THE FIST OF GOD #4

“The Sacrifice”

Writer: R.A. Jones

Artist: Butch Burcham

Soltan has a plan to resurrect the Kurdish emperor Karim Khan. He uses smoke to have a live man impersonate the resurrected emperor. The emperor is going to sacrifice Jehan. This is when Mick Taggart comes to the rescue. He fights the imposter and beheads him. Before the angry Kurds can kill him, Mick’s brother and his soldiers come to the rescue. They manage to get the Peacock Throne to a plane but due to weight restrictions someone has to stay behind. Mick knocks out his brother and tells Jehan he really doesn’t love her so she will stay on the plane. The plane flies off and Mick is facing the angry horde of Soltan.

This was a fun and action filled issue. It ends on a note that left the story open for a sequel. Unfortunately, I don’t think that ever came about. Which is too bad since I really loved this fusion of Burroughs and Howard. The writer succeeded in giving us a story with Howard’s action and Burrough’s romance. Maybe someday Jones will give us a sequel to the story, so we find out what happened to Mick Taggart and if he ever got together with his love Jehan.

THE FIST OF GOD #3

“Chapter 3: The Seat of Power”

Writer: R.A. Jones

Artist: Bruce Burcham

Mick Taggart finds out his brother’s wife is Jehan. The brother tells the story of their life and why they have different names. Taggart then finds out that his brother has the Peacock Throne and is giving it to the Shah that the British support for the leader of Persia. His brother goes out to meet the troops coming to pick it up. This leaves him alone with Jehan and he tells her that he loves her. Just then Kurdish bandits attack and take the throne and Jehan with Taggart left for dead. He goes after the Kurds and comes on a palace. Inside is Soltan with Jehan captive. He has a plan to resurrect the last Kurdish emperor of Persia, Karim Khan.

Another fun installment of this story. We find out about his brother and how they were separated. Why Jehan was kidnapped. Soltan wanted to trade her for the Peacock Throne. Taggart loves Jehan and tracks her to a fortress where Soltan wants to resurrect the old emperor. A fun story told in the old pulp style.

THE FIST OF GOD #2

“Chapter 2 Lion King”

Taggart manages to free himself from the tree he is tied to. He then beats the wolves with a stick and the survivors run away. He thinks back to the past when he was captured by pirates. He challenges the captain to a fight. He manages to kill the captain and soon after a storm comes to sink the ship. Only him and the girl Jehan survive. They make their way to Persia to reunite Jehan with her husband.

They get captured by a band of brigands. Jehan is tossed into a pit with a hungry lion. Taggart jumps in and beats the lion to death with his fists. This gets him the name Fist of God. He becomes the chieftain and while away the British come to his tribe and steal Jehan away. He goes to their fortress to rescue her only to get captured. He finds out the commander is his brother, and he is married to Jehan.

Another really exciting entry to the story. I really love the over-the-top action. I mean he beats a lion to death with his fists. That is just really cool. At the end we find out he has a brother who is an officer in the British army. He is also married to Jehan. Some very interesting developments that I can’t wait to find out where they go.

THE FIST OF GOD #1

“The Fist of God”

Writer: R.A. Jones

Artist: Butch Burcham

1920 Persia and a man named Mick Taggart is fighting a horde of Kurds. Taggart is known as the Fist of God and the numbers overpower him. Unconscious his mind goes back to the beginning. Taggart was from El Paso and joined the army for WWI. Disillusioned with the war he becomes a boxer. After killing someone in the ring he goes home. There the police are beating him when a beautiful woman intervenes.

After this he decides to join the criminal gang. The gang is hired by an Arab named Soltan to kidnap a girl in Mexico. The kidnapping goes south as the Federales are there to ambush them. Taggart and Soltan manage to grab the girl and escape. Soltan tries to ditch Taggart, but he follows him and the girl to a freighter. The freighter is ambushed by pirates and the three are taken captive. Taggart wakes up and finds himself tied to a tree branch with a pack of wolves under him.

I got his title when I read advertisements saying it was a combination of Edgar Rice Burroughs and Robert E. Howard. Well, you don’t need much more to get my interest. A short article at the back confirms this was a combination of The Mucker and El Borak. This is adventure as I remember it from my childhood. A fun pulpy ride filled with mysterious criminals, beautiful women and a hero who can fight off hordes with a scimitar and .45 automatic. Very satisfied with my decision to try this series out.

TIGER-X #4 THE ADVENTURE CONTINUES!

“You Fight How You Train”

Writer: Paul O’Connor

Artists: Greg Lane and Barb Kaalberg

Tiger-X travels through a moonlit desert to a destroyed city. There in the ruins he faces three Soviet battlerobots and a squad of troopers with a tri-tank. Jordy manages to use Tiger-X to destroy the Soviet enemy. Then he wanders around the nuked-out city and comes to his old high school. This brings back old memories. Jordy then is attacked by zombies and about to be overwhelmed. He then is revived by Marlene and Dr. Chin. This was a simulation based on his imagination.

This final issue was a strange one. A very surreal one with the battle in the ruins of a nuked-out city. It has all the creepy traits of a nuked-out city. Including the burned shadows of people and even dogs into walls. Starts out like a normal adventure then just gets really weird with all the zombies. Of course, this is just a simulation and not real.

So ends the Tiger-X saga. This came out at the beginning of 1990, so the evil Soviet stories were dying out. We never did find out if they beat the Soviets. This was a fun series with its giant robots and Soviet invasion plot. Really my kind of story. Drawn in a manga style it has a charm to it. Sadly, short lived but fun while it lasted.

TIGER-X #3 THE ADVENTURE CONTINUES

“The Way We Were”

Writer: Paul O’Connor

Artists: Greg Lane and Barb Kaalberg

Jordy wakes up to find himself imprisoned with a woman chained to the wall. The bullet just grazed his skull. The woman is Dr. Chin who was instrumental in designing Tiger-X. He finds out that the militia are a bunch of white supremacists that call themselves the Lone Star Rebs. One of the guards comes to rape Dr. Chin and Jordy knocks him out with the food tray. They get out and Jordy goes to rescue Marlene. Only she has managed to free herself and tie up the leader. They manage to free their companions when Dr. Chin gets into Tiger-X and forces the militia to surrender.

So, we do find out that the Soviet invasion has brought some of the scum to the surface. Naturally they manage to escape and free themselves. They find a doctor that actually has an understanding of Tiger-X. I loved how Marlene easily took out the leader but still couldn’t free herself from the handcuffs. There is also the continuing subplot of the Soviet rivalry between Major Tovarish and his sister Tanya.

TIGER-X #2 THE ADVENTURE CONTINUES

“Sugar & Spice”

Writer: Paul O’Connor

Artists: Juan Muro, Greg Lane, Bruce Miller and Barb Kaalberg

A Soviet sergeant is giving a report to his superiors on a failed mission. He was leading a troop of tri-tanks against the American rebels and was low on fuel. He was attacked by the American robot Tiger-X. His tanks were powerless against it. It had superior weapons and could self-repair itself. He was the only survivor. In spite of this victory the rebel’s moral is at an all-time low. Most want to abandon the fight and head to Mexico. Marlene their leader rallies them and it is decided to head to Phoenix and join the American army there. Along the way they come on a Soviet patrol attacking a town. They defeat the Soviets and the town’s militia welcome them. Only the militia has an ulterior motive and captures the rebels. Jordy is shot in the head.

The second issue is a fun action-packed issue. The rebels now have the Tiger-X suit working yet are practically defeated in terms of moral. Yet is seems the war is turning against the Soviets. Ends with them finding this mysterious militia showing that not all the enemies are Soviet in this alternate dystopia of 1995.

TIGER-X #2 THE ADVENTURE CONTINUES!

“Stalking Horse”

Writer: Paul O’Connor

Artists: Juan Muro, Bruce Miller and Barry Blair

Jordy now operates the new Tiger-X the rebels have managed to capture. Just in time to fight off a column of Soviet tri-tanks that are approaching the rebel base. Jordy attacks and takes out some tanks but is forced to retreat. The Soviets are short on fuel and break off. All but one tank that wants all the glory disobeys orders. It is determined to take out the American robot. This renegade tank is instead taken out by the rebels. Jordy finds a young boy from the resistance and takes him into the suit. This bratty boy manages to disable Tiger-X just as the Soviets are approaching.

This series picks up with a new writer. It picks up just where the last series left off. Jordy now has the Tiger-X working but is still trying to figure out everything about the robot. A humorous bit is having Jordy wonder how you take a leak in this robot. He hears running water in the background on a radio call and this gets him squirming. Also, the Soviets are now starting to run out of fuel and spare parts as an American offensive is launched from the east. This also is against the brother/sister feud going on between the commander and Tanya. A good start to the continuing series.

TIGER-X #3

“Untitled”

Writer & Artist: Ben Dunn

The rebels come back to camp and find out that a traitor has told the Soviets their location. They have to quickly get out. Unfortunately, two Vostok battlesuits come on their base. Luckily Jordy managed to find a manual and figure out the Tiger-X suit. He engages and destroys both the Soviet suits. Meanwhile at Soviet HQ the infighting between the various commanders continues. At the end a massive offensive is launched from the east by the Americans. The rebels regroup and mourn their losses. Also, Jordy and Marlene have a moment together.

The final issue in this first series ends on a somewhat positive note. There is tragedy as Marlene’s father gets squashed fighting the battlesuits. The rebels though manage to survive and have the powerful Tiger-X suit. The Soviets continue to have their petty internal power struggles. A big offensive is started. All point to the war finally going the Americans way.

TIGER-X #2

“Untitled”

Writer & Artist: Ben Dunn

Lone Wolf manages to climb into the Tiger-X and start it up. The Soviets attack and knock the robot off a cliff and into a river. While this is going on, a traitor at the rebel camp makes his move. He calls the Soviets to tell them most of the rebels have left. A boy overhears him, and he takes him captive. Later he starts to murder the other young boys but gets a bullet in the head. One of the rebels takes off in an ultralight to warn the rebels and gets ambushed by a Hind gunship. He is saved by a P-51 Mustang. Lone Wolf crawls out of the Tiger-X that washed ashore, wounded and wondering what next.

The story is moving along nicely. Lone Wolf managed to get the Tiger-X and get it working. It is more powerful and can absorb direct hits. The Soviets still have dissention in the upper ranks, especially between Major Tovarish and his sister Tanya. The Soviets apparently have control of the Panama Canal and have a naval blockade but have lost a major battle. Finally, a traitor is exposed and eliminated. A really fun and enjoyable series.