Spacewarp #1 [Part One] - Millsverse Comics

SPACEWARP #1, July 2020

Produced by the legendary Pat Mills, this “one-shot, anthology sci-fi comic for readers of all ages” must surely have landed well with its audience in July 2020 considering the digital periodical contains plenty of action, memorable characters and the mind-bending machinations of various extra-terrestrials. Indeed, the weighty tome will immediately transport those familiar with “IPC Magazines” titles during the late Seventies and early Eighties back to their childhood, whilst undoubtedly hooking the current generation of bibliophiles with its straight forward story-telling, excellent advice for avoiding any skulking Tyrannosaurus Rex which happens to be in the audience’s neighbourhood, and the delightful editorials of Doc Zot.

Leading this veritable shoal of science fiction goodness is the British writer’s marvellous “Sfeer & Loathing”, which genuinely helps set up the entire publication’s premise of multiple Earths being manipulated by a super-powered host of tentacle-covered alien deities. This four-page parable introduces the fascinating “sheriff of the Galaxy”, Schlock, in a short-lived bloody engagement with a pack of slavering warp hounds, and literally pulses with energy thanks to some superb pencilling by artist Gareth Sleightholme.

Similarly as action-packed is Mills’ second tale “Jurassic Punk”. Quickly establishing 1977 as the year when dinosaurs returned to conquer Birkenhead in Merseyside, as well as crammed full of titanic close-quarter skirmishes between local archaeologist-turned-lizard-killer Joe Megiddo and a fascinating array of prehistoric monstrosities, this tantalising insight into the crazy professor’s determined effort to be reunited with his lost family genuinely pulls at the heart strings; especially when having finally got the solution to his estrangement in his sights, the Jurassic Man is forced to join the resistance for the greater good of humanity.

Perhaps somewhat less frantically-paced, at least once two prisoners have successfully escaped from the demonic hosts of Dis - capital city of Hell, is the enthralling “Hellbreaker”. Firmly focused upon the pair of escapees and their disconcerting habit of executing Cosmic Law transgressors by literally melting them alive in either boiling pitch or “blood and fire”, this sophisticated-looking yarn has the additional hook of “cosmic assassin” De La Rue being romantically reminded by his nemesis of the beloved he tragically lost whilst absconding the horrors of the Ninth Circle.

Stories: Pat Mills, and Art: Gareth Sleightholme, Bruno Stahl & Ian Ashcroft