Posted on April 29, 2022December 22, 2023The Zota Club (continued . . .) Captain Nenni’s bomb struck the carrier in the centre of its deck. There was a rending explosion ! The pride of the Trigan Navy blew up—destroying the craft which had destroyed it, like an insect caught in a flame. By the greatest good fortune, most of the “Vorg’s” crew were ashore on leave. In the hours that followed, every craft in the harbour searched for survivors. This installment was originally published in Look and Learn issue no. 537 on 29 April 1972.
Posted on April 15, 2022January 23, 2024The Zota Club The first of the tragic and inexplicable disasters took place on a day like any other day. A pilot of the Trigan Air Fleet took off on a routine training flight. His instructor and flight commander watched him go. Garran is a promising young fighter pilot. Yes, and careful, too. Not like some of the young hot-heads we’ve been getting recently. Suddenly, the craft flipped over—and streaked back towards the air base at zero height. Look out ! What does he think— ? The blast of disintegrator shells rose above the scream of the craft’s racing engines ! Flashing low over the scene of destruction, the craft headed towards a high pylon. Too late, the pilot saw his peril . . . By the time they reached the scene of the crash, it was too late to do anything. Why did he do it—why ? We’ll never know—now ! The second mystery disaster was brought about by a scientist named Ricco. He worked in the Imperial Science Laboratories. One morning, he brought two highly unstable chemicals into close proximity. . . . Then swiftly walked out of the building. His face was blank. It remained blank and he never so much as looked back— when the Imperial Science Laboratories were riven by a shattering explosion ! Three days later, with the disasters still unexplained, the Emperor Trigo was addressing his council on another matter of great gravity. Gentlemen ! I do not have to warn you that the misunderstanding between ourselves and Cato could lead to war. I warn you to treat the Caton Ambassadors with great tact and courtesy, so that we can settle our differences ! The doors of the council chamber swung open. Imperial Majesty ! Excellencies ! . . . The noble Ambassadors from Cato ! Remember ! One unguarded word could lead to war ! Escorted by the Emperor’s nephew, Janno, the haughty Caton Ambassadors entered—eager and ready for trouble. They found trouble soon enough ! The guardsman on the door brought down his weapon . . . and . . . This installment was originally published in Look and Learn issue no. 535 on 15 April 1972.
Posted on January 29, 2022February 20, 2024The Prisoner of Zerss (continued . . .) Every day brought a fresh disaster. The climax came when a fighting-craft of the Trigan Air Fleet was shot down by its own coastal battery. The pilot was Janno, who managed to eject and land safely. That was close ! I nearly joined my illustrious ancestors then ! The news was brought to the Emperor, whose powerful countenance was beginning to show the strain of his ordeal. There’s no telling how or why it happened. The officer who gave the order to open fire has disappeared without trace. The arch-fiend is behind it, as always ! Brag— we’ve got to stop him ! What is this secret weapon he’s using against my empire ? Only one man alive has the brain to answer that, brother—Peric ! Peric ? The man who helped the fiend to escape ? Must I set him free ? Ah, Brag, I must try every means possible, I suppose . . . A message was sent out to the prison island of Zerss, and the strange cell was lowered from the sky. This installment was originally published in Look and Learn issue no. 524 on 29 January 1972.
