TAR BLAZEREARLY MAN FEARED COMETS, BELIEVING ‘THEY BROUGHT PLAGUE AND DEATH AND DISASTER. Sy * vNeY \ LAUGHED AT THE OLD BELIEFS. YET THERE WAS ONE SCIENTIST WHO DIDN'T LAUGH, AND H WAS PROVED CORRECT WHEN THE COMET, ISIS, CAME CLOSE TO EARTH, CARRYING A SECRET SO SINISTER AND TERRIFYING THAT THE VERY EXISTENCE OF MANKIND WAS THREATENED. BUT BY THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY SCIENTISTS HAD EXPLAINED COMETS AND \ E yTHE COMET ISIS, HAD PASSED THROUGH EARTH'S ORBIT. THEN QV1, THE MOON. BASED RESEARCH SHIP, TORE AFTER IT—ENGINES ON FULL HYPER-DRIVE. ITS ROUTINE TASK WAS TO DREDGE THE MILLION MILE LONG TAILIN SEARCH OF VIRUSES WHICH WERE THOUGHT TO EVOLVE THERE r .fi TSTILL FIND YOUR THEORY IT’S TRUE! EVERY CONDITION ABOUT VIRUSES LIVING IN NECESSARY TO PRODUCE AND (COMETS HARD TO BELIEVE, KRAAG. MAINTAIN A PRIMITIVE LIFE FORM, IS FOUND IN A COMETS TAIL JARL Al IT'S TOO MUCH OF A COINCIDENCE THAT EARTH HAS BEEN NEAR A POLIO, BLACK DEATH— YOU NAME iT AND * YOU'LL FIND THERE WAS A COMET AROUND WHEN THEY,THIS TIME | WANT YOU TO FLY AS FAR INTO THAT TAIL AS YOU CAN. IT’S MY LAST CHANCE TO PROVE MY THEORY! WE MUST FIND VIRU' = j dy) ‘OKI BUT 17S BOUND TO DRAIN THE ENERGY BANKS — IT'LL MEAN HANGING ABOUT FOR A WEEK WHILE THEY RE CHARGE! \ JARL BLASTED INTO THE COMET'S TAIL FIGHTING TO CONTROL HIS SHIP AS I TWISTED AND STRAINED AGAINST THE STRANGE ENERGIES AND GASES, _susramnen wie ALUTHIS RADIATIONS Mccann | MAKING US GLOW iilKRAAG STARED EXCITEDLY AT THE ATOSCOPE SCREEN WHAT'S UP? HAVE YOU SOMET THE SCREEN WAS CONNECTED TO A WIRAL FILTER WHICH ANALYSED ALL MATERIAL CAPTURED BY THE SCOOP FIXED ABOVE QV1. MAGNIFIED A MILLION TIMES, VIRUSES FILLED THE SCREEN (FOUND SOMETHING? WE'VE DONE IT! \\\ Gwe ve HiT THE JACKPOT \ LOOK AT THIS! TKNEW | WAS Ri PLETELY NEW aT—AND ITS A RUS CULTURE TOTHEY FLEW ON AND ON UP THE COMET'S| TAIL FINDING IT SEETHING WITH THE STRANGE VIRUS UNTIL, SUDDENLY, THE SHIP LURCHED BACK INTO EMPTY SPACE ‘SORRY, KRAAG BUT THE ENERGY BANKS ARE EMPTY ‘CAN YOU CONTACT fA “FRAID NOT. OUR ENERGY SHIELD'S MOON. BASE FOR ME f Z SOAKED IN RADIATION. ANY COMMUNICATION'S OUT UNTIL IT WEARS OFF. WE'LL BE ALMOST HOME BEFORE IT NORMALISES.TMPATIENTLY, KRAAG WAITED AS THE DAYS DRAGGED BY. SLOWLY THE ahAT STAI NEUTRON GENERATORS RECHARGED ICANT STAND ALL) THE ENERGY BANKS, j THEN TAKE A SEAT! WE'RE ALL READY TO TO CONTACT MOON: BASE THAT'S FUNNY!1 CAN'T GET EARTH ‘OR LUNAR-BASE, ALL RADIO AND fh VIDEO-BEAMS ARE FILLED WITH SOME STRANGE SORT OF STATIC! JaHELLO, LUNAR BASE! QV | CALLING. DO YOU EVERYONE—AUL EARTH, NOW LUNAR-BASE. ONLYHORRIFIED, THEY LISTENED AS BAKER TOLD OF THE PLAGUE THAT HAD SWEPT EARTH: NOT KILLING, BUT TURNING THE VICTIMS INTO A ZOMBIE-LIKE CONDITION! IT TOOK ONLY TWENTY FOUR HOURS TO INFECT EVERYONE! THEY WENT INTO A KIND OF TRANCE! CAN'T WAKE THEM OR |EM\| NO ONE HAS ESCAPED THE BAKER COLLAPSED TO THE FLOOR AND IT MUST BE THAT THE SCREEN BLANKED OUT FIZZLING. VIRUS, JARL. THE WITH & STRANGE INTERFERENCE. ZZ COMET ACTED LIKE 2 A COLOSSAL ‘AEROSOL SPRAYING THE EARTH WITH IT!WHAT ABOUT THE RADIO AND VID. BEAMS INTERFERENCE—IS THAT ANYTHING TO 00 WITH IT? ‘BUT BEFORE KRAAG COULD ANSWER f . THE SHIP SUDDENLY HEAVED \ \|} stoeways AND THEY WENT f CRASHING ACROSS THE 7 y , CONTROL ROOM!Se THAT'S WHAT [| HAPPENED! LOOK!JARL AND KRAAG LOOKED WONDERINGLY| AT THE STRANGE CRAFT, me Sr WHERE IN SPACE DID IT COME FROM? SS NOW LET'S SEE IF WE CAN m MAKE CONTACT!BUT WHAT DO YOU SAY TO. AN ALIEN? AND HOW DO. YOU SAY IT? EASY! JUST SAY—-HELLO, HELLO, COME IN, PLEASE BUT THE FACE ON THE VID-SCREEN WAS NOT AN EARTH FACE. A ee De’ ig DO NOT COMMUNICATING TELEPATHICALLY. 'S YOU SPEAK, YOU PROJECT ‘COSMIC GRIEF! SOMEONE SOMETHING'S ANSWERED! 7), WAY SPEECH IMAGES INTO YOUR VAM M4 MINDS: ANY1 CAN ONLY READ YOUR IMAGES. WHEN YOU SPEAK—YOUR BO THATS NICE TO WHERE ARE YOU FROM? AND WHAT BRINGS YOU HERE? nN mr, i COME FROM THE OTHER SIDE OF THE GALAXY. | HAVE COME TO WARN YOU OF THE COMET, ISIS. ALLIS NOT LOST. | CAN STILL HELP YOU, BUT ONLY IF YOU BOARD MY, Raracnss AT LY,7 THE AIR IS STERILIZED, AND ¢ SUITABLE FORYOU wnt SAN vw CMON, JARL! LET'S SEE WHAT OUR HOSTIS LIKE.8 AS JARL FREED = THERE WAS A HISSING SOUND AND Ki GASIITS ATRAP!) BEFORE KRAAG HIT THE FLOOR, JARL HAD ‘AND Di SLAMMED SHUT Hi D DRAWN HIS” BLASTERGUN. x 4HAVE A TASTE OF THIS! IT WAS ALL OVER IN SECONDS AND WITH NO SIGN OF ANY OTHER ALIENS, JARL EXAMINED THE STILL FIGURE OF KRAAG. HE'S ALIVE! IF | SEAL HIS |( HELMET AND SWITCH ON HIS LIFE-SUPPORT SYSTEM.HE MIGHT COMESTARE THEY Sen _)| DEAD, JARL? 2 YES, BUT THERE'S SOMETHING ODD ABOUT THEM. LOOK AT THIS. Kz elle WHAT ARE THOSE THINGS ON THEIR BACKS? RAIKRAGG TOUCHED THE WEIRD OBJECT AND LEAPT. BACK IN ALARM AS IT HEAVED ITSELF OFF THE DEAD ALIEN AND FELL WITH A ' PLOP ' ON THE DECK: 1 1T'S AUVE! ul | W ( ATURE WRIGGLED FOR A FEW NDS, THEN SUDDENLY STOPPED. WED BETTER SEARCH THIS SHIP INCREDIBLE! IT'S A FORM OF FROM TOP TO BOTTOM. IT'S. PARASITE! TAKING IT FROM THAT OMEHOW CONNECTED WITH THE ALIEN’S BACK KILLED IT. IT EARTH PLAGUE AND THOSE MUST HAVE BEEN LIVING OFF THE VIRUSES! AEN WITH ONE OF THOSE! THE OTHER GUY'S : f —y AS WELL ase Noy DON'T FANCY SHARING MYSELF YOU FELT LOUSY!=, TAKING NO CHANCES. IF IT MOVES—1 SHOOT IT! APART FROM THE TWO DEAD ALIENS THE SHIP APPEARED DESERTED UNTIL JARL NOTICED THE BODY OF ANOTHER ALIEN BEHIND A TRANSPARENT PANEL /! HERE'S ONE OF THIS 15 A CYROGENIC CEUL— J THOSE JOKERS, HE'S IN DEEP FREEZE!IKRAAG STUDIED THE CELL, AND AFTER MAKING A FEW ADJUSTMENTS TO THE CONTROLS, ENERGY PULSED INTO THE YOU'VE DONE IT! HE'S MOVING! KEEP HIM COVERED WHILE | OPEN THE PANEL SLOWLY THE ALIEN ROSE TO HIS FEET. HAS HE GOT ONE OF NO, MY FRIEND. 1 AM FREE OF THOSE PARASITE THINGS? THE CURSED REL! MY NAME IS JAY AA Ay ZORG. AA [A24 THEY LISTENED GRIMLY AS ZORG GAVE THEM THE ANSWERS TO THE THOUSAND QUESTIONS THAT CROWDED THEIR MINDS —AND THE ANSWERS UNFOLDED A HORROR STORY OF GALACTIC PORPORTION! EO — YOU MUST NOT BLAME MY FELLOW ZORGS FOR TRICKING YOU. THEY WERE UNDER THE CONTROL OF THE PARASITE RELS—AS MY ENTIRE PLANET IS, AND YOURS 1S DESTINED TO BECOME ; BUT WHO AND WHAT ARE THE RELS? THE SCOURGE OF THE GALAXY — WITHOUT AN EXACT CO-ORDINATE TO THAT'S WHAT! THEY LIVE OFF ‘AIM AT, THE SHIPS JUMP STRAIGHT INTO THE PSYCHIC ENERGY OF THEIR THE NEAREST SUN, AND ARE DESTROYED. VICTIMS. USING IT TO CONVERT THEY SOLVED THIS PROBLEM BY BASIC ATMOSPHERIC GASES INTO CREATING A VIRUS THAT AFFECTS THE FOOD JUST AS PLANTS USE SUN- BRAIN OF SUITABLE VICTIMS, CAUSING LIGHT TO GROW THEM TO EMIT WAVES OF PSYCHIC ENERGY Vi THAT ACT UKE BEACONS. | ayy THEY HAVE THE SECRET OF THE SPACE TIME WARP, AND CAN CROSS THE GALAXY IN AN INSTANT— BUT IT HAS ONE BIG SNAG.THATERRAINS THE YES! THEY THEN PLOT THE COURSE Corea ‘ON OUR AND POSITION OF ALL THE Comets | COMMUNICATION BANDS? IN THE GALAXY. THEY * SEED” THEM WITH THE VIRUS AND WAIT FOR A COMET TO INFECT A SUITABLE ENERGY SOURCE! WHEN THE SOURCE IS INFECTED, THE SIGNAL IS STRONG ENOUGH FOR THEIR CRAFT TO HOME IN, AND JUMP THROUGH AND EARTH'S NEXT ‘BUT WHAT ARE ON THEIR MENU! (YOU DOING HERE? THIS 1S A RECONNAISSANCE SHIP SENT TO CHECK THAT THERE IS NO OPPOSITION. I'M A RESERVE ENERGY SOURCE IN CASE EITHER OF THE RELS HERE NEEDED ONE—I AM ALSO THE LAST FREE PERSON OF MY RACE!WITHIN HOURS! FEW OF MY PEOPLE B REMAIN-—ALL SLAVES TO THE RELS. PAE RELS WITHOUT HOSTS ARE IN HIBERNATION COCOONS: BEING LOADED INTO THE GIGANTIC TIME-TRANSPORTER THEY USE TO INVADE OTHER PLANETS. TAN YOU FLY THIS SHIP BACK TO YOUR PLANET? YES. ALL THE NECESSARY DATA [S IN THE FLIGHT COMPUTER. THEN WE VE STILL GOT A CHANCE!ZORG SEATED HIMSELF AT THE CONTROLS JM IF WE CAN DESTROY THIS T-PORTER AND ACTIVATED THE TIME-WARP. OF THEIRS, WE MIGHT SAVE EARTH. SUDDENLY ANOTHER We (ZZ 4 VIBRATING NUMBNESS DISSOLVED SS FRONT OF THEM... AND A SWARM] EVERYTHING INTO A MULTIPLE BLUR OF 3% OF BLACK DOTS ITSELF. THEN CAME A GI S 2 PHEW! THAT WAS SOME TRIP! WHAT ARE THOSE THINGS. HEADING FOR US? , Z PE : eeROBOT TORPEDOES! THEY'RE PROGRAMMED TO DESTORY ANYTHING THAT DOESN'T, GIVE THE PASS CODE— AND | DON'T KNOW IT! WE'LL HAVE TO FIGHT, ZORG! WHERE'S YOUR CANNON?, TZORG POINTED TO A GUN CONSOLE AND JARL LEAPT INTO THE SEAT THE CROSS IS ON THE ‘SCREENED TARGET.ey: ata elue NRG ars 4 ROBOT TORPEDOES, JARL SCORED HIT AFTER HIT. mz THEY'VE GOT US! MAIN -OWER TUBES WRECKED. KRAAG WAS RIGHT! aay eke es Semen ed [eerie ae Leave MareeUP THERE'S ONLY ONE SECONDARY WE'RE NOT DEAD YET. TAKE TUBE WORKING, WE’ ‘RE OUT OF US DOWN TO THE PLANET. fem WE'LL CRASH WITHOUT THE 2 BS MAIN POWER TUBES TO STOP ae AND ZORG TEAVED THE CRIPPLED SHIP INTO THE PLANET'S ATMOSPHERE!BARELY UNDER CONTROL, IT PLUNGED DOWN TO RICOCHET ACROSS THE PLANET'S SURFACE IN BONE-STUNNING CRASHES! / AaB iy WE'RE DOWN! “(WE'VE DONE IT! FAST—THOSE TORPS WILL COME 1! FINISH US OF| ~~32 TS THE SPACERS RACED FROMTHE Speer WRECK, THE ROBOT TORPEDOES STREAKED THROUGH THE SKIES! ZeIa OH, NO IT HASN'T! GET iI YOUR SPACE SUIT OFF? JUST BEFORE WE CRASHED 1 HAD A SIGHT OF A SMALL TOWN. AND A TOWN MEANS TRANSPORT! C'MON!34 TAS THEY HURRIED THROUGH THE JUNGLE, JARL QUESTIONED ZORG. INTO A FORM OF HIBERNATION. IT 1S COCOONED IN THE T. grt} f ‘ PORTER TO WAIT FOR A NEW WY alt A ENERGY SOURCE TO BE FOUND. TELL ME MORE ABOUT H FEW OF THE ACTIVE RELS THIS TIME-TRANSPORTER IT'S TOO IMMENSE TO LAND. INSIDE IT’S LIKE A & [ZORG SUDDENLY WENT QUIET AND HALTED. IN FRONT OF THEM WAS A COLLECTION OF BUILDINGS,at ROUBLE! WHAT SORT OF TROUBLE? FyTHE ENERGY BOLTS FROM THE BLASTERS TORE THROUGH THE GREAT TRAAZ AND IT CRUMPLED TO ju H THE GROUND AT THEIR FEET yy" an 7 THATS A REL YLON ITS BACK! J.)WHY DO YOU SAY THAT? THEY WERE FRIENDLY FOREST ANIMALS. WHEN MY PEOPLE BEGAN TO DIE, THE RELS WANTED TO USE THE TRAAZ TO MINE THIRCON. THE TRANSPORTER NEEDS IT TO WORK. BUT INSTEAD OF TURNING INTO WORKERS LIKE MY PEOPLE, THE TRAAZ TURNED INTO SAVAGE KILLERS. ‘ T-PORTER IF WE'RE GOING TO STOP IT a WE MUST Be CMU AND THAT MEANS GETTING TO A THEY WILL BE MORE OF THEM ABOUT ‘OK! NOW LET'S SEE WHAT THERE IS IN THE WAY OF TRANSPORT AROUND HERE. J yy fre)peTagay NOL a HANGAR fi. Li OVER HERE! | THINK THIS), IS WHAT.WE NEED. > THEN HIS EXCITEMENT TURNED TO DISMAY. , EMRE WWW ARE ALL BROKEN! THE TRAAZ MU) re Zz HAVE DONE IT. <> a Taye %,‘COME AND LOOK AT THIS ONE. IT'S A BIT OLD-FASHIONED, BUT IT DOESN'T SEEM TOO BAD. Dy YES, IT WON'T TAKE TOO LONG.40 SUDDENLY, SHADOWS FELL ACROSS THE DOORWAY. THEY LOOKED UP TO SEE A DONT FIRE UNTIL YOU CAN SEE THE WHITES OF THEIR FIRE THEY DON'T U THE TASTE OF BIane Ltat aaa JARL TURNED TO ZORG.7 CAN HERE THEM MOVING OUT THERE | ANO THERE'S AN ODD 3 UNSEEN BY THE THREE SPACERS, A LIQUID RAN SLOWLY INTO THE HANGAR IT WAS THE REASON FOR THE SMELLARE YOU THINKING. ~.. BURN US OUT! WHAT I'M THINKING? YES! THAT'S THE SMELL OF PRIMITIVE FUEL. . . OIL! THEY'RE GOING TO. JARL BLASTED THE FIGURE BUT ASIT FELL, THE TORCH IGNITED THE LIQUID. T{_QUICK! verti \44 ISN a herrea oad INS Clea eGR ROR Sens 2 ws C'MON, ZORG, OR WE'LL P BE ROA‘ q THE FLAMES LICKED CLOSER, BUT SUDDENLY THE JETS IGNITED AND THEY TORE INTO THE INFERNO! ‘aie VAR TRYING! BUT IT HASN’ BEEN USED FOR YEARS!SOON THEY WERE CLEAR AND HEADING OUT OF THE VILLAGE. NOW, HOW DO WE GET TO THE NEAREST SPACEDROME? WE FEED THE INSTRUCTIONS. INTO THE COMPUTER AND THE AUTOPILOT TAKES US THERE"AS THEY CAME IN SIGHT OF THE SPACE: DROME ZORG GROANED IN DESPAIR (nar ur? eee WARPER, MY FRIENDS. THIS 5S A SPACE MAINTAINENCE BASE. THERE'S NOTHING HERE BUTDISINTEGRATED AND IT CRASHED ONTO ITS SII SUDDENLY, THE REAR OF THE JET-CAR ARRGH! SOMETHING'S OVER bad FOUND USTHEN HE WAS RACING TOWARDS: THEM—DODGING LIKE A SPACEBALLHE BIG ONE! y— ne WITHIN MINUTES JARLHAD YN (2 een eo SU era Aa SCREAMING OUT INTO SPACE. WE'VE STILL GOT TO GET PAST THE ROBOT TORPEDOES! NO PROBLEM! THE RELS MUST HAVE BEEN USING THIS BREAKDOWN SHIP FOR SOMETHING . .. SOIT’LL BE BROADCASTING THE PASS CODE ALL THE TIME.RN EACO nae eu nL RCo AR et Na) Nata see cel PHEW! HOW DO WE STOP THAT? /AY—BUT WE MIGHT OUT OF IT ALIVE! WEVE GOT TOL ‘STOP THEM, JARL . VY % ZORG, WiLL OPLE RECOVER HE VIRUS IF WE‘YES! THE BODY BEATS IT AFTER A. FEW DAYS—THAT'S WHY THE IN THAT CASE, LET'S GO FISHING! AND WITH THAT, JARL UNFO! PURPOSE GRABS AND STEERED INTO A SWARM ola elo) Mlehig THE TORPS! ey YOU'RE GOING TO USE THEM, UKE BOMBS!MORAG aon koulaIn) op BL Ua Uta cnat ee Rees Ri HUGE T-PORTER, BUT THEIR APPROACH HADN'T GONE UNNOTICED!Te een oni ENERGY BARRIER THE FEARFUL CRASH DETONATED THE TORPS AND SENT THE SHIP CART WHEELING THROUGH SPACE.WE'VE FAILED! ‘WHAT DO WE DO NOW? HDON'T KNOW! WE'LL NEVER GET PAST THAT WAIT A MINUTE! LOOK! THE SHIELD’S FADING! : THAT MEANS THEY'RE "I GOING INTO TIME- THEN WE MIGHT AS WELL GO ALONG FOR THE RIDE, TOO!‘WE WILL—IF ONLY 1 CAN GET THE GRAB TO HOLD! Piao ean ekockant LULA SUR Sl Soa fol 1d me ela antMILLISECS LATER THEIR JOY WAS SHORT-LIVEDITHE + ENERGY SHIELD WAS REACTIVATED AND THE BREAKDOWN SHIP WAS HURLED AWAY,ays J WHAT WILL THEY OO) x NOW, ZORG? WILL THEY} 4 fe SHOOT US? = THE VIRUS. THEY'LL PROBABLY KEEP THE ENERGY SHIELO UP AND MOVE Hf A E Ss CONVENTIONAL THRUST ENGINES 10 GET THERE?DOES THIS SHIP HAVE A UFEBOAT CAPSULE? YES, YOU PUSH THAT. BUTTON TO FIRE IT. AND A FAI TALI ss THAT T-PORTER MUST WEIGHT A FEW MILLION TONS. THE ENGINES WILL HAVE TO BURN FOR SOME UME BEFORE THEY CAN GET SUCH A."AND THERE MUST BE A GAP IN THEIR ENERGY, SHIELD WHERE THEIR ENGINE JETS COME DUT! PIA mea TlATS a ac aL ONE a pes 2 TINY CRAFT TOWARDS AN ENGINE cz 1M GOING TO DRIVE HIS INTO THEIR ENGINE! I'LL BLOW ITENMU Lani Rosen ole I CAN HARDLY HOLD IT IN THIS TURBULENCE! ea CEO CN sa RCM staal eld felts rela ret wits) THAT FORMED THE ENGINENase gc oa BUTTON AND THE ENTIRE CABIN eT f THE ENGINE ERUPTED IN A BLINDING FLASH AS THE BREAKDOWN SHIP CRASHED INTO T-PORTER’S INNARDS!an cae cel OPO ) CENTRIFUGAL FORCES SA aS Ts STRUCTURE COULD NO ANY LONGER CONTAINTHE FUEL BANKS <> ARE BURSTING! A TIDAL WAVE OF RADIO: ACTIVE FUEL SCORCHED THROUGH THE T-PORTERESVa eco om takerey MLS INTEGRATING IN & FINAL DEVASTATING. EXPLOSION! RS ‘WE'VE DONE IT! IT'S ALL OVER! 4 : Q nit YOUR PEOPLE AVENGED AT LAST. ZORG!NOT QUITE! WE LL HAVE TO WAIT (22,4 FEW DAYS UNTIL THE VIRUS 72, DIES OFFI... THEN WHERE i ats WE GO BACK TO EARTH TO WORK ON A VACCINE TO COMBAT THE VIRUS... . JUST IN CASE THERE ARE MORE COMETS DUE. 0 KNOWS, 2 V D BY THE = = DEADLY RELS Printed and Published in Great Britain by D.C. THOMSON & CO, 1. 185 Fleet Street, London, EC4A 2HS. © D.C. THOMSON & CO., LTO., 1979.mt eer pine laiciak ‘Sam ee Taye: TWO OF THESE GREAT SPACE M33STAR ELA aes seal A AUD el Ma Me attempt to hit the Moon in een ae ed launched Lunik 1. This space- craft missed the Moon and went into space to become the first artificial planet. Lunik 2, shown here, ler MUS ah aL through space, was captured by the eMac RIT eu BCR) Poe ome Rena eeu kak OUT Ue LA Laure ce