs' natural food - and it's driving them crazy with hunger."

WORST LINES
Maverick: "Man's always needed meat, Joe. Forget your feelings. In this hell world you gotta be tough to survive. I'm glad it's my last tour of duty and I'm going home."

It's not necessarily bad dialogue, but it screams "I will die on the next page!".

CATCHPHRASES
None.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
An electric whip was used in Judge Dredd: 'The Troggies'. Styracosaurs also roam The Cursed Earth.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
The Beast Of Hollow Mountain (1956) and The Valley Of Gwangi (1969) are both SF Westerns featuring dinosaurs.

The genus name Phobosuchus was coined in 1924, has since been discarded because it was applied to several different crocodilian species that turned out to not be closely related to each other. It has since been largely replaced by Deinosuchus. It was an alligator that lived 80 to 73 million years ago during the late Cretaceous period in what is now North America.

Tyrannosaurs had large olfactory bulbs and nerves relative to size of their brain size, which suggests that they did indeed have a highly developed sense of smell.

MISTAKES
It's not fair to label referring to a Deinosuchus as a Phobosuchus in 1977 as a mistake, so I won't.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
There are no credits printed in the strip itself and so the following are taken from Barney.

Script: Pat Mills
Artist: Boix
Letters: Bill Nuttall

Boix is Joan Boix, who also was part of Team Fantomen providing art for The Phantom. He has a blog here.






REVIEW
Cowboys versus dinosaurs is quite simply one of the best ideas anybody has ever had. Ever. The idea of the future preying on the past and the attitudes to humans as carnivores are intriguing. This manages to be intelligent yet full of gory action.

The Cursed Earth Game, Part 6

NAME
The Cursed Earth Game, Part 6

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 A.D. Prog 80

DATELINE
2 Sep 78

PAGE COUNT
1

REPRINTS
None.

SYNOPSIS
On your trek across the Cursed Earth, you too can encounter the Devil's Lapdogs, Dinosaurs and the last Mutie President.

FIRSTS & LASTS
None.

INFORMATION

JUDGE DREDD

OTHER CHARACTERS
None.

ARRESTS
None.

DEATHS
None.

BEST LINES
None.

WORST LINES
None.

CATCHPHRASES
None.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
None.

MISTAKES
The image of Mega-City 1 is actually a reused panel of Mega-City 2 from The Cursed Earth, Chapter 1. Also "Must save Last Mutie President"?

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: Unknown
Artist: Unknown

REVIEW
The image of Spikes at the bottom of the board is fantastic, but the game doesn't look much like fun.

Cut This Page Out And Keep Safe!

The Cursed Earth Game, Part 5

NAME
The Cursed Earth Game, Part 5

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 A.D. Prog 79

DATELINE
26 Aug 78

PAGE COUNT
1

REPRINTS
None.

SYNOPSIS
You too can trade in Vaccine Credits and War Robot Credits.

FIRSTS & LASTS
None.

INFORMATION
None.

JUDGE DREDD
None.

OTHER CHARACTERS
None.

ARRESTS
None.

DEATHS
None.

BEST LINES
None.

WORST LINES
None.

CATCHPHRASES
None.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
None.

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: Unknown
Artist: Unknown

REVIEW
Vaccine Credits? War Robot Credits? What?

Cut This Page Out And Keep Safe! We Will Print Full Rules And Instructions With Part Six Of The Game

The Cursed Earth Game, Part 4

NAME
The Cursed Earth Game, Part 4

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 A.D. Prog 78

DATELINE
19 Aug 78

PAGE COUNT
1

REPRINTS
None.

SYNOPSIS
You can encounter Slayriders or bounty hunters on your trek across the Cursed Earth.

FIRSTS & LASTS
None.

INFORMATION
None.

JUDGE DREDD
None.

OTHER CHARACTERS
None.

ARRESTS
None.

DEATHS
None.

BEST LINES
None.

WORST LINES
None.

CATCHPHRASES
None.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
None.

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: Unknown
Artist: Unknown

REVIEW
There is less story detail on some of these cards than would be ideal.

Cut This Page Out And Keep Safe! We Will Print Full Rules And Instructions With Part Six Of The Game