The Black Ship (comic story)

The Black Ship was a Fireball XL5 comic printed in TV Century 21 in 1966.

This story crossed over with the Doctor Who universe by giving the DWU character of World President Nikita Bandranaik a prominent part in the narrative. In this story, Bandranaik gives Steve Zodiac his orders to surrender Fireball XL5 to an unknown enemy.

Summary
to be added

Characters

 * Steve Zodiac
 * Commander Zero
 * Professor Matic
 * Venus
 * Nikita Bandranaik
 * Robert the Robot
 * Damacles
 * Chief of Operations
 * Captain
 * Lieutenant

Worldbuilding

 * Freighter 203, which is bound for Earth, is one of the victims of the Black Ship.
 * The planet VA 17 is an uninhabited, volcanic mass in space.
 * Steve takes the crew of the space freighter to Space Station Velnar where they are able to receive medical attention.
 * Steve and Mat analyse the Black Ship's attack on a Flame King space liner.
 * Space City believe Venus to be on vacation at Miami Beach.
 * Bandranaik initially agrees with Zero's decision to not hand over XL5 in exchange for Venus' life but then his printing telex relays to him a report from Space Station Aeries that Earth's best scientists had been abducted, forcing his hand.
 * Damacles, or Jose Arnau, is a Brazillian multi-millionaire.
 * Damacles' Fireball fleet is constructed out of tin instead of Cahelium Extract X.
 * Space Station Remus and reconnaissance spacecraft R4 detect the explosion of VA 17 and the destruction of the Fireball fleet.
 * Damacles' video link to a Bereznik officer is the only proof of their involvement, leaving no evidence to try them on.

Story notes

 * This story marked the first time Bereznik served as the main threat of a story in a contemporary setting, albeit from a distance through the use of other agents. The nation had previously appeared in 21, set in the 2040s.

Continuity

 * A Space City correspondent reported upon the mayday call from Freighter 203 to Fireball XL5. (PROSE: Space Hi-Jack)
 * Further into the Black Ship investigation, Space City ordered an official secrecy blanket over all operations relating to it. (PROSE: World Navy Sub Turns Pirate)