STARBLAZER IMAGES

(PICTURE LIBRARY HOMEPAGE)

The first Starblazer issue No. 1 was in April 1979 with the last issue No. 281 January 1991.

Updated May 2nd 2004

1

THE OMEGA EXPERIMENT

11

THE PURPLE PLANET

18

ABANDON EARTH…

39

THE OVERLORDS OF OLTAIR

For two centuries man had explored the Galaxies in his neutron-powered space liners, travelling faster than light for tedious months across the vastness of space until he could reach one of the black holes that littered the Galaxies.

These cosmic whirlpools of energy, that sucked light and even stars into themselves, were entered by the spacers, using the incredible cosmic forces there they could by-pass time, and in seconds hurl themselves from one Galaxy to another. But what if an artificial black hole could be created in near space? By using it, months of search and travel could be eliminated. It was to attempt this that the OMEGA EXPERIMENT was set up…

Out deep in the far reaches of infinity, many strange life forms exist. Some insular, some peaceful, some aggressive, some inquisitive, and some you can't comprehend.

This is the story of three life forms, one human, one aggressive and one from the Purple Planet.

Space wars did not exist. By a series of treaties each Galaxy remained alone and untouched. Earth built a survey ship. Zephyrus, to prospect in deep space. It was this ship that led to the call - "ABANDON EARTH!"

Throughout the Galaxy scientific probes searched the million worlds scattered in remote space. Some discovered worlds of indescribable beauty and wealth, others found inert and barren planets long ago destroyed by some unrecorded disaster … and one probe encountered The Overlords of Oltair.

50

MOONSPLITTER

58

PYRAMID POWER!

67

TIME TUNNEL

95

GATE TO YESTERDAY

Out of the cosmic rim, one of the many Galactic wars raged. Only one thing stood between the Earth Galac-Squad as it swept triumphantly towards the Mease aggressors’ homeworld – an impregnable armoury on the barren planet known as silicon IV.

General Larz Pluto readied his Earth forces for an invasion that would end the war.

After the Great Galactic War of 2482 an uneasy truce was established. Many worlds joined a concordat to forge a lasting peace, but the most powerful single nation, the Pugarions, declined to take an active part. They saw peacekeeping duties as an increased burden on their powerful spacefleet’s patrolling capabilities.

Eventually, in 2492, the Pugnarions were persuaded to take part in the Amity Day celebrations. In honour of this event they agreed to display their legendary symbol of power – the priceless ancient diamond – The Pyramid of Pugnaria. A Concordat vessel was sent to transport the diamond along with other treasures to Centros, the Concordat capital.

History has been littered with brutal warmongers from the beginnings of time. By the year 2382, the evil conqueror was called Athila from a world beyond the furthest star. He had slaughtered and robbed every civilisation, and eventually had reached the last inhabited planet – Earth.

His trail of death had stopped … until the invention of the time tunnel.

One of Earth’s most effective weapons against the Kroll Empire was the Deep Space Commando Force. Equipped with small, deadly ships, they operated as independent units roaming far behind enemy lines hunting for trouble – and they often found it.

But no trouble was as dangerous as the Gate to Yesterday.

108

STAR FORT ALPHA

114

THE LAST BATTLEGROUND

165

THE EXECUTIONER

178

THE SECRET WAR

Star forts were built to patrol the fringes of the Earth Empire. They protected the sparsely colonised planets from the Morbes, who were always waiting for the right opportunity to attack. With their troops and squadrons of starfighters the forts could contain a war until help arrived. Out in the Orionus II sector Star Fort Alpha monitored its area.

By 2400, hi-technology had taken over man’s conquest of the Galaxy. Computer controlled auto-pilots took a starship into hyper space, and brought it out at any pre-set configuration of spacial co-ordinates. When it came to Galactic warfare, micro-chip memories came up with the best response to ten-thousand modes of aggression.

But when high-command needed a response to threat ten-thousand and one, they had to deploy that most imperfect and illogical instrument – the human being. Faced with obliteration by an Alien mega-weapon, Terran High-Command sent for the most illogical of their agents, Shard, who was to meet the enemy in deep, silent space -

On January 1st, 2000, the Security Council of the United Nations declared that there was no other form of life within the Solar System. So began the mad race for prospecting rights. Many fortunes were made … and lost in the Great Trek of 2049. Many moons, IO and Ganymede of Jupiter, opened up to the restless prospector. Law was impossible to maintain under normal conditions .. so a new type of lawman had to be created. They were tough, re-sourceful, honest and all, all alone. They were the law, and everybody feared…

When Earth was ravaged by the Thermowars, the inhabitants left to seek refuge on primitive planets. Earth’s technology had to be kept secret, because in the wrong hands, it could destroy the Universe.

But Warlords fought to acquire the secret of the technology and they stopped at nothing.

181

DEATH TREK

193

THE LEGEND OF THE GOLDEN AXE

200

DEMON SWORD

206

BATTLEWAGON

Sergeant Wilse T. Force was surly, bad-tempered and hated the war. He wanted out, and the only way he could do that was to obey orders, no matter how difficult they were.

His job was complicated by two things … a bunch of recruits he had to wetnurse through the Badlands, and an enemy commander who wanted him dead – for personal reasons.

Tarsila, a country in the Earth of prehistory, was ruled by the murderous hand of Krolan the overlord. Any who showed resistance were killed. But the legend said that “a chosen one” would lead the people to victory.

It also said that he would be armed with an axe that sang, and gleamed brightly even on the darkest night.

Anglerre was under attack from the powers of evil.  The only way to triumph was for the young prince of Anglerre to seek out, and use, Cerastes, a magical sword.

But Cerastes had a deadly price … it would eventually kill its owner.

On the dead, ice-bound moon called Ganymede, largest of Jupiter’s satellites, Sergeant Marris and the crew of Battlewagon B-19 fought and died in the never-ending war against the mysterious Lizard Men – scourge of New Earth.

217

THE PIRATES OF PENZ-ANZ

222

TARGET…STARHAWK

254

THE CURSED LAND

281

THE ENCHANTED HELMET

When trainee officer Zero books a member of the Supreme Council for speeding, the reward for him and his partner, Grok, is a posting to the far outreaches of space.

And that’s when their problems really begin – like a crooked cop and his man-eating plant. Not to mention a gang of space pirates.

Starhawk, peacemaker of the 26th century has hunted lawbreakers from one galaxy to the other.

But now he becomes hunted – the quarry in a deadly game where the price of failure is death.

Terol was a youth when he witnessed the cohorts of Serak the Slayer descending on his village and murdering all those who lived there. Consumed by a burning hatred he plotted to kill Serak the Slayer. But Terol was betrayed and forced to flee. On the run and friendless, the only way to survive was to use the sword…

As the years passed Terol’s desire for revenge grew, as did his fighting skills. Then came the day when he was offered a king’s ransom in gold to destroy an evil sorcerer … and gold was the key to his revenge.

Forged by the elves of the night and blessed by the Gods of War, the great helmet of the long dead king Utvaal was coveted by many a warrior chief.

But the true wearer of the helmet was the slave, Lot. For it was enchanted and destiny had decreed that when Lot donned the helmet he would be transformed into the greatest warrior in the land.

© D.C. Thomson & Co Ltd

Vic Whittle 2002