Wednesday 31 July 2013

Futuregraph: The Insult That Made A Robot Out Of 'Walt'

NAME
Futuregraph: The Insult That Made A Robot Out Of 'Walt'

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 A.D. Prog 82

DATELINE
16 Sep 78

PAGE COUNT
1

REPRINTS
None.

SYNOPSIS
Walter buys himself a new physique.

FIRSTS & LASTS
None.

INFORMATION
Mega-City One has a synthi-beach.

Merion Port is a location on Pluto.

Robots World is a magazine.

The Galactic Groat is a unit of currency.

For 150 Galactic Groats, Droid Atlas sells a build-a-better body lightweight alloy construction kit made up of Big Powerful Arms, Massive Gargantuan Chest, An Epicly Proportioned Proboscis, Tyreless Legs and Magnetic Personality to Robots, Droids and Synthi-Humes. For 10 Galactic Groats buys you a 32,000 page book of pictures and advice. Postage is included except on orders from beyond the final frontier, when 5 Galactic Groats will be required.


WALTER THE WOBOT
He takes a holiday on Mega-City Synthi-Beach and has an altercation with another droid which inspires him to purchase Droid Atlas' tie-on plasti-muscles. He returns to the beach to teach his bully a lesson and is deemed a bully himself.

OTHER CHARACTERS
DROID ATLAS
He markets tie-on plasti-muscles.

'CALL-ME-HARRY' SPONSIBLE
6ft and 125 lb, robot from Luna 1. Spokesman for Droid Atlas' tie-on plasti-muscles.

JUDGE DREDD
Walter has his picture displayed in his room.

DEATHS
None.

BEST LINES
Walter: "Dwat it!...Walter just can't win!"

WORST LINES
Walt's Lady Droid Companion: "Oh, don't let it bother you, Bucket Head!"

CATCHPHRASES
Walter says dwat, dwoid, dwokk, fwee, gweat, hewo, scarecwow, wotten,

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
This advert (below).


MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: G.P. Rice
Artist: Brendan McCarthy
Letters: Tony Jacob

G.P. Rice is Gary Rice. He also wrote for Tharg's Future Shocks, M.A.C.H.1 and several Ro-Jaws' Robo-Tales.

REVIEW
This is wonderful. Presumably Walter is missing Dredd during his quest across the Cursed Earth, so much that he takes solace in a holiday. The parody of the ubiquitous advert is spot on and Walter's fate is brilliant.

Tuesday 30 July 2013

Flesh: 'Carrion'

NAME
Flesh: 'Carrion'

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 A.D. Summer Special Supercomic 1977

DATELINE
1 June 77

PAGE COUNT
6

REPRINTS
Flesh: The Dino Files.

SYNOPSIS
Someone is out to kill Earl Reagan.

FIRSTS & LASTS
First Flesh outside the prog.

INFORMATION
The Transtime Corporation sell Tyranno steaks for half a star. A head ranger has the discretion to dock his subordinate's wages as a penalty. Rangers are armed with lazer rifles.

Advance Protein Inc are a competitor.

EARL REAGAN
His nickname is Butch. He is head ranger in change of herding dinosaurs in the Cretaceous period.

OTHER CHARACTERS
JIM CASSIDY
Reagan's number two. When Jim overhears Skerrett's plans, he prevents him from killing Reagan.

MR VARNEY
The president of the Trans Time Corporation.

SKERRETT
Bounty hunter hired by Advance Protein Inc to kill Earl Reagan. After overhearing his plans, Jim prevents him from being successful. Skerrett is sent back to the 23rd century bound, gagged and with a sign that reads: 'Unsuitable for processing - Contaminated Flesh.'.

DEATHS
At least twenty dinosaurs die in the stampede. Reagan shoots a Tyrannosaur in the head.

BEST LINES
Reagan: "Spender! McGuigan! Bury the dead before they attract trouble. The rest of you guys get after that herd!"

WORST LINES
Skerrett: "When do we meet up with a Tyrano, Mr. Reagan?"

CATCHPHRASES
One of the Rangers manages an Aieeeeee!

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
Presumably this is set before Flesh, Book 1.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Unknown.

MISTAKES
Why would Reagan have to wait three days for reinforcements from the future?

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: Unknown
Artist: Unknown

REVIEW
The motivation of Advance Protein Inc is great, but the important action occurs between panels and the dinosaurs are side lined.

Monday 29 July 2013

Judge Dredd: Ryan's Revenge, Epilogue

NAME
Judge Dredd: Ryan's Revenge, Epilogue

FIRST PUBLISHED
Dan Dare Annual 1979

DATELINE
1 Sept 78

PAGE COUNT
1/2 a page

REPRINTS
Judge Dredd: The Restricted Files 01.

SYNOPSIS
Dredd clarifies his report of Ryan and Amalfi's death.

FIRSTS & LASTS
First epilogue.

INFORMATION
Mega-City One has a Mega-Aquarium

Synthi-Fruit is synthetic fruit replacement.

JUDGE DREDD
He lies to the Chief Judge about what happened to Ryan and Amalfi.

OTHER CHARACTERS
RYAN
He fell through the Mega-Aquarium roof and out through a tank wall.

MAYOR AMALFI
He fell through the roof of a Synthi-Fruit.

CHIEF JUDGE
He asks Dredd for clarification of contradictory facts within Dredd's report.

ARRESTS
None.

DEATHS
Two. Ryan and Amalfi die two minutes apart from their respective falls.

BEST LINES
Chief Judge: "Only one thing I can't understand. If Amalfi and Ryan fell through the window locked in each other's arms, how come the reports say Amalfi hit the ground a full two minutes later?"

WORST LINES
Dredd: "Simple, Chief. Amalfi came up against something that every politician has to face sooner or later...wind resistance!"

CATCHPHRASES
None.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Unknown.

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
Is that Walter sniffing in the penultimate panel? And if so, why?

CREDITS
Script: Unknown
Artist: Kevin O'Neill

REVIEW
Ryan was imprisoned underwater and turned into an aqua-man freak ergo he falls into an aquarium. Amalfi liked fruit and falls to his death in a Synthi-Fruit truck. These respective final resting places of the dead are presumably meant to be some sort of just desserts.

Dredd is pretty out of character in the main body of the story, but here he actively falsifies evidence about the deaths of Ryan and Amalfi. Why?

And That Has To Be The End!

Sunday 28 July 2013

Judge Dredd: Ryan's Revenge

NAME
Judge Dredd: Ryan's Revenge

FIRST PUBLISHED
Dan Dare Annual 1979

DATELINE
1 Sept 78

PAGE COUNT
4 and a 1/2

REPRINTS
Judge Dredd: The Restricted Files 01.

SYNOPSIS
Dredd must protect Mayor Amalfi from Ryan's revenge.

FIRSTS & LASTS
First full colour Judge Dredd strip and the first use of the name organ-legging.

INFORMATION
There are at least seven Penal Rafts in Mega City Bay.

Soybeef is a meat substitute. Grapes, bananas, apples, oranges and strawberries are all highly prized.

The bones of the dead can be grafted onto the living. Organ-Legging is the theft and sale of body parts for spare part surgery. The Litter Act contains at least 1034 sections

A Judge's armour can withstand the ammunition of a four-shot, short range anti-personnel pistol.

JUDGE DREDD
He dislikes Mayor Amalfi. The last eight lawbreakers that Dredd killed weren't in a fit state for the morgue. Dredd's diet includes soybeef and synthi-caf.

OTHER CHARACTERS
CHIEF JUDGE
He orders Dredd to protect Mayor Amalfi.

RYAN
Ex-morgue employee. He was locked up in Penal Raft Seven as a convicted organ-legger. He attempted to implicate the Mayor during his trial. He attempts to kill Amalfi, but Dredd intervenes. He falls to his death.

MAYOR AMALFI
He would prefer dead lawbreakers to be suitable for the morgue. He grows his own fresh fruit. His rooftop garden is known as the last refuge of the banana. Ryan was supplying him with bones from the morgue to fertilise his plants. He slips on a banana peel and falls to his death.

ARRESTS
None.

DEATHS
None.

BEST LINES
Amalfi: "Bet you've never even seen a grape, eh, Dredd?"

Amalfi: "Don't mock, Dredd - banana is a thing of beauty!"

WORST LINES
Dredd: "Goodbye, Mayor - Guess you've slipped away from justice and perhaps it's better this way..."

CATCHPHRASES
"Subside, Fatso!" is Ryan's odd way of telling the Mayor to get out of the way. Dredd repeats it later and chalks up another "Stomm!"

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
We last saw the Mega-City Morgue in Judge Dredd: Dr. Panic.

There is no information on offer here to establish the setting of this strip.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Unknown.

MISTAKES
Dredd drinks Synthi-Caf? But that's illegal! Sometimes.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: Unknown
Artist: Kevin O'Neill

REVIEW
Amalfi gets some great lines and the artwork for Ryan's special delivery is nice, but overall this feels odd. Dredd is acting very oddly.

Saturday 27 July 2013

Judge Dredd: Ryan's Revenge, Prologue

NAME
Judge Dredd: Ryan's Revenge, Prologue

FIRST PUBLISHED
Dan Dare Annual 1979

DATELINE
1 Sept 78

The first Dan Dare Annual bore a Kevin O'Neill cover. This strip appeared alongside Invasion, Rick Random and, of course, Dan Dare strips, as well as a text story called The Invisible Death.

PAGE COUNT
1

REPRINTS
Judge Dredd: The Restricted Files 01.

SYNOPSIS
A prisoner escapes from a penal raft to take his revenge on the Mayor.

FIRSTS & LASTS
First Prologue and the first Judge Dredd post not to feature Judge Dredd.

INFORMATION
There are penal rafts submerged under Mega-City Bay. The prisoners are altered to live underwater and secured by guards, a laser fence and shark patrols.

Mayor Amalfi is Mega-City One's biggest politician.

OTHER CHARACTERS
AMALFI
Mayor of Mega-City One.

RYAN
A prisoner on a penal raft submerged under Mega-City Bay. He has been altered to live underwater. He steals an underwater vehicle and escapes to take his revenge on the mayor.

ARRESTS
None.

DEATHS
None explicit, but the guards on the penal raft could well be drowning.

BEST LINES
Ryan: "So much for the laser fence and shark patrols, now to inflict mega-death on his mega-honour the mega-mayor! Yeah- 'bout time for...Ryan's Revenge!"

WORST LINES
Guard: "Gluuurk!"

CATCHPHRASES
None, although Ryan overuses the word Mega to less effect than he expects.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
Dredd saved the Mayor's son in Judge Dredd: 'The Brotherhood Of Darkness'. Is this the same Mayor?

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Unknown.

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: Unknown
Artist: Kevin O'Neill

REVIEW
An interesting set up.

Friday 26 July 2013

Harlem Heroes: 'The Apache Demons'

NAME
Harlem Heroes: 'The Apache Demons'
(I have called this post 'The Apache Demons', to give it a name in the vein of those listed on the Wikipedia article and to differentiate between this strip and another equally Untitled one from the 2000 A.D. Summer Special 1977)

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 A.D. Annual 1979

DATELINE
1 Sept 1978

PAGE COUNT
8

REPRINTS
None.

SYNOPSIS
The Harlem Heroes play the Apache Demons.

FIRSTS & LASTS
First full colour Harlem Heroes strip, first 8 page Harlem Heroes strip.

INFORMATION
The Apache Demons are from Arizona. They are famous for performing a mid-air victory dance when they score.

The No No squad is deployed at some Aeroball matches. They spray hooligans with a smelly, pungent, green dye which takes either three or six months to wear off and boasts a stronger odour depending on the severity of the crime. Those still dyed are not permitted to attend Aeroball matches.

Harlem Heroes player's wear visors which feature a head up display which keeps them informed of their speed, time and direction.

Apache Demons 1, Harlem Heroes 0, 300,000 spectators attend. The stadium is full.


GIANT
He fights off an Apache Demons player to pass the ball to Zeke.

SLIM
He and Chief Crazy Dog almost have a head on collision at 200kph, but the Apache Demon swerves away at the last moment. Slim scores an air strike.

HAIRY
He beats Chief Crazy Dog to the blast off, but is lassoed by the Apache Demons' fans. Later, he deflects a ball off an Apache Demons player's face.

OTHER CHARACTERS
ZEKE
Harlem Heroes player. He receives a headbutt to his jet pack controls from Chief Crazy Dog, crashes to the ground and is injured.

CHIEF CRAZY DOG
Leader of the Apaches. He wears a distinctive headdress. He headbutts Zeke's jet pack controls causing him to crash and lose possession of the ball. He scores an air strike. He and Slim almost have a head on collision at 200kph, but he swerves away at the last moment and out through the roof. His jet pack is punctured and explodes killing him.

DEATHS
One. Chief Crazy Dog is killed when his jet pack explodes.

BEST LINES
Commentator: "Oh, wow! Crazy Dog's on full power! There's no way he can avoid...Raising the roof!"

WORST LINES
Giant: "Aeroball's a game where you take your life in your hands every day - like motor-racing in the last century!"

CATCHPHRASES
"Aieee".

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
This strip takes place before the Harlem Heroes, Part 1. Presumably Zeke recovers from his injuries only to be killed in the road-crash that killed most of the team. Aeroball is also described as "the game that gave birth to Inferno!"

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Unknown.

MISTAKES
The scale seems off as Hairy takes the blast off and the ball looks like it would be colossal. How do the Harlem Heroes win? Slim's score should equalise.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

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

Script: Untitled
Artist: Untitled
Letters: Untitled

REVIEW
The strip essentially retells and streamlines the story beats of 'Berlin Stadium', redirects the racism elsewhere and does so in full colour. This is a step up from our visit to Berlin though, the Aeroball action plays better and full colour doesn't do this strip justice, it's more like vivid technicolour and it uses its colour intelligently to indicates who's who. The panel featuring the commentator lounging is fantastic, although the shower scene is a very odd addition.

Thursday 25 July 2013

Judge Dredd: 'Dr. Panic'

NAME
Judge Dredd: 'Dr. Panic'

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 A.D. Annual 1979

DATELINE
1 Sept 1978

The second 2000 A.D. Annual also featured Judge Dredd, Tharg's Future Shocks, Invasion, M.A.C.H.1, Dan Dare, The Phantom Patrol, Guinea Pig and Doctor Sin strips alongside four one-off text stories and features about subjects like lunar timekeeping on the moon, cruise missiles and profiles of Von Braun, Gagarin, Glenn, Armstrong, Aldrin, Collins and Verne.

PAGE COUNT
8

REPRINTS
Judge Dredd: The Complete Case Files 03 and Judge Dredd: The Restricted Files 01.

SYNOPSIS
Dredd investigates a series of deaths and takes on Dr. Panic.

FIRSTS & LASTS
None.

INFORMATION
(This strip is set in 2099)

Mega-City One has more crime than other cities. The Mega-City Morgue has at least 45 levels and requires security clearance for entry. The Cosmo Café is a dining establishment. The Panic Robot Repair Company operates out of a warehouse on the Lower Eastside.

Anti-Caffeine Laws forbid the use of Synthi-Caf. Gambling is illegal.

100 Credit banknotes are in circulation.

JUDGE DREDD
His security pass number is A14472. He investigates the tramp deaths and Max Normal leads him to Dr. Panic's Suicide Alley. Dredd is captured and set against a Robo-Judge with a single bullet. He shoots out the electricity supply, steals Panic's gun and destroys the Robo-Judge.

OTHER CHARACTERS
WALTER THE WOBOT
He serves Dredd Synthi-Caf despite the Anti-Caffeine Laws.

MAX NORMAL
Dredd gives him 2,000 credits for information on the Panic Robot Repair Company.

DR. PANIC
A cyborg. He runs the Panic Robot Repair Company as a front for Suicide Alley, a games arcade with deadly stakes. Dredd arrests and sentences him to 20 years in the time stretcher


ARRESTS
One. Dr. Panic is sentenced to 20 years in the time stretcher.

DEATHS
Corpse 568 is the fourteenth tramp murdered in ten days. Dredd witnesses the fifteenth .

BEST LINES
Dredd: "This is the fourteenth death, Judge - in ten days we've had fourteen killings of the city's down and outs - they're the dregs of society, but..."
Morgue Attendant: "...They have a right to live...very true, citizen!"

WORST LINES
Dredd: "Walter! Will you shut up snivelling and clean up that mess you've just made while I'm gone!"

CATCHPHRASES
Walter says bwought, fwightening and howwid. Dredd says "Stomm!" twice and brilliantly asks "Who the drokk are you, Tin-Face?"

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
Set as it is in 2099, this could take part at any point between Max Normal's first appearance in 'The Comic Pusher' and Dredd's appointment to 'Luna 1'

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Unknown.

MISTAKES
Synthi-Caf is illegal? Dredd drinks it all the time!

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: Unknown
Artist: Brett Ewins & Brendan McCarthy

REVIEW
The artwork of Dr. Panic himself is fantastic, everything else here is pretty dreadful.

Wednesday 24 July 2013

Flesh Game, Part 4

NAME
Flesh Game, Part 4

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 A.D. Prog 11

DATELINE
07 May 77

PAGE COUNT
1

REPRINTS
None.

SYNOPSIS
None.

FIRSTS & LASTS
Last appearance of the robot sheriff. Last batch of cards.

INFORMATION


OLD ONE EYE
She looks to be about to eat three Rangers in one mouthful.

OTHER CHARACTERS
ROBOT SHERIFF
He is undistracted by the dinosaur bursting through the building.

DEATHS
Three. Old One Eye eating three Rangers.

BEST LINES
None.

WORST LINES
None.

CATCHPHRASES
None.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Tanystropheus was an extremely long necked dinosaur from the Triassic Period, often posited as aquatic, semi-aquatic or fish-eating reptile.

Iguanodons are a genus of large herbivorous dinosaurs that existed from the mid-Jurassic to the late Cretaceous Periods and are famous for their large thumb spikes.

Lystrosaurs are a genus of dinosaur which lived around 250 million years ago during the Triassic Period in what is now Antarctica, India and South Africa and accounts for up to 95% of the total individuals in some fossil beds.

Kentrosaurs is a Stegosaurus-like dinosaur from what is now Tanzania in the Late Jurassic.

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.


CREDITS
Script: P. Mills
Artist: A. Josniak.

REVIEW
The dinosaurs in these 'pix' are further off the beaten track and more interesting for it.

Tuesday 23 July 2013

Flesh Game, Part 3

NAME
Flesh Game, Part 3

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 A.D. Prog 10

DATELINE
30 Apr 77

PAGE COUNT
1

REPRINTS
None.

SYNOPSIS
Eight more 'pix'.

FIRSTS & LASTS
Last appearance of Doc.

INFORMATION


CLAW CARVER
He is depicted wielding his claw fighting at close quarters with a dinosaur.

OTHER CHARACTERS
DOCTOR
He appears to be preparing to administer drugs in Carver City's saloon.

DEATHS
None.

BEST LINES
None.

WORST LINES
None.

CATCHPHRASES
None.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
The Bone-Headed Dinosaur appears to be Pachycephalosaurus. A dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous Period in what is now North America. Their thick skulls lead to the theory that Pachycephalosaurus used their skulls in combat as shown on the card (above), but this has been disputed in recent years.

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: P. Mills
Artist: A. Josniak

REVIEW
It's nice to see Doc back, but Claw is undersold by his assigned image.

Monday 22 July 2013

Flesh Game, Part 2

NAME
Flesh Game, Part 2

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 A.D. Prog 9

DATELINE
23 Apr 77

PAGE COUNT
1

REPRINTS
None.

SYNOPSIS
Earl Reagan joins in.

FIRSTS & LASTS
None.

INFORMATION


EARL REAGAN
He smokes.

OTHER CHARACTERS
RANGER
This one is apparently riding a Rhyncosaur and losing his hat.

DEATHS
None.

BEST LINES
None.

WORST LINES
None.

CATCHPHRASES
None.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Rhyncosaurs were a widespread group of herbivorous dinosaurs from the Triassic period. Ornithomimus is a genus of dinosaurs from what is now North America in the Late Cretaceous Period, fossil evidence suggests they were covered in feathers and equipped with a small toothless beaked head that implies an omnivorous diet.

MISTAKES
Rhyncosaur should be spelt Rhynchosaur.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: Pat Mills
Artist: J. Wosniak

REVIEW
Some nice art, some less so. It's still not clear how this game is played or how much it reflects Flesh.

Sunday 21 July 2013

Flesh Game, Part 1

NAME
Flesh Game, Part 1

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 A.D. Prog 8

DATELINE
16 April 77

PAGE COUNT
1

REPRINTS
None.

SYNOPSIS
You too can relive Trans-Time Corporation's harvesting of Flesh. Sort of.

FIRSTS & LASTS
First 2000 AD game.

INFORMATION



JOE BRONTOWSKI
None.

OTHER CHARACTERS
None.

DEATHS
None.

BEST LINES
None.

WORST LINES
None.

CATCHPHRASES
Grrrrreat is the catchphrase of Frosties mascot Tony the Tiger.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
Joe is depicted fighting with a pteranodon as he did in parts 2 and 3.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Compsognathus is a genus of small, bipedal, carnivorous theropod dinosaurs that lived around 150 million years ago in the late Jurassic period in what is now Europe.

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: P. Mills
Artist: A. Joswiak

A. Joswiak is Anthony Jozwiak who provided art for a handful of Tharg's Future Shocks, a Tharg The Mighty and some Transformers.

REVIEW
The artwork on offer here is great and it's nice to see some of the dinosaurs here that don't feature in the strip itself.

A Fantastic New Card Game!

Saturday 20 July 2013

Walter The Wobot: 'Woad Wash'

Astonishingly, we've reached two hundred posts...

NAME
Walter The Wobot: 'Woad Wash'

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 A.D. Prog 79

DATELINE
26 Aug 78

PAGE COUNT
1

REPRINTS
None.

SYNOPSIS
Walter goes skateboarding.

FIRSTS & LASTS
None.

INFORMATION
Skateboarding is a pastime.

WALTER THE WOBOT
He goes skateboarding, but crashes.


OTHER CHARACTERS
None.

DEATHS
None.

BEST LINES
None.

WORST LINES
None.

CATCHPHRASES
Walter says cwipes, Dwedd, gweat, gweeting, weaders and wobot.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Unknown.

MISTAKES
What is Road Rash?

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: Unknown
Artist: Unknown
Letters: Unknown

REVIEW
Skateboarding may be a pastime, but 'Woad Wash' is a waste of time.

Friday 19 July 2013

Future Advert: Guess What's Coming To Dinner?

NAME
Future Advert: Guess What's Coming To Dinner?

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 A.D. Prog 4

DATELINE
19 Mar 77

PAGE COUNT
1

REPRINTS
Flesh: The Dino Files.

SYNOPSIS
An advert for Trans-time Corporation's Flesh.

FIRSTS & LASTS
First view of the consumer.

INFORMATION
There are ten tons of Flesh on a Triceratops. The available cuts of meat include Rump Steak, T-Bone Steak, Chuck, Brisket, Flank and Silverside, but nothing is wasted. A Triceratops can also provide bonemeal, pet food, leather boots.

Flesh® is a registered trade mark of Trans-Time Corporation. Other Flesh products include Brono Burger (100 ☆), Mother Reagan's Flesh Flans (50 ☆), Flesh T-Rex Cooking Fat (10 ☆), Flesh Dead Tasty Party Pack (250 ☆) and Flesh Chunks.

Flesh is the alternative to food pills and knitted steaks.

There is an Esco Meat Market with at least 175 Levels.


EARL REAGAN
He features in the advert as an example of a hard working ranger. His mother has Mother Reagan's Flesh Flans named after her.

OTHER CHARACTERS
None.

DEATHS
One. A Triceratops gets Fleshdozed.

BEST LINES
"Flesh is fresh and good to eat...Flesh is lots of juicy meat!"

WORST LINES
"We reckon the biggest monster of them all is the one sitting at the table!"

CATCHPHRASES
None.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES
Unknown.

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Artist: Kevin O'Neill

REVIEW
This is wonderfully disturbing. The process that that the Flesh goes through is unflinchingly acknowledged and seeing the packaging and consumption of the end product provides some much needed context. The artwork is stunning and the futuristic cutlery is terrifying, but it's a shame that someone obviously didn't have faith in the audience to appreciate the subtext (see WORST LINES above).

Thursday 18 July 2013

Judge Dredd: 'The Purple People Breeder'

NAME
Judge Dredd: 'The Purple People Breeder'

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 A.D. Sci-Fi Special 1978

DATELINE
1 June 1978

The summer of 1978 saw the publication not of a Summer Special, but a Sci-Fi Special, this time also featuring Dan Dare, M.A.C.H.1, M.A.C.H.0 and Rick Random strips, a one-off text story, a Dan Dare article and a cover by Kevin O'Neill.

PAGE COUNT
8

REPRINTS
Judge Dredd: The Restricted Files 01.

SYNOPSIS
Dredd goes after a serial killer who in turn goes after Dredd.

FIRSTS & LASTS
First eight page Judge Dredd strip. Last appearance of Fred. Apparently the first work by William Nilly and Subliminal Kid.

INFORMATION
Mega-City One has a Rehabilitation Centre For Delinquent Androids. Dock Street and South Side Wharf are in the city's docklands and contain dark, dingy and condemned warehouses. Level 374 is used as the venue for a presidential campaign rally.

There is a Presidential Election due to take place. Among the candidates are Howard Surb and a man named Dixon. Both Surb and Dixon are assassinated and believed to be the victims in a wave of murders by an individual that the media have dubbed the Purple People Breeder, due to a purple tint left on the skin of the victims. The victims are killed by making physical contact with suicide bombers.

Judges can make a Priority 'A' Request to handle specific cases themselves and call for a clean up crew to visit crime scenes.


JUDGE DREDD
He sent X-13 away for ten years. He is now investigating the Purple People Breeder murders. Dredd is drugged by Walter's replica, which slows his reflexes, but he manages to shoot X-13 in the arm and arrest him for the murders.

OTHER CHARACTERS
WALTER THE WOBOT
He is abducted and a replica returned to Dredd in his place. He falls through the floor at the warehouse he is being held in and escapes. He manages to save Dredd, but is almost destroyed when his replica explodes.

MARIA
She is away.

X-13
Android. He has served ten years in the Mega City Home For Delinquent Androids where has been a model prisoner. Upon his release he returns to killing and becomes known as the Purple People Breeder. He kills six people and attempts to use a replica of Walter to kill Dredd. The Judge shoots him in the arm and arrest him again.

ARRESTS
One. Dredd sends X-13 to jail for the rest of his days.

DEATHS
At least nine. Surb and Dixon are killed by X-13, they are the fifth and sixth victims respectively and at least one of Dixon's supporters is killed as well.

BEST LINES
Walter: "Fwed...We've got to wush...Judge Dwedd's in twouble!"

WORST LINES
X-13: "A bomb called Walter...instant walking death!...Oh and he's gonna kill Judge Dredd!"

CATCHPHRASES
Dredd gives us two more examples of "Drokk it!". Walter says bwought, cwikey, cwipes, Dwedd, Fwed, gweatest, hewo, huwwy, Mawia, wevealed, wush and twouble, while Walter's replica says angwy, bwighten, fwesh, fwiends, p'waps and wobot.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
This strip sees the brief return of Fred from Judge Dredd: 'Walter's Secret Job'. There are no other indications of when this strip is set, but probably between Return To Mega City and The Cursed Earth.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
'The Purple People Eater' is a novelty song by Sheb Wooley that reached number 1 in the US charts in 1958 and, bizarrely, was covered by British comedian Barry Cryer and topped the Finnish charts after legal wrangling prevented Wooley's version being released there.

At one point, X-13 wears a badge with a penny farthing on it like those in TV's The Prisoner (1967-1968) and his top hat disguise is very Mad Hatter from Alice's Adventures In Wonderland (1865).

MISTAKES
What would the winner of the Presidential Election preside over?

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: William Nilly
Artist: Subliminal Kid
Letters: Tom Frame

William Nilly is unlikely to be anyone's real name.

Subliminal Kid is apparently a pseudonym for Brendon McCarthy.

REVIEW
This strip's artwork looks fantastic, but the story is convoluted and more hole than plot. Walter's role is nicely handled, but the convenience of the breaking floorboards and Fred's appearance undermine even that. X-13's motivation may be simple, but his methods are bizarre.

Wednesday 17 July 2013

Flesh, Book One, Part 19

NAME
Flesh, Book One, Part 19

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 A.D. Prog 19

DATELINE
2 July 77

PAGE COUNT
5

REPRINTS
Judge Dredd Megazine 4.07, Scavengers 17 and Flesh: The Dino Files.

SYNOPSIS
Old One Eye dies, but still manages to get revenge from beyond the grave.

FIRSTS & LASTS
Last appearance of Old One Eye (except in flashback).

INFORMATION
(This strip takes place from the morning after the seventh day of the siege and continues until three days later, and then a sequence in 1983)

Trans-Time Base 3 explodes.

The Tyrannosaur graveyard is in a canyon between two volcanoes.

In 1983, during excavation work for a extension to the London Underground, the largest Tyrannosaur skeleton ever found was discovered and astonishingly it contained human remains.


OLD ONE EYE
Following the siege, she heads off on her own to die. She suffers another heart attack and collapses. Pteranodons and smaller dinosaurs attempt to peck meat off her, but she slays them. Old One Eye staggers on for three days to reach the Tyrannosaur graveyard where she dies. Her bones fossilise in sandstone and lay undiscovered until 1983. Her fossilised remains are excavated and found to contain human remains. Professor Gizzard held a dinner party within her rib cage and afterwards stood within her jaws. He accidently knocked the prop away and was killed as the jaws snapped shut.

OTHER CHARACTERS
PROFESSOR GIZZARD
He gives Old One Eye the nickname Old One Eye and dubs her Queen Of The Tyrannosaurs. To illustrate her size he holds a dinner party inside her ribcage and then clambers into her mouth, but is killed when the jaws close on him.


DEATHS
Three. Old One Eye kills a cheeky little dinosaur and has a fatal heart attack. Gizzard is killed when standing in Old One Eye's closing jaws.

BEST LINES
Dinner party guest #1: "What a terrible thing to happen- I'll call an ambulance!"
Dinner party guest #2: "You- You're too late, I'm afraid...the Tyrannosaur has killede the poor Professor!"

WORST LINES
Gizzard: "I...choke!...Uuuuh!"

CATCHPHRASES
None.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
The discovery of Old One Eye's fossilised bones recalls Quatermass And The Pit (1958-1959).

The Sun is a daily tabloid newspaper first published in 1964 by IPC (who also published 2000 A.D.), but is now owned by Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. It is known for Page 3 girls, xenophobic coverage of the Falkands war, claims that Tony Benn was insane, its coverage of the Hillsborough disaster, false allegations made against Elton John, photo manipulation, claiming Al-Qaeda planned to attack Coronation Street, blaming the Breivik attacks in Norway on Al-Qaeda and multiple arrests following the News Of The World phone hacking affair. Notable headlines include "Freddie Starr Ate My Hamster", "It's The Sun Wot Won It" and "Straight Sex Cannot Give You AIDS – Official". It is a damning indictment of the UK that The Sun has the largest circulation in the country.

Natural History Museum was established in 1881 and is famed for its exhibition of dinosaur skeletons, such as the large Diplodocus cast which dominates the central hall.

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: Pat Mills
Artist: Ramon Sola
Letters: Jack Potter

REVIEW
This is a fantastic ending to a fantastic strip. Old One Eye gets a fitting send off and the skeletal revenge is wonderful.

Even After Death...Old One Eye Was Triumphant!

Tuesday 16 July 2013

Flesh, Book One, Part 18

NAME
Flesh, Book One, Part 18

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 A.D. Prog 18

DATELINE
25 June 77

PAGE COUNT
3

REPRINTS
2000AD Annual 1989, Judge Dredd Megazine 4.07, Scavengers 17 and Flesh: The Dino Files.

SYNOPSIS
The three-headed man monster faces extinction, Earl Reagan faces justice, Claw Carver faces oblivion and Old One Eye facers old age.

FIRSTS & LASTS
First three page strip. Last art from Felix Carrion.

INFORMATION
In the Twenty-Third Century, judgement machines are used to determine guilt.

Organic material can be affected when exposed to time beams or left unprotected by time shuttles. The genetic codes of multiple life forms can become fused.


EARL REAGAN
He is blamed for the loss of the Trans-Time Base. He is due to face the judgement machine and possibly a long prison sentence.

OLD ONE EYE
She is still alive in the prehistoric timezone.

OTHER CHARACTERS
CLAW CARVER
He's lost in time.

DEATHS
Six. The three Tyrannosaurs are all shot dead and the number is higher because one of them used be four different life forms.

BEST LINES
Time-Port Employee: "Something must have happened as they travelled through time! The men and the monster's genetic codes got mixed up...so now they are one!"

WORST LINES
Time-Port Employee (about the three headed man monster): "It's horrific! A genetic impossibility! But I've seen even worse things appear."

CATCHPHRASES
None. I miss Kronj.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
None.

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: Pat Mills
Artist: Felix Carrion
Letters: Tom Frame

REVIEW
This is anti-climactic. The arresting image of the three-headed human/dinosaur hybrid is quickly dispensed with and the narrative switches to an unsatisfactory wrap up of Reagan's story and a sneak peek at next week.

Monday 15 July 2013

Flesh: Book One, Part 17

NAME
Flesh: Book One, Part 17

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 A.D. Prog 17

DATELINE
18 June 77

PAGE COUNT
4

REPRINTS
2000AD Annual 1989, Judge Dredd Megazine 4.07, Scavengers 17 and Flesh: The Dino Files.

SYNOPSIS
The Trans-Time employees flee the pre-historic era.

FIRSTS & LASTS
First and last letters by Tony Jacob.

INFORMATION
Individuals travelling in time do so in time shuttles. The pre-historic era has been designated Time Zone Alpha - 8.

EARL REAGAN
He sucks the poison out of his arm, stabs the spider in the brain and escapes the web.


OTHER CHARACTERS
CLAW CARVER
He fills a time shuttle with gold bullion. He fights with Reagan and the shuttle's controls are accidentally adjusted during the affray. When the time beams hit the shuttle it isn't sent to the 23rd Century, but somewhere else.

DEATHS
One. Reagan kills a spider.

BEST LINES
Claw (whilst stealing gold bullion): "Old Claw will look after you lot...yeah - don't you worry...you're in good hands..."

WORST LINES
Time-Port employee: "Aaaah! It's a nightmare!"

CATCHPHRASES
None.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Unknown.

MISTAKES
Where is Old One Eye?

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: Kelvin Gosnell
Artist: Felix Carrion
Letters: Tony Jacob

REVIEW
It seems bizarre not to feature Old One Eye at this stage, but the interaction between Reagan and Carver is great and the cliffhanger ending is magnificent.

Sunday 14 July 2013

Flesh, Book One, Part 16

NAME
Flesh, Book One, Part 16

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 A.D. Prog 16

DATELINE
16 June 77

PAGE COUNT
5

REPRINTS
2000AD Annual 1989, Judge Dredd Megazine 4.07, Scavengers 17 and Flesh: The Dino Files.

SYNOPSIS
Old One Eye wins.

FIRSTS & LASTS
Last Flesh letters by Bill Nuttall and the last appearance of the Flesh Controller..

INFORMATION
The Fleshdozer's grabbers can't hold the weight of a Tyrannosaur.

The huge spider's web can hold the weight of a man.

EARL REAGAN
He fights Old One Eye with an electric goad, but is unable to kill her. He falls when the Flesh Controller uses the Fleshdozer's grabber to restrain Old One Eye, but his fall is broken by a huge spider web. The spider wraps him in web and bites his arm filling it with poison.

OLD ONE EYE
The spiders attack her but she carries on fighting. Reagan stabs her with the electric goad, but misses the brain. The Flesh Controller uses the Fleshdozer's grabbers to lift her, but Old One Eye proves too heavy and the mechanical arms break under the strain.


OTHER CHARACTERS
FLESH CONTROLLER
He tries to get both Reagan and Old One Eye into the Fleshdozer, but fails. Old One Eye eats him.

DEATHS
Five. Old One Eye eats an unidentified Trans-Time employee and the Flesh Controller. There's a corpse in the spider's web and two more strewn about the floor of the Fleshdozer room.

BEST LINES
Flesh Controller: "You dumb dinosaur, you don't understand-you gotta go in the Fleshdozer! Gotta make profits for the corporation...Aaaah! My legs! My legs!"

WORST LINES
Reagan: "Get off, you furry nightmare!"

CATCHPHRASES
None.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Unknown.

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
There are no credits on the original strip itself, these are from Barney.

Script: Kelvin Gosnell
Artist: Ramon Sola
Letters: Bill Nuttall

REVIEW
Flesh comes to an end, apparently. The lack of Joe and Claw helps emphasise the vendetta between Reagan and Old One Eye, but it's the Flesh Controller who really comes to the fore. The dialogue is stilted and quite repetitive, but the ending is well earned.

Reagan Was Dead...The Controller Was Dying...The Battle Was Fought And Won!...In Her Tiny Brain There Was Only One Thought...Victory!

Saturday 13 July 2013

Flesh, Book One, Part 15

NAME
Flesh, Book One, Part 15

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 A.D. Prog 15

DATELINE
4 June 77

PAGE COUNT
5

REPRINTS
2000AD Annual 1989, Judge Dredd Megazine 4.07, Scavengers 16 and Flesh: The Dino Files.

SYNOPSIS
The dinosaurs take their revenge and Joe pays the price.

FIRSTS & LASTS
Last appearance of Joe Brontowski.

INFORMATION
(This strip takes place on the seventh day of the siege)

The heads of the Trans-Time Corporation have enlarged craniums.


EARL REAGAN
He kills some spiders with his electric whip.

JOE BRONTOWSKI
He dies from a spider bite.

OLD ONE EYE
She and a Hairy Tyrannosaur lead the charge.

OTHER CHARACTERS
CLAW CARVER
He uses his Claw to kill a giant spider.

FLESH CONTROLLER
He is the Controller of Base Three.

DEATHS
At least ten. A ranger chokes under the weight of Old One Eye, two more get eaten, another is run over by dinosaur driven car (yes, really), a hadrosaur is eaten by a furry Tyrannosaur, Reagan, Joe and Carver each kill a spider, Joe and a woman are bitten by spiders.

BEST LINES
Ranger: "I don't believe it-they're even driving cars now!"

WORST LINES
Dying Ranger: "I...I...Choke!"

CATCHPHRASES
None.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Hadrosaurs, or duck-billed dinosaurs, are a family of herbivorous dinosaurs who lived during the Cretaceous Period in what is now Asia, Europe and North America. Those depicted here resemble Parasaurolophus.

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: Kelvin Gosnell
Artist: Ramon Sola
Letters: Bennsberg

Bennsberg lettered this. I have no further information.

REVIEW
Poor old Joe. The most boring character in Flesh buys the farm and the moment is played as if we should care.

Friday 12 July 2013

Flesh, Book One, Part 14

NAME
Flesh, Book One, Part 14

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 A.D. Prog 14

DATELINE
28 May 77

PAGE COUNT
5

REPRINTS
2000AD Annual 1989, Judge Dredd Megazine 4.06, Scavengers 16 and Flesh: The Dino Files.

SYNOPSIS
The dinosaur attack begins in earnest, but not before the humans turn on each other.

FIRSTS & LASTS
Last work on Flesh by Boix.

INFORMATION
(This strip takes place over the sixth and seventh days of the siege)

During an emergency, the Flesh Controller has the right to execute Trans-Time employees.

EARL REAGAN
He is against the executions. The Flesh Controller has him locked up with Brontowski. They escape and Reagan holds the Flesh Controller hostage to get more men and ammunition.

JOE BRONTOWSKI
The Flesh Controller has him locked up with Reagan. They escape.

OLD ONE EYE
She kills and eats a fat Triceratops.

OTHER CHARACTERS
CLAW CARVER
He is in favour of the executions. Carver switches sides depending on who has the upper hand.

FLESH CONTROLLER
He authorises the executions of four men for cowardice. Reagan takes him hostage.

DEATHS
At least eight. Four rangers hung for their cowardice, a fat Triceratops and a ranger eaten by Old One Eye and two more rangers in the mouths of a Tyrannosaur and a spider respectively.


BEST LINES
Reagan (concerning the hanging): "You ain't holding a necktie party with my men!"
Flesh Controller: "In an emergency, I have the right to execute employees and you're always telling me this is an emergency, Reagan."

WORST LINES
Joe: "This hell world has turned us all mad, Reagan. Killing the dinosaurs was all wrong!"

CATCHPHRASES
None.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Triceratops was a herbivorous dinosaur that lived in what is now North America during the in the Cretaceous Period about 65 million years ago.

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: Kelvin Gosnell
Artist: Boix
Letters: John Aldrich

REVIEW
From its opening with the "necktie party" hanging, via arbitrary imprisonment to the hostage situation this is exceptionally bleak. The dinosaurs, spiders and pteranodons take a back seat while the humans turn on each other.

Thursday 11 July 2013

Flesh, Book One, Part 13

NAME
Flesh, Book One, Part 13

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 A.D. Prog 13

DATELINE
21 May 77

PAGE COUNT
5 (4 and a 1/2)

REPRINTS
2000AD Annual 1989, Judge Dredd Megazine 4.06, Scavengers 16 and Flesh: The Dino Files.

SYNOPSIS
The spiders attack in earnest.

FIRSTS & LASTS
First work on Flesh by Felix Carrion and both the first and last work by J. Swain.

INFORMATION
Anti-Matter Launchers are used for ballistic explosions. Plasticrete is a building material.

The huge spiders are blind and attracted by sound.

EARL REAGAN
Claw locks him in with the spiders. He uses a sound recorder to fool them and escape.

JOE BRONTOWSKI
He uses anti-matter launchers to kill spiders.

OLD ONE EYE
She and thousands of other carnivorous dinosaurs break through the third defence line around the base.

OTHER CHARACTERS
CLAW CARVER
He locks Reagan in a room with the spiders and uses anti-matter launchers to kill them.

DEATHS
Dozens. A spider kills a dreaming ranger, while Claw and Joe kill both spiders and Styracosaurs as the former swarm over the latter.


BEST LINES
Claw Carver: "Believe me, Joe...it wasn't an easy decision...but we couldn't risk the spiders coming through..Listen...it's all gone quiet in the bunk room...the spiders got Reagan!...Reagan's courage will be remembered!"

WORST LINES
Dreamer: "Boy! What a wonderful dream I'm having!"

CATCHPHRASES
None.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
'The Yellow Rose Of Texas' is a traditional American folk song first published in 1858 and apparently written by a J.K.

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: Studio Giolitti
Artist: Felix Carrion
Letters: J. Swain

The brilliantly named Felix Carrion wrote three episodes of Flesh.

As far as I can tell J. Swain only lettered this strip.

REVIEW
As the spiders take over this begins to feel like a completely different strip, but they quite literally make Flesh crawl.

Wednesday 10 July 2013

Flesh, Book One, Part 12

NAME
Flesh, Book One, Part 12

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 A.D. Prog 12

DATELINE
14 May 77

PAGE COUNT
4

REPRINTS
2000AD Annual 1989, Judge Dredd Megazine 4.06, Scavengers 16 and Flesh: The Dino Files.

SYNOPSIS
The dinosaurs and spiders breach the base.

FIRSTS & LASTS
None.

INFORMATION
Laser fences are unable to withstand multiple simultaneous attacks.

Feelivision and Mindvision are methods of consuming media entertainment.

EARL REAGAN
He helps fight the dinosaur attack.


JOE BRONTOWSKI
He helps fight the dinosaur attack.

OLD ONE EYE
She inspires her troops to fight on despite huge losses.

OTHER CHARACTERS
CLAW CARVER
He agrees with everything the Flesh Controller says.

FLESH CONTROLLER
He has been feeding carnivorous dinosaurs with rotten and rejected Flesh.

DEATHS
Hundreds. Wave upon wave of dinosaurs die on the laser fence and at least one human is eaten by a Tyrannosaur.

BEST LINES
Reagan: "I warned you, Controller! We're holding them now-but only just. I need more men!"
Flesh Controller: "V-very well. You shall have them. I'll take he men off the Fleshdozers for twenty four hours- until the emergency is over!"

WORST LINES
Tyrannosaur victim: "Scream!"

CATCHPHRASES
None.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
The night watchman's twentieth century disaster movie of choice about a great white shark is Jaws (1975) and 'Bruce' was the nickname given by the crew to the three full-size pneumatically powered prop sharks used during filming.

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: Kelvin Gosnell
Artist: Ramon Sola
Letters: Jack Potter

REVIEW
This part serves to contextualise the events of its predecessor and the night watchman sequence is worth the price of entry all by itself.

Tuesday 9 July 2013

Flesh, Book One, Part 11

NAME
Flesh, Book One, Part 11

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 A.D. Prog 11

DATELINE
07 May 77

PAGE COUNT
4

REPRINTS
2000AD Annual 1989, Judge Dredd Megazine 4.06, Scavengers 15 and Flesh: The Dino Files.

SYNOPSIS
The Trans-Time Base is surrounded by Pteranodons from above, Hairy Tyrannosaurs from the North, Spinosaurs from the South, Terrible Hands and Terrible Claws from the East, Old One Eye's Tyrannosaurs from the West and huge spiders from below.

FIRSTS & LASTS
First letters on Flesh by Peter Knight.

INFORMATION
(This strip takes place over the course of two days)

The Trans-Time Base has watchtowers from which to blast Pteranodons and is a drive away from at least seven ranches. All of which is surrounded by an invisible laser fence. Styracosaur Rodeo is a popular pastime.

Beneath the base there are spiders, grown huge on blood from the Flesh.

EARL REAGAN
He tries to convince the Flesh Controller that the Trans-Time Base isn't ready for the approaching dinosaurs.

JOE BRONTOWSKI
He believes that Flesh Controller is correct.

OLD ONE EYE
She leads her Tyrannosaurs to the Trans-Time Base from the West.

OTHER CHARACTERS
CLAW CARVER
He agrees with the Flesh Controller and accuses Reagan of being scared.

FLESH CONTROLLER
He believes the Trans-Time Base is impregnable.

DEATHS
One. We see a Pteranodon shot down by a ranger who claims to have hit nine more today.

BEST LINES
Flesh Controller (of dinosaurs): "Let them starve. They don't frighten me...Look how they leap forward-eager to tear me to shreds!"

WORST LINES
Reagan: "There's a dinosaur war a-coming, Controller! And you've only got a skeleton staff to deal with it...! Unless you get more men, soon that's all we'll be...Skeletons!"
Flesh Controller: "Nonsense, Reagan. How can the dinosaurs break into my base? I'm too clever for them. My brain is huge...But a dinosaur's brain is the size of a kitten's."


CATCHPHRASES
None.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Spinosaurus, named for its distinctive spiny vertebrae, might be the largest of all known carnivorous dinosaurs. It lived in what is now North Africa in the Cretaceous period between 112 and 97 million years ago.

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: Kelvin Gosnell
Artist: Ramon Sola
Letters: Peter Knight

REVIEW
A change of pace as the dinosaur siege begins slowly and the base is comprehensively surrounded. Sola's artwork accompanying the dinosaur troop movements is wonderful. The Flesh Controller's dialogue swings from the ridiculous to the sublime.

It Was Nearly Midnight On The Second Day Of The Siege And Nothing Had Happened...Yet!

Monday 8 July 2013

Flesh, Book One, Part 10

NAME
Flesh, Book One, Part 10

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 A.D. Prog 10

DATELINE
30 Apr 77

PAGE COUNT
4

REPRINTS
Judge Dredd Megazine 4.06, Scavengers 15 and Flesh: The Dino Files.

SYNOPSIS
Earl Reagan has to choose between rampaging dinosaurs and a runaway train.

FIRSTS & LASTS
First letters by John Aldrich.

INFORMATION
The monorail line runs to the Trans-Time base.

EARL REAGAN
He drives the train through Old One Eye's rock obstacles and, when it cannot stop, beyond the end of the line.

JOE BRONTOWSKI
He mans the train's guns.

OLD ONE EYE
She eats two humans before the train escapes. She suffers a non-fatal heart attack and then leads the surviving Tyrannosaurs along the monorail track.


OTHER CHARACTERS
CLAW CARVER
He mans the train's guns. After the train comes to a halt, he collects money from the passengers.

ORVILLE WAINWRIGHT
Old One Eye eats him up.

SLICK PARSONS
Old One Eye eats him up.

DEATHS
At least four. Old One Eye eats Slick Parsons and a not-explicitly identified Orville Wainwright, while either Carver or Brontowski shoots another Tyrannosaur in the neck. Many of the Tyrannosaur pack are killed as they are thrown from the train.


BEST LINES
Mrs Wainwright: "Where's my Orville? My baby?"

Slick Parsons: "It...it's got my arm!"

WORST LINES
Ranger: "The Dino-Express - It's smashed through the buffers! Flying through the air-"

CATCHPHRASES
None.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
The Taking Of Pelham One Two Three (1974) and Silver Streak (1976) are both films featuring runaway trains.

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: Studio Giolitti
Artist: Boix
Letters: John Aldrich

REVIEW
Fantastic. The opening page is beautiful. Orville finally gets what's coming to him and in a surprisingly uncensored way. Old One Eye's heart attack and subsequent biting at her own chest are great.

Next Prog: Siege Of The Trans-Time Base

Sunday 7 July 2013

Flesh, Book One, Part 9

NAME
Flesh, Book One, Part 9

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 A.D. Prog 9

DATELINE
23 Apr 77

PAGE COUNT
5

REPRINTS
Judge Dredd Megazine 4.06, Scavengers 15 and Flesh: The Dino Files.

SYNOPSIS
Time travelling holidaymakers enter the fray.

FIRSTS & LASTS
First appearance of the Dino-Express.

INFORMATION
Fun-City is an establishment on the Moon. Children are not chastised in the 23rd century.

In addition to other time travel operations, Trans-Time Holiday operates the Dino-Express, a train equipped with a Dinopuncher to deflect dinosaurs and a horn that sounds like a bellowing Tyrannosaur.


EARL REAGAN
He can recognise the difference between the sound of Tyrannosaur and the horn on the Dino-Express. He knows how to drive a train and manages to drive the Dino-Express until Old One Eye traps it with an avalanche.

JOE BRONTOWSKI
He mans the guns on the Dino-Express.

OLD ONE EYE
Upon hearing the Dino-Express horn she assumes another Tyrannosaur is on her territory, climbs out and heads after the sound. She attacks the Dino-Express and causes an avalanche with her tail, trapping it. Old One Eye eats Orville Wainwright.

OTHER CHARACTERS
CLAW CARVER
He mans the guns on the Dino-Express and kills a Tyrannosaur.

SLICK PARSONS
A Trans-Time Holidays Tour Courier, he does not take kindly to Earl Reagan telling him what to do.

ORVILLE WAINWRIGHT
A holidaymaker from the Twenty-Third Century, his father saved for two years to afford to take his family on a Trans-Time Holiday. He isn't enjoying it. Old One Eye bites him.


DEATHS
Three. At least two Dino-Express passengers are eaten by Tyrannosaurs and Claw Carver manages to shoot and kill a Tyrannosaur.

BEST LINES
Orville Wainwright: "You smell, Mister."

WORST LINES
Slick Parsons: "Don't you find the idea of being back in prehistoric times exciting, Orville? After all, many children from the Twentieth Century would be only too glad to be in your shoes."

CATCHPHRASES
None.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Ouranosaurus is a herbivorous dinosaur that lived during the early Cretaceous Period about 110 million years ago in what is now Africa. Every other species of dinosaur seen in Flesh so far has been from North America and Ouranosaurus fossils have been exclusively found in Afica, but that's not to say that time travelling rangers didn't transplant them from one continent to the other.

MISTAKES
How does Old One Eye cause an avalanche ahead of a train moving away from her at speed? Also, the first page (see above) features the little Dan Dare icon in the corner instead of Flesh's own little symbol.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
There are no credits on the original strip itself, these are from Barney.

Script: Studio Giolitti
Artist: Boix
Letters: Jack Potter

REVIEW
The juxtaposition of the Holidaymakers and the Rangers works well here and the artwork of the train in the opening splash, the Ouranosaurus and the panel of Claw Carver shooting Tyrannosaurs are magnificent. Orville Wainwright has it coming from the moment you see him and it's a shame that a 100G nervous system was deemed necessary to view his demise.

Orville Was The First...Just The First...

Saturday 6 July 2013

Flesh, Book One, Part 8

NAME
Flesh, Book One, Part 8

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 A.D. Prog 8

DATELINE
16 Apr 77

PAGE COUNT
5 (4 and a half)

REPRINTS
Judge Dredd Megazine 4.06, Scavengers 15 and Flesh: The Dino Files.

SYNOPSIS
Reagan tries to trap and confront Old One Eye.

FIRSTS & LASTS
Last appearance of Doc, last Ken Armstrong script.

INFORMATION
Stars are a unit of currency.

Spike Plants are spiked plants.

EARL REAGAN
JOE BRONTOWSKI
He saves Claw Carver's life.

OLD ONE EYE
She tracks Reagan across water and into a trap set for her with spike plants in a pit.

OTHER CHARACTERS
'CLAW' CARVER
He can't swim. Carver pushes a ranger off the raft and into the water to aid his own escape. Joe Brontowski saves Carver's life and he pledges to return the favour.


DEATHS
Six. Doc is crushed by a prehistoric snake, Reagan kills the snake. Claw Carver pushes a ranger off the raft to lighten the load and Old One Eye eats the poor fella up, whilst the other two unnamed rangers perish when a Phobosuchus upturns the raft, eating one and drowning the other. Old One Eye and the Phobosuchus fight and the former kills the latter.

BEST LINES
Claw Carver (whilst pushing him off the raft): "Heck! Sorry feller - I slipped!"
Claw Carver (as Old One Eye devours him): "What a terrible thing to happen - One Eye's got that brave man!"

WORST LINES
Reagan: "Try chompin' on that, you slimy critter!"

CATCHPHRASES
None.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
The Phobosuchus has tasted humans before, probably the same individual from the first Flesh strip.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Unknown.

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: Ken Armstrong
Artist: Boix
Letters: Jack Potter

REVIEW
Some great dinosaur action and excellent character moments featuring Claw Carver make for another good instalment.

More Next Week! And Now You Can Play Flesh, Too! Great Dinosaur Game Starts On The Back Page Of This Prog!

Friday 5 July 2013

Flesh, Book One, Part 7

NAME
Flesh, Book One, Part 7

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 A.D. Prog 7

DATELINE
09 Apr 77

PAGE COUNT
4

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

SYNOPSIS
Reagan fights Old One Eye again, but the Flesh Controller leaves him for dead.

FIRSTS & LASTS
First appearances of the Flesh Controller.

INFORMATION
Zeldo 6 is an ice planet.

Wrist TVs can be used for telecommunications.

Trans-Time employees report to a Flesh Controller.


EARL REAGAN
The Flesh Controller writes him off against profits. He props Old One Eye's mouth open with a wooden beam.

JOE BRONTOWSKI
He has recovered.

OLD ONE EYE
She manages to break the timber beam Reagan propped her mouth open with, but is blinded by fumes from Carver City's burning plastic dome. She flees for a mile until she encounters a ranger and an Alamosaur. Old One Eye kills them both.

OTHER CHARACTERS
'CLAW' CARVER
He and Reagan almost fight, but Doc convinces them not to.

DEATHS
Two. Old One kills a ranger and an Alamosaur.

BEST LINES
Flesh Controller: "No! Every man in needed here manning the Fleshdozers. I'll write Earl Reagan off against profits!"

WORST LINES
Doc: "Shut up, dumb-heads! Okay, you fouled each other up-but you still need each other!"

CATCHPHRASES
None.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Unknown.

MISTAKES
Earl Reagan's shoulder wound has evidently healed very quickly.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: Kelvin Gosnell
Artist: Ramon Sola
Letters: Jack Potter

REVIEW
The opening splash page, the cold business mind of the Flesh Controller and the new dynamic presented at the end are great. Sola's artwork is wonderful, but some of the dialogue is very unwieldy.

Thursday 4 July 2013

Flesh, Book One, Part 6

NAME
Flesh, Book One, Part 6

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 A.D. Prog 6

DATELINE
2 Apr 77

PAGE COUNT
4

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

SYNOPSIS
Reagan and Carver start the fire whilst the dinosaurs fight.

FIRSTS & LASTS
First Flesh script from Kelvin Gosnell.

INFORMATION
The heads of Robot Marshals can function without being attached to their bodies.

Tyrannosaurs do not recognise their own adult offspring.

EARL REAGAN
He and Claw Carver collect start a fire in Carver City. Claw Carver uses his claw to inflict a wound in Reagan's shoulder and throws him to Old One Eye.

JOE BRONTOWSKI
He is recovering and has the distinction of being the first patient to survive the treatment of Carver City's doctor.

OLD ONE EYE
She had had many offspring. She is attacked in Carver City by her own son. They fight and she kills him.


OTHER CHARACTERS
'CLAW' CARVER
He kills a 'Terrible Claw', and helps Earl Reagan collect fuel to burn Carver City down. He throw Reagan to the mercy of the Tyrannosaur that has been tracking him.

DEATHS
Two. 'Claw' Carver rips a 'Terrible Claw' to pieces with his own terrible claw. Whilst a man taunting Old One Eye is knocked down from a roof by a Pteranodon into the Tyrannosaur's gaping mouth.

BEST LINES
Carver City's Robot Marshall: "Dinosaurs are not allowed in Carver City! Repeat - Dinosaurs are not allowed! -- Bzzzz!"

WORST LINES
Carver City Citizen: "Ha, Ha! You can try all ya like - But you ain't haven' me fer lunch!"

CATCHPHRASES
None.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
Old One Eye will kill another of her offspring in a flashback from Judge Dredd: The Cursed Earth, Chapter 14.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Unknown.

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
There are no credits on the original strip itself, these are from Barney.

Script: Kelvin Gosnell
Artist: Ramon Sola
Letters: Jack Potter

REVIEW
Another great offering with some very nice action sequences, neatly resolving the issues at hand and a cliffhanger that reassuringly pits Reagan and Old One Eye against each other again.

Wednesday 3 July 2013

Flesh, Book One, Part 5

NAME
Flesh, Book One, Part 5

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 A.D. Prog 5

DATELINE
26 Mar 77

PAGE COUNT
5

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

SYNOPSIS
Earl Reagan fights Old Man Eye for her gland.

FIRSTS & LASTS
First Flesh script by Studio Giolitti.

INFORMATION
A substance from the gland in a Tyrannosaur's throat can cure the infection from a bite like a vaccine.

EARL REAGAN
He fights Old One Eye and cuts the required gland out of her neck. He suggests burning down Carver City to rid it of dinosaurs.

JOE BRONTOWSKI
Reagan provides the Tyrannosaur gland and Doc performs the procedure to cure his condition.

OLD ONE EYE
Earl Reagan cuts a gland out of her neck, but she survives.


OTHER CHARACTERS
'CLAW' CARVER
He blames Reagan for the destruction of Carver City and threatens to kill him, but agrees to a truce until the dinosaur crisis is over.

DEATHS
Seven. The Tyrannosaurs eat four Carver City citizens, while the terrible claws eat another and a T Rex eats a Pteranodon. The Robot Sheriff appears beyond repair after T Rex bite.

BEST LINES
Robot Marshal's Severed Head: "I am not programmed to deal with this situation."

WORST LINES
Drunk: "A tyrannosaur! But they ain't allowed in Carver City...I must be dreaming!"

CATCHPHRASES
None.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
'Terrible claw is the English translation of Deinonychus, a carnivorous dinosaur which lived in the early Cretaceous Period (about 115–108 million years ago) in North America

MISTAKES
A vaccine is a biological preparation that improves immunity to a particular disease, typically containing an agent that resembles a disease-causing microorganism. A vaccine would not cure Brontowski's infection, it would only be able to prevent it.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: Studio Giolitti
Artist: Ramon Sola
Letters: Bill Nuttall

Studio Giolitti was founded in Italy by Alberto Giolitti (1923-1993). In addition to scripts for Flesh, it provided art for Ace Trucking Co for the galaxy's greatest comic. Elsewhere he drew Star Trek, a King Kong adaptation and a biography of Abraham Lincoln among others. The official website is here.




REVIEW
Just when you think Flesh can't get any cooler we have a man taking on a Tyrannosaurus Rex armed only with a knife. Sola's art continues to impress and the Robot Marshal's demise is fantastic.