by Keith Ansell
Introduction
In issue 188 of TV21 Brent Cleever, now retired as Agent 21 and acting as the World President’s unofficial trouble-shooter, realised he had lost his magnetic powers. In issue 191 World President Younger asked him to come out of retirement and rejoin the Universal Secret Service as its Chief.
The ‘Mr. Magnet’ strip was therefore retitled ‘Secret Agent 21’ the following issue and expanded from 1½ to 2 pages once again with another new logo.
Agent 21 had come full circle, proving the old saying “The more things change the more they stay the same”.
In the final year of the comic strip we are introduced to the Titans -a powerful new enemy whose modus operandi appears to have been influenced by the Mysterons. We also see the return of SOFRAM (the Solar Organisation For Revenge And Murder) in yet another attempt to assassinate our hero and we even get a hypnotist and an Alsatian dog thrown in for good measure too.
There is a great bit of continuity in one of the stories which ties in nicely to ‘The Mysterons’ strip that appeared in the TV Tornado comic – but I will say no more.
Cleever was nearly 50 years old when he returned to the USS in 2068.
Well I can certainly relate to that – how about you?
Story Twenty-Six (aka Back with the USS*)
Writer: Tod Sullivan (?). Artist: Rab Hamilton. 2 pages, b/w.
Part 1: TV21 Issue 192, dateline 21 September 2068
Synopsis.
In the dead of night, a man crouches out of sight beside the steel mesh fence at the rear of the Century 21 Toys Incorporated factory, near Kahra on Mars.
He watches USS Security Officer 54 ask one of the guards if he has anything to report before moving on.
The mysterious intruder suddenly leaps over the 10-foot fence with the aid of spring-healed shoes and knocks the guard out with a swift karate chop – only to be shot by another guard.
Security Officer 54 and the guard approach the unconscious intruder only to recognise him – it is 21, the recently re-appointed Head of the Universal Secret Service (see Story Twenty-Five).
21 quickly recovers from the effects of the stun gun and calls a meeting of all senior staff in his office.
The USS Chief congratulates them on security measures but 54 is not impressed – he thinks 21 is an old man playing at being a young agent.
21 has identified one weak area though – the main entrance to the Century 21 Factory.
He wants to withdraw the guards from the Laser House and use them to increase security on reception.
54 thinks this is a stupid move but 21 reminds the Security Officer that the Laser House defends itself as it can only be approached in special cars because of the deadly rays it emits.
54 cannot argue with this logic but thinks 21 should have stuck to farming when he retired.
Four days later 54 informs 21 of a break-in the previous night in which a sample case of deadly toys was stolen.
54 blames the break-in on 21’s reorganisation of security.
The USS Chief says he will personally get the case back after which 54 is for the high jump…
Notes:
The strip title changes from ‘Mr. Magnet’ to ’Secret Agent 21’ with issue 192.
These stories presumably commence in the present of September 2068.
The USS HQ at Century 21 Toys Inc seems more like a military base than when it was first seen back in 2046. Security Officer 54 and his guards all wear uniforms.
21 is less than three months away from his 50th birthday if we accept he was born on 2nd December 2018 as per details given in the Mr. Magnet logo (first seen in issue 155).
There is a definite clash of personalities between 21 and his Security Officer 54.
Rab Hamilton’s artwork is now much cruder than when the Agent 21 strip first appeared back in issue 21.
Part 2: TV21 Issue 193, dateline 28 September 2068
Synopsis.
21 telephones reception and asks for a list of deliveries made to the Century 21 Toys factory the day before. He is told there were only two – the USS delivery van and a load of plastic for the stores.
He is convinced the raider was smuggled in so decides to visit the Plastic Store with a fuming Security officer 54 in tow.
21 is shown the two large rolls of plastic still waiting to be put into storage.
The USS Chief takes a ball from his deadly toy sample case and splits it into two hemispheres. He clamps one on to the side of the nearest roll of plastic. It transmits an X-ray picture to the small screen in the other half of the ball held by 21, which shows a hidden compartment within the role of plastic.
21 decides to drive over to the Plastics Company that supplied the rolls and investigate but finds the place derelict – it looks as if it has been empty for months.
Suddenly he spots a car driving away from the factory and launches a deadly toy tracker plane to follow it.
21 runs back to his car and follows the homing signal emitted by the toy plane. He soon finds himself out in the midst of the Martian desert.
Two strangely dressed bald men (who we learn are called Titans in Part 3’s resume of this story) watch 21 approach their hidden base on a video screen and recognise him.
They are pleased and believe the USS Chief will be a strong recruit for them.
Seconds later two small missiles are launched from the base trailing a wire net behind them, which they drop over 21 trapping him.
Titan 1 now orders two of his fellow Titans to bring 21 in.
The USS Chief sees the Titans approaching him and operates a control on his wristwatch.
His fallen sample case opens and deadly toy tanks, soldiers and archers leave it and attack the bald men …
Notes:
There is some confusion over how 21 reorganised the security at USS HQ. In Part 1 he was going to withdraw guards from the Laser House and use them to increase security on the main entrance – but in the Part 2 resume to the story it states that 21 withdrew the main gate sentries because he thought the laser beams at the entrance were security enough??
Very Strange, eh?
Part 3: TV21 Issue 194, dateline 5 October 2068
Synopsis.
Titan 1 now orders all of his Titan personnel to advance on 21 and his deadly toys
The USS Chief sees one Titan pick up two toy archers – one in each hand and crush them out of shape.
A deadly toy tank scores a direct hit on one of the advancing Titans causing its circuits to fuse and its plastic skin to melt revealing a metallic body beneath.
21 realises they are robots.
He races back to his car to call for help but the Titans spot him and one raises a hand firing a tremendously powerful electric ray from its palm at the vehicle.
The car erupts in flame.
21 is at a loss what to do next but he knows he must avoid capture so keeps running.
The Titans soon destroy the last of the deadly toys and prepare to go after the USS Chief – but then the voice of the mysterious Master Titan issues from a large loudspeaker in the Titans base instructing his robots to test the deadly toys that were stolen from the USS Factory by using them to track down 21.
Titan 1 launches two deadly toy tracker planes which soon locate the USS Chief. The Titans watch 21 run from the planes on the stolen sample case’s tv screen and send out more deadly toys.
Meanwhile transfer tables have been prepared – One is empty while the blank metallic body of an unformed Titan lies on the other.
The Titans continue to watch 21 and see him trip and fall down a rocky Martian hillside. One of the tracker planes swoops in to see whether the USS Chief is still alive only to be caught in 21’s vice-like grip.
Notes:
The story resume for this part informs us that the bald men are humanoid robots called Titans who have stolen a deadly toy sample case and plan to take over the world.
We were told none of this in part 2.
Part 4: TV21 Issue 195, dateline 12 October 2068
Synopsis.
Titan 1 and another Titan watch 21 on the stolen sample case screen from within their base.
They see him lift a boulder and throw it at the deadly toys they have sent after the USS Chief.
The boulder destroys one of the toy tanks.
21 has a plan and begins to head back for the Titans base.
Titan 1 instructs two of his minions to bring 21 in alive.
They know he hopes to lead the deadly toys back to their base in the hopes they will destroy the Titans
The USS Chief suddenly runs into the two Titans sent out after him.
He kicks one of the robots to the ground but the other Titan called Maclean raises a hand to fire his electric ray at 21.
Titan 1 is afraid Maclean intends to kill the agent and orders him to only use knock out force.
Titan Maclean hesitates for a moment allowing 21 to dive out of the way and the electric ray hits the downed Titan.
21 now leaps to his feet and uses a judo move to throw Titan Maclean into the path of an approaching deadly toy tank. The tank fires at 21 but hits MacLean fusing his circuits and melting his plastic skin.
The stolen sample case screen goes dead – Macleon must have fallen on the deadly toy transmitting the picture.
Titan 1 realises that 21 is dangerous and must be killed if necessary – he cannot be allowed to lead the deadly toys into the base.
Part 5: TV21 Issue 196, dateline 19 October 2068
Synopsis.
21 is within sight of the Titans base.
He can see Titan 1 ordering four of his fellow Titans to bring him back dead or alive.
The USS Chief realises he has to get into the base and get his hands on the stolen sample case controlling the deadly toys the humanoid robots have set against him.
The Titans spot 21 and fire their electric hand rays at him.
The USS Chief decides there is no point dying for nothing and therefore puts his hands in the air to indicate he has surrendered.
The Titans are suspicious but decide the fight is over – but not the deadly toys.
Three toy tanks trundle up behind 21 and fire…
Titan 1 orders one of his minions Titan Jenkins to switch off the stolen sample case controlling the deadly toys attacking 21.
Titan 1 orders two of the Titans he sent after the USS Chief to carry 21 back to their base – the transfer will go ahead after all.
Once back in the hidden cavern 21 is laid down on the empty transfer table and the machine starts its task.
Halfway through the transfer 21 regains consciousness but the Titans step up the immobilizers only to lose his brain patterns – there is some sort of block.
The Titans use feedback to break the barrier and 21 screams as the blockage clears – the brain pattern transfer continues.
A few minutes later 21 comes around again and is introduced to Titan 21 – a robot duplicate of himself.
Notes:
Presumably 21 used USS anti-mind reading techniques to try and block the transfer of his brain patterns
Presumably Titan Macleon only had the brain pattern of someone called ‘Macleon’ as he looked like the rest of the Titans ie he was thin and bald.
Part 6: TV21 Issue 197, dateline 26 October 2068
Synopsis.
Titan 1 instructs Titan 21 to take the flesh and blood USS Chief outside and destroy him – his usefulness is now over.
21 spots the stolen sample case near the doorway from the base and assumes the deadly toys are nearby. He manages to rip a small length of cable from the rear of a piece of equipment he is standing next to without being seen before being marched out of the cavern base by Titan 21.
When in the exit corridor out of sight of Titan 1 he spots a deactivated deadly toy tank. The USS Chief suddenly launches himself at Titan 21 and knocks the robot to the floor before he can fire his deadly electric hand ray.
21 now grabs the tank and swiftly inserts the bare ends of the small piece of cable into two slots in the back of the deadly toy. This activates its gun turret and allowing him to fire it manually at Titan 21.
The robot’s circuits fuse and its plastic skin melts as it falls lifeless to the floor.
The USS Chief now composes himself and walks calmly back into the main cavern of the base and approaches Titan 1.
Titan 1 assumes he is Titan 21 and that the real USS Chief is now dead.
21 asks Titan 1 what his field of activity will be when he takes 21’s place at the USS.
Titan 1 says he will receive his instructions and orders him to go and take the stolen sample case with him.
21 operates the case controls. Titan 1 asks what he is doing. The USS Chief says he is recalling the deadly toys.
Moments later four heavy duty deadly toy tanks trundle into the Titans base and Titan 1 realises 21 is not a Titan as they begin to attack him and his fellow robots.
The tanks are more resistant to the Titans electric hand rays than the other toys and soon the remaining Titans have all been destroyed.
21 thinks he has won but then the voice of the mysterious Master Titan echoes around the base taunting the USS Chief with the news that the Titans have already replaced large sections of people and that soon all humanity will be replaced by his robots.
A sixth sense makes 21 slowly back away towards the base entrance and then he turns and runs.
He only just escapes before the Master Titan detonates hidden explosives destroying the whole cavern base.
Five days later 21 is picked up by a USS search party. He is now intent on warning the world of the menace of the Titans.
The End
Story Twenty-Seven (aka Terror of the Titans*)
Writer: Tod Sullivan (?). Artist: Rab Hamilton. 2 pages, b/w.
Part 1: TV21 Issue 198, dateline 2 November 2068
Synopsis.
USS Security Officer 54 apologises to 21 for his previous disparaging comments regarding his re-appointment as Head of the USS. After the way 21 handled the Titans business 54 thinks he has definitely proved his worth.
21 and 54 fly to Unity City on Earth, home of the World Government for a meeting with the World President.
21 briefs the WP on the Titan case and of their danger to the Solar Empire. He believes the Titan Master is the most dangerous man in the Solar Empire right now.
The WP orders medical checks on all Government personnel while 21 says the USS will search the planets.
Armed USS forces swoop on cities throughout the Solar System Colonies and carry out random medical checks – but all results are negative until a USS rocket lands on P187 in the asteroid belt where it is fired upon. The rocket takes off immediately but is destroyed by an electric ray blast from the hand of … a Bereznik soldier!
Some time later on Mars 54 reports the doctors don’t really know what they are looking for therefore the medical checks could be useless.
21 says keep trying and then realises the team investigating P187 is two weeks overdue.
The USS Chief decided to check P187 personally.
A small two-man USS rocket soon flashes across the Solar System from Mars heading for the asteroid belt with a space-suited 21 and 54 at the controls – but they are spotted as the ship flies low over P187.
Bereznik forces watch the approach of the USS rocket from a radar room deep below the surface of the asteroid. Orders are given to find the occupants and destroy them.
21 orders 54 to take up asteroid orbit while he ejects out for a solo reconnaissance.
His ejector seat gently lowers him down to a rocky surface – only for the surface to open beneath him exposing the Bereznik base below.
Notes:
The World President is drawn as TJ Younger (ie the unnamed WP introduced in the pilot episode of ‘Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons’ ).
The Armed Forces on Mars in 2068 would appear to come under the control of the USS.
The Bereznik soldiers out on the surface of the asteroid are not wearing space suits – indicating they are Titans.
When the entrance is opened to allow 21 to land in the asteroid base there is no airlock. This suggests the base is solely manned by Titans (who presumably do not need an atmosphere to breathe).
Part 2: TV21 Issue 199, dateline 9 November 2068
Synopsis.
21 throws himself from his ejector seat and helped by the near zero gravity manages to avoid landing in the Bereznik base.
He runs from the base pursued by Titans disguised as Bereznik troops.
The USS chief calls 54 to come down and get him.
54 flies low and fires a salvo of missiles at the Titans before landing to rescue 21.
The USS agents mange to escape P187 with their lives and now 21 decides to call in the World Space Patrol to destroy the Titan base.
Space City sends Fireball XL2 and 21 and 54 see the Titan base destroyed with interceptor missiles before heading back to Earth to meet with the World President again.
On their arrival 21 and 54 are rushed to a War Council aboard the WASP’s latest warship.
The Council members include the World President, Commander Shore and Commander Zero.
21 informs the WP of what he discovered on P187.
He says it could mean that Bereznik control the Titans.
Commander Shore thinks it could mean that Bereznik has joined forces with the Titan Master.
The World President thinks that the Titans control the Bereznik Army.
21 agrees with him – in fact he thinks the Titans probably control the whole Bereznik Government.
The WP instructs 21 to smash the Titans at any cost.
Notes:
It’s a great illustration of Fireball XL2 firing twin interceptors at the Titan base on Asteroid P187.
We learn that P187 is in XL2’s patrol area and the suggestion is that XL2 may be a one-man patrol i.e. “He’ll deal with it” not “They will deal with it.”
Part 3: TV21 Issue 200, dateline 16 November 2068
Synopsis.
A USS submarine rests on the seabed near Katania, capital and major port of Bereznik.
21 gives a final brief to a twelve-man team of USS commandos reminding them that the six men must be taken alive – they are vital to his plan to smash the Titans controlling Bereznik.
Six sea bugs leave the submarine heading for the pleasure beach a mile from Katania where the commandos come a shore and split up into two man teams to carry out their orders in the dark of night.
Six minor Bereznik Government officials are soon woken at gun point and taken back to the USS sub without a hitch.
Each man is now tested to see if his heart beat increases with exercise – if not he is a Titan.
All six men are found to be human.
21 now introduces himself to them and asks for their help in destroying the Titans.
The Bereznik officials think it is a World Government trick and are outraged at being kidnapped in the middle of the night.
The officials say they will only help 21 if he can prove his fantastic story.
The USS Chief says that is what he wanted to hear – and they will be leaving in 15 minutes for him to do just that.
21 and the six Bereznik officials are dropped back on the pleasure beach near Katania – but as the sea bugs disappear below the surface one of the officials (who we later learn is named Lipatov) strikes the USS Chief from behind knocking him out cold…
Part 4: TV21 Issue 201, dateline 23 November 2068
Synopsis.
The other Bereznik officials are shocked at Lipatov’s action.
Lipatov asks them if they believed 21’s story of their President being a robot.
They hesitate and say they suppose not.
Lipatov now insists they take the unconscious 21 to the Bereznik President.
The USS Chief comes round as they enter the President’s Office.
The President recognises 21 but thinks the USS Chief is far too clever to have been caught by his officials.
Lipatov brags that 21 is not all that clever if he thought he could convince him and his colleagues that the President of Bereznik was a robot.
21 rises to his feet as the President asks if he looks like a robot.
Lipatov says of course not – it is all World Government lies.
Suddenly 21 takes a flying drop kick at the Bereznik President.
The officials grab him as he lands on the office floor but 21 points to the President’s face which took the full brunt of 21’s kick – there is not a drop of blood.
The President raises his hand and proves 21’s story by firing an electric ray from his palm at the USS Chief. 21 dives across the Presidents desk avoiding the ray and snatches at a drawer. He sees what he is looking for – a gun.
He grabs it as the Titan President lifts the whole desk above his head intending to smash 21 with it.
The USS Chief fires at point blank range and the Titan President falls – the plastic skin on his face melting to reveal blank metallic features below.
A Bereznik guard enters the office to check on the gunfire only to see six officials carrying out 21’s ‘dead’ body.
The officials insist on disposing of 21’s body. Suddenly the voice of the unknown Titan Master sounds over the office tannoy system: “Stop them! The Titan President is destroyed. They must not escape!”
Part 5: TV21 Issue 202, dateline 30 November 2068
Synopsis.
The Bereznik guard raises his gun only to be shot by a seemingly dead 21.
The skin on the dead guards face dissolves to reveal blank metallic features – he was a Titan too.
21 and the Bereznik officials head for the Presidential Armoury. The USS Chief orders them to take heavy calibre weapons such as rocket launchers and mortars.
Once armed 21 tells them they must find the Titan transfer room and destroy it. The USS Chief thinks it must be close by so the Titans can easily duplicate the men they are replacing.
One of the officials picks up an auto-controller used by anti-tank troops. He thinks it might work on the Titans and 21 agrees.
They decide to head for the Treasury, which would be an ideal place for the transfer room.
They see two guards approaching the Armoury as they are about to leave – obviously Titans if their raised hands are anything to go by.
21 and one of the officials grab an auto controller each and manage to clamp the devices onto the robots before they can fire their electric hand rays.
The Titans come to a complete halt and stare blankly at the officials.
The auto controllers can be used to control the Titans.
Power crazy Lipatov sees it as an opportunity to control the world…
Part 6: TV21 Issue 203, dateline 7 December 2068
Synopsis.
21 orders the Bereznik officials to all take auto-controllers from the Armoury before they move on to find the hidden transfer room.
Titan guards challenge them as they approach the Treasury but the auto-controllers allow 21 and his party to use their captive Titans to fight back and destroy them.
The officials manage to take control of three more Titans by the time they reach the inner entrance to the vault.
21 uses one of the bazooka-like rocket launchers taken from the Armoury and fires four high explosive missiles along the corridor to blast the steel gates open.
Once the dust clears 21 orders his army of Titans sent in to the outer vault room.
They are met by a similar number of Titan guards and a deadly battle takes place.
Lipatov, knowing the combination to the vault, opens the giant reinforced steel door while the fighting takes place.
21’s party is victorious although all of their controlled Titans are destroyed in the conflict.
The seven men now enter the vault and find the Titan transfer tables hidden within as they expected.
While the others concentrate on smashing the Titans equipment Lipatov finds a file containing details of all the Bereznik leaders who have been replaced by Titan duplicates.
With this information and the auto-controllers he knows he can become the President of Bereznik – and use the Titans to attack the World Government…
Part 7: TV21 Issue 204, dateline 14 December 2068
Synopsis.
Unnoticed Lipatov moves towards the vault door with the file as the others continue to destroy the Titans equipment.
21 spots him as he steps out of the vault but is too late to stop him slamming the door shut and relocking it.
The remaining five officials and 21 are trapped – and the vault is airtight.
One of the officials named Valin asks if anyone still has a Titan under their control.
None of them have – but then 21 remembers the blank Titan that was lying on the transfer table when they entered the vault.
Luckily it has not been destroyed.
21 removes the head and the right hand intent on using the hand ray to blast open the vault door.
The USS Chief finds the control circuit in the Titan’s brain that operates the hand ray – but the air in the vault is running out fast.
Soon only 21 and Valin remain conscious by their sheer determination to escape.
Valin has rigged up a power supply and 21 has connected the control circuit to the hand ray.
The USS Chief now aims the severed Titan’s hand at the vault door and Valin switches the power on.
They only have enough air left for one attempt.
The fantastic Titan hand ray slices through the steel vault door only just in time to save the men inside.
21 orders Valin to help the other officials and then staggers out of the vault after Lipatov.
He finds the corridors of the massive Bereznik Government Headquarters empty.
The USS Chief reaches the President’s office and hears Lipatov’s voice coming from within.
Determined to see who Lipatov is talking to 21 climbs out of one of the corridor windows onto a ledge on the outer wall of the building.
Dawn is coming up – it is now three hours since 21 left the USS submarine with the six officials.
He carefully shuffles along the ledge until he is able to peer through the next window along and into the President’s office.
21 sees Lipatov sitting at the President’s desk upon which twelve auto-controllers are resting.
Sitting in front of him are twelve Titans who have replaced the top Bereznik Government officials – all now under Lipatov’s control.
Lipatov orders them to recall all Titans and prepare for an attack on the World Government…
Notes:
21 proves his cybernetic skills in this part
Part 8: TV21 Issue 205, dateline 21 December 2068
Synopsis.
21 realises he has to stop Lipatov before he goes any further.
He leaps through the window into the President’s office and grabs Lipatov.
The Bereznik official dives for an auto-controller ordering the Titans to attack.
21 grabs a controller and orders them to halt.
The confused orders cause the twelve Titan robots to march towards the outer wall of the office and smash through the wall – falling to their destruction many stories below.
Valin and the other four officials enter the President’s office as the last Titans marches into mid air.
21 asks Valin if it is now possible for Bereznik and the World Government to make peace.
Valin does not think so – for too many years the Bereznik people have been fed a hate propaganda which will take many years to undo.
21 and Valin shake hands before the USS Chief returns to his waiting submarine.
The World Government and Bereznik are still enemies and 21 is no nearer to discovering who the Mastermind behind the Titans is….
The End
Story Twenty-Eight (aka The Hypnotist*)
Writer: Tod Sullivan (?). Artist: Rab Hamilton. 2 pages, b/w.
Part 1: TV21 Issue 206, dateline 28 December 2068
Synopsis.
USS Agent 35 begins to close in on his quarry.
He has been following him for five miles along the winding roads of the French Mediterranean coast – but he has been spotted.
35 sees his quarry’s car pull over to the right and assumes he is taking a detour to try and lose him.
The USS agent follows – but the road suddenly ends and his car plummets to destruction onto the beach over fifty feet below killing him.
The car 35 was following had shared the same fate – but the driver had leapt to safety seconds before his car left the road.
USS Chief 21 is visiting Universal Secret Service HQ, London when news of 35’s death is received.
Agent 17, the Head of London HQ, informs 21 that five agents have now been killed in the same area – and he doesn’t know why.
21 decides it is time they found out.
Sometime later 21 and 17 reach the scene of the car ‘accident’ with a local gendarme police officer who informs them that one of the cars was empty even though it crashed at the same time.
21 spots some material caught in the gorse bushes near the cliff top and assumes the first driver must have jumped out and torn his jacket.
He takes a deadly toy bee from his sample case and introduces it to the piece of material – the toy bee is a tracker and now follows the faint scent of whoever wore the jacket.
Two miles from the coast road the bee comes to rest in the middle of nowhere – just a grassy field.
The USS agents and the French police officer approach the site.
17 wonders if the driver could have been picked up by a helijet but the gendarme says it would have been spotted as they still attract attention.
21 discovers a hidden trap door beneath the grass where the toy bee landed. The gendarme says this is a job for the police and pulls the trap door open only to trigger an explosion.
All three men are blown off their feet in the blast…
Notes:
21 calls Agent 17 ‘Bob’ while they are at London HQ.
Part 2: TV21 Issue 207, dateline 4 January 2069
Synopsis.
The dust settles and 21, agent 17 and the French gendarme have survived the blast.
The USS Chief calls for a rope so he can be lowered down into the now exposed tunnel beneath the wrecked trap door.
An hour later 21 returns and informs his colleagues that the tunnel leads to a deserted castle over the nearby hill. 17 surmises it could be an ancient escape tunnel installed by the castle’s baron centuries ago.
The USS agents have lost the trail of the man agent 35 followed to his death – and they still don’t know why the five agents that died were in the French Riviera at all.
21 and 17 decide to go to USS HQ Paris to continue the investigation.
21 asks for the newspapers that were published in the five cities in which the dead agents were based. He wants them analysed by computer in the hopes of finding common events or factors that could have led the five dead agents to the French Riviera.
There seems to be nothing in common to all five cities but 21 insists they carry on with manual checks.
The USS Chief decides to check reported thefts in each city personally.
Later at a Police HQ 21 is informed that in one city a crook gave himself up only for a police doctor to discover that the man was hypnotised. This fact leads the USS Chief to contact Agent 60 using his sample case radio and ask him if he has anything to report on theatrical hypnotists.
60 replies that over the last five weeks one has visited each of the dead agents’ cities – but before 60 can enlighten 21 more he is shot from behind.
21 sees Agent 60 fall dead but cannot see the gunman.
The case screen now reveals the top of a poster on the dead agent’s bed.
He can just make out the wording: ‘The Great Hyp….at …lin’.
21 calls Agent 17 and asks him to check all place names ending in the letters L I N where a hypnotist is working or due to work.
The answer is soon given and that evening 21 stands in the foyer of Dublin’s Magic Circle Club where an artist billed as The Great Hypnotist has already started his act.
The Great Hypnotist is calling for five volunteers as the USS Chief enters the theatre stalls to find his seat.
21 steps up onto the theatre stage and the mesmerist recognises him…
Notes:
Presumably there is a USS HQ in each major city of the World Government.
- Germany, E. Germany and Poland can be seen on a wall map in USS HQ Paris.
It must have been a very OLD map.
Part 3: TV21 Issue 208, dateline 11 January 2069
Synopsis.
More volunteers’ join 21 on stage and all sit in a line facing the theatre audience.
The Great Hypnotist now tells the audience that he is going to prove the statement that a hypnotist cannot make a person do anything against his will is wrong.
He approaches 21 who thinks himself immune to hypnosis (as all USS agents are trained to resist it) – but as the mesmerist makes hypnotic gestures with his hands in front of the agent’s face he feels a sharp prick in his neck. The Hypnotist has injected the USS Chief with a powerful paralysing drug using a near invisible hypodermic needle hidden in his ring.
With 21 out of action the Hypnotist now calls for his assistant to place a large silver disc on stage which begins to spin. A spot light is turned on the spinning disc as the mesmerist encourages the audience to relax – all their eyes are focussed on the hypnotising disc.
Soon the whole audience is in a trance and the Hypnotist knows who is in the audience.
He instructs Lord Marhan to obtain the plans of the new submarine-aircraft carrier within the hour – he instructs other wealthy members of the audience to fetch their valuables and money and soon many of them are sent out on criminal errands.
21 is paralysed but still alert. He realises that the dead agents must have been at the theatres the Hypnotist performed at in their home cities. They would have resisted the hypnosis in the audience and followed the mesmerist all the way to the French Riviera before being lured to their deaths in the car accidents along the dangerous cliff top roads.
An hour later the Hypnotist’s messengers have reported back with their valuables. The Hypnotist now says goodbye to 21 and orders the mesmerised audience to leave their seats and kill the USS Chief…
Part 4: TV21 Issue 209, dateline 18 January 2069
Synopsis.
21 realises there is no escape this time – it is the end of the road.
The hypnotised theatre audience surge blindly forward onto the stage heading towards the USS Chief – but then lady luck plays a hand and one of the mob trips over the hypnotising disc toppling it from its tripod onto the stage.
The crowd suddenly regain their senses and wonder what is happening.
They think 21 is still in a trance until someone in the audience realises he must have been drugged and calls an ambulance for him.
Two days later the paralysing drug finally wears off and 21 is released from hospital.
Agent 17 says they are still no nearer learning who the Hypnotist is but 21 plays a hunch and wants to check the French Chateau again where the escape tunnel led to.
21 wonders why the Hypnotist lured the five USS agents to their deaths near the old deserted French castle.
They discover the Demont Family owns the place – and the only son now lives just across the Mediterranean in Corsica.
21 and 17 decide to go and meet with Demont who lives in a remote house built just off the Corsican coast on a small island.
That night the two USS agents stand on the Corsican coast looking over at the residence.
The USS Chief orders 17 to keep watch while he takes a deadly toy balloon from his sample case, which can be used as a canoe once inflated.
21 paddles across the narrow stretch of water to the rocky island lying on the balloon with his sample case strapped to his back.
Minutes later he is climbing the near vertical rock face to reach the house.
He spots an armed guard standing in a lookout post cut into the rock face beneath the house.
21 climbs to a point above the guard then leaps down onto him only to realise it is a dummy.
It is a trap to lure him into …a lions den??
Part 5: TV21 Issue 210, dateline 25 January 2069
Synopsis
21 reaches for the clasp on his sample case which is still strapped to his back.
The deadly toys spill out onto the floor around the USS Chief as one of the three lions approaches him.
21 disparately grabs a deadly toy Spectrum Pursuit Vehicle and directs it to fire knockout darts at the lions.
A quick search of the cavern reveals no more traps so 21 sets up a toy bloodhound to go ahead of him and search out an entrance to Demont’s house.
The bloodhound finds the entrance to the house but a wrought iron gate closes it off.
21 quickly burns through it with another deadly toy and then follows the bloodhound into the house.
The tv cameras in the bloodhound warn 21 of a guard approaching from the opposite direction.
The USS Chief aims a flying drop kick at the man and then leaps onto the guard and quickly silences him with pressure to a nerve centre before he can get back up off the floor.
21 senses danger and launches himself towards a nearby doorway but is shot before he can reach it.
The Hypnotist stands over the fallen agent with a smoking gun in his hand and gloats to himself that not even 21 was good enough to beat a bullet…
Part 6: TV21 Issue 211, dateline 1 February 2069
Synopsis
The sound of the gun shot echoes across the narrow stretch of water between the Hypnotist’s house and the Corsican coast where Agent 17 is waiting.
17 knows it was not a USS weapon and suspects 21 is in trouble.
The USS agent opens his deadly toy sample case and sets up five rocket launchers – all aimed at the house.
Deadly toy missiles soon streak across the water trailing scaling ropes – 17 is trying to convince the Hypnotist that a full scale landing force is attacking the island house.
The Hypnotist’s assistant spots the missiles and the Hypnotist decides it is time to leave.
He instructs his assistant to move everything to the lift while he calls for a helijet.
The assistant asks about 21 who is lying unmoving face down on the floor but the Hypnotist says “What about him? We’re not running a funeral parlour”
The Hypnotist’s call is received by a Bereznik helijet carrier some miles out at sea to whom he announces himself as ‘Hypnotist 1’
Meanwhile Agent 17 swings across one of the lines to the island house shouting instructions to his non-existent attack force.
In the house the Hypnotist and his assistant have moved all of their ill gotten gains to the lift that will carry them up to the helipad on the roof.
The assistant says with this haul they should become Bereznik’s first millionaires.
21 is not dead. He has heard everything the two men have said and realises he has one chance of stopping them.
The USS Chief’s week fingers close over the handle of his deadly toy sample case which lies nearby and gives it a sharp twist.
The Hypnotist’s assistant realises 21 is still alive but is too late to stop him slide the primed sample case towards the lift.
The case explodes killing the two Bereznik agents and within seconds the house is ablaze.
Agent 17 climbs through one of the open windows to see 21 lying unconscious on the floor with the flames getting closer all the time.
A Bereznik helijet flies over the island house and seeing the blaze decides their agents must have been eliminated and flies on.
Agent 17 has managed to get 21 out of the house and now the two USS agents wait to be rescued.
The USS Chief regains consciousness even though he has two bullets in his chest.
Agent 17 is impressed. 21 tells him the Hypnotist said he wasn’t good enough to beat a bullet but luckily for him the Hypnotist wasn’t good at aiming them.
The End
Notes
This part suggests there could be more Bereznik Hypnotists operating around the world if the name ‘Hypnotist 1’ is anything to go by.
Story Twenty-Nine (aka SOFRAM’s Revenge*)
Writer: Tod Sullivan (?). Artist: Rab Hamilton. 2 pages, b/w.
Part 1: TV21 Issue 212, dateline 8 February 2069
Synopsis.
SOFRAM (the Solar Organisation For Revenge And Murder) have been inactive for months while laying plans for a massive invasion of Mars – but the USS have been informed and go into action as soon as the SOFRAM forces land on the Red Planet.
The SOFRAM invasion force is quickly defeated and their Leader makes a run for it only to be caught in a flying tackle by USS Agent O’Brian.
Seeing their Leader has been captured the SOFRAM troops surrender.
The next day O’Brian is given his reward by 21 at USS HQ, Kahra – he is promoted to the USS Chief’s personal assistant.
On the other side of Kahra all the remaining SOFRAM Leaders meet in their secret underground headquarters and discuss their continued failures.
The liquidation of USS Chief 21 again becomes their prime directive as he must not stand in the way of SOFRAM’s plans to conquer Earth.
One Leader says they must lure 21 away from his headquarters by baiting a trap only he will fall into.
SOFRAM set their trap and a week later at USS HQ O’Brian informs 21 that they have made their captured SOFRAM Leader talk at last. He has revealed plans of another invasion – this time Earth.
21 orders O’Brian to go and take the news to Earth Authorities and tell them to use Plan Alpha – they can’t risk a radio message being intercepted.
O’Brian takes the monorail express to the Space Port outside Kahra but SOFRAM are aware he is on the train.
SOFRAM helijets swoop down and blast the track forcing it to stop.
They land next to the train and SOFRAM troops move in firing gas shells into the carriages.
In the last compartment they find O’Brian and carry him to one of their helijets.
SOFRAM know they have got 21’s top agent and that the USS Chief will want to personally rescue O’Brian…and that is when they will assassinate him.
Notes
We see the USS Armed Forces in action on Mars again at the start of this story.
There is no mention of 21’s gunshot wounds from Story Twenty-Eight so presumably this story takes place some months after those events.
Part 2: TV21 Issue 213, dateline 15 February 2069
Synopsis.
Three SOFRAM Leaders tale O’Brian by helijet to their impregnable prison fortress set deep in the Rock Snake Desert of Mars.
O’Brian manages to press a button on his belt unnoticed by his captors setting his homing signal in operation.
An hour later 21 is informed of O’Brian’s kidnapping by SOFRAM and is determined to handle the rescue personally.
21 gambles on SOFRAM taking O’Brian to their Mountain Jail and so gives orders for a helijet to take him there after dark.
It is not long before he is at the foot of the mountain upon which the SOFRAM prison is built – one thousand feet of sheer rock.
21 launches his deadly toy eagle which flies up to the top of the mountain trailing a climbing line behind it.
The USS Chief begins the gruelling climb and twenty agonising minutes later reaches the top of the wall surrounding the jail.
21 sees two SOFRAM troopers guarding the prison entrance.
He launches himself down on to the two men and knocks them out cold with slicing karate chops.
The USS Chief now releases a deadly toy rat to locate O’Brian.
He follows the rat down the entrance corridor – gun in one hand, sample case in the other and eventually finds O’Brian’s cell.
21 directs the deadly toy rat to use its laser beam to cut away the cell door lock
O’Brian is amazed to see his Chief – but when the two agents leave the cell they are surrounded by SOFRAM troops under the command of two Leaders…
Notes
One of the SOFRAM Leaders who kidnaped O’Brian calls himself ‘Red Leader’ when contacting base.
Part 3: TV21 Issue 214, dateline 22 February 2069
Synopsis.
21 throws the deadly toy rat (which he is still holding) into the midst of the SOFRAM troops warning O’Brian to get down and cover his face.
The rat explodes releasing a billowing cloud of knockout gas felling the enemy troopers almost instantly.
Once the gas has cleared the two USS agents get to their feet and head for the prison roof intent on escaping in a SOFRAM helijet.
One of the SOFRAM troopers is still conscious and manages to crawl to the wall and sound the alarm.
21 and O’Brian reach the roof just as the alarm sounds.
They rush six surprised SOFRAM guards and within minutes have knocked them all out cold – but reinforcements are arriving.
O’Brian yells for 21 to ready one of the helijets for take off while he holds them off.
A few minutes later 21 hauls O’Brian into the cockpit and puts the helijet into a steep climb – but two SOFRAM helijets are giving chase and the USS Chief can’t outrun them.
An Arial battle begins. 21 shoots one of the SOFRAM helijets down but the second one scores a direct hit in return.
21’s helijet plummets down to the Martian Rock Snake Desert and explodes on impact.
The two SOFRAM Leaders piloting the remaining helijet congratulate themselves on killing the USS Chief.
Notes
Presumably the SOFRAM Leaders ordered their troops (flying the helijet which 21 shot down) to fly in close to distract the USS Chief allowing them a clear shot.
Part 4: TV21 Issue 215, dateline 1 March 2069
Synopsis.
21 and O’Brian had jumped from their crashed helijet seconds before it exploded and now lie stunned on the Martian desert 50 yards from the blazing wreck.
The SOFRAM Leaders in the surviving helijet report back to their Mountain Jail HQ that 21’s helijet has crashed and no one could have survived the explosion.
Their superiors are furious – they wanted him alive.
They order the Leaders to land and investigate on the chance there are survivors.
The Leaders soon spot the unmoving bodies of 21 and O’Brian lying sprawled face down on the Martian desert. They approach on foot to check for signs of life but the USS agents’ spring up and soon pound the surprised Leaders into unconsciousness.
21 decides it is time they turned the tables on SOFRAM. He orders O’Brian to put one of the Leaders hoods on while he dons the other one.
They now take the SOFRAM helijet and head back to the Mountain Jail.
SOFRAM gives them permission to land – but instead of landing 21 throws the helijet into a dive and fires all the aircraft’s remaining missiles at the Mountain top complex.
The SOFRAM prison explodes in a blaze of destruction.
Satisfied that one of SOFRAM’s top HQ’s has been smashed 21 decides to head for home – only to see O’Brian holding a gun on him.
O’Brian is a double agent and intends taking 21 to SOFRAM’s Kahra HQ.
There is no escape this time…
Notes
We get a new smaller logo with issue 215 – but the title of the strip remains unchanged.
All SOFRAM Leaders are not of equal rank.
Why have two SOFRAM Leaders flying the helijet that shot down 21 and O’Brian?
So that the USS agents can disguise themselves with their hoods of course.
We never learn O’Brian’s code number.
Why didn’t the USS attack the SOFRAM Mountain Prison before this story?
Presumably they had only just learnt of its existence prior to O’Brian being kidnapped.
21 does not have much luck with his assistants.
Part 5: TV21 Issue 216, dateline 8 March 2069
Synopsis.
21 is surprised at O’Brian’s treachery but quickly activates the homing device in his shoe.
A location signal is sent out to USS HQ, Kahra.
The USS scramble their ‘Y Force’ and four helijets are soon closing in on 21 and O’Brian.
O’Brian orders 21 to tell his men to back off or he will kill the USS Chief now.
Reluctantly 21 obeys and O’Brian directs his captive to land their helijet in the gardens of the main villa of SOFRAM’s HQ just outside Kahra.
21 decides it is now or never and throws the helijet into a nose dive heading directly for the villa itself.
O’Brian panics and tries to grab the controls allowing the USS Chief to knock the traitor out with a karate chop to the back of his neck.
21 has to pull the helijet out of its dive – but the controls are jammed.
The USS Chief ejects – seconds later the helijet smashes into the main villa of SOFRAM’s Kahra HQ setting off a chain reaction of explosions.
21 survives and later at USS HQ is told the SOFRAM base was completely destroyed.
The USS Chief thinks SOFRAM will be back…
The End
Story Thirty (aka Journey to the Centre of the Red Planet*)
Writer: Tod Sullivan (?). Artist: Rab Hamilton. Part 1: 2 pages, b/w.
Parts 2-9: 1½ pages b/w
Part 1: TV21 Issue 217, dateline 15 March 2069
Synopsis.
USS Agent John Kurt crouches in the bushes outside a top secret Bereznik research station in the dark of night.
He waits for the search lights to change and then cuts his way through the perimeter fence.
With expert hands Kurt breaks into the building and makes for a safe in the security wing.
The USS agent proceeds to photograph the documents in the safe and then is surprised to find Top Secret World Government documents signed by Professor Du Ross.
He photographs them too and then turns to leave only to see two armed Bereznik guards barring his way.
Kurt smashes a window and leaps out into a courtyard before the guards can fire.
The USS agent clambers into an armoured vehicle parked in the courtyard as the alarm is sounded and drives straight for the main gates smashing through them.
He soon reaches a cliff top road with Bereznik forces in hot pursuit.
Kurt leaps from the armoured car and jumps over the side of the cliff – hoping the submarine is waiting for him.
Sometime later Kurt reports to USS Chief 21 in his office at Century 21 Toys Inc, Kahra, Mars.
He shows 21 the photos of the World Government documents and asks if they could be plants – or if Bereznik could have stolen them. 21 contacts World President Younger to check the validity of the WG documents.
The WP is certain they are not plants and is very concerned that they are in Bereznik hands. He tells 21 that only one man besides himself has access to the documents – Professor Du Ross himself.
Younger tells 21 that he has suspected Du Ross of treason for some time – but has no proof.
The World President wants 21 to get him proof.
He tells the USS Chief that Du Ross and his assistant are travelling to Mars at the moment for the Mo-Ho Expedition – in which they will try and drill down to the centre of Mars for the first time in a manned probe.
Fate lends a hand. There is an explosion at the Mars Mo-Ho Centre and it is found to be sabotage.
There is only slight damage so the expedition will continue but the Mo-Ho officials want the USS Chief to join the expedition as its security officer.
Notes
The World President is not named but is drawn as TJ Younger
Part 2: TV21 Issue 218, dateline 22 March 2069
Synopsis.
21 arrives at the Mo Ho Centre only minutes before Professor Du Ross and his assistant.
Du Ross is introduced to the Mo Ho crew and informed that Brent Cleever has been assigned to join the party as Security Officer because of the sabotage attempt.
The launch is set for midnight and Du Ross and his four man, one woman crew board the Probe ship after a full briefing.
The Probe ship, a huge drilling machine, is lifted up to a vertical position as the countdown commences.
At that moment a mysterious figure makes a phone call informing his superior that: “Our agent’s aboard the craft – and the bomb is set. He’s not afraid to die for his cause ….”
The countdown comes to an end and the Mo Ho craft’s rocket motors fire pushing the huge drilling machine down into the Martian soil on its fateful journey to the centre of the Red Planet.
An hour later Mo Ho Control detects a bomb on board the drilling machine primed to explode in 10 minutes …
Notes
The comic strip is reduced to 1½ pages for the rest of this story.
The ½ page fills the left hand side of the second page of the strip – the right hand side now features the cut down TV21 club/quiz page ‘CONTACT!’ which is hosted by Agent 21.
The Mo Ho drilling machine looks like a larger version of the Mole from ‘Thunderbirds’.
The Earth’s Moho layer is a discrete boundary between our planet’s rocky Crust and the Mantle about 25 miles beneath the surface.
This story suggests that the geology of Mars is quite different to that of Earth’s.
It is not clear whether the Mo Ho expedition team are aware who Brent Cleever is.
Part 3: TV21 Issue 219, dateline 29 March 2069
Synopsis.
Inside the drilling probe ship panic reigns.
The pilot of the drilling machine wants to reverse back to the surface of Mars but Professor Du Ross is adamant they continue – if not his life’s work will be ruined.
Suddenly he pulls a gun on the pilot and tells him to keep going while the other crew members searched for the bomb.
21 punches the gun out of Du Ross’s hand and karate chops the Professor on the back of the neck knocking him out cold.
The USS Chief now orders everyone to search for the bomb, as it is their only chance.
Irma Clegg, the female member of the team, finds it and 21 quickly disarms the device.
The probe continues on its journey to the centre of Mars.
They radio the Mo Ho base and tell them the bomb has been found and defused as Professor Du Ross regains consciousness.
21 tells him he nearly ruined the mission by pulling a gun on the pilot and that he is going to keep a close watch on everything he does from now on – one false move and he will be locked away for the rest of the trip.
The probe instruments show they are nearing an underground opening and suddenly the drilling machine is falling through empty space.
It comes crashing down on the floor of a large subterranean cavern – the engine is dead and the radio is out of action.
Du Ross says they have entered the Outta-Strata (sic), which is a layer of solid dust. There is nothing for it but to go on by foot (!??).
The six-man team get their equipment and rope themselves together before leaving the probe machine.
Professor Du Ross’s experiments indicate there should be a series of huge cavern rifts in the Outta-Strata dust layer leading down towards the Martian core.
The expedition members explore the cavern they are in until they find one of the predicted rifts.
They are about to start their downward climb when suddenly a powerful whirlwind comes roaring up the rift and lifts all six members of the team into the air in a suffocating grip…
Notes
The science in this story leaves a lot to be desired – and then we have the expedition walking to the Martian Core???.
Need I say anymore?
Part 4: TV21 Issue 220, dateline 5 April 2069
Synopsis.
Suddenly the force of the whirlwind drops and the six-man Mo Ho expedition find themselves sucked down into the rift – almost like being carried down on an anti–gravity lift.
Minutes later they all land safely in a huge cavern below the outer strata layer.
The cavern is lit by the ghostly glow emanating from what appears to be a near by sea of pure mercury.
The sea has a tide so Professor Du Ross deduces the must be land on the other side with an opening – either up to the surface or ‘down to the heart’.
21 says there is only one way to find out – inflate the two boats.
The boats are equipped with cobalt-powered engines and will push the boats through anything.
Two hours later they sight cliffs ahead – but there is no sign of an opening.
It appears to be the end of the road when suddenly a gigantic Martian Rock Snake rises from the mercury sea in front of them.
It lifts Du Ross’ boat into the air tipping the three-man crew into the liquid mercury before lowering its grotesque head again to grab the Professor in its jaws.
He screams in terror.
Notes
The Martian Rock Snakes were first seen on the Martian surface in the film ‘Thunderbirds Are Go’ and then appeared in TV Century 21 in the Zero X strip drawn by Mike Noble.
Part 5: TV21 Issue 221, dateline 12 April 2069
Synopsis.
The Rock Snake dives under the mercury sea with Du Ross still in its jaws.
21 and the remaining four members of Mo Ho expedition struggle to stay afloat in the crushing liquid mercury – having abandoned the surviving boat in case the Rock Snake returns for it.
The USS Chief is determined to follow the Rock Snake and try to rescue Du Ross. Expedition member Evans thinks it is suicide and that they should make for the shore.
Evans raises his fist at 21 and the two men duck under the mercury sea to find themselves amazingly falling down onto dry land – the liquid mercury suspended above them somehow.
They see a pathway and giant footprints presumably left by the Rock Snake heading off into the distance.
Their quarrel is now forgotten and 21 forces his body back up into the mercury and surfaces again beside the surviving boat.
He tells the three expedition members that there is a whole world beneath the mercury sea. They agree to follow him back down through the mercury and all drop onto the pathway below next to Evans.
21 suggests they follow the path and see where it leads – and hopefully find Du Ross too.
The small party set out weaving through the alien creepers – the sea of mercury hanging above them.
Eventually they approach a Grecian looking temple and wonder if they have discovered an underworld civilisation.
They enter the temple and find a corridor that leads to a large arena packed with people.
In the arena is a four-legged Rock Snake and before it stands Du Ross.
Suddenly a net is dropped over the expedition team trapping them – and the net is lifted and carried into the arena by another walking rock snake led by a man in Grecian style armour…
Notes
The science gets very, very strange indeed in this part.
Swimming in mercury and then the discovery of an underground world beneath a suspended sea of mercury. Wow!!
Maybe it is all an illusion ie not really mercury at all – It could be a holographic force field of some sort.
Part 6: TV21 Issue 222, dateline 19 April 2069
Synopsis.
The Rock Snake carries the net holding 21 and the other Mo Ho expedition members into the arena and drops it down near Du Ross.
A Grecian looking Emperor stands up and asks them who they are and how they have entered his kingdom.
Du Ross explains about the expedition and asks to be allowed free passage through the city.
The Emperor tells them they are the first men from the surface to visit his world for 2000 years.
He also tells them his people do not like strangers.
They lived in peace for 1000 years on the surface of Mars – an advance people who had developed electronics even then.
Their only enemy was the savage backward Myrds who attacked their city from time to time. Then one day a race called the Mysterons invaded their lands and forced them and the
Myrds to flea below ground where they built the city they are now in.
They developed robot walking Rock Snakes to protect themselves.
The Emperor cannot allow the Mo Ho expedition to live now they have discovered his peoples’ hidden city.
Suddenly fate lends a hand – the savage Myrds attack the city giving the Mo Ho expedition team a chance to make a run for it.
They manage to escape the city only for a violent earth tremor to shake the underground kingdom.
An enormous crevice opens up beneath them …
Notes
We see the original facetted shapes of the Mysterons in this part as they appeared in the TV Tornado comic strip.
The Grecian looking Emperor says the underground kingdom is only 2000 feet below the ground??
Also he seems to be speaking English. Maybe he is communicating telepathically and some of what he says is getting garbled.
Maybe the ‘suspended sea of Mercury’ was created by the Grecian-looking people to hide their city?
What do you think?
Part 7: TV21 Issue 223, dateline 26 April 2069
Synopsis.
The six members of the Mo Ho expedition fall into the seemingly bottomless crevice and loose consciousness.
Rising water geysers slow their descents.
As the water cools the geysers fall lowering the expedition team to relative safety – but the water is still nearly boiling.
21 revives and desperately throws himself from the geyser onto a small rocky island beneath him.
The other five members of the team come round and join 21 on the island.
They stand huddled surrounded by a sea of nearly boiling water and wonder what to do.
21 comes to the rescue with his deadly toy rocket launcher stored in his back pack.
He fires a missile trailing a climbing line across the boiling waters up onto a nearby cliff top.
Fifteen minutes later the expedition have all climbed to safety – but the heat is still unbearable.
Over the other side of the ridge they are standing on is a great bubbling volcanic furnace.
Du Ross tells them they have reached their goal – the centre of Mars!
The team quickly put their protective suits and helmets on intent on collecting samples from the core.
They descend the cliff face to within 100 feet of the volcanic core where they find a small ledge.
They now split up to collect mineral samples to take back with them – but one member of the team has murder on his mind.
Cooper intends to pick off the team members one at a time at various intervals – each one an apparent accident.
His first choice is the man nearest him.
The unfortunate scientist screams as he is pushed from the ledge and falls towards the molten core…
Part 8: TV21 Issue 224, dateline 3 May 2069
Synopsis.
21 asks Cooper what happened and is told the man slipped.
The USS chief does not believe him and accuses Cooper of pushing the scientist.
Du Ross tells both men to calm down.
The survey completed they decide to head back for the surface.
Cooper decides to make 21 his next victim but then realises the expedition is heading straight for the secret alien research station and it is too late to divert them back the other way.
Du Ross stares in amazement at the enormous alien complex, which is tapping energy from the centre of Mars.
Cooper now has no choice but to act openly.
He pulls a gun on his remaining four team mates intent on shooting all of them.
No one must know about the station until his comrades have taken over Mars.
21 asks him ‘What comrades?’ – but before Cooper can answer he lashes out at the enemy agent with his heavy backpack knocking the gun from his hand.
21 now dives onto Cooper and the two men struggle on the edge of the ledge.
21 finally gets the upper hand and throws Cooper over the edge into the molten volcanic core.
21 climbs to his feet and tells Du Ross it was the only way.
The surviving expedition members now explore the alien research station and discover a four-man train sitting on a railway line heading away from the station into a tunnel.
They decide to try and start the train in the hope that the rail leads to safety – but are suddenly confronted by a large group of armed blank-faced aliens who tell them to ‘Hold it right there!’
Part 9: TV21 Issue 225, dateline 10 May 2069
Synopsis.
The alien Leader orders 21 and his fellow captives onto the train.
He then radios his base informing them he is bringing intruders from the surface to Control.
The train travels swiftly through the tunnel with the alien Leader and two of his men standing on the running board – minutes later it emerges into a vast Control area.
The alien Controller approaches the train and recognises Professor Du Ross.
He tells the professor he is delighted to meet him.
21 asks what is going on.
The Controller tells the Mo Ho expedition that he and his friends are pioneers from a dying planet that have come to invade Mars.
They chose Mars because of the power in its core.
Professor Du Ross surmises that the aliens have built the research station at the centre of Mars to convert the core’s energy into solar waves to pilot their invasion fleet.
The alien Controller says Du Ross “knows too much” and that he tried to eliminate the Professor by planting his top-secret papers in Berezik.
21 realises Du Ross is innocent and that he has to do something quickly to save the day.
The USS Chief sees a devise marked ‘Auto Destruct’ nearby and lunges for it – pushing the lever right over.
Wave after wave of explosions rent the Control room.
21 yells for the Mo Ho team to follow him into the aliens’ spacecraft, which is standing nearby.
With Du Ross at the controls the vertical take off rocket roars upwards.
They launch missiles at the cavern roof above blasting a passage to the surface of Mars.
The alien Control centre is completely destroyed behind them.
Du Ross lands the alien spacecraft at Kahra spaceport and a day later he stands in front of 21’s desk at USS HQ.
The professor thanks 21 for all his help and tells him the Mo Ho mission was a success.
The USS Chief says ‘Don’t thank me – I was only doing my job’ and apologises for underestimating Du Ross.
The End
Notes
The alien leader announces himself as ‘Green One’ when radioing Control but is called ‘Jungus’ by the alien Controller.
The aliens obviously brainwashed Cooper to help them.
It was very convenient of the aliens to mark their Auto Destruct device in English.
Thank goodness they had a spacecraft armed with missiles powerful enough to blast a passage up to the surface ready for launch so that 21 and the others could escape in it.
The inclusion of the Rock Snakes and the original Mysterons make this a very memorable story – but in places it is very, very rushed and the science is awful.
The six expedition members were Professor Du Ross, Evans, Cooper, Irma Clegg, 21 and the unnamed scientist whom Cooper pushed to his death in the Martian core.
What a strange story – it almost reads as if 21 was added to it as an after thought.
Story Thirty-One (aka Space Pirates*)
Writer: Tod Sullivan (?). Artist: Rab Hamilton. 2 pages, b/w.
Part 1: TV21 Issue 226, dateline 17 May 2069
Synopsis.
Space Freighter TR5 lifts off from Space City, Earth, heading for Jupiter with a precious cargo.
Space City warns the freighter crew to look out for pirates, as there have been reports of them in sector 69 – and TR5’s course takes her through that sector.
The crew are confident their freighter has enough firepower to protect itself – until a huge unidentified space craft is picked up on their audio-scanner. (Their what?)
The strange ship bears down on them fast and fires a paralysing beam at the TR5 knocking out the crew.
The pirate ship now pulls the freighter into its enormous hold with magno-grabs and sets course for its home planet.
Some time later 21 receives a call from World President Roberts.
The new WP tells the USS Chief that the TR5 is the 4th freighter to be attacked and disappear this month. Roberts wants 21 on a decoy freighter that is leaving Mars for Venus that night.
Hopefully the pirates wont miss a chance like that.
21 takes a full sample case of deadly toys and leaves for Kahra Space Port where he introduces himself to the decoy freighter’s crew.
They are reassured by the fact he will be joining them.
The space freighter blasts off for Venus.
21, now wearing a space suit, hides in the freighter’s cargo hold in a large packing case.
The Space Pirates detect 21’s space freighter in Sector 87 but their masked Captain Flash is suspicious and thinks it could be a trap.
He gives the order to fire impact missiles and seconds later the Space Freighter is blasted into a cloud of debri…
Notes
Space Freighter TR5’s eta to Jupiter is said to be 2 days.
This is the first appearance of World President Roberts but he is not named in the strip until Part 5 (ie issue 230).
Previously the cover of issue 222 informed TV21 readers that Commodore Justin Roberts, the son of the new World President was rumoured to be the First Officer aboard the World Security Ship WSS President Robertsnamed after his father.
There was no explanation in TV21 as to why Roberts has replaced Younger.
It would seem that the comic’s editorial staff had assumed the President Roberts character who appeared in the ‘Captain Scarlet’ episode ‘The Launching’ was now the World President.
Rab Hamilton drew Roberts nothing like the puppet (who was to became Sam Loover in ‘Joe 90’) ie Roberts is drawn as a middle aged man with receding hair, a moustache and long side burns wearing a business suit with a bow tie.
21 certainly takes a much more active role than you would expect for a 50 years old man who is the Head of the USS.
Part 2: TV21 Issue 227, dateline 24 May 2069
Synopsis.
Pirate Captain Flash orders his salvage crew out to pick up the cargo pods floating amidst the wreckage of the space freighter.
Trapped inside one of the cargo pods hidden in a packing case 21 regains his senses, realising he is very lucky to still be alive.
He clamps a deadly toy spider on to the inside wall of his packing case which transmits a picture of what is happening outside to the screen in his sample case.
21 sees space suited pirates entering his cargo pod.
The pirates think 21’s packing case looks important as it is labelled ‘Ferous Magnoid’ so select it for transfer to their ship as they know they haven’t got time to take everything.
A short time later Captain Flash radios a warning to his salvage crew that combat vessels are approaching – they must clear the sector fast.
Seconds later with their haul of stolen cargo stashed away in the huge ships hold the pirate ship blasts off and heads for its Jupiter Moon Base.
Flash orders his crew to stand by for ‘Operation Cover-Up’ as the ship alters course and heads straight for a meteorite storm passing only 50 miles to starboard.
Half an hour later the pirate ship flies into the storm and docks with the largest ‘meteorite’ – it is a hollow shell designed to disguise the pirate ship.
The meteorite storm now heads towards one of Jupiter’s moons where the large ‘meteorite’ changes course at the last minute and flies down into a large crater on the Jovian moon’s surface. The crater opens to reveal the space pirates hidden base.
The pirate space ship is now lifted out from its ‘meteorite’ shell and its stolen cargo is unloaded.
Captain Flash spots one packing case that looks interesting which reads ‘Ferrous Magnoid’ and is intent on opening it…
Notes
The heading for this issues strip reads ‘USS File Report – PK6/Yellow/9…May 2069’
Part 3: TV21 Issue 228, dateline 31 May 2069
Synopsis.
Captain Flash is interrupted by one of his men before he can open packing case in which 21 is hidden
The Supreme Commander wants to speak to Flash on the video scan urgently.
The Pirate Captain orders his First Officer to have all the stolen cargo stored away and heads for the base control room where a sound-only link is open to Earth.
Flash is informed that the USS are onto him – that the freighter was a decoy and had an agent on board.
Flash tells the Supreme Commander that he suspected as much and blasted the ship first.
No one could have survived.
The Supreme Commander is pleased but orders Flash to report back to Earth Control immediately.
Flash now instructs his First Officer and all crewmen to prepare the XL ship and change uniforms accordingly – they are going to Earth.
21 is still watching the picture transmitted to the screen in his sample case by his deadly toy spider.
His packing case has been moved out of the pirate ship and stored away within the Jupiter Moon Base – and there is no one around now.
21 opens the container and surveys his surroundings. He can see another space ship in the distance but it is too far for the naked eye to make out any details so he selects a deadly toy boat from his sample case. The boat is in fact a high-powered pair of binoculars.
The space ship is Fireball XL8 of the World Space Patrol!
He sees three men wearing WSP astronauts’ uniforms boarding the patrol ship.
21 decides to join them. He climbs up onto one of the pumps refuelling XL8 and drops down onto its upper hull without being seen.
He tries to prise open an upper hatch but it won’t budge. Suddenly the fuel pumps are released and XL8 blasts off into space….
Part 4: TV21 Issue 229, dateline 7 June 2069
Synopsis.
21 somehow manages to hang onto the upper hull of XL8 without blacking out as the patrol ship reaches escape velocity and breaks the gravity barrier of the Jovian moon before heading for Earth.
With the pressure now reduced 21 manages to open the upper hatch and gets aboard XL8.
He closes the hatch behind him and makes for the engine room intent on finding a place to hide.
Fireball XL8 lands at Space City two hours later and 21 leaves by the engine room escape way.
He sees Captain Flash leave the ship after ordering his men to wait for him – saying he will be back within an hour.
21 radios USS HQ Earth and calls for a squad of men to go to Space City immediately by helijet and arrest all the crew members of XL8.
He sees Flash head for a helijet parked near XL8 and fly off.
The USS Chief quickly grabs a catapult from his sample case and fires a deadly toy flying saucer onto the side of the helijet as it takes off.
The toy conceals a high-powered homing device.
Minutes later USS Agent Tolan and his men arrive from USS Unity City HQ.
21 leaves Tolan to arrest XL8’s crew while he takes one of the USS helijets and follows Flash.
The homing device leads to Unity City – and the World President’s house!!
Notes
This story suggests that Space City and Unity City are on the same island, contradicting earlier TV21 stories, which state that Space City is on a Pacific Island (as per the TV series) and Unity City is on Bermuda.
Part 5: TV21 Issue 230, dateline 14 June 2069
Synopsis.
21 sees Captain Flash met by a Presidential aid as he brings his helijet into land in the grounds of the World President’s house – a few hundred yards from the palace.
The USS Chief is horrified to think World President Roberts is the Supreme Commander of the space pirates.
21 is challenged by Presidential Security guards as he approaches the palace. He shows them his USS badge and tells them he is on official security business.
He now dashes across the gardens and reaches the WP’s apartment where he sees Roberts working at his desk.
21 leaps through the window and pulls a gun on the WP accusing him of being a traitor.
Roberts is flabbergasted. He admits Captain Flash of the World Space Patrol is in the Palace having a top security meeting with the World Government Secretary for Defence.
The USS Chief realises the Secretary for Defence must be the traitor.
Roberts leads 21 to the Conference Room – but the room is empty.
21 uses a deadly toy helicopter from his sample case which detects a hidden door with a flight of stairs leading downwards.
The USS Chief and the World President silently descend the stairs, which lead to a large control room beneath the Conference Room – and the Secretary For Defence and Captain Flash are there, too deep in conversation to notice the new arrivals.
21 hears the DS tell Flash they now have enough salvage equipment and the army is waiting for Earth invasion orders. With Roberts dead he will be the World President.
The USS Chief leaps at Flash knocking him down while Roberts shoots the DS as he tries to make a run for it.
21 tells Flash it is all over. The World President says he will call his security patrol to have the traitors taken away.
An hour later 21 informs the WP that USS agents have moved into the space pirates HQ and rounded the whole gang up.
The USS Chief apologises for suspecting Roberts but the new WP tells him to forget it – it was a fine operation and the World is indebted to 21.
The End
Notes
When the Defence Secretary tells Flash “the army is waiting for Earth invasion orders” it is not clear what army he is talking about. Does he mean the Space Pirates have an army – or does he mean the World Army? If he meant the World Army, then there are a few more traitors in the World Government to be rooted out.
Story Thirty-Two (aka The Sydicate of the Faceless Ones*)
Writer: Tod Sullivan (?). Artist: Rab Hamilton. 2 pages, b/w.
Part 1: TV21 Issue 231, dateline 21 June 2069
Synopsis.
21 is in the Deadly Toy design lab with Professor Rosto where an Alsatian dog named Kingdom is being put through a training routine.
21 watches Kingdom tackle an armed man and wanders what is special about the dog.
Rosto tells him to keep watching.
An electrified framework is lowered from the ceiling and four electrodes rise from the floor beneath it. Lightening begins to arc between them.
Rosto orders Kingdom to jump over the electrified area. 21 thinks the dog will fry but Kingdom leaps 30 foot into the air passing over both the electrodes and the frame to land safely on the other side of the design lab.
21 is amazed until Rosto reveals Kingdom is a life size /life like deadly toy equipped with built in mini-jets.
The USS Chief says he should have guessed but any further tests are interrupted by an emergency message from World President Roberts.
The WP wants 21 to leave for London, Earth immediately – no details can be given over the videophone. Roberts tells 21 he is to meet USS agent 42 on Old London Bridge.
Within the hour 21 is catching the Space Bus for Earth and has decided to take Kingdom with him.
Meanwhile in London the evening newspapers announce that the dangerous criminal Gel Darvay has been sentenced to 10 years for running a protection racket.
Darvay is just leaving the Court with a police escort when a highway cleansing vehicle drives slowly by.
Suddenly stun gas shoots from the vehicle knocking everyone within 50 yards of Darvay unconscious.
Armed men all wearing blank iron face masks now jump from the back of the vehicle and grab the unconscious Darvay.
When Darvay recovers he is seated at a long table surrounded by men all wearing blank iron face masks.
The man at the head of the table introduces himself as Zirgon.
Zirgon’s mask has a small letter ‘z’ embossed upon it above the eye holes.
Zirgon welcomes Darvay to the Syndicate of the Faceless Ones and tells him that he has decided that the criminal will now be working for him.
Zirgon raises his hand to expose a strange snake like scar on his right wrist and says Darvay will need a new face and fingerprints.
What Zirgon plans for Darvay will need a little explaining – but before the explanation can begin another member of the Syndicate runs into the meeting room and tells Zirgon that USS Agent 21 is on London Bridge to meet agent 42.
At the appointed time 21 is walking along the Old London Bridge with Kingdom not aware that two members of the Syndicate of the Faceless Ones are about to assassinate him from a nearby car …
Notes
Another new logo appears with this issue but the title of the strip remains ‘Secret Agent 21’
There is a nice detailed drawing of the Century 21 Toys Inc Factory in the 1st panel of this story.
The World President is drawn as Roberts.
Gel Darvay’s name is misspelt as Garvay later in the strip.
How did the Syndicate know 21 was on London Bridge to meet Agent 42?
Part 2: TV21 Issue 232, dateline 28 June 2069
Synopsis.
Kingdom, the life size deadly toy Alsatian dog, senses danger as the Syndicate assassins car draws near. He pushes 21 off his feet in the nick of time as bullets slam into the parapet along the edge of London Bridge.
21 orders Kingdom to jump into the car and stop the iron masked assassins driving off.
The horrified driver swerves and the car crashes into the parapet and goes over the edge plummeting down into the Thames River below.
21 guides Kingdom back onto the Bridge with the aid of the robot dog’s built in mini-jets.
The USS Chief now decides to slip away quietly before the police arrive and start asking questions but Agent 42 suddenly makes himself known to 21.
42 says he must have been trailed by members of the crime Syndicate headed by Zirgon.
21 suggests they meet later so they agree to meet again at Warehouse 14, Dockland, Seldar Street at 10 o’clock which is were 42 works.
In his London apartment 21 adds a number of gadgets to Kingdoms dog collar from his sample case, which he thinks might come in useful in London.
The Syndicate of the Faceless Ones meets to discuss their members failure to assassinate 21.
They decide they dare not go ahead with ‘Operation Breakout’ while the USS Chief lives so Zirgon says he will personally deal with the problem.
Zirgon is a master of disguise – once alone he removes his iron mask and makes himself up to look like an old dockworker.
The disguised Zirgon knows the time and place Agent 42 is to met 21.
He arrives early and walks unnoticed past Agent 42 who is heading to meet the USS Chief.
The ‘old man’ swiftly turns and knocks 42 out with a cosh – he will meet up with 21 instead of 42.
Notes
How did Zirgon know when and where 42 was to meet 21?
Maybe there is a Syndicate double agent working for USS London HQ?
Part 3: TV21 Issue 233, dateline 5 July 2069
Synopsis.
21 and Kingdom arrive early to meet Agent 42 and enter Warehouse 14.
21 decides to climb up onto the upper gallery to watch the floor below just to be on the safe side.
Meanwhile Zirgon has disguised himself as Agent 42, leaving the unconscious USS agent lying on the pavement devoid of his clothes.
Moments later Zirgon arrives at the Warehouse and 21 calls down to him from the shadows of the upper gallery and asks about Zirgon.
The disguised Zirgon approaches the steps leading up to the Gallaery and starts to tell 21 about his organisation. He says the Syndicate’s plan is to free certain master criminals from Delford Top Security Prison. Zirgon does not intend 21 to use this information though.
He suddenly throws an incendiary bomb into the warehouse and then runs back towards the doorway. 21 fires at Zirgon but misses as an inferno of flames erupts beneath him and Kingdom.
Zirgon slams the Warehouse steel doors behind him and locks them with a magnetic device.
Seconds later he is picked up by a hovercar driven by two iron masked Syndicate members.
A holocaust of flames sweeps the Warehouse.
Kingdom leads 21 through the thick smoke to the upper gallery windows – but the windows are barred. The USS Chief takes a detonator capsule from Kingdom’s collar and blows a hole in the steel bars.
He orders Kingdom to jump. He holds onto the robot’s collar and is carried out over the Thames where they plunge into the dark cold waters.
21 and Kingdom now swim back to shore as fire floats speed to the scene to put out the blaze.
Back in the Syndicate meeting room Zirgon pronounces 21 dead – the breakout from Daleford Top Security Prison can now be carried out.
Part 4 TV21 Issue 234 dateline 12 July 2069
Synopsis.
21 sends a coded message to USS HQ on Mars informing them of Zirgon’s plans to break out top security prisoners from Daleford and orders them to take certain actions.
21 and Kingdom now leave London and drive to Daleford.
Daleford Prison houses some of the worlds most dangerous and brilliant criminals.
21 books into a hotel near the Prison intent on waiting for the Faceless Ones to make their move.
He selects a lifelike deadly toy blackbird from his sample case and sets it to fly over the prison and relay TV images back to the screen in his sample case.
Suddenly a rocket powered air freighter appears above Daleford – apparently out of control and heading straight for the Prison.
The security guards scatter as the freighter smashes into the prison’s powerhouse and control centre resulting in a tremendous explosion.
Zirgon orders his men to get mobile.
Soon fire fighting units arrive at Daleford Prison – but the firemen are iron helmeted Syndicate members who turn stun gas hoses on the security guards.
Within the prison the Syndicate men begin to open all the cell doors.
Meanwhile 21, having observed these events, takes off in a helijet and heads for the prison with Kingdom by his side…
Part 5 TV21 Issue 235 dateline 19 July 2069
Synopsis.
21 radios Security from his helijet and orders them to “Get with it – but don’t move too fast”.
In Daleford Prison the iron masked Syndicate men are still stunning the remaining guards as they break open the prison arsenal to arm the escaping convicts.
Zirgon is watching on a video link from his penthouse HQ and orders his men to get clear with the three criminal experts he wants – the rest of the mob can fend for them selves.
The Syndiacte gang members are soon driving away from the prison with their three experts – all of them disguised as police men in two police cars.
21 has seen the bogus police cars drive off and gives chase in his helijet.
The Syndicate members begin shooting at him but 21 manages to fire a tracking device onto the back of one of the police cars before pulling away with thick black smoke billowing from his helijet.
Meanwhile Security troops, following the USS Chief’s orders, spring up in front of the escaping convicts outside Daleford Prison and recapture them.
The Syndicate members in the two bogus police cars think they have shot down 21’s helijet but the USS Chief has fooled them with a smoke device and lands safely so he can continue to follow them unnoticed by car – hopefully to Zirgon’s headquarters…
Notes
It is not made clear whether the Security troops are World Army or USS Armed Forces.
Part 6 TV21 Issue 236 dateline 26 July 2069
Synopsis.
The two bogus police cars drive into the secret entrance of Zirgon’s penthouse HQ.
The Syndicate members and the three new recruits disembark in a large basement garage area. One of the new men asks what happens to the cop cars now.
The Syndicate member says they will be disposed of as Zirgon leaves nothing to chance.
The bogus police cars are crushed into cubes of metal before the recruits are taken up to see Zirgon which makes them realise just how efficient their new employer is.
21 and Kingdom arrive outside Zirgon’s HQ just as the police cars are crushed destroying the tracking device.
21 calls Security again and orders them to start moving in and cordon off the area around Zirgon’s HQ.
The USS Chief and his robot dog now climb the outside fire escape stairs to reach the roof garden on the top of the building.
In Zirgon’s penthouse HQ Operating Theatre the new recruits are about to be given new faces and fingerprints by a team of four plastic surgeons who are scrubbed up and waiting for them.
Suddenly a TV screen detects 21 and Kingdom on the roof garden. Zirgon recognises the USS Chief and orders his men up to the roof to kill him: “…and make sure this time. The same for the dog.”
Kingdom senses the approaching Syndicate execution squad and knocks 21 to the floor and the cover of the bushes just in time as they pass by looking for them.
21 pulls a deadly toy tank from his sample case and sets it to move up behind the Syndicate men.
The motor in the tank whirs alerting the iron masked killers who turn around and see 21 rising calmly to his feet wearing a dark pair of glasses…
Part 7 TV21 Issue 237 dateline 2 August 2069
Synopsis
The Syndicate assassins are suddenly blinded by a burst of glaring light erupting from the deadly toy tank.
21, his eyes protected by his dark glasses, orders Kingdom to attack while pistol whipping one of the closer Faceless Ones.
Kingdom brings another of the iron masked men down and 21 orders the rest to drop their guns – telling them it will be hours before their sight returns.
The USS Chief now leans over the rooftop parapet and sees the Security forces he called for have arrived.
Zirgon has watched these events on a TV screen from his Operating Theatre and he realises he is surrounded.
21, Kingdom and the Security Forces enter the building and make their way up to the penthouse where they find what appears to be a blank corridor – but Kingdom’s robotic tracking skills detects Zirgon behind a hidden steel doorway.
One of the Security troops brings forward a heavy duty laser and cuts through into the Operating Theatre.
Kingdom pounces in but is not fast enough to catch Zirgon who enters a bullet proof escape lift taking him down to the ground floor.
The Security troops capture the Syndicate members left behind.
Minutes later Zirgon leaves the building disguised as the Commander of the Security Forces and climbs into a parked car telling a nearby soldier he will drive himself.
21 runs out of the building and sees the disguised Zirgon get into the car.
He warns the soldier that the real Commander is still in the building and fires a tracker onto the car as it drives off.
21 orders Kingdom to follow it – but suddenly the vehicle is ripped apart in a violent explosion.
When the smoke clears there is no trace of Zirgon – 21 thinks he must have staged the explosion to make his escape.
The End
Notes
It is still not made clear whether the Security troops are World Army or USS Armed Forces.
Story Thirty-Three (aka On the Trail of Zirgon*)
Writer: Tod Sullivan (?). Artist: Rab Hamilton. 2 pages, b/w.
Part 1: TV21 Issue 238, dateline 9 August 2069
Synopsis
The escape of Zirgon has the World Government worried.
21 stays in London in the hopes of tracking Zirgon down.
The USS Chief and Kingdom are passengers on a Thames hover bus investigating the disappearance of two men from the dock area – one of which was an agent.
Suddenly a large craft swings from its deep-water lane onto a collision course with the hover bus.
21 grabs the steering wheel of the bus from the driver and manages to avoid being rammed.
The USS Chief now jumps for the boarding ladder while Kingdom uses his built in mini jets to make a fantastic leap aboard.
21, finding the crew drugged, takes control of the vessel and safely berths it.
It seems the ship has been attacked by pirates and its cargo stolen
Wondering what the cargo was he manages to get below decks with Kingdom to check the hold before he is asked to leave by Customs officials.
Not wanting to break his cover as a toy salesman he leaves the ship.
Back at 21’s London base he removes Kingdom’s collar and checks the reactive crystals in it to discover the cargo contained galenium alloy – a specialised ‘forbidden’ material used only by major scientific centres.
He decides to talk to the experts at Complex 35, Britain’s largest research centre, to try and find out more about the stolen components.
The USS Chief drives there with Kingdom by his side wondering whether Zirgon is involved in the theft. Even if he is 21 feels confident that he would not have the technicians to make use of the galenium.
Meanwhile Zirgon is holding a meeting of his crime Syndicate – they are planning to kidnap technicians from Complex 35.
Sometime later Colonel Targa, Chief of Security arrives at Complex 35 – but he is infact a disguised Zirgon…
Notes
Presumably the two men 21 is investigating at the start of this story are Agent 42 and Sam, the old dock worker, from Story 32.
If so this suggests that they were both disposed of by the Syndicate after Zirgon disguised himself as these men.
21’s London Base appears to be well equipped with scientific equipment.
Presumably ‘forbidden’ galenium alloy is dangerous.
Part 2: TV21 Issue 239, dateline 16 August 2069
Synopsis
21 hopes the experts at Complex 35 will know what the stolen (galenium) machine parts are required for.
Meanwhile Zirgon disguised as Security Chief Colonel Targa is inspecting the guards at Complex 35. They are all line up on parade in front of him – prime targets for the gas grenades fired in their midst by Zirgon’s iron masked Faceless Ones hidden in his second staff car.
With the guards all unconscious Zirgon calls for the rest of his men to enter the Complex and once in they close the gates behind them.
Some of the World’s greatest scientists and engineers work at Complex 35. They are shocked to see ‘Colonel Targa’ with a group of iron masked Syndicate members come barging into their laboratory.
The disguised Zirgon orders them to “…cooperate – or get buried. Dead heroes are cheap.”
One of the iron heads shoots a scientist to accentuate Zirgon’s words.
21 and Kingdom arrive at the gates of the Complex but are told visitors are not permitted.
21 drives away – but does not go far and parks out of sight a few hundred yards from the perimeter fence still determined to get into the research centre.
He selects a deadly toy space rocket from his sample case and launches it towards the security camera on the nearby section of fence. The rocket hovers before the camera and sprays sticky fluid onto the TV eye causing ‘interference’ and blotting out the video image transmitted to the Complex security guards.
21 and Kingdom now run towards the ‘blind’ section of fence and the robot dog leaps over with the aid of his hidden thrust jets.
The USS Chief waits but it isn’t long before he receives an automatic coded warning from Kingdom, triggered by the sight of the unconscious security guards telling him that something is definitely wrong within the Complex.
21 decides to go in – but first he has to get past the electrified perimeter fence so the USS Chief selects a deadly toy soldier from his sample case…
Notes
The stolen galenium is referred to as ‘priceless machine parts’ in Part 2 of this story – presumably they are machine parts made of galenium alloy.
Part 3: TV21 Issue 240, dateline 23 August 2069
Synopsis
The deadly toy soldier marches forward and uses its built in laser beam to cut a hole in the electrified fence.
21 now crawls through and enters Complex 35.
Meanwhile Kingdom stands silently outside the research laboratory in which the disguised Zirgon and his Faceless Ones are rounding up the technicians they intend to kidnap.
The robot dog relays a TV picture to 21 of the scene and 21 hears Zirgon order one of his iron heads to get the hover-wheel transporters ready for loading.
The Syndicate member spots Kingdom on the way to the transport compound. He thinks he is one of Compound 35’s guard dogs and fires at him.
Kingdom runs with the iron head in pursuit.
21, hiding behind one of the huge hover wheel transporters, orders Kingdom to knock the man out.
The robot dog rounds on his pursuer and bites the man’s arm – injecting a knockout drug through one of his teeth that will put the Syndicate member out for two hours.
21 now puts on the man’s Syndicate uniform and iron mask and orders Kingdom to take the deadly toy sample case and get clear.
Kingdom is barely out of site when the disguised Zirgon appears holding the kidnapped technicians at gunpoint.
He orders them into one of the hover wheel transporters 21 has readied for loading.
Once they are inside Zirgon fires his knockout gas weapon into the vehicle saying “ it’s safer they travel unconscious. A load of too clever prisoners could be a risk.”
21 now watches as highly specialised equipment is loaded into the other hover wheel transporters.
Once the equipment is loaded Zirgon orders the disguised 21 to take the wheel of the lead vehicle and drive to the Lair saying he will accompany him.
21 suddenly knows the meaning of fear – he doesn’t know where the Lair is and any mistakes now will not only cost his life but allow the Syndicate to carry out their unknown scheme…
Notes
The specialised equipment loaded into the Hover wheel transporters includes a large drilling head that would not look out of place on the Mole seen in ‘Thunderbirds’.
Part 4: TV21 Issue 241, dateline 30 August 2069
Synopsis
The disguised 21 drives the leading transport vehicle out of Complex 35 with Zirgon sitting beside him.
The USS Chief hesitates as he pulls out of the Complex gates – which way should he turn?
Zirgon snaps for him to turn left asking if he has to direct him – a hint of suspicion in his voice.
21 drives along the coast road as ordered – three other transport vehicles following behind him. He manages to signal Kingdom to jump up onto the last vehicle using the controls in his special wristwatch.
21 again surreptitiously uses his wristwatch to recall the deadly toy space rocket (which is still hovering by the security camera on the perimeter fence) and sets it to home in on his signal.
Zirgon suddenly pulls a gun on the disguised USS Chief ordering him to remove his iron mask saying he has suspected him from the start.
As he raises his hands to his helmet 21 manages to press a button on his wristwatch and the deadly toy space rocket dives down to attack the transporter – its miniature guns blazing.
Zirgon’s attention is diverted allowing the disguised 21 to leap from the driving cab – but he rolls towards the nearby cliff top and falls over the edge.
The USS Chief yells for kingdom who leaps from the top of the rear transport vehicle after his master.
21 manages to grab the robot dog who then breaks their fall with his built in vertical jets and they land safely in the sea below.
They both swim to the shore and 21 realises Zirgon has escaped him again.
Security forces search for the missing transporters but they have disappeared seemingly without trace.
The USS Chief returns to his London base. He prepares some more deadly toy samples for his case before heading up to the roof with Kingdom where his two-seater helijet is parked.
21 hopes Kingdom will be able to follow his own ‘scent’ left on the rear transport vehicle stolen by the Syndicate…
Notes
A negative version of the Secret Agent 21 logo is used for Part 4 only.
It is still not made clear whether the Security troops are World Army or USS Armed Forces.
Part 5: TV21 Issue 242, dateline 6 September 2069
Synopsis
21, with Kingdom by his side, flies his two-seater helijet to the coastal road where the robot dog saved his life.
The USS Chief now activates Kingdom’s sensors and his dog collar starts to flash as the robot detects his own ‘scent’.
The signal grows stronger as they fly over a nearby disused quarry.
21 lands the helijet and Kingdom follows the scent on foot to a rocky cliff face where the trail comes to an abrupt end. 21 takes a deadly toy gladiator from his sample case and sets it to approach the cliff face and fire its heat ray at the rock.
The stone soon melts to reveal a hidden metal surface beneath.
The gladiator now cuts a small hole in the metal and thrusts its special camera bearing shield into it.
Images of Zirgon and his men unloading more stolen machine parts and equipment from the transport vehicles is transmitted to a small deadly toy television held by 21.
Zirgon wants the kidnapped scientists and technicians to use the stolen components to design a drilling machine capable of boring into the World Treasury Vaults.
21 alerts World Security forces and then decides to take action himself. He selects the deadly toy hornets from his sample case and launches them into the Syndicate’s hidden base through the hole his toy gladiator has cut.
In the cavern behind the cliff face the hornets cause chaos – one sting renders a victim unconscious.
21 and Kingdom wait outside the base for developments.
Suddenly the hidden cliff doors slide open and a man in an iron mask with a ‘z’ symbol on it comes running out.
It is Zirgon himself!!
21 orders Kingdom to seize him and within minutes Zirgon is securely bound and sitting on the ground outside his base.
The USS Chief leaves the scene with Kingdom just as the World Security forces arrive.
The Security troops storm the hidden base and capture the Syndicate members that are still conscious. They find the bound and helpless Zirgon and praise Agent 21 on a very neat job.
21 calls HQ on Mars and reports: “Mission accomplished. Signing off – Kingdom sends his regards.”
The End
Notes
Presumably it is the World Security Forces that 21 has called in previously.
This was the very last issue of TV21.
The following week saw the publication of issue 1 of the TV21 & Joe 90 comic – but it did not feature Secret Agent 21.
This was not the last we saw of 21 and Kingdom though – they made their final appearances in the 1971 Thunderbirds Annual, which featured a Secret Agent 21 strip and text story.
*These stories were originally untitled and are titled here for reference only.
With the introduction of Kingdom in issue 131 of TV21 the dynamic of the Agent 21 stories changed completely – the reader could almost assume that 21 had stepped down as Head of the USS and become an active field agent again.
I will always wonder who the Mastermind behind the Titans was.
Written by:
Keith Ansell 10/8/05