Ro-Busters: The Terra-Meks!, Part One - The Eve Of Destruction!

NAME
Ro-Busters: The Terra-Meks!, Part One - The Eve Of Destruction!

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 AD & Starlord Prog 98

DATELINE
3 Feb 79

PAGE COUNT
6

REPRINTS
2000AD Annual 1987, Judge Dredd Megazine 4.02, Cyber Crush 04, Sam Slade Robo-Hunter (Volume 2) 03, Ro-Busters Book 1 and The Complete Ro-Busters.

SYNOPSIS
Can Charlie prevent the destruction of Northpool?

FIRSTS & LASTS
First Ro-Busters to feature neither Ro-Jaws nor Hammer-Stein

INFORMATION
Northpool is a port on the western side of Britain. A bullet train tunnel and a slip road for the Trans-Atlantic Tunnel runs under the town. The Twentieth century sky-blocks have been condemned and are to be demolished and are to be replaced by a huge aero-space port with the residents relocated to underground flats.

Trees are kept in tree museums. Terra-Meks are demolition robots. The popularity of 'Mammoth' Jets has lead to fewer huge ships crossing the ocean.

CHARLIE
Enormous robot and ship's pilot, he tows ships in distress off the coast of Northpool into the harbour. He has been in operation for fifteen years, has become Northpool's most famous landmark and has a chair on the dockside, but he is needed less due to the prevalence of 'Mammoth' Jets.

OTHER CHARACTERS
HOWARD QUARTZ
His Terra-Meks are due to demolish Northpool's sky-blocks.

RON MURDOCH
Leader of Northpool Council. He is in favour of demolishing Northpool's sky-blocks and building an aero-space port in their place, while relocating the residents to underground d flats.

GRANNY FRASER
She is relocated from a sky-block to an underground flat at 999 Cosy-Down Burrows.

FATHER FLANNIGAN
Priest. He tries to convince Charlie to stop the Terra-Meks from destroying Northpool.

DEATHS
None.

BEST LINES
Quartz: "How do the people of Northpool feel about my Terra-Meks destroying their homes?"
Murdoch: "Well, some of them are being rather difficult! They don't understand...this is the only way Northpool can survive! All these slum sky-blocks -- built in the Twentieth Century -- will be pulled down by your robots, Quartz! And the council will re-house everybody in nice new homes......underground!"

WORST LINES
Granny Fraser: "B-But there's no windows...I won't be able to see the trees!"

Of course there are no windows, of course you can't see the trees. Where did you think underground was?

CATCHPHRASES
This part ends on a cry of "Big Jobs!" from an anonymous Terra-Mek.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
The ship Charlie saves has come from Mega-City One.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Unknown.

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: Pat Mills
Artist: Dave Gibbons
Letters: Dave Gibbons

REVIEW
This is fantastic! Gibbons' art automatically lifts the story, but the social satire of the piece is excellent too. It's surprising not to see Ro-Jaws or Hammer-Stein, but to be honest you don't miss them.

Next Prog: Mek-Mania!

Judge Dredd: Loonies' Moon!

NAME
Judge Dredd: Loonies' Moon!

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 AD Featuring Judge Dredd Prog 192

DATELINE
27 Dec 80

This prog also featured Dash Decent, The Mean Arena, Meltdown Man, Return To Armageddon and Strontium Dog and a cover by Carlos Ezquerra.

PAGE COUNT
6

REPRINTS
The Best Of 2000AD 46, Judge Dredd Classics 64, The Complete Judge Dredd 18, Judge Dredd Chronicles Book 26, Judge Dredd 27 and Judge Dredd The Complete Case Files 04.

SYNOPSIS
Advertisers and Loonies fight over the moon.

FIRSTS & LASTS
First kneepad gag.

INFORMATION
The Temple Of Lunar Light devoted to the Loonie religion is on Mega-City One's W1101 Street in Sector 71. Lover's Park is an outdoor park that is open at night. Moonray Tower is the site of the lunar lasers that project advertising images onto the moon. Starting at 9pm, for six hours per night at a cost of one million credits a second. Products advertised include Special S synthi-flakes, Blat Roach spray, synthi-guy 24 hour girdle for men and Cybo-comp robots.

The Loonies are a religious group based on the ancient Djimite moon worshippers. Each novice carries a sacred blade and they are lead by an individual called the Great Loon. They attack Moonray Tower.

Psi-Division is on the second floor of the Hall of Justice. Named Judges: Judge Logan; Judge Holme (Psi-Division).

JUDGE DREDD
He investigates the disappearance of Erwin Blagg and discovers he is connected to the Loonies. Dredd kills him during their attack on Moonray Tower and only discovers his identity later. Dredd orders the arrest and interrogation of the assembled Loonie novices, crime blitzes of all Loonie temples and uses the lunar lasers to assure Mega-City One that normal service would be resumed.

OTHER CHARACTERS
ERWIN BLAGG
Seventeen year old. His parents report him missing. He has become a novice Loonie. Dredd kills him during their attack on Moonray Tower and discovers his identity later. Dredd orders his next of kin be informed.

ARRESTS
Hundreds. The Loonies are all arrested and interrogated.

DEATHS
Dozens. A Loonie kills a lunar projectionist, Dredd kills Erwin Blagg and Judges kill several Loonies.

BEST LINES
In a word servility.

Cybo-comp robots advertising slogan written on the moon

WORST LINES
Judge: "A slaughterhouse!"

CATCHPHRASES
Dredd says "Drokk!" and "Stop in the name of the law!", while the running gag about kneepads starts here.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
The Loonies are based on the Holy Spirit Association for the Unification of World Christianity, more commonly known as the Moonies after its founder Sun Myung Moon (1920–2012).

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

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

REVIEW
This strip has it all: great visuals, a tawdry use of spectacular technology and a satirical glance at a real world phenomenon. Highlights include the Blaggs attempt to report their son missing to a series of Judges, the Cybo-comp robots advertising slogan and Dredd's final lunar message.

Next Prog: The Fink's In Town!

Ro-Busters: Ro-Jaws' Memoirs, Part Five - Happy Ever After (Sort Of)

NAME
Ro-Busters: Ro-Jaws' Memoirs, Part Five - Happy Ever After (Sort Of)

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 AD & Starlord Prog 97

DATELINE
27 Jan 79

PAGE COUNT
6

REPRINTS
The Best Of 2000AD 83 and The Complete Ro-Busters.

SYNOPSIS
Ro-Jaws and Annabel are parted and reunited.

FIRSTS & LASTS
Last appearance of Annabel.

INFORMATION
(The flashback section of this strip presumably begins in September 2067 and culminates on Christmas Day of the same year, while the last sequence takes place in the Ro-Busters present day circa 2078)

The Book of Robots is written by humans for the improvement of robots. Verse Six reads: "Humans are the masters now and for ever..."

RO-JAWS
When Annabel goes away to boarding school, Ro-Jaws is sent to work for a Mr Murphy as a builder's labourer. After three years apart, he and Ginger meet again. Ro-Jaws later sees Ginger's foot on the back of a Robo-knackers' lorry and collapses. When Annabel returns she seeks him out and buys him back. Ro-Jaws spends Christmas with Annabel and her family.

OTHER CHARACTERS
ANNABEL
She goes away to boarding school. When she returns home at Christmas, she is told Ro-Jaws has run away.

MR MURPHY
Ro-Jaws is sold to him as a builder's labourer.

GINGER
He and Ro-Jaws are reunited for the first time in three years. Ro-Jaws later sees his foot on the Robo-knackers' lorry.

DEATHS
Maybe Ginger, although it's possible he merely lost a foot.

BEST LINES
Ro-Jaws: "What-haay! These left-overs is really tasty! Merry Crimble everyone!"

WORST LINES
Ro-Jaws (singing): "Even sewer rats like me have fun on Christmas day. I sing my song (no Humes around?) Us robots rule OK? Brill, eh?"

CATCHPHRASES
None.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Ro-Jaws references Hard Times (1854) by Charles Dickens (1812-1870). 'Love Came Down At Christmas' is a Christmas carol with lyrics by Christina Georgina Rossetti (1830-1894) written at some point before 1886.

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: Pat Mills
Artist: Mike Dorey
Letters: Pete Knight

REVIEW
The snowy artwork is nice, but this is largely disappointing after a tumultuous set-up. Overall, this feels rushed.

Next Prog: The Terra-Meks!

Ro-Busters: Ro-Jaws' Memoirs, Part Four - Upstairs And Down Sewers

NAME
Ro-Busters: Ro-Jaws Memoirs, Part Four - Upstairs And Down Sewers

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 AD & Starlord Prog 96

DATELINE
20 Jan 79

PAGE COUNT
6

REPRINTS
The Best Of 2000AD 83 and The Complete Ro-Busters.

SYNOPSIS
Ro-Jaws is rejected by the robot resistance, but welcomed into the arms of Annabel.

FIRSTS & LASTS
First real indication of when the initial Harlem Heroes story is set.

INFORMATION
(This strip begins in 2065 AD and features a sequence two years later in 2067.

Robots have been replacing humans since the nineteen seventies.

In 2067, Match Of The Day is a TV show that broadcasts Aeroball games.

RO-JAWS
In 2065, he leads George Washington and the other members of the robot resistance to freedom and decides to join them. They reject him. Two years later, he meets Annabel, who convinces her step-father to buy him and welcomes him into her home. They become great friends.

OTHER CHARACTERS
GEORGE WASHINGTON
He was first activated in 2030. In 2065, he is shot with a high explosive shell and later dies.

ANNABEL B
Young girl. Her father died and her mother remarried. In 2067, she meets Ro-Jaws and convinces her step-father to buy him. They become great friends.

MR π
Robot butler. He doesn't approve of Ro-Jaws.

DEATHS
One. George Washington dies of wounds caused by a high explosive shell fired by the secret police.

BEST LINES
George: "Leave me...save yourselves!"
Ro-Jaws: "Daft nerk! No need for John Wayne stuff! Into the really deep sewers! No-one will follow us there!"

WORST LINES
Resistance member: "...May he rust in peace!"

CATCHPHRASES
Ro-Jaws calls George a "nerk" and Annabel apparently picks up habit and uses the word herself.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
In 2067, Ro-Jaws and Annabel watch a Harlem Heroes Aeroball match featuring Giant, Slim and Artie Gruber, but it's not clear whether this is the game in which Gruber was injured or one of the altercations depicted in Harlem Heroes.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
The subtitle obviously references the TV series Upstairs, Downstairs (1971-2012). Ro-Jaws mentions John Wayne (1907-1979), American actor and star of The Quiet Man (1952), The Searchers (1956), Rio Bravo (1959), The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962) and True Grit (1969). The other members of the Robot Resistance borrow their names from Winston Churchill (1874-1965), Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1940 to 1945 and again from 1951 to 1955), Oliver Cromwell (1599-1658), Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland from 1653 until his death and Napoleon (1769-1821), Emperor of the French from 1804 to 1814. Match Of The Day is a BBC TV show which has been broadcasting highlights of the day's football matches since 1964.

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: Pat Mills
Artist: Mike Dorey
Letters: Steve Potter

REVIEW
Ro-Jaws' Memoirs gets better and better. The rejection of Ro-Jaws by the Robot Resistance is an excellent moment. Annabel is easily enamoured with Ro-Jaws, but after Old Scratchey, Mad Jock, Ginger and George Washington presents him with his best Hammer-Stein replacement yet.

Next Prog: The Final Part Of Ro-Jaws' Memoirs!

Ro-Busters: Ro-Jaws' Memoirs, Part Three - Out!

NAME
Ro-Busters: Ro-Jaws' Memoirs, Part Three - Out!

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 AD & Starlord Prog 95

DATELINE
13 Jan 79

PAGE COUNT
6

REPRINTS
The Best Of 2000AD 83 and The Complete Ro-Busters.

SYNOPSIS
Ro-Jaws and Ginger adjust to life on the outside.

FIRSTS & LASTS
Earliest mention of Ro-Busters.

INFORMATION
Robots are forbidden from certain premises, must comply with a curfew between 10pm and 6am and travel at a speed limit. Unemployed robots are required to report to Robo-Exchanges where those that have been unemployed for more than twelve weeks are incinerated in blast furnaces.

Robots work as editors and translators.

A 7000/L Series Androids with plasti-skin and synthi-hair are potentially indistinguishable from humans.

RO-JAWS
He and Ginger are released from robo-prison. When Ginger accidentally trips someone over and is accused of attacking him. A mob attempts electrocute them both, but they are saved by a George Washington robot purporting to be human. The council refused him re-employment and he was sent to work for a removals firm, but rejected by the owner. He got a job as a grave digger. He witnesses George robbing a bank and helps him to escape into the sewers.

OTHER CHARACTERS
GINGER
He and Ro-Jaws are released from robo-prison. He accidentally trips someone over and is accused of attacking him. A mob attempts electrocute he and Ro-Jaws, but he was saved by a George Washington robot purporting to be human. The taxi company he previously worked for refused to re-employ him and he was sent to work for a removals firm.

GEORGE WASHINGTON
A 7000/L Series Android. He is a member of the Resistance and saves Ro-Jaws and Ginger from a mob about to electrocute them. He later helps rob a bank to fund the Resistance..

ROBOT ZJ3
Robot sent to Ro-Busters by a robo-exchange.

DEATHS
None.

BEST LINES
Ro-Jaws: "Eventually we got sent to a removal firm run by a Mr. Dratanblast...I think that's what he called himself..."
Skinner: "Dratanblast! Is this the best the robo-exchange could send me?"

WORST LINES
Noone.

CATCHPHRASES
None.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
Ro-Jaws hopes he never ends up at Ro-Busters.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
George Washington (1731 or 1732-1799) was the first President of the United States (1789–1797).

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: Pat Mills
Artist: Mike Dorey
Letters: Pete Knight

REVIEW
This is excellent. The artwork is great and Ro-Jaws character is given an excellent chance to shine.

Next Prog: With The Robot Resistance!

Ro-Busters: Ro-Jaws' Memoirs, Part Two - In Bad Company!

NAME
Ro-Busters: Ro-Jaws' Memoirs, Part Two - In Bad Company!

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 AD & Starlord Prog 94

DATELINE
6 Jan 79

PAGE COUNT
6

REPRINTS
The Best Of 2000AD 83 and The Complete Ro-Busters.

SYNOPSIS
Ro-Jaws helps his cellmate escape.

FIRSTS & LASTS
First appearance of Ginger.

INFORMATION
Robots are used as butchers and mini-cabs.

RO-JAWS
He shares a cell in D Wing with Ginger and Mad Jock. Jock uses him as a fuel still, distilling potato peelings in alcohol to use as fuel and aid his escape.

OTHER CHARACTERS
GINGER
Mini-Cab Robot. He was jailed after one of his fares drowned when he fell into a river. Shares a cell in D Wing with Ro-Jaws and Mad Jock.

MAD JOCK
A butcher robot from Glasgow. He was jailed for putting his human master into pies and sausages. Shares a cell in D Wing with Ro-Jaws and Ginger. Jock uses Ro-Jaws as a fuel still, distilling potato peelings in alcohol to use as fuel and aid his escape. Mad Jock escapes, but is recaptured a month later, put in Cell 101 and reprogrammed to be more obedient.

DEATHS
None.

BEST LINES
Mad Jock: "Well, you see Ro-Jaws, it was part of my job as a butcher to make meat pies and sausages...an' I got awffy fond of the lambs an' the little wee pigs. I didna like having to kill them...I mean...what harm have animals ever doe us robots? But I had to put somethin' in the pies......so when my master went missing, the Police got very suspicious!"

WORST LINES
None.

CATCHPHRASES
None.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
Mad Jock bears a resemblance to Call-Me-Kenneth from Judge Dredd's Robot Wars.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Cell 101 is obviously a reference to Room 101 from Nineteen Eighty-Four (1949) by George Orwell (1903-1950).

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: Pat Mills
Artist: Mike Dorey
Letters: Steve Potter

REVIEW
Surprisingly this doesn't show us how Ro-Jaws adapts to life on the inside, but rather uses Mad Jock as the catalyst for his presumed escape.

Next Prog: Ro-Jaws And Ginger Are...Out!

Ro-Busters: Ro-Jaws' Memoirs, Part One - Happy Days

NAME
Ro-Busters: Ro-Jaws' Memoirs, Part One - Happy Days

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 AD & Starlord Prog 93

DATELINE
30 Dec 78

PAGE COUNT
6

REPRINTS
The Best Of 2000AD 83 and The Complete Ro-Busters

SYNOPSIS
It's Ro-Jaws turn to tell his life story.

FIRSTS & LASTS
First Ro-Busters without Hammer-Stein.

INFORMATION
The organic matter 'eaten' by a Federal Recycling And Environmental Droid (FRED2L) is recycled into gas to drive its engine and is expelled from his exhaust. They are equipped with brushes, air freshener and one arm contains a disinfectant that kills 99% of all known germs. Their vision is quite basic.

The Robot Interrogation Police (RIP) deal with errant droids. They run Robot Re-Training Camps.

Slide-Walks are a sign of upwardly mobile modernity. Pleasure pills and smiley-vision are intended to make individuals happy.

RO-JAWS
He worked at a depot with at least five other sewer robots. He stood out and his human co-workers introduced him to Sir Neville, Minister for the Environment during a visit. Ro-Jaws met Old Scratchey when the robot got its arm stuck whilst unblocking a drain. , Scratchey freed him and they became friends. On a particularly wet and rainy night, Ro-Jaws takes Stratchey to Sir Neville's empty home and lets him in. When Sir Neville discovers them, Ro-Jaws is sent to a Robot Re-Training Camp against his will.

OTHER CHARACTERS
SIR NEVILLE
Minister for the Environment. He meets Ro-Jaws and approves of him. When Sir Neville discovers Ro-Jaws and Scratchey in his home he has them both taken away in wagons against his will.

OLD SCRATCHEY
Homeless man. He hasn't taken his trousers off in ten years. He met Ro-Jaws when the robot got its arm stuck down a drain, he freed him and they became friends. On a particularly wet and rainy night, Ro-Jaws takes Stratchey to Sir Neville's empty home and lets him in. When Sir Neville discovers them, Scratchey is sent to a home against his will.

DEATHS
None.

BEST LINES
Sir Neville's wife: "Opera is so tiring. I think I'll go straight to bed."

WORST LINES
Sir Neville (regarding an apparently awful smell): "I'm sure I don't know what it can be."

CATCHPHRASES
Ro-Jaws calls Scratchey a "daft old nerk" twice.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Ro-Jaws paraphrases the words of 'Messing About On The River' a 1962 song by Josh MacRae (1933–1977), quotes Oliver Twist (1838) by Charles Dickens (1812–1870).

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: Pat Mills
Artist: Mike Dorey
Letters: Steve Potter

REVIEW
After Hammer-Stein's memoirs told the story of his exploits in the Volgan War, it shouldn't come as a surprise that Ro-Jaws gets the same treatment and yet it does. The artwork is great throughout and it's reassuring to see Ro-Jaws elevating the gutter to a similar status and the sewer at his happiest.

Next Prog: In Bad Company!