Swiftsure Vol.1 #1

May 1985; Cover price 70p.
32 pages. B&W.
Harrier Publishing.

Edited by Martin Lock.

Cover by Bryan Talbot.

Contents:

.2 Swift but Sure Introduction by Martin Lock. / Contents / Indicia / The Twenty Year Party text feature by Alan Moore.

.3 Lieutenant Fl'ff Arrival w: Martin Lock; p: Dave Harwood, i: Mark Farmer.

.9 Dandy in the Underworld 1: A Fall from Grace w:/a: Stephen Bakersville.

16 Ram, Assassin The Assassin w: Martin Lock; p: R.F. O'Roake, lettering by Richard Starkings. Logo by Nina Y. Sutcliffe.

22 Rock Solid, Space Hero Brazen Invasion, part one, w:/a: Lew Stringer.

25 Codename: Andromeda, part one, w: Bill W. Ryan; a: Dave Harwood.

32 People are Talking! advertisement.

A very detailed (though non-indicative) cover by Bryan Talbot graces the first issue of Swiftsure, an alternative title with mainstream aspirations. Alan Moore provides commentary on the state of comics c.1985, and is in fine form. Martin's editorial is very cheerful and optimistic, which is so refreshing that I'm willing to forgive the punny title.

Arrival begins with a large image of H.M.S. Repulse and rather a lot of text. It is a nice enough opening, but the name of the lead character bothers me: Fl'ff. Go on and say it out loud. Yeah. It really helps a strip if the protagonist doesn't have a name which immediately inspires a dozen jokes. Anyway, the uniform designs are functional and thought through (without tacky fanservice), the setting is intelligent (it is refreshing to see direction indicators on elevators), and the background detail is quite busy.

This should be a top-notch strip. And yet... nothing much happens. Fl'ff and Kale board the Repulse for their new assignments, settle in, and are sent on an away mision (on the last page) to investigate why the H.M.S Bromsgrove hasn't been in radio contact. The general feeling is that of the pre-credits sequence for the pilot of an SF series which is still testing the ground to see how solid the foundations are - more aggressive storytelling, with some incident of note, on the first page would have kept it from seeming so slow and tentative.

Definitely a story which needs to be read in one sitting rather than in bite-size installments.

There is a humerous opening narration, accompanying some beautiful illustrations, to begin Dandy in the Underworld. Set on the planet Orpho, where humanity lives in domed cities atop stilts to protect them from the natives. James Daniel Delaney has been found guilty on all counts, and sentenced to unarmed combat with an underworlder. If he emerges victorious his full rights will be restored, but if he loses he will be exiled to the underworld. It is a foregone conclusion that he will not be victorious.

Approached by Biddle (of Biddle, Biddle, Biddle and Grout), Delaney is tasked with conducting an investigation into the underworld. If successful he will be given his freedom, and one of Orpho's top agents has been tasked with assisting him in order to make sure he succeeds. Her name is A, and she is not the most sociable companion for such an exuberant individual.

A very impressive introduction to the characters and setting, with a great sense of humour running through the script. The visual assuredness is impressive, as is the world-building. This is a place I want to know more about, and Delaney and A are extremely well-defined considering how brief the strip is.

Set in 2584, on a colony-world of Safe Haven, far from Earth, Ram: Assassin is the story of Ramel Kerina. Having a female assassin come as a surprise to the characters is somewhat odd. The scratchy art suits the story, but there is a persistent sense that this is set in a nebulous time in the past rather than the far future. O'Roake's art reminds me especially of Dungeons and Dragons illustrations from the period.

Rock Solid is funny strip about an inept space hero, though the artwork is not as detailed as in the similar Dash Decent. There's a certain roughness here, which shows how long ago this appeared, but it is a fine start to the story.

Who doesn't love a story which begins with a scientific experiment gone awry? Codename: Andromeda opens with the Orgill Drive being tested aboard the spacecraft Newton, when a meteor punches through the delicate heart of the device under observation. Project Manager Gribbins and researcher Canning die immediately, along with twelve others, Kris Prescott also died, and her remains - seared by heat, then shrivelled and frozen by the vacuum of space - floats onward, many light-years from Earth.

Her corpse is recovered by Captain Brown, an alien responding to the energy flash, and placed in a robo-doc where she is restored to life. Transported to Earth by the alien technology, Kris is somehow restored, her new body formed from Stonehenge's stones and soil by force of will. It is a remarkably dark beginning, with aliens which never quite manage the ability to communicate, some gruesome implications inherent in their technology, and a central character who is remarkably composed given all that has befallen her.

Solid strips, with intelligent writing and great art. There are rough edges, but nothing serious enough to raise concerns.

If only all first issues were this good.