Following on from the last issue of M.A.S.K. Comic UK's free gift of a poster; Issue 16, dated 23rd of May - 5th of June 1987, came with two free Stickers to add to it.
The front cover features Julio Lopez and Floyd Malloy fighting it out as to whose free sticker is the best. Meanwhile, on the back cover, V.E.N.O.M. Leader, Miles Mayhem, is complaining that Ball Bearings from Malloy's Buckshot Mask almost hit him.
Mayhem is trying to tell the readers all about his "Killing Beam"! We have T-Bob on the back cover also, frightened as the "Killing Beam" is pointed directly at him.
This is another fantastic cover. The detail in the Uniforms and Masks is unbelievable. I know that there are many a M.A.S.K. fan that wouldn't like a CGI remake of the cartoons - but could you imagine how amazing it would be if the CGI images could replicate the quality of this cover!?
Ok, so Streamer doesn't lend itself very much in the detail stakes as it's a simplistic design. Buckshot, on the other hand, is very over-engineered and the artist has a lot to work with and has improved on the original toy's design.
In fact, when M.A.S.K. makes a comeback, they should turn to the M.A.S.K. Comic UK artists to help in development of the redesigns!
Table of Contents -
- Front and Back Wraparound Cover
- Five Pages - "The Killing Beam" (B&W with Pink Tint First Cell)
- Four Pages - "Danger in the Outback!" Conclusion (Colour)
- Five Pages - "Project Dinosaur" Conclusion (B&W)
- Centre Page Spread - Sly Rax with Stiletto
- Five Pages - "Maelstrom Mayhem" Conclusion (B&W with Pink Tint First Page)
- Single Page - Advertisement
- Single Page - Letters Page
- Single Page - MASK Art
- Single Page - Advertisement and Blaster Mask Cut Out
- Four Pages - "Young at Heart" Part 2 (B&W)
- Single Page - preview of next issues gift & issue
In the Arizona Desert, a powerful laser is pointed down towards the ground - set to tap into into the Earth's Crust to act as an unlimited power source; Miles Mayhem and V.E.N.O.M. have other ideas and want to turn it into "The Killing Beam".
First on the attack are Cliff Dagger in Jackhammer and Floyd Malloy on Vampire.
As the workers flee from the ferocious attack, Miles Mayhem lands his Switchblade Helicopter on the scene.
Soon, Matt Trakker is on a reconnaissance mission in Thunderhawk and evades fire from Jackhammers Cannons.
Mayhem broadcasts to Matt that if he doesn't leave, he will fire the laser directly into the Earth's Core. Alex Sector, at Boulder Hill, relays to Matt that that would cause destruction on a massive scale to major cities including San Francisco.
Alex then comes up with a master plan - there is a Geological Fault running under the path of the laser (seems strange to put an Geothermal Energy Plant over such a fault, never mind) and that T-Bob Would be small enough to climb into it.
So, equipped with a ruby prism, T-Bob is dispatched down the fault and once he reaches the correct co-ordinates, the M.A.S.K. team assault V.E.N.O.M. - Rhino; Firefly; Condor and Thunderhawk.
Mayhem carries out his threat to fire the laser but T-Bob's ruby prism manages to defeat the laser beam back up to the machine and destroy - V.E.N.O.M. retreat as they come under fire as a proud T-Bob realises he's a hero - but doesn't know how to get back out of the fault!
An executive jet is making it's way down a runway in the Conclusion of "Danger in the Outback". With a powerful laser on the nose cone (lasers seem to a theme this issue) firing at all and sundry in it's way as Miles Mayhem makes his escape.
Without any flying vehicles at their disposal, M.A.S.K. agents Julio Lopez, Bruce Sato and Matt Trakker can only look on - until, Brad Turner turns up with Thunderhawk and Spectrum for Matt.
Matt takes off and follows Mayhem's trail of destruction and manages to blow the wing off of the jet. We are left with Mayhem parachuting to safety.
The Triceratops is still wrecking havoc as we come to the conclusion of "Project Dinosaur". In last weeks issue, Matt had challenged Mayhem to a fight Mano-a-mano - and he accepted the gauntlet being thrown down.
They land their vehicles and prepare to fight - Matt wearing Ultraflash and Mayhem wearing Viper. V.E.N.O.M. agents Floyd on Vampire, Cliff in Jackhammer and Sly on Piranha come out of their secret base on their way to help their boss; unaware of the trap set by Matt Trakker.
M.A.S.K. agents Hondo and Dusty in Gator and Julio in Firefly are waiting on them and do battle. Mayhem attempts to get to the control for his dinosaur from Switchblade but is stopped in his tracks by Matt - who destroys the controls.
Julio is sent after the beast to finish it off with a Superstun Atomizer!
Whilst this is all going on, Scott and T-Bob make their way into the V.E.N.O.M. HQ and T-Bob knocks over the incubator with the Baby Clone Dinosaurs and they shrivel and die.
Sly Rax is this weeks poster boy.
From all of the bio profiles so far, this is the best one, in my opinion. The level of detail in this image is amazing - like the the front cover image. But then, like Malloy on the front cover, there is a lot to work with here.
Last issue, Cliff Dagger was in the centre page, and the design of his Torch Mask is very much like Dagger - simple! Stiletto, on the other hand, is far more complex and has the feeling of being made of various materials and alloys. There is a sense of purpose about his uniform and you know he rides a bike!
in the third story conclusion this issue, Matt and Bruce are up against it in "Maelstrom Mayhem". The Self Destruct timer is still counting down, and they are still too far away to flick the switch to turn off the power to the plant.
Matt tells Bruce to use his Lifter Mask to flick the switch - he does so, but too late! they brace for the explosion; an explosion that doesn't come! Alex has made his way to Joshua Snyde's office and manage to take remote control of the Alternative Energy Plant and put paid to Mayhem's sinister plan!
As Matt and Bruce think they are in the clear, Mayhem and his minions Dagger, Rax and Malloy come back to finish off the job. Despite their valiant efforts, Matt and Bruce are forced further into the now very unstable plant.
Matt informs Mayhem that the plant is unstable and even a small rise in temperature could cause it to blow! You can always count on Cliff Dagger to do the stupid thing as he fires his Torch Mask and, sure enough, it sets a chain reaction and everyone has to flee the plant.
As they get back to their vehicles, Matt decides it's better to go after Snyde rather than Mayhem and his minions!
I haven't featured the MASKart in a page, but I thought I'd show this image by Robert Doel of Cheshunt as it looked good!
It has a lot of detail in and Stinger was always one of my favourites! Although Bruno is in my script, we don't see Stinger!
Now free of the Landslide from Issue 15 of M.A.S.K. Comic UK, Matt and his team are making their way to the P.N.A. (Peaceful Nations Alliance) military exercise site in Germany. When they get there, they find that the Gas released by V.E.N.O.M. has caused all of the Military Personnel to regress back into their childhood mental states.
Doc Julio is dispatched to go after Switchblade and Vampire and as he arrives and attacks, Mayhem gives the order to spray the gas over a major German City - what will happen next?
On the last page, we have a preview of next issue and have this image of Sly Rax and T-Bob -
I'm not sure of the demographic of my readers, but if you are near my age (40) then you may remember a movie called The Black Hole! The best parts of this movie were two robots - V.I.N.C.E.N.T and Old B.O.B.
Is it me, or does T-Bob in this image remind you of Old B.O.B.?
Maybe it's just me, but feel free to comment below if you wish or over at my Facebook Page.
As always, another great issue of M.A.S.K. and with 3 stories concluding, next issue should be great as we kick off another 3 serial stories!
#assembleMASK #Hasbro
