BUCK ROGERS #10/INTRUDER #10

“Chapter Four: Pipeline”

Writer: Buzz Dixon adapted from novels by M.S. Murdock

Artists: Chuck Wojtkeiwicz & Ean Akin

Mercury has betrayed Earth and joined forces with RAM. The combined Earth/Venus fleet is in serious danger. Huer.doc is captive of Kharkov.dos the program of the Russian general that Buck defeated in the twentieth century. Huer.doc convinces Kharkov.dos to let him go so he can save Rogers. Because Kahrkov.dos wants to kill Rogers himself. Huer.doc contacts Kemal Gavilian and convinces his rebels to destroy the power station and disable the Mercurian fleet.

The Mercurian fleet is disabled and Holzerhein.dos thinks the Mercurians have betrayed him. So, he orders the fleet to destroy them. When finished he finds himself now facing the newly arrived fleet of the Brigand’s League that Black Barney recruited. RAM retreats back to Mars. The only way to defeat RAM is to destroy the Pavlovis Space Bridge. Rogers and his allies attack and manage to plant a nuke at the base of the elevator. They threaten to blow it up and destroy RAM’s profit margin. RAM has no choice but to surrender and recognize Earth’s independence. At the end Buck has to keep his promise and spend time with Ardala. Only he brings Black Barney and his crew along.

“Sins of Ardala Chapter 4: Old Wounds”

Writer: Buzz Dixon

Artist: Gray Morrow

Ardala builds up her pleasure planetoid to a great success. One day her old home of Starsalem needs help. Their thruster for the colony blew and tilted the station away from the sun. She offers them help if they promise not to sell anymore girls into slavery. The old ruler dies of a heart attack. At the end the girl she bought finds out that Ardala is giving her freedom and sending her to school. This is the way she gets loyal employees.

“Beware of the Flowers ‘Coz I’m Sure They’re Gonna Get you, Yeah Conclusion: Time’s Up”

Writer: Steven Grant

Artist: Bruce Zick

A woman who was a man named Eric falls to this world of Sephira. He finds out his wife was some kind of goddess, I guess. He eventually has to fight himself and somehow saves this world but is back in the real world. At the end some beings discuss how they have to still use him.

“The Toaster’s Tale!”

Writer: Alex Krislov

Artist: Joe Staton

Anthropomorphic toaster narrates a tale that takes place on a world where every object is anthropomorphic. A guy named Sy bangs up his car and refuses to get it fixed. All the household objects bug him. Sy gets angry and destroys all his things. Only while taking a bath the radio electrocutes him. At the end at a repair shop a cash register offers the repaired objects a new guy from their stock.

The final TSR comic module as they called them. Seems that they were too expensive and so TSR got out of the business. They decided to shove their last two issues into one flip book. The Buck Rogers was an excellent series. Ended a bit strange with everyone jumping into a pool but that and the Ardala backup story came to a satisfying conclusion. I will be reading the book series this year so you can find out how their Buck Roger series was on my sister site.

As for the Intruder issue. That was one mama jama of a weird series. I didn’t understand the main story at all. I know I came in at the end and maybe reading it from the beginning would clarify it. The backup was understandable but equally bizarre. I have a feeling that this wasn’t my cup of tea and won’t bother checking the back issues out in the future.

I enjoyed Buck Rogers and another series which will someday be covered. TSR had some good ideas with beautiful art on high quality glossy paper. Hired good writers and artists and the games thrown it were interesting. Sadly, just not a market for them.

BUCK ROGERS #9

“Chapter Three: Strange Bedfellows”

Writer: Buzz Dixon adopted from novels by M.S. Murdock

Artists: Chuck Wojtkiewicz and Ian Akin

Wilma Deering is being attacked by a RAM robot on Luna. She is rescued by Killer Kane who still has some feelings for her. The Luna government is outraged at this attempt and pledges its neutrality in the upcoming conflict. Buck and the Ishtar representative are captive of the lowlanders on Venus. They hate oxygen breathing humans and plan to let the two suffocate when their suits run out of oxygen. Buck gets them to let him take a Voter Registration Rite. He has to compete against the chief’s teenage daughter. It involves climbing a rope over a lava pit. The daughter falls and Buck rescues her. This earns the chief’s gratitude and release from captivity.

Huer.doc negotiates a successful deal with the Sun King on Mercury. He will join the fight if both factions on Venus do. The factions of Ishtar and Aphrodite join when they hear that Mercury will join. Ardala calls with information to sell. The human members of the board of directors for RAM are coming to her planetoid. Buck decides to kidnap them. The CEO Sigmund though could care less. Still, they have the captives, and this solidifies Venus’s resolve to enter the fight. Huer.doc is intercepted by Kemal Gavilan the rebel leader and rightful heir on Mercury. He informs them of his uncle’s treachery. The Sun King plans to not enter the fight and let RAM destroy Venus and NEO. Then take over from a weakened RAM.

Huer.doc goes to warn Buck but is captured by the program Masterlink/Kharkov.dos. The NEO and Venusian fleets meet RAM in combat. Mercury betrays them and Buck is facing Killer Kane.

“New Gennies for the XXVc Role Playing Game Part Three”

By Scott Haring

Two more gennies from the computer game. This time Ursadders which are descended from grizzly bears and Acidicium a form of giant ameoba both found on Venus.

“Sins of Ardala Chapter 3 Thicker Than Water”

Writer: Buzz Dixon

Artist: Gary Morrow

Titov gets back to RAM and finds out that Ardala really is a Valmar. He goes back to rescue her. He then takes her back to Starsalem but she finds out that the colony doesn’t want her or the other girls. They are now unclean, and her father disowns her. She then goes back to Mars and finds out the Valmar clan wants nothing to do with her. To add insult to injury she finds that Titov only rescued her when he found out she was a Valmar. He also has a wife and son. Ardala comes up with a plan to use the planetoid that was her prison in the service of RAM. She will use it as an intelligence gathering and make money at the same time.

“Dangerous Kitchen”

Game Design: Rick Swan

Art: Roy Burdine

A word game that you have to use to decode the messages. About an alien that is found dead in a kitchen.

The Martian Wars are coming to a big conclusion. All the various players are all over the place. We get to see some of the other places in this universe. There is lots of betrayal and subterfuge in the dealing as RAM plans genocide on the entire Earth. If there is a complaint it is that the story seems to be trying to shove too much in all at once. They are adopting a trilogy of books into just four issues.

The backup story about Ardala’s origin is very interesting. Ardala shows herself to be a very capable woman. The gennie article is interesting for it brings back memories of the old computer game. Their game for this issue is a word puzzle that doesn’t require you to cut up the comic. A bit more advanced than normal.

BUCK ROGERS #8

“The Martian Wars Chapter Two: Shock Invaders!”

Writer: Buzz Dixon adapted from novels by M.S. Murdock

Artists: Chuck Wojtkiewicz & Ian Akin

Buck Rogers and the NEO are ambushed by Killer Kane. Rogers manages to fight him off for Wilma Deering to board the Hauberk Station. She finds that it is manned by digital personalities. These personalities have escaped using the cybermatrix and set the station to self-destruct. Wilma gets clear and with the destruction of Hauberk the Earth has gained its freedom. RAM has decided it is not worth the effort. The security chief for RAM on Earth defects to NEO with his Terrines. Only it is all a ruse. RAM was using the time to gather a large assault force. They attack and take over the Earth. Buck and Wilma escape to the Salvation station. There they split up to get allies for the fight. Wilma to Luna where she is about to be assassinated by a RAM agent. Huer.doc to Mercury where he is stalked by a RAM program. Buck goes to Venus, but his ship is shot down and he is attacked by the Lowlanders.

“Sins of Ardala Chapter Two: In a Pig’s Eye….”

Ardala is forced to play the game of pigsmear for her disobedience in being a good slave. Pigsmear is capturing a pig in the mud. She also has to feed a RAM prisoner. She falls in love with this prisoner and devises a scheme to free him. She turns the two men that own the asteroid against each other. They plot to kill each other. While this occurs, she frees the prisoner who promptly abandons her and flees. Ardala is captured by the survivor and forced to play pigsmear against a genetically altered boar man.

“Escape from Hauberk Station!”

By Paul Arden Lidberg

Artwork by Gloria Yuh

A card game for two that simulates the destruction of Hauberk Station. One player is Wilma who has to get off before it explodes, and the other side is the digital personality having to download off the station before it explodes.

This story is continuing on at a fast pace. No sooner then they win a victory are they immediately betrayed and on the run. They split up to find allies and run into opposition. The backup story features the origin of Ardala. It shows her as a strong woman who refuses to give in to her captors. Yet she is still naive and falls for a total douchebag of a guy. The games seem to be getting a bit easier and uncomplicated as this series continues. An OK one, I guess.

BUCK ROGERS #7

“Chapter One The High Ground”

Writer: Buzz Dixon adapted from novel by M.S. Murdock

Artists: Chuck Wojtkiewicz and Ian Akin

Hauberk was a military satellite built by the Soviets in 1999. RAM bought it and turned it into a powerful military satellite that now holds the Earth in their iron grip. RAM decides to use it to attack the NEO HQ located under Chicagorg. They attack killing many innocents, but Buck Rogers and NEO manage to escape. They go to Salvation which is an orbiting junkyard but secretly a military base of NEO. Huer.doc while looking for information on Hauberk in the cybermatrix gets an offer from Ardala. She sells NEO information that can destroy it.

Now the NEO needs advanced krait fighters and enlists Black Barney. Barney instead of mounting a raid uses a clever ruse involving hacking into RAM accounts and ordering paint for the fighters. Through a bureaucratic snafu the fighters are dumped in space and Barney picks them up. With the krait fighters NEO attacks and it looks like they will win. Unfortunately, RAM kraits arrive led by Colonel Killer Kane and trap the NEO between them and Hauberk.

“New Gennies Part Two”

By Scott Haring

The second article about genetically created creatures from the computer game. This one is about Swamp Hornets on Venus and Hexadillos and Sand Squids found on Mars.

“Sins of Ardala Chapter One: Employment History”

A young girl is sold into slavery by her father and brothers. Ardala buys the girl, and she tells her about her past. Ardala Valmar is born on the colony Starsalem. It is inhabited by a cult of Normanites who reject modern technology. The colony needs conductors and decides to sell some of the excess young girls for the parts. Ardala is one of those girls. She gets sold and sent to a brothel in the asteroid belt.

“Capture Hauberk!”

By Paul Arden Lidberg

Artwork by Gloria Yuh

A two-player board game with NEO lead by Wilma Deering on one side and RAM on the other. The objective is to either hold or capture the Hauberk station. Sort of like a game of checkers.

Now we are getting into some exciting and interesting story. The last three issues were mainly more about Black Barney then Buck Rogers. While an interesting character I think the real focus should be on Buck. Now TSR decided to adapt one of their novelizations. I just recently bought this trilogy last year and hope to read it this year. It seems like an action-packed story with Buck and the NEO taking the fight to RAM. So far it has plenty of excitement. I loved the part where Barney cons RAM into giving him the krait fights through bureaucratic maneuvering. Poor guys who fell for it were executed for their incompetence. RAM can be a very harsh employer.

The backup story is giving us the origin of Ardala. So far, a very interesting story with lots of potential. It gives us a more sympathetic understanding of what has so far been a ruthless character. TSR does a great job of creating multidimensional characters for their world. Plus, we get another game to cut up your comics module for. Basically, a game of checkers only with spaceships. Also continues to give us creature stats and history of stuff from the fun computer game.

BUCK ROGERS #6

“Paradise by the Cockpit Light”

Writer: Buzz Dixon

Artists: Kevin Altieri and Tom Mandrake

The Free Enterprise is about to get destroyed by RAM when Black Barney comes to the rescue. On a jet pack he takes out the fighters while Yorder uses an atomic rocket to destroy the heavy cruisers. Barney takes his crew to the inside of Wydlin’s lab. It is called Paradise and has an environment that is genetically tailored for maximum pleasure. The crew takes off to frolic in the rivers as Barney and Yorder go to meet their maker. Remus Wydlin is happy with Barney and takes him to his lab. There Judee is waiting and kills Yorder. She reveals she is also a Barney and was working for RAM. She heard that they were betraying her and decided to steal the cure for the genetic bomb herself. Only the cure was a trap and instead accelerates the process. The real cure is the air of Paradise which has cured Barney.

Barney then gathers up his crew and battles battlebots of the Wydlin heirs. The heirs have decided to kill their father and take the cure. Only Remus Wydlin has boobytrapped Paradise and sets off nukes that destroy it. He escapes with his genetically created animals to continue his research. Barney will distribute the cure to his fellow Barneys for free.

“Battle In Paradise”

By Paul Arden

Artwork: Ekpero

A game that simulates Black Barney on one side and the Wydlin heirs on the other. Barney has to rescue his first mate Peg and the Wydlin heirs their father and escape before the station blows.

“Grave Undertakings'”

Writer: Buzz Dixon

Artist: Mark Winchell

Buck has Huer.doc looking for information on Kharkov and finds the files are missing. Buck inadvertently has Huer.doc sent to a children’s learning program. Huer.doc escapes and is chased by the learning program in the form of a nurse. The chase eventually leads to Huer.doc barely escaping after Buck pulls the plug on the program.

“New Gennies for the XXVC Roleplaying Game”

By Scott Haring

Gives us stats and background for two genetically created races in the computer game. The Martian Desert Apes and Venusian Acid Frog.

The final chapter in the Black Barney story. We get a fun conclusion to the search for a cure. Barney finds one and his maker. There are some humorous moments like a battlebot that has an existential crisis about the meaning of life. A satisfying ending to the story.

The backup gives us another humorous story with Huer.doc trapped in the Cybermatrix. Back in the nineties they envisioned the internet as some weird virtual reality simulation. Maybe that will happen in the future. Also gives us some more exposition on the world of the Twenty-fifth century. This includes genetic modifications and types of warships.

The game sounded interesting and tied into the main story. There was also another article that gives us info from the computer game. That was a fun game. Love if they released it again.

BUCK ROGERS #5

“Falling in Hate Again”

Writer: Buzz Dixon

Artists: Kevin Altieri and Tom Mandrake

Black Barney and Klaus Yorder have fallen out of a 50-story window. Fortunately, the gravity is low on the Pleasure Planetoid, and they crash on a stage. Barney wins the subsequent fight and makes it back to his ship. They head out to the Trojan asteroids. Klaus Yorder succumbs to the genetic cancer bomb. RAM finds out where Barney is going and sends three cruisers to destroy him.

Barney finds the old Wydlin research base but are attacked by RAM. Barney’s ship fights them, but Barney is about to be destroyed by the cruisers when a mysterious figure exits the research station and fires an atomic missile. This saves Barney but his savior is Klaus Yorder who is miraculously alive after just dying on the Pleasure Planetoid.

“Huer.doc Explains It All”

Writer: Buzz Dixon

Artist: Mark Winchell

Buck is getting a lesson from the Huer.doc program about the twenty-fifth century. He finds out the history since he was in suspended animation. That his victory resulted in a peaceful one world government. That three power blocs arose called Russo-American Mercantile (RAM), The Euro-Bloc and the Indio-Asian Consortium. The Euro-Bloc terraformed the Moon and became a sort of Switzerland in banking. The Indio-Asian Consortium had some success on Venus. RAM terraformed Mars and eventually ending up the most powerful of the blocs. It succeeded in a war that overthrew the Earth government and taking over the planet. We then go over the major players in RAM and the other planets such of Mercury, Venus and the Moon. At the end the Huer.doc was looking for the files on Masterlink and Kharkov in the cybermatrix. He discovered the files were missing.

“Attack in the Asteroids”

Writer: Paul Arden Loberg

Game Design: Mike Pondsmith and Kim Mohan

Counter and gameboard art: Exphero

A game that simulates the battle between Black Barney’s ship the Free Enterprise and three RAM ships. Uses the system designed for the board game.

In this issue we continue the saga of Black Barney trying to find a cure to the genetic time bomb. It takes him to an abandoned research facility and a big battle with RAM. As plenty of humor such as Black Barney taking a slide puppy from the stripper on stage to cover his private parts. Also has the requisite game that you are supposed to cut up the comic to play. Has detailed rules and counters.

The real interest for me is the backup story. A prologue to the upcoming Martian Wars. It gives us a very good explanation of the world that Buck now inhabits. Including a brief history of the various factions and characters. This was very helpful in understanding the world of the twenty-first century.

BUCK ROGERS #4

“His Search for the Meaning of Life and Happiness Chapter Three”

Writer: Buzz Dixon

Artists: Kevin Altieri and Tom Mandrake

Black Barney and his companion Judee are ambushed by agents of RAM on Luna. Barney naturally fights but is almost killed until his crew rescues him. His next stop is Mercury where he knows of a Barney that is raiding RAM mining cruisers on the surface. He finds this Barney named S’Nee and is taken prisoner. Barney has a hard time convincing her to help since she doesn’t believe in the genetic time bomb. Mercury police attack the base, and this is when the genetic bomb goes off on S’Nee. Barney and his crew steal a police cruise and destroy the attacking police. Then they head off to Ardala’s Pleasure Planetoid. Here Barney is going to spend his last months and all his pirate fortune of women and booze. In his room he is attacked by another Barney named El Shaata. El Shaata was hired by RAM to kill Black Barney in exchange for the cure. When Black Barney hears there is a cure, he gets the will to continue living and finding the cure. Only the fight with El Shaata knocks him out the window for a long fall.

“Buck Rogers Collector Game Cards”

By Paul A. Lidberg

Card Art: Gloria Yuh

A group of cards divided in four groups: hero, villain, item and place. Each has a number value and you play the game like poker.

This issue didn’t have Buck Rogers but gave us a full issue of the Black Barney story that was a backup. This is fine since that story is excellent and Black Barney is a very interesting character. We meet some more of the Barneys. We get to see Mercury and get a good understanding of Black Barney and his character. Ends on a cool cliffhanger with Barney getting his will to continue to live and search for a cure to the genetic time bomb.

The game they had was a lot simpler than the previous ones. Still sounded fun.

BUCK ROGERS #3

“Dirty Business”

Writers: Flint Dille & Buzz Dixon

Artist: Frank Cirocco

Buck Rogers has been captured by Black Barney and smuggled off Mars. On Barney’s ship Rogers challenges him and shoots him in the head with his .45. It doesn’t kill Barney because of his suit but the rules of the Rogue’s Guild make Rogers the captain. Buck takes the ship to Earth and finds out that it is a bombed-out mess. Back in the RAM wars of 2110-2222 the RAM corporation of Mars provoked wars between the nations of Earth. Then when it was destroyed, moved in and gutted the planet for resources.

Buck takes a shuttle and lands at his old base of Iron Mountain. It is here he meets up with Wilma Deering and NEO rebels. They have to fight off RAM terrines and we find out Killer Kane is a traitor to Earth. Luckily Black Barney comes in at the end to save the day.

“Craters of Tharsis”

By Mike Pondsmith & Paul A. Lidberg

Artwork by Philippe Grabowski

A board game for two players. Simulates a NEO attack on a RAM base on the Martian Tharsian Plateau to steal a squadron of Krait stealth fighters. Has game pieces and board that you cut out of the comic.

“His Search for the Meaning of Life and Happiness Chapter Two”

Writer: Buzz Dixon

Artists: Kevin Altieri and Tom Mandrake

Black Barney has gone to Luna to find a Barney named Yorder. At a bar after a fight, he finds someone that leads him to Yorder’s place. At this place is a recorded message that explains what is happening. The Wydlin Corporation in revenge for a hostile takeover created genetically enhanced cyborgs to cause trouble for RAM. Only after twenty years the Barneys were designed to have every cell turn cancerous. There is a cure, but the arrival of RAM agents interrupts the message.

This issue had a lot of important stuff happening. Buck finally gets back to Earth and finds it a mess. We find out how Earth came under the control of RAM. Nice touch having Buck look at a statue erected in his honor. He hooks up with the good guys and manages to get control of Black Barney’s ship.

Also continues the story of Black Barney. We find out his origin and an interesting backup this makes. Plus an interesting board game. Sounds fun but once again have no interest in cutting up my book. A funny little message from TSR at the end brags their comics are meant to be cut up and returned to compost.

BUCK ROGERS #2

“Rude Awakening: Part 2”

Writers: Flint Dille & Buzz Dixon

Artists: Frank Cirocco, Chuck Austen & Mick Gray

Wilma Deering manages to get Buck Rogers to her ship as the forces of RAM and Black Barney fight it out. She goes to an asteroid base called Star Haven. When she arrives, Black Barney is waiting for her and takes the unconscious body of Buck. He goes to the Pleasure Planetoid run by Ardala. He makes a deal to share the reward from RAM for Buck. Ardala then takes Buck to Mars. He finds himself the prisoner of the leader of RAM Sigmund Holzenhein.dos who is a computerized personality.

Buck is given a device to teach him about the current century is now in. It forms a computerized version of his old scientist colleague back in the twentieth century, Doctor Huer. Buck decides to escape and uses a bed sheet to glide down to the ground. Only Black Barney is waiting for him and knocks him unconscious.

“Battle for the Sprawls”

By Mike Pondsmith & Paul Lidberg

Artist: Albert Deschesne

A board game for two with one side the NEO and the other RAM. Takes place in the underground sprawl of Chicagorg on Earth. NEO must escape and RAM has to destroy them.

“His Search for the Meaning of Life and Happiness Chapter One”

Writer: Buzz Dixon

Artists: Kevin Altieri and Rick Magyar

On the Martian moon Phobos is the ultra-secure RAM prison. Black Barney and his pirate crew attack to break out the prisoners. They succeed and Barney finds a beautiful girl he decides to have join his crew. A small one-man fighter arrives, and a man jumps out to warn Barney that he will suffer the same fate. This man dissolves and claims he is also a Barney.

The second issue was a fun read. We get introduced to the major characters in one form or another. Buck Rogers decides he doesn’t care for RAM and takes off. Includes a board game with pieces to cut out and you can convert the inside cover to the board. Wouldn’t want to cut up the comic but this game does sound fun.

There is also a backup story featuring the pirate Black Barney. An exciting prison break that shows how volatile Barney is. Ends with this mysterious guy coming to warn Barney. An all-around fun issue.

BUCK ROGERS #1

“Rude Awakening”

Writers: Flint Dille and Buzz Dixon

Artists: Paul Smith and Frank Cirocco

At the end of the twentieth century the world is threatened by a renegade Russian general. Anatoly Kharkov has taken over the advanced satellite Masterlink and merged with its artificial intelligence. America’s only hope is sending Buck Rogers in the advanced F-38 Wrath fighter into space to destroy Masterlink. They launch missiles from subs, air and land but all are intercepted by Masterlink. Buck can’t penetrate the defenses, and all looks lost. Buck sacrifices himself by crashing into Masterlink and destroying it. He manages to escape in an experimental cryo pod that floats out into space.

Five centuries later an archeologist has found his pod with a perfectly preserved Buck in it. Wilma Deering from the New Earth Organization (NEO) has come to claim the body. The Earth resistance needs it as a symbol. Others want the body. Black Barney a pirate also shows up. Forces of RAM (Russo-American Mercantile) the oppressive rulers of Earth also show up. Everyone is surprised when Buck is revived alive.

“The Gauntle”

By Tom Wham

A game for two players. One can play Masterlink and the other Buck Rogers. Has an insert with game pieces and map. Detailed rules on how to play and win the game.

“Into the 25th Century!”

Writer: Kim Mohan

Art by Continuity Studios, Burbank.

An article that tells of the upcoming new role-playing game based on a new Buck Rogers universe. Explains what the game is about, and all the books and maps included with it.

This is TSR’s Buck Rogers comic. Or as they call these comic modules. They have a traditional comic story and also a game included in the book. I loved this version of Buck Rogers. I also played the computer game back in the day which was a lot of fun. This new version has all the planets terraformed and populated with genetically modified humans. Earth is a burnt-out shell ruled over by the Russo-American Mercantile. A union of Russia and America that combined the worse of the Communist and Capitalist systems. A very early nineties outlook with this series. An enjoyable story with a fun looking game. Never played it but sounds fun.