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 Ships 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)
Category:TV21 comic stories
Category:1966 comic stories
Category:Stories set in 2066
Category:Stories set in Brazil
Category:Stories that crossover with non-DWU series