Spacewarp #1 [Part Two] - Millsverse Comics

SPACEWARP #1, July 2020

Providing this anthology comic with both an utterly disconcerting and superbly solid midway point story is Pat Mill’s marvellous tale of a technologically-advanced Earth being infiltrated by repugnant-looking extra-terrestrials entitled “Xecutioners”. Crammed full of gun-play, a veritable host of zinging bullets and mind manipulation, this seven-pager’s greatest asset is arguably not actually its enjoyable violence, but rather the developing relationship between Chaval and his new partner Zola as they attempt their first mission together to reveal the true Machiavellian intentions of Saturn One CEO, Mister Mezeros.

Just as unnerving with its opening ‘Harry Potter at Hogwarts’ vibe is “Fu-Tants”, which initially focuses upon three would-be protectors of the planet whilst undergoing the final stage of their training, and then leaps a decade into the future to the Church of the Apocalypse in Spain where super-powered Koda discovers an alien race trying to steal some valuable dinosaur-related artwork. Featuring Mike Donaldson’s stunningly pencilled bout of fisticuffs between “Drogeda’s top agent” and the Warp Lord’s “top gun”, there’s nothing not to like about such an action-packed yarn; especially when it promises future adventures to come, not least of which might be another fascinating insight into the utterly enthralling Warpstone Academy.

Perhaps penned for those within this book’s audience who enjoy planet wide battlescapes such as those depicted in Robert A. Heinlein's “Starship Troopers” or Gerry Finley-Day’s Nu-Earth, “Special Forces One” definitely doesn’t beat around the bush in setting up its heroes’ seemingly suicidal mission to behead the Junkarrs’ leader Zahar. Populated with all manner of weird-looking giant microbes and mutated single cell bacteria, Mills does a grand job of combining some serious slaughter with as much insight as he can manage into the motivations of the elite combat unit’s colourful members.

Finally bringing this publication full circle, and pleasantly incorporating some of the fluff established in this tome’s preceding narratives, is the brilliantly brutal “Slayer”. Once again featuring Schlock, “the Cosmic Lawman”, this concluding chronicle rounds off the comic with a fascinating supposition that if an “offender escapes justice through death or senility” then a suitable descendent can be punished in their place, even up to seven generations depending upon the crime.

Stories: Pat Mills, and Art: Gareth Sleightholme, Mike Donaldson, Ade Hughes & James Newell 

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