Ro-Busters: The Ritz Space Hotel, Part 3

NAME
Ro-Busters: The Ritz Space Hotel, Part 3

FIRST PUBLISHED
Starlord Issue 9

DATELINE
8 July 78

PAGE COUNT
6

REPRINTS
The Complete Ro-Busters.

SYNOPSIS
Hammer-Stein is set against Ro-Jaws.

FIRSTS & LASTS
None.

INFORMATION
Meetings of robots are illegal.

RO-JAWS
He dresses up in drag from the Silver Lady's dressing room. He fails to remain undetected.

HAMMER-STEIN
He is equipped with machine guns, rockets and lasers. He fails to remain undetected. He is hypnotised to kill Ro-Jaws.

OTHER CHARACTERS
SWING-ALONGA-MAX
He chairs a meeting of robots.

THE SILVER LADY
Ro-Jaws and Hammer-Stein discover clothing in her dressing room and believe her to be a human in disguise.

DEATHS
One. A hotel guest requesting a massage has his head crushed by a porter robot.

BEST LINES
Porter: "Funny the way a hume's head doesn't unscrew like a robot's!"
Robot: "Yeah! Sorta messy the way you have to keep yanking and tugging to get it off."

WORST LINES
Hotel guest: "I want a massage and - Hey! Meetings of robots are illegal! I'm going to report you stinkin' machines!"

CATCHPHRASES
None.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
'Some Enchanted Evening' is a show tune from South Pacific (1949) by Rodgers and Hammerstein. Hammer-Stein refers to Ro-Jaws as Julie Andrews, the actress born in 1935 that is famous for Mary Poppins (1964) and The Sound Of Music (1965). The Silver Lady sings 'Falling In Love Again', a song made famous by Marlene Dietrich (1901-1992) in The Blue Angel (1930).

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: Pat Mills
Artist: Pino
Letters: Steve Potter

REVIEW
Between the drag chase and the squelchy massage this part has a lot more going for it that those that preceded it.

Next Work: 'A Robot Revolt's About To Start Any Minute!'

Ro-Busters: The Ritz Space Hotel, Part 2

NAME
Ro-Busters: The Ritz Space Hotel, Part 2

FIRST PUBLISHED
Starlord Issue 8

DATELINE
1 July 78

PAGE COUNT
6

This issue also featured Strontium Dog, Timequake, Mind Wars and Planet Of The Damned strips, some more of the Hell Planet game and a Timequake cover by Brian Lewis

REPRINTS
The Complete Ro-Busters.

SYNOPSIS
Ro-Jaws and Hammer-Stein go undercover.

FIRSTS & LASTS
First Ro-Busters flashback.

INFORMATION
(The year is 2078)

Waiter robots have chest mounted ovens.

RO-JAWS
He struggles to blend in undercover.

HAMMER-STEIN
He is enjoying his undercover work.

OTHER CHARACTERS
SWING-ALONGA-MAX
Ro-Jaws and Hammer-Stein find clothing in his dressing room and believe him to be a human disguised as a robot.

THE SILVER LADY
Sings a duet with Swing-Alonga-Max.

½ TOUGH
He has stowed away on the Ro-Busters Space Module. He hopes to meet the chairman of British Ley-Mek and convince him to make him another arm.

MEK-QUAKE
He tells ½ Tough that his arm will never arrive.

DEATHS
None.

BEST LINES
Ro-Jaws: "Madam...sir...your chicken is ready!"
Sir: "It's burnt to a cinder!"
Ro-Jaws: "Well, you asked for it to be well done. So cut the yak and get it down you - can't stand around here all day, y'know!"

WORST LINES
Madam: "What a rude robot!"

CATCHPHRASES
None

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Max sing 'Take Me To The Moon' to the apparent tune of 'Fly Me To The Moon', a song written by Bart Howard in 1954 and recorded by Kaye Ballard and later by the likes of Nat King Cole, Mel Tormé, Shirley Bassey, Perry Como, Frank Sinatra, Cliff Richard, Doris Day, Tony Bennett and Marvin Gaye. Ro-Jaws mentions The Sweeney (1975–1978). There is a Playboy bunny symbol in Max's dressing room, the symbol first appeared in the magazine's second issue in January 1954.

MISTAKES
Part 1 mentioned Waiter robots having head ovens, which for obvious reasons has become chest ovens.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: Pat Mills
Artist: Pino
Letters: Peter Knight

REVIEW
This feels quite gentle. Ro-Jaws' undercover work is great, Hammer-Stein's undercover work is a bit dull and ½ Tough's presence is very predictable.

Next Week: 'His First Job Will Be - To Kill His Friend Ro-Jaws!'

Ro-Busters: The Ritz Space Hotel, Part 1

NAME
Ro-Busters: The Ritz Space Hotel, Part 1

FIRST PUBLISHED
Starlord Issue 7

DATELINE
24 June 78

This issue of Starlord also contains Strontium Dog, Timequake, Mind Wars and Planet Of The Damned strips, part 4 of the Hell Planet game and a Planet Of The Damned cover by Ramon Sola.

PAGE COUNT
6

REPRINTS
The Complete Ro-Busters.

SYNOPSIS
Quartz sends Ro-Jaws and Hammer-Stein undercover on the Ritz Space Hotel.

FIRSTS & LASTS
First space mission.

INFORMATION
(The year is 2078)

The Ritz Space Hotel is a fully robotised hotel in Earth orbit. Among its facilities are a zero gravity sports centre with robotic partners that are programmed to lose.

Robots Today and Droid Review are publications relating to robots.

RO-JAWS
His catalogue number is SM I/G. Quartz assigns him to work on the Ritz Space Hotel as a waiter and installs a cooker unit in his head.

HAMMER-STEIN
Quartz assigns him to work as his bodyguard during a visit to the Ritz Space Hotel.

OTHER CHARACTERS
SWING-ALONGA-MAX
Singing robot at the Ritz Space Hotel. He strangles his owner.

½ TOUGH
Construction robot working for Ro-Busters. He is awaiting the delivery of a left arm unaware that British Ley-Mek have stopped making them.

HOWARD QUARTZ
He is due to attend a business conference aboard the Ritz Space Hotel.

DEATHS
One. Max strangles the human owner of the Ritz Space Hotel.

BEST LINES
Quartz (whilst his chest is ringing): "Miss Marilyn, answer that phone."

WORST LINES
Robot Bed: "I'm a soft bed that's so comfeee!"

CATCHPHRASES
None.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Max sings 'I left my...heart...in San...Francisco', a song written in 1953 by George Cory (1920-1978) & Douglass Cross (1920-1975), and first released by Tony Bennett in 1962. He later sings 'The Twist', written and first released in 1959 by Hank Ballard And The Midnighters as a B-side, but the song was covered a year later by Chubby Checker and was a massive success and caused a dance craze. Ro-Jaws mentions TV detectives Starsky And Hutch (1975-1979)

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: Pat Mills
Artist: Pino
Letters: Tony Jacob

REVIEW
The opening advert and Max's homicidal twist are great, but the Miss Marilyn stuff takes its time.

Next Week: 'From Sewer-Robot To Waiter Robot'

Judge Dredd: The Day The Law Died!, Aftermath

NAME
Judge Dredd: The Day The Law Died!, Aftermath

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 A.D. and Starlord Prog 108

DATELINE
14 Apr 79

PAGE COUNT
1

REPRINTS
Judge Dredd Epics: Judge Caligula 2, Judge Dredd Epics: The Complete Judge Caligula, The Complete Judge Dredd 10, Judge Dredd 13, Judge Dredd Epics: The Day The Law Died and Judge Dredd The Complete Case Files 02.

SYNOPSIS
Mega-City One gets back on its feet after Cal's reign.

FIRSTS & LASTS
First day at work for Chief Judge Griffin and Deputy Chief Judge Pepper.

INFORMATION
(This strip begins several days after the death of Cal.)

The rebuilding of Mega-City One begins.

The Klegg mercenaries that attempt to escape in their space ship were punished.

JUDGE DREDD
He has memorials erected all over Mega-City One, including at least one to Fergee. There were calls for Dredd to be Chief Judge, but he refuses.

OTHER CHARACTERS
FERGEE
Dredd has a memorial statue of Fergee erected naming him King of the Big Smelly and Hero of Mega-City One.

JUDGE GRIFFIN
Dredd suggests him for Chief Judge.

DEPUTY CHIEF JUDGE PEPPER
He is appointed Deputy Chief Judge.

ARRESTS
None.

DEATHS
Potentially millions of Kleggs.

BEST LINES
Dredd: "My place is where it has always been, on the streets....I am needed there more than ever now!"

WORST LINES
Judge: "Griffin for Chief Judge!"

That was quick.

CATCHPHRASES
None.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Unknown.

MISTAKES
It's not as clear as it could be whether the Klegg's ship was destroyed, damaged or forced to return to Earth.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

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

Script: John Wagner
Artist: Ron Smith
Letters: Tom Frame

REVIEW
The Aftermath is admitted a quick overview of the day after the law died, but it successfully tells us a great deal with the minimum of fuss in a single page and gives Dredd a great note to end on.

Judge Dredd: The Day The Law Died!, Part 20

NAME
Judge Dredd: The Day The Law Died!, Part 20

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 A.D. Prog 108

DATELINE
14 Apr 79

This prog also featured Tharg's Future Shocks, Ro-Busters, Robo-Hunter and Strontium Dog, a Strontium Dog Star Pin Up and a Ro-Busters cover by Mike McMahon.

PAGE COUNT
5

REPRINTS
Judge Dredd Epics: Judge Caligula 2, Judge Dredd Epics: The Complete Judge Caligula, The Complete Judge Dredd 10, Judge Dredd 13, Judge Dredd Epics: The Day The Law Died and Judge Dredd The Complete Case Files 02.

SYNOPSIS
Cal prepares of his moment in history and Fergee saves the day.

FIRSTS & LASTS
The first twenty part story, last appearance of Fergee and Cal (native to this reality).

INFORMATION
The anti-vandal door on the Mega-City One's Statue of Judgement cannot withstand a high speed collision from a truck.

Named Judges: Judges Amos.

ICI '89 is a rare wine vintage.

JUDGE DREDD
He mounts an attack on Cal.

OTHER CHARACTERS
CHIEF JUDGE CAL
He prepares to kill the citizens of Mega-City One at the top of the Statue of Judgement. He poisons his two SJS bodyguards. During Dredd's attack, the previously hypnotised Judges suffer a relapse in his presence. He shoots Fergee. Cal activates the nerve gas controls, but Fergee throws him off top of the statue. He falls to his death erroneously believing himself to have command over gravity.

FERGEE
Cal shoots him, but he manages to manhandle Cal off the Statue of Judgement. He falls to his death.

ARRESTS
None.

DEATHS
Cal poisons his two SJS bodyguards. Fergee, Cal and at least six Judges fall to their deaths.

BEST LINES
Fergee: "Ain't no flies on Fergee!"

WORST LINES
SJS Judge: "Footsteps pounding up the stairs - Dredd's coming!"

CATCHPHRASES
Another "Easy the Ferg!"

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Alfred Hitchcock's Saboteur (1942) features both a climactic confrontation at the Statue of Liberty and a fall from the top.

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: John Wagner
Artist: Ron Smith
Letters: Tom Frame

REVIEW
This is brilliant, but oddly anti-climactic. Cal's belief that he can stop himself from falling by sheer force of will is great final moment for the character, but Dredd has almost nothing to do.

Judge Dredd: The Day The Law Died!, Part 19

NAME
Judge Dredd: The Day The Law Died!, Part 19

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 A.D. and Starlord Prog 107

DATELINE
7 Apr 79

This prog also featured Dan Dare, Ro-Busters, Robo-Hunter and Strontium Dog strips, a Fergee Star Pin-Up and a Strontium Dog cover by Carlos Ezquerra

PAGE COUNT
6

REPRINTS
Judge Dredd Epics: Judge Caligula 2, Judge Dredd Epics: The Complete Judge Caligula, The Complete Judge Dredd 10, Judge Dredd Epics: The Day The Law Died, Judge Dredd 13, and Judge Dredd The Complete Case Files 02.

SYNOPSIS
Dredd attempts to replace Cal's subliminal hypnotism with his own.

FIRSTS & LASTS
Last appearance of Judge Grampus.

INFORMATION
Mega-City One has space-raid sirens. The Statue of Judgement has an anti-vandal door at ground level which is impervious to even the bike cannon on a Lawmaster.

The first Chief Judge of Mega-City One was Judge Fargo. Named Judges: Judge Bob, Judge Fargo (deceased)

Tron is a planet with more than one dominant species.

JUDGE DREDD
He and his men break into the Hall of Justice and substitute Cal's briefing tape for their own. He instructs the newly unhypnotised Judges to go along with Cal's wishes until they hear the space-raid sirens. When the siren sounds Dredd and the Judges attack the Kleggs.

OTHER CHARACTERS
JUDGE FARGO
Born in 2001, he was the first Chief Judge of Mega-City One and was given the mantle of Father of Justice. He died in 2051 and was preserved to lay in state in the Hall of Justice's Hall of Heroes. His tomb also hides a secret escape route.

CHIEF JUDGE CAL
He plans to release the nerve gas from controls at the top of the Statue of Judgement. When Dredd attacks on flees into the Statue of Judgement.

JUDGE GRAMPUS
He plans to leave Earth for a contract on the planet Tron to eat the sub-species. Instead he is killed in Dredd's attack.

JUDGE-TUTOR KELSO
He is crushed by a sliding anti-vandal door at the foot of the Statue of Judgement.

ARRESTS
None.

DEATHS
Dozens. Dredd kills three Judges with "good clean shots", the Judges shoot and/or run down the Kleggs and Judge-Tutor Kelso is crushed by a sliding door.

BEST LINES
Grampus: Klegg mercenaries leave now. Got new contract on Tron planet - eliminating sub-species! We get to eat sub-species!"
Cal: "Goodbye, Grampus. It's been a pleasure dealing with you. You're so delightfully vicious!"

WORST LINES
Grampus: "It Judge Dredd!"

CATCHPHRASES
Walter says Dwedd, howwible, pwetending, Judge Bob says "My Dok" and Dredd "I am the law now - and you better believe it!"

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
The Statue of Judgement was previously seen in 'The Statue Of Judgement'.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Have insert something will travel was apparently a common phrase prior to Have Gun – Will Travel (1957-1963), but the US Western series must have popularised it.

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: J. Howard
Artist: R. Smith
Letters: Thomas

REVIEW
When the tables finally turn and they do so in style. The bizarre decisions to hide a secret passage under Fargo's tomb and to situate nerve gas release controls at the top of the Statue of Judgement are great.

Next: The Final Prog?

Judge Dredd: The Day The Law Died!, Part 18

NAME
Judge Dredd: The Day The Law Died!, Part 18

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 A.D. and Starlord Prog 106

DATELINE
31 Mar 79

This prog also featured Dan Dare, Ro-Busters, Robo-Hunter and Strontium Dog strips, a Ro-Busters Star Pin Up and a Robo-Hunter cover by Ian Gibson

PAGE COUNT
6

REPRINTS
Judge Dredd Epics: Judge Caligula 2, Judge Dredd Epics: The Complete Judge Caligula, The Complete Judge Dredd 10, Judge Dredd 13, Judge Dredd Epics: The Day The Law Died and Judge Dredd The Complete Case Files 02.

SYNOPSIS
Cal decides to preserve his city for future generations by preventing future generations.

FIRSTS & LASTS
None.

INFORMATION
(This strip begins on the hundredth day of Cal's reign, circa 20th January 2102)

Mega-City One is made up of at least 437 Districts. Locations in Mega-City One include Spearman Avenue, an area of the city known as Padmore, City Bottom Row is in District 437.

Millions of citizens have been condemned to Labour Blocks, working to maintain the wall.

For the first time in 170 years, the trains are running on time. The average time of delivery for a first class letter was reduced from 21 days to 4 hours.

Chief Judge Cal announces that he plans to release a nerve gas that will kill Mega-City One's citizens but leave building and documents unaffected and therefore able to stand testament to his achievement.

JUDGE DREDD
He orders Judge Pepper to create a briefing tape which could be used to remove Cal's hypnotism.

OTHER CHARACTERS
FERGEE
His address above ground is at 18 City Bottom Row, District 437 (WJ2), 1718 673 (9).

JUDGE WALTER THE WOBOT
He sends Fergee a crime briefing tape. He serves Cal his breakfast.

CHIEF JUDGE CAL
He decides that Mega-City One has reached perfection and elects to preserve this by killing its citizens with nerve gas.

ARRESTS
None.

DEATHS
None.

BEST LINES
Cal: "As you know, citizens, my government of this city has reached perfection. I am told the only way to go is down...but I do not agree!...We can go out, citizens! We can end our lives in a glorious moment of sacrifice - and preserve our perfect city forever in its finest hour!...To this end, nerve gas containers have been placed in every district. At noon tomorrow I will personally press the button to release it!"

WORST LINES
Fergee: "Letter come, old chapee!"

CATCHPHRASES
In an astonishing act of alliteration, Walter says bweakfast, bweezy and bwite,

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Unknown.

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: J. Howard
Artist: R. Smith
Letters: Thomas

REVIEW
Where Ron Smith's artwork seemed jarring before, here it takes on a clinical and sinister edge that really suits this point in the story.

Next Prog: Dredd's Army!