OSAMUJTEZUKA Phoenix: Nostalgia
Vol. 6
Viz Signature Eaition
STORY AND ART BY
(OSAMU TEZUKA
English Translation by DADAKAL
Jared Cook and Frederik L. Schodt
Touch-Up Art & Lettering/Primaty Graphix
Design taumi Evers
Editor/lan Robertson
PHOENI by Osamu Tezvka
Copyright © 2003 by Tezuka Productions
Transition Copyright © 2003 by VIZ Media, LLC
All rights reserved.
Fist published in Japan in 1954,
English translation rights arranged by Tezuka Productions
A message to our readership:
Some of the phrasing and expressions in the work you are about to read reflect the time and context in which it
was orginally created and thus might not be in accordance with present standards. The author had an unflinching
} ANYTHING
SHIVA COULD ¥ ABOUT _ MY AND CA
WERE UNITED...
ee ee THAT'S THE
WAY YOU
WERE BORN,
TOO, CAIN... AFTER CHILD...
AND THEY GAVE NAMES TO
EACH ONE: LOT, RYU, ABEL,
J) BARO, TERA, HARAN AND SETH. SUMMER OF THE bh \ ®
x HOW 00.
YOU FEEL?
STILL
NUMB?
AGH... Oy
EVERYTHING yn
FROM MY
WAIST DOWN 40 om
HAS BEEN \\°
SMASHED...
STTTOSh |
5B I'M AFRAID WE'VE ALREADY
WE WON'T
BE ABLE TO We eet
WE NEED A GIRL. wou ROMY!
WITHOUT ONE, OUR ¥ PLEASE. .
LINE WILL PIE OUT. aK YOUVE GOT TO
IF ONLY WE HAD
AGIRL...
WHAT?!
GO BACK INTO THE ROOM BEHIND
THE WHITE WALL AGAIN.
GO TO SLEEP FOR A LONG, LONG
TIME. ONCE OUR BOYS HAVE
GROWN INTO MEN YOU CAN COME
BACK AND MARRY ONE OF THEM. 7 YOU'RE A STRONG
WOMAN, ROMY. YOLI
MUST NOT AGE. YOU
MUST STAY YOUNG
BACK INTO THE ROOM
BEHIND THE WHITE
WALL, YOLI CAN STAY
Se YOUNG FOREVER! WAS HER ONLY
CHOICE. SO SHE
RETURNED TO THE
COLD SLEEP CHAMBER
ONCE AGAIN, AND
PPED INTO A LONG,
QUIET SLUMBER. ONCE THE SEVEN
CHILDREN WERE
OLD ENOUGH TO
UNDERSTAND, CAIN TOLD
THEM ABOLIT ROMY. HIS
STORIES WERE ALMOST
LIKE A LAST WILL AND
TESTAMENT TO HIS.
DESCENDENTS.
NOW LISTEN...
WHEN YOU HAVE
GROWN UP To BE
MEN, A WOMAN, 6
case
ue)
REMEMBER THIS.
ROMY TS A VERY,
VERY VALUABLE
PERSON. SO
YOU MUST NEVER
FIGHT OVER
HER.
THERE MUST BE...
ROMY SAID SHE
TRAVELED FROM A
FAR AWAY PLACE
THar’s A CALLED EARTH. A
SPACESHIP, LOT. WONDERFUL PLACE,
THAT'S HOW ROMY \| MUCH BIGGER THAN
TRAVELED HERE, HERE, WITH LOTS OF
FROM UP IN I seeAL = T CARRIED
THE LITTLE = THEM ALL
BOXES, Bi HERE FROM “
Lor? ' eS THAT SHIP.
LET'S SEE...
TM APRATD T
DON'T KNOW
WHAT THESE
LITTLE. ‘SHE SAID
THE
scaTBBLes
PRESIDENT BRANCH HAS TAKEN
A NEGATIVE ATTITUDE TOWARD
ENACTMENT OF THE SPACE
COLONIZATION LAWS. ACCORDING
TO SENATOR LAKER, THE
PRESIDENT FEARS THAT IF THE
COLONIES ARE TOO SUCCESSFUL
AND THETI POPULATIONS
INCREASE TOO MUCH, THAT TOO
IJ MANY INITGRANTS May TRY TO
i RETURN TO EARTH...
= ye = YOU
WHAT'S THIS Ta NOT Uke WHAT ae ‘SHOULD
ALL ABOLT, TMS TT » Lrste
i SOUNDS LIKE IT'S 7
CAIN? 109, Lar.
TALKING ABOUT x Tr
SOMETHING ON THE QA 4 HELP YOu
piace calles |, yh Se BECOME A
EARTH. ROMY AND = BETTER
T USED TO LISTEN SPEAKER.
TO THESE TAPES:
/{ OVER AND OVER «
iF AGAIN. 7 = MAYBE WE NO, ROMY
COULD USE SAID IT'S
THAT SHIP BROKEN
TO GO, CAIN! AND CAN'T
FLY AGAIN.
WELL, MAYBE
WE COULD FIX
IT AND GO...
THAT'S FIRST OF
IMPOSSIBLE, ALL, IT'S
SON. JUST TOO
FAR AWAY.
WE SHOULD SPEND
OUR TIME MAKING
THIS A BETTER
PLACE TO LIVE.
BUT MORE
IMPORTANTLY.
WE'RE NOW
PEOPLE OF EDEN.
MY DREAM IS THAT
SOMEDAY, OUR
DESCENDANTS WILL
BUILD A HUGE CITY
WHERE WE STAND NOW. o :
ae
fo
sa
So
saa
ar
Be AND THEN CAIN AND
HIS CHILDREN FACED
A TERRIBLE YEAR OF
DROUGHT, DURING
WHICH THE SPARSE
VEGETATION ON
EDEN 17 DRIED UP
AND DIED. ve
BEEN
THINKING
ABOUT THE
FUTURE,
GUYS...
GOSH, WE = a "
weet ee ESE WELL ALL
ANYTHING IN
MUMMIES
FOUR DAYS. AT THIS
RATE.
THERE'S ONLY ONE WAY
WE'RE GOING TO BE
ABLE TO SURVIVE AS A
GROUP... T DONT SEE
‘ANY OTHER CHOICE.
EVERYONE
AGREE?
THEN, FOR =
THE GOOD OF WE'LL EACH
THE GROUP, TAKE ONE... AND ACCEPT
ONE OF US OUR FATE...
HasTo ©
SACRIFICE
HIMSELF... AND BESIDES,
I DON'T WITH My LEGS
HAVE AS THEY ARE...
LONG TO I DON'T Have
‘MUCH LEFT TO
u
YOU MUST ALL
WAIT FOR ROMY TO
AWAKE. THEN YOU
MUST PRODUCE
MORE CHILDREN,
UNDERSTAND?
UNDERSTAND
... BLT ISN'T
THERE SOMETHING
WE CAN DO FOR
YOU BEFORE
YOU DIE? LET IT BE NEXT
OKAY, GUYS... WE DON'T
TAKE CAIN UP TO KNOW HOW
THE WHITE = 5 TO GET
WALL! INSIDE, GAIN. I GIVE
YOU MY FLESH
AND BLOOD! oxay, Guys, Y
TAKE HIM TO
HUMAN BEINGS...
EATING OTHER
HUMAN BEINGS...
TT IS AN ACT
HARD FOR PEOPLE
(ON EARTH TO
EVEN IMAGINE.
BLIT ON THE
«DYING, BARREN
PLANET OF EDEN
7, IT WAS THE
ONLY CHOICE THE
YOUNG MEN HAD .
IF THEY WERE
TO SURVIVE... ABEL--ROMY AND CAIN'S
THIRD CHILD--HAD A
TALENT FOR INVENTION
‘AND INNOVATION THAT
FAR EXCEEDED THAT OF HIS
BROTHERS. HE PLUCKED
AND DRIED THE MEAGER
GRASSES THAT GREW
AROUND THE PLANET,
THEN, HE BEGAN
GRINDING THEM
UP AND COMBINING
THEM IN NEW WAYS.
SUCCEEDED
») IN CREATING
\ 7 SomenaINe
RESEMBLING
THE SIXTH SON,
HARAN, WAS
SOMETHING OF
A GEOLOGIST.
HE TRAVELED
FROM ONE END)
OF THE PLANET|
TO THE
OTHER,
DISCOVERING
ALL THE
ORES AND
MINERALS
HIDDEN IN ITs}
PEAKS AND
VALLEYS. ONE DAY, HARAN
ACCIDENTALLY CAME
UPON AN OIL-LIKE
SUBSTANCE, OOZING
FROM BETWEEN
SOME ROCKS,
EVIDENCE THAT
ANIMALS HAD
ONCE FLOURISHED
IN THE PLANET'S
DISTANT PAST. SETH, THE SEVENTH SON,
WAS UNLIKE HIS OTHER SIX
BROTHERS, AND A BIT MORE
OF A HANDFUL.
HE WAS ALWAYS GETTING
INTO TROUBLE.
WE'VE HAD A BETTER HARVEST
anw| | THAN UsuAL THIS YEAR, So
ir EVERYBODY CAN EAT AN EXTRA
i PIECE OF BREAD... YEAH, IT'S
BECAUSE HE EATS
THREE TIMES
MORE THAN US!
WE SHOULD ALL BUT IF WE
GET EQUAL
Sees oF DID THAT,
FOOD, ROMY!
ALM sane 25
oven tene TaN
‘000 FOR
ANYTHING!
78 I KIN MAKE a MS YEAH. NO.
ROMY HAVE A we ONE KNOWS:
; FOR SURE
BABY GIRL!! ’ SY perce:
, 2 (| | 0% {\\ wae ar
{EL THEY'LL
i YG | he MAKE A BOY
te
OR A GIRL!
I'LL SHOW
YOU Guys!
LOT, YOU MADE
FIVE BOYS 'N NOT
A SINGLE GIRL! aa, nit Now,
HOW COME? C py SS AND IT'LL
> . BE A GIRL
FOR SURE! I DUNNO, BUT T
ALWAYS HAVE
/ARGGGHH...
TORMENTING
DON'T STOP
I WON'T
FEED ANY
OF YOU FOR GET ALONG ON
THIS PLANET,
WE'LL ALL BE
DESTROYED!
BEDTIME FOR
ALL OF YOU,
YOU ARE ALL MY
SONS, BUT YOU'RE
MEN, TOO... T HAVE
TO BE CAREFUL, OR I
MIGHT BE ATTACKED! DO YOU
REMEMBER,
GEORGE? ... THAT
BEAUTIFUL LITTLE
ISLAND OF DENSE
Benen a MY FATHER WAS A.
POOR FISHERMAN
(ON THE ISLAND, ~—
‘BUT HE WAS BRAVE
AND STRONG. I
THINK I MUST
HAVE INHERITED
SOME OF HIS
ADVENTUROUS:
= SPIRIT... s9 |
WORLD WERE 3%
CHANGING. y I FIRST MET
YOU IN HIGH
SCHOOL...
I
PRETENDED
NOT TO BE
VERY
INTERESTED
WHEN
IFIRST
SAW YOU... ralciny
CAME, ANU)
th
YOU SAID THAT ALL OVER »
THE WORLD THERE WAS °o o
A POPLILATION EXPLOSION, ,
THAT EVEN IN JAPAN, ALL <**
THE MAIN ISLANDS WERE °
©° NOW DEVELOPED AND *
FULL,OF PEOPLE... °
sure
ENOUGH, THE NEXT
YEAR, THE NATURE
ON MY BEALTIFLL <
ISLAND WAS
DESTROYED.
Me SOMETH,
TRULY | I
YOU SAID
THAT IN ORDER
TO CONTROL THE
POPULATION, THE
GOVERNMENT HAD
DECIDED TO COMPLETELY
REMAKE JAPAN, AND THAT.
YOU HAD COME TO MY
ISLAND AS PART OF A
‘SPECIAL SURVEY..
PLAN WAS TO
TURN IT INTO
A GIANT
Yj accriors
Morano,
ap serie
tons
(OF PEOPLE, ,/
on)
1 WAS CRUSHED,
AND THAT'S WHEN
YOU INVITED ME TO
COME WITH YOU TO
A BRAND NEW
WORLD... TOKYO, STOLE
ABILLION
YEN IN
CONSTRUCTION
FEES FROM
YOUR
UNIVERSITY,
AND THEN FLED
WITH ME... WE
CREATED QUITE
A SCENE,
DIDN'T WE?
88
MEDIA STARTED
SENSATIONALIZING
THINGS AND A
WARRANT WAS:
ISSUED FOR
YOUR ARREST,
BUT YOU TOOK
ME AND
FLED TO
HONG KONG...
THERE, WE
VISITED A BARGAIN
BASEMENT SPACE
REAL ESTATE AGENT,
BOUGHT A PLANET
SEVERAL LIGHT
YEARS FROM EARTH,
AND IMMEDIATELY
TOOK OFF...
WE HEARD
THE NEWS:
ON THE
RADIO
WHILE IN
THE SPACE
SHIP--"TWO
STUDENTS
PULL OFF A
HUGE HEIST
AND FLEE TO
DISTANT
PLANET!
A BRAZEN
ACT OF
RECKLESS
YOUTHS!" WE
COULDN'T
STOP
LAUGHING... KNOW WHAT,
ceorce? tet)
THOUGHT I COULD \.
NEVER GO BACK TO
EARTH, I'D RATHER
|_ te RIGHT NoW..
Burt
“THINK MOST
PEOPLE REGRETTED
TT LATER. MOST
PEOPLE GET
HOMESICK FOR
EARTH. IT’S NOT
EASY LIVING HERE
IN OUTER SPACE...
YOU'VE GOT
TO HELP ME,
||| FOR A WHILE
!'| BACK THEN, IT || 4f
WAS A BIT OF
A FAD TO MOVE
TO ANOTHER
PLANET, WASN'T
IT? USUALLY,
PEOPLE JUST
GOT SICK OF
LIVING ON /
EARTH AND
LEFT...
LIKE Us... Irsa
BOY AGAIN,
ROMY...
I JUST DONT
UNDERSTAND.
> ISNT IT? IT
SEEMS LIKE I
CAN ONLY HAVE
BOYS ON THIS
PLANET...
IF WE GO ON LIKE
THIS, T'LL HAVE TO GO
BACK INTO COLD SLEEP
FOR TWENTY YEARS
IN THAT WHITE
PALACE, SETH... HEY?! WHAT DO YOU
THINK YOU'RE DOING’
SETH?! PUT ME
DOWN RIGHT
NOW! YOU'RE
{MAKING Me
= bizzy!
—— weHE HIT LoT A
ON THE HEAD 4
ty AND RAN OFF! STOP, SETH!
STOP! T
CAN'T GO ON.
DPANT PANTS...
ROMY, YOU'LL
NEVER HAVE A
GIRL BABY!
eAeles! WE WON'T HERE COME
LAST MORE TALK TO THEM
AND MAKE
SURE THEY <\
DON'T PUNISH
YOU, OKAY?
BUT YOU'VE
Got To
APOLOGIZE!,
LISTEN,
YOU KNOW
T CANT,
SETH. IT
WOULDNT
BE FAIR! YOU GOING?! J
COME BACK!
SETH! x
g
3
x KILLED HIM
WHEN We HAD!
THE CHANCE.
YOU MEN
SAY THAT?
SETH IS
YOUR
BROTHER! WHEN
YOU WERE
SMALL YOU
ALL PLAYED KNOW THAT CAIN
BROUGHT YOU UP
WHILE T WAS IN THE
COLD SLEEP
CHAMBER...
TToLp vou He says ITs
4oeL was \ BECAUSE WE
Trying To DONT EAT
FIGURE OUT ANIMALS...
WHY WE CANT
HAVE A GIRL
eABy, RIGH
WELL, HE
APPARENTLY
FIGURED
IT out...
euPLAN TO
KILL SETH
FOR HIS
ICANT
BELIEVE WHAT
YOU'RE SAYING!
YOU'RE
SAYING YOU
WANT ME TO.
EAT SETH'S
FLESH?!
/ TF WE'RE EVER
GOING TO GET OUR
HANDS ON ANY
MEAT, SETH'S
OUR BEST BET,
ISN'T HE?
101 102
AND BESIDES,
MAYBE THIS'LL
WHY ARE
YOU SO
ANGRY
\\ WITH US?!
ROMY,
WAIT!
LISTEN TO
WHAT ABEL
oe TO SAY! ARE YOU
LISTENING
TO ME?! MOUNTAIN,
LISTEN TO
I WANT TO
LIVE WITH
ROMY, BUT I
PLEASE, O
MOUNTAIN! T
HEARD YOU
KIN GRANT
WISHES!
PLEASE... PLEASE
GRANT MY WISH.
MAKE ROMY AN’ ME
BE TOGETHER... AS IT HAPPENED, I WAS
RESTING MY WINGS IN
THE MOUNTAIN OF FIRE,
AND I HEARD SETH'S WISH.
I FELT I HAD TO DO SOMETHING
TO HELP HIM... AND HELP
THE POOR, MISERABLE
PEOPLE ON HIS PLANET.
105 I FLEW FROM EDEN 17
TO A TINY SCRAP OF A
PLANET FAR, FAR AWAY--
NEARLY 6000 LIGHT
YEARS IN HUMAN TERMS. MOOPIES, SOME
OF THE MOST CURIOUS
AND RARE CREATURES
IN THE UNIVERSE, LIVE
THERE. THEY HAVE AN
AMAZING ABILITY TO
ADAPT AND THRIVE IN
ANY ENVIRONMENT.
AND, AS A RESULT,
THEY CAN BE FOLND
SCATTERED
THROUGHOUT SPACE,
THIS TINY bd ff
PLANET'S x AY
ATMOSPHERE)
WAS FILLED
IS YOUR
LEADER?
COVERED
FLOWING
108 THE MOOPIES
b. CLUNG LIKE
E MOSS TO
f OUTCROPPINGS|
OF FERRIC
SULFIDE AND
MOLYDENUM.
T ASKED THEM WHERE THEIR
ELDER WAS IN A LANGUAGE
KNOWN ONLY TO MOOPIES,
AND THAT SEEMED TO
REASSLIRE THEM. _ lad (© OLD ONE,
WOULD YOu
CONSIDER
SENDING ONE
(OF YOUR
FAMILY TO
A DISTANT
AND WE CAN MATE
WITH ANY CREATURE IN
THE UNIVERSE AND
PRODUCE OFFSPRING.
THAT's
coRRecr.
AND THAT'S
You wae THE REASON
CANNOT
| HAPPY BY RANT
CAN READ TRANSFORMING ee
THe MENS YOURSELVES
‘*ND
WHOMEVER’ FULFILLING THAT IS
YOu MEET,
THET YOUR
EVERY PURPOSE.
WISH... IN LIFE,
1s IT Nor?
THERE ARE SOME
UNSCRUPULOUS PEOPLE OUT
THERE WHO TRY TO CAPTURE
US AND SELL US TO
COLLECTORS! THEY WANT
70 KEEP US AS PETS!
110 I'M ASKING
YOU TO HELP
THEM AND TO
GIVE THEM
STRENGTH.
IF LEFT ALONE,
THEY WILL
EVENTUALLY
DIE OUT...
THEY LIVE IN HAS
MADE THEM UNABLE
TO PRODUCE FEMALE
OFFSPRING.
( THE ENVIRONMENT
WELL, I HAVE “== IF AND WHEN MOOPIE HUNTERS
ONE \ EVER VISIT THAT PLANET, PROMISE
CONDITION. > ME THAT YOU WILL KILL THE MOOPIE
BEFORE IT IS CAPTURED. IT IS
A MATTER OF PRIDE FOR US... AROUND THE SAME
TIME, ANOTHER OF
My INCARNATIONS
VISITED THE SLEEPING Ti
ROMY AND SLIPPED
INTO HER DREAMS...
=| | =
+ { ruintHe J
MIDST OF &
PLEASE DON'T
WAKE ME... T
PHOENIX,
ROMY... CAN
YOU SEE MY
BIRDLIKE
IT? I'M
TRYING TO.
SLEEP! WELL, T SHOULD
TELL YOU FIRST
OFF, THAT I'M
THE ONLY
suAND TE LIVE
WITH MY
CHILDREN IN
I KNOW. AND I
KNOW! THAT AS
WOMAN ON THE
THE ONLY
PLANET, YOU
HAD NO
=e
$s
Hes
THAT'S RIGHT. AND
WHY IS INCEST SUCH
ASIN FOR HUMANS,
ANYWAY? AFTER ALL,
~ 2 BIRDS AND ANIMALS MATE
Zz, HOTA THEIR OFFSPRING
ALL THE TIME...
SINCE YOU
BEGAN
MARRYING
YOUR OWN
OFFSPRING...
YOUR SONS
HAVE FOUGHT
OVER YOU...
YOU HAVE FAILED
F] TO PRODUCE A SINGLE ) ,
FEMALE. AM I RIGHT? “\"
WHAT'S MORE, ROMY,
YOU ARE DESTINED
TO FALL
THEY HAVE
GROWN TO HATE
ACH OTHER AND
THEY WILL
PROBABLY SOON
‘START KILLING I'M ONLY IN THIS
CRAZY SITUATION
BECAUSE THERE ARE
NO OTHER FEMALES!
WHILE
T HAVE
WATCHED
YOU SLEEP,
I HAVE
THIS (| \
AND I CAN'T
DIE UNTIL MY
DESCENDANTS
POPLILATE IT!
DO! THIS 15
WHERE MY
HUSBAND,
GEORGE,
1S BURIED!
=/ VERY WELL,
THEN, You SHALL LET THIS ALIEN \7 5"
Do SOMETHING FEMALE MATE
THAT HUMANS ON _ WITH YOUR
: U\ SONS. THIS
70 00... 10
ALLOW AN ALTEN IS THE ONLY
FEMALE TO ENTER CHOICE YOU
YOUR WORLD. HAVE. YOU WILL
CREATE A NEW
THERE ARE
COUNTLESS MILLIONS
OF PLANETS
IN THE UNIVERSE
POPULATED BY
INTELLIGENT LIFE
PE
YOU MEAN THAT MY
CHILDREN SHOULD
MATE WITH ALIENS?!
8..BUT THAT'S NOT
POSSIBLE!
‘SOME OF THESE
MYSTERIOUS
BEINGS FRANKLY
DEFY HUMAN
IMAGINATION...
"AND THERE IS ONE ~<
RACE OF BEINGS THAT
CAN MATE WITH ANY
OTHER CREATURE IN
THE UNIVERSE AND
OFFSPRIN EDEN T7, AND
A THRIVE AS
WHAT IN THE WORLD IS
THAT THING? I GO TO
SLEEP, AN’ WHEN T WAKE
UP THERE'S A GIANT
BOULDER ON TOP
OF THOSE ROCKS
OVER THERE!
se SOMETHIN’
WEIRD'S
COMIN’
OuT!!
WOW! IT LOOKS
CREEPY!
WONDER IF I
KIN EAT IT/?
UH, OH... IT'S
CHANGING WHAT THE?!
R..ROMY!?
( 8 REALLY
WATER FIOM YOUR
EYES... HOW SAD.
YOU MUST HAVE BEEN
‘AWFULLY LONELY
HERE ALL BY
YOURSELF...
BUT I KNOW HOW
TAM NOT THE \
WOMAN YOu MUCH YOU WANT
ARE LOOKING ? TO BE WITH HER.
FOR... SOL HAVE
ASSUMED HER
FORM.
120 I HAVE COME FROM i TLL NEVER
VERY FAR AWAY.
ED
FOR LIFE!! AND SO, SETH
TOOK THE MOOPIE
WOMAN DEEP INTO ¥
THE FIRE MOUNTAIN,
WHERE THEY WOULD
LIVE TOGETHER FOR
MANY, MANY YEARS.
BUT BEFORE LONG,
THEY ALSO GAVE
BIRTH TO A LITTLE
BABY GIRL.
WETRD HORNS
‘ON ITS HEAD!
(0 GREAT
GOD OF THE
YEAH, AND IT'S A FIRE
LITTLE GFRL!! MOUNTAIN!
THANKS FOR
GIVING ME
THIS LITTLE
GIRL! 7 SEVERAL DECADES PASSED.
ONE BY ONE, LOT AND
ALL OF HIS BROTHERS
FELL ILL FROM A DEADLY
DISEASE AND DIED.
EVENTUALLY, ONLY LOT'S
SIX SONS REMAINED. LOOK! 11'S SOME
KIND OF HERD...
SS, TIVE NEVER SEEN
1” COME ON,
EVERYONE!
ee
YOU MEAN
THERE'VE
BEEN OTHER
PEOPLE
HERE ALL IT'S NO
FAIR BEING
THE
YOuNgesT! HURRY up) KILL IT? BUT
AND KILL < ( SHOULDN'T We
Tt, S10! \\ INVESTIGATE
Es \ MORE FIRST?
NAW, THAT vent
CUTE LITTLE
_\tauen cant) B25
BE GOOD. |monsreR!
TDON'T
TRUST
It.
\ETHING
Li \ KIND oF
< SWEET, LIKE
NOPE...
SNTEE | mediurarce
entre )) i
KNOW! 11's THAT ANIMAL]
THAT FATHER TOLD US
ABOUT. I1'5...17S A
WOMAN! T CAN TELL BY
7 WHAT SHE SusT 10!
UH, OH! THERE'S
‘A WHOLE BUNCH ~
OF EM HEADING As
RIGHT FOR ME!! &
PR G2 W... WHERE'D
ALL THESE
WOMEN COME:
FROM ALL
ARE YOU
vors
CHILDREN? WHERE ARE.
LOT AND HIS
BROTHERS?
ONE YEAR
THE WIND WAS:
BAD... AN’ THEY <-
ALL GOT SICK
AND DIED,
NO... I HAVE
MY OWN
THESE
GIRLS ARE
ALL MY
DALIGHTERS...
CHOOSE THE
ONES YOU LIKE,
GOSH, I MUST
HAVE SLEPT A WHERE'D
THESE
GARDE COME! ROMY
1S AWAKE!
$0...60
YOU'RE
ALIENS?
CHILDREN...
SAY HELLO TO
OUR QUEEN! THERE ARE NO
LONGER ANY
PURE HUMANS
TAKE A LOOK!
SEE WHAT
WE HAVE
CULTIVATED...
ROMY!
PLEASE,
BE OUR
-)/_ QUEEN
FOREVER!|
THE HUMAN
AND MOOPIE
OFFSPRING
CONTINUED
TO MARRY AND
POPULATE
THE PLANET.
132 WITH THEIR SUPERIOR MOOPIE BLOODLINE,
THE NEW MEN AND WOMEN OF EDEN 17 WERE
ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH MUCH. LINDER THE
WORST POSSIBLE CONDITIONS, —
THEY SUCCEEDED IN BUILDING A GREAT”
CITY THAT THEY NAMED EDNA. THEY THEN
TRANSFORMED ROMY'S COLD
SLEEP CHAMBER INTO A
BEAUTIFUL PALACE. DECADES
PASSED AND
EDNA'S-
POPULATION
NEARED TEN
THOUSAND.
THE HUMAN-MOOPTIE WOMEN WERE VERY FERTILE.
AND BY THE TIME THEIR CHILDREN WERE FOUR
OR FIVE YEARS OLD, THEY WERE CAPABLE
OF DOING ALMOST ANY WORK.
EDNA WAS A QUIET CITY, SIMPLE AND
PRIMITIVE,BUT ITS CITIZENS ALL WORKED
HARD ANP GOT ALONG WELL WITH EACH OTHER. / ROMY WAS REVERED
2” AS QUEEN BY EVERYONE.
STILL, SHE WAS LINABLE
TO ESCAPE THE CREEPING
EFFECTS OF AGE. IT
THEREFORE BECAME HER
PRACTICE TO REPEATEDLY
RETURN TO HIBERNATION,
WAKING FOR ONLY FOUR OR
FIVE WEEKS AT A TIME.
THE PEOPLE OF EDNA <
EVENTUALLY LEARNED HOW J.
TO CREATE EXLOSIVES. 7)
THEN, BY COMBINING
¢ = DIFFERENT ORES FROM
~ THE MOUNTAINS OF
EDEN 17, THEY MADE THE
EXPLOSIVES EVER MORE
POWERFUL, AND USED
THETR NEW TECHNOLOGY
TO FURTHER DEVELOP
THE PLANET. HERE IS THE
REPORT ON
THIS YEAR'S
HARVEST,
0 QUEEN.
[every TIME T WAKE
FROM SLEEP, IT
SEEMS AS THOUGH
OUR PRODUCTIVITY
HAS INCREASED. EVEN
THE QUALITY OF OUR
THERE ARE
SO MANY
PEOPLE
{ WEH ALL THE
NEW CANALS
BEING BUILT,
THE CITY'S
DOING BETTER
THAN EVER...
CITIZENS
SPARE NO
EFFORTS TO <)
PLEASE YOU,
MASESTY....
IT'S ALMOST HARD I DONT KNOW
TO BELIEVE HOW WHY, THOUGH, BUT
‘MUCH BETTER SOMETHING
THINGS ARE NOW... MAKES ME FEEL
UNEASY... \ OH, GEORGE... { t woupn al ] tauer
I WISH I COULD \ ABANDONING J WANT TO
RETURN TO EARTH, ; YOU CE ME Ve GO HOME
EVEN IF ONLY fe . AGAIN,
FOR A DAY... se AL ust
< ONCE...
TM sure i YOu JUST
IT'D BE FINE, NEED TO
Romy... APTER J!) 4 : TAKE Al
ALL, YOUVE
WORKED HARD
FOR THIS
PLANET.
BUT HOW CAN T
TRAVEL TO
EARTH, GEORGE?
HOW? YOU HAVE
TO TELL ME
WHAT TO DO.
WELL, FIRST
YOU NEED TO
BUILD A SHIP.
THAT'S THE
HARD PART, OF T'M AWAKE,
MOM...
>YAWNS
B THIS Is your
a DAY OF
p SERVICE?
yr
I FORGOT
ALL ABOUT
TTT CANT
BE LATE!! GOSH, IF YOU
HAVE TO
WORRY ABOUT
‘STUFF LIKE
THAT, EYES
MUST BE A
REAL BOTHER. 7
HELLO KOM!
WHERE ARE
YOU OFF TO,
$0 EARLY?
“Soh.
=S OH, SO YOU'RE
GOING TO THE
PALACE, EH? SAY
HELLO TO THE
QUEEN FOR ME. very welt. co Wit
AROUND TO THE [iil
courtyarD. ji
YOU'LL FIND ALL
142 oF
-] WE NEED
TO TAKE
LING? wuars
aN
ARTHLING
? ACTUALLY, I'M )
NOT SO SURE
MYSELF...
| BUT ACCORDING
TO HER LADY IN
WAITING, ROMY
A WASN'T BORN ON
144 15... IS THE
A DIFFERENT
IT SEEMS TO
BE METAL.
AND IT'S
~) VERY OLD AND
BEAT UP...
I WONDER
WHAT IT'S OH! THERE'S
WATER COMING
BUT, ROMY,
WHY ARE YOU
CRYING IN \y REALLY?
4 HIS
Z
pee
WELL, I MAY
NOT HAVE
eves, BUTT
CAN SENSE
THINGS. I KNOW
I1'S HARD TO
BELIEVE NOW,
BLT WHEN WE
ARRIVED HERE,
IT WAS A BLEAK,
FORBIDDING
PLACE...
LIKe ONLY
(vesteroay...
T KNOW THAT
HUNDREDS OF
YEARS HAVE GONE
BY, BLIT T'VE ONLY
BEEN AWAKE HERE
FOR A TINY
FRACTION
OF THAT... Ly
I WOULD...
EVER SINCE
GEORGE DIED, I'VE
MISSED EARTH
WHAT DO YOU
THINK YOU'RE
DOING HERE?
BACK TO
1
YOUR WORK Be ear
BE SAD! T'LL
COME VISIT
YOU AGAIN!
Ho
YOUR WAY,
Now! Tey
“
Cd (1 naventt Hao
CON ‘convERSATION
> “Lee THAT IN
YEARS...
AH, BUT HE
| LISTENED
VERY
IMPOSSIBLE,
BUT BEFORE
MOM, LISTEN. I \\\
GOT TO MEET ROMY
Tovay! ano we PANT...
PANT...PANTC...
MADE IT
INSIDE...
BUT I'VE BEEN TRYING
AS HARD AS I CAN TO
MAKE IT LIFT OFF, AND
IT WON'T BUG! 172 ROMY, ARE
YOU OK?
“) YOU AS:
2) clear as
i DAY, KOM!
BRIGHT? OH,
YES...I CAN
SENSE IT... T CaN Sense tr, J)
Romy. IT's
THE SAME AS
STARLIGHT.
THERE'S SOME
KIND OF
DAZZLING GIANT
CRYSTALIN
THE MIDDLE OF
THE CEILING...
SOMETHING THAT
COLLECTS THE LIGHT
FROM THE STARS,
AND SHINES IT
INTO THIS ROOM... T CAN'T BELIEVE
STARLIGHT
ALONE WOULD
MAKE IT SO
BRIGHT IN
HERE, KOM.
THERE'S
‘SOME-
THING
HERE
Tuar's
\ SOFT AND TT's almost sq
HEY, IT'S A
\, B60! AND IT!
FEELS GREAT! )
4
I CAN SENSE
MILLIONS OF
STARS! WE'RE
FLYING IN
‘SPACE! LOOK, KOM!
EDEN 17'S
DISAPPEARING
IN THE
DISTANCE... THIS BIG ROCK JON ENN. »
WHAT'S HAPPENING,
révewatima, | | BUT I SUDDENLY }
yrs FEEL ILL... mavee
NoR 16 THIS T1'S FROM THE
WINDOW...
WHEN THE VOLCANO
ERUPTED, KOM, WE
FLYING WITH YOUR
HAMMOCK
LIKE THING
A IN THERE?
JUST REST
ROMY.
FOR A WHILE,
we
TLL Go sieer )
IN THE OTHER
HOLE.
THIS SHIP
Is SET UP
FOR FIVE
‘PEOPLE! K | If
ERE
' THE LITTLE ROCK QUIETLY MADE ITS WAY
ACROSS THE UNIVERSE, ACCELERATING TO
A FEARSOME SPEED. FROM TIME TO TIME,
IT DISAPPEARED INTO BLINDINGLY BRIGHT
CLOUDS OF NEBULAR GASES. AT OTHER
TIMES, IT FLEW FOR WHAT SEEMED AN
ETERNITY THROUGH DARK STELLAR CLOUDS.
AND THEN, FINALLY... -.THE LITTLE SPACE-ROCK SEEMED TO BE
DRAWN TOWARDS A PARTICLILARLY BRIGHT
STAR, BUT IT REFUSED TO BE DRAWN INTO
ANY PARTICULAR GRAVITATIONAL FIELD.
INSTEAD, IT CONTINUED TO SPEED ALONG,
POWERED BY SOME STRANGE WILL THAT
4a IGNORED ALL THE FORCES OF THE LINIVERSE.
3] AND EVENTUALLY, ROMY AND KOM APPROACHED
A SMALL PLANET ORBITING THIS STAR.
THIS PLANET WAS SO
HOT THAT EVERYTHING
ON IT HA? BEEN
BURNED TO A CRISP. IF KOM HAD HAD EYES, HE MIGHT
HAVE SEEN THE FLAMING RUBBLE
OF CITIES MADE BY THE PLANET'S.
INHABITANTS, AND THE WRITHING
FORMS OF PEOPLE, BURNING
IN ONLY TEN MINUTES, THE
STAR'S TEMPERATURE HAD
INCREASED OVER A THOUSAND
DEGREES. BUT THAT SHORT
TEN MINUTES WAS MORE THAN
ENOUGH TO BURN EVERY
PLANET THAT ROTATED AROUND
IT INTO OBLIVION.
184
BY SHEER
COINCIDENCE, OUR
SPACE TRAVELERS
WERE WITNESSES:
TO THE FINAL
AGONY OF ONE OF
THESE PLANETS. TM STILL
‘SHAKING
FROM THE
SIGHT OF
PROBABLY A
GOOD THING
THAT YOU
CANT SEE...
L.. T WAS
MORE AFRAID SEEING THAT
‘SORT OF
Rock WGA WORLD, EDEN
4] 17 Starrs To
FALL INTO Lone tte
PARADISE...
SAY, ROMY..
ARE YOU
HUNGRY?
I BROUGHT
I'M SURE
I WILL...
THAT WAS
THOUGHTFUL
ROMY! ROMY!
DID YOU SEE
THAT?! WELL, I REMEMBER
SOMETHING MY MOM TOLD
ME. SHE SAID THAT ONE
OF YOUR CHILDREN...
SOMEONE NAMED CAIN...
OFFERED HIMSELF AS
FOOD TO HIS STARVING
+, CHILDREN.
PLEASE!
DON'T TALK
It's TOO
HORRIBLE
TO EVEN
THINK
ABOUT...
uIP Ir comes to
‘A POINT WHERE
YOu LIVE! CHUNKS OF
ICE... LOOK AT THE SURFACE
OF THAT PLANET,
IM... LOOKS LIKE
IT'S COVERED WITH
B icicles!
/ BUT WHERE
DID THE Ice
COME FROM?
SO IN ANCIENT
ORMED TIMES, THIS
FROM PLANET MAY
FROM A
FROZEN GAS HAVE HAD
OR LIQUID, WATER AND AN
' ATMOSPHERE...
RIGHT?
AND IT MUST
HAVE HAD A
SUN, TOO... NAS
1 CAN SEE SOMEONE
SOMETHING.) 2
KOM...
RE D
«CE =
= YES, I
OENGE SOMETHING
—.\, SOMETHING, 1S ALIVE
TOO.
WE HAVE BEEN
HOLDING ON
FOR SO LONG.
+ HOPING
HELP
us!
PLEASE!
OUR PLANET
WAS ONCE LIKE
A GARDEN,
WITH A
WONDERFUL,
WARM SUN.
BUT ONE DAY,
WE LOST OUR
‘SUN...
AND SUDDENLY
OUR WORLD
BECAME A *
PRISON OF | |
Ice. Wet w~
WE HAVE BEEN We CANT
CLINGING TO HOLD our
LIFE, HOPING
THAT SOMEONE
WOULD COME
AND SAVE US.
PLEASE
LeT us
ON YOUR
SHIP!
PLEASE.
TAKE US
WITH YOU!
HEAR US?
CAN YOU.
HEAR LS?
BLT WHAT CAN
WE 00? THERE'S
NO ROOM IN
OUR LITTLE
ROCK FOR ALL
OF YOU...
We
UNDERSTAND.
BUT CAN'T
YOU TAKE AT
LEAST ONE
IF YOU CAN
TAKE Just ROMY! OUR ROCK \
JUST SWOOPED Ji
DOWN AND HIT AN ”)'
ICE MOUNTAIN!
Seay
CALLED NORVA.
NORVA, ARE YOU.
(OUT THERE?
CREATURE THAT
WAS ON THE TIP’
OF THAT Ice
‘MOUNTAIN?
[
WHATI!? YOU
CAN'T DO THAT.
WE'LL LOSE ALL
OUR ATR! _{ THERE! WE'VE .
\ SEALED UP THE Y 2 - ©
er HOLE... ONLY OuR f
SURVIVAL
sutr.
ARMS FOR J
HOLVING ON
(eit ce
7
Hone) Yea rey
{ONLY Have
UST BE :
HALFLINGS ‘A SINGLE
Ne
WELL, YOU
LOOK PRETTY
STRANGE TO
us, Too.
ARE YOU
‘TWO PEOPLE
OR ONE?
THE PLANET WAS CALLED SLOAN, AND
IT WAS POPULATED BY A RACE OF
HERMAPHRODITES. THE PLANET'S
ENVIRONMENT WAS TOO HARSH FOR
YOU THINK MALES AND FEMALES TO MATE
WE'D BE NORMALLY, SO BOTH SEXES HAD
HOW ELSE DO
ABLE TO
REPRODUCE?
EVOLVED INTO ONE COMBINED BODY. WERE
TRYING
10 GET To
ACTUALLY BEEN
weut... r Havent)
WELL, THERE
ARE SO MANY
PEOPLE ON
EARTH THAT
THEY CAN'T
ACCEPT ANY
OTHER
SPECIES,
PEOPLE OFTEN
PERSECLTE
THOSE
WHO ARE
DIFFERENT
J \ FROM THEM...
TO WHAT WE'VE
ALREADY
EXPERIENCED,
T.DONT THINK
WE'D HAVE ANY
NO MATTER HOW
HORRIBLE THE
196 weee pale
DONT PLAN \0}
‘ON DYING:
witdout
LEAVING ANY
CHILDREN
BEHIND, D0
YOu?
HEY, NOBODY
KNOWS WHEN
THEYRE
EVEN THINK OF
LEAVING
CHILDREN?
WELL, JUST
WHAT ARE
YOU LIVING
FOR...
HMPH...
HOW.
SHOULD T
THEN, ONCE ©
We GIVE
BIRTH, WE DIE
RIGHT AWAY.
© MATTER WHAT, AT
ol LEAST TILL WE
are cutee A CHILDREN. <
WELL, WE'VE |
G6t To
SURVIVE, NO
197 ROMY! ROMY!
T SENSE
‘SOMETHING
‘STRANGE
OUTSIDE
AGAIN! IT's.
SOME KIND OF
SPACESHIP! IT FEELS.
dust LIKE
LIGHTNING.
| CAN YOU TELL
Tr COMES
IN PULSES.
LIKE TT HAs|
HELLO?
HELLO?
IS ANYONE
THERE?
THERE'S NO
REPLY. MAYBE
THEY CAN'T
COMMUNICATE
BY TELEPATHY. TOP OF US!
200 HeY, cur IT
out! You
CANT BREAK
THAT! AND
EVEN IF YOu
0, We WONT
<
Ler YOU IN!
WE'LL 60
UP AND
TELL THEM
TO v1. WELL, T'LL BE
BLASTED... THERE'S ALL
KINDS OF STUFF IN
HERE... AN’ THE TALL
CREATURE THERE... YOU
LOOK LIKE AN OL!
YOU'RE WELL, I'VE
MET TONS
OF SPACE
COLONISTS
BEFORE...
/ BUT I'VE NEVER
RUN INTO ANYONE
WANDERING
IN A HOLLOWED
OUT SPACE ROCK
LIKE THIS... AM, 1 GET Tr.
THE NOSTALGTA-
HOMESICK
STUFF, RIGHT?
Is AN ILLNESS
AL THe
COLONISTS
GET At SOME
Si
Tve Been Wii $0 IT'S NO BIG
GOING Back |} DEAL TO ME...
‘AND FORTH BUT I KNOW
BETWEEN THAT
EARTH AND
OTHER STAR
SYSTEMS FOR
COLONISTS
GET AWFULLY
LONELY FOR
THE OLD
PLANET...
DOESN'T SURPRISE
ME, REALLY... IN THE
VOLD OF SPACE, THAT
BEAUTIFUL BLUE
WATERY ORB REALLY
‘STANDS OUT... THEY
SAY THAT AMONG ALL
THE SOLAR SYSTEMS
OF THE UNIVERSE,
IT'S RARE TO FIND A
PLANET WITH SO
MUCH WATER...
YOU WOULDN'T
HAVE ANYTHING
T COULD EAT
HERE, WOULD
I'VE BEEN
EATING
NOTHING BUT
COMPRESSED
DRY FOOD, AND
FRANKLY, I'M
SICK OF IT
o TELL ME,
HOW FAR
ARE WE
FROM
EARTH
NOW?
FLY STRAIGHT AN’
ITLL TAKE ABOUT
THREE LIGHT
YEARS... DAWDLE,
AN ITLL TAKE
‘MORE THAN A
LIFETIME...
COME TO THINK OF
TT, DO YOU HAVE
I'D TAKE YOU
WITH ME, BUT
I'M HEADED IN
THE OPPOSITE
DIRECTION...
PLEASE... CANT
YOU STAY A LITTLE
LONGER? YOU'VE
GOT TO TELL ME
ABOUT EARTH! NOTHING'S
CHANGED MUCH,
LADY... NOT
COMPARED TO
WHEN YOu
LEFT... ABOUT
113 YEARS
ie
YEP, SAME AS
EVER! BUT WHO
WANTS TO TALK
“AS FOR ME, T
WANT TO GET
Our OF THIS
ROCK... CAN
YOU OPEN
AHOLE FOR
ME AGAIN?
HEY! T'M JUST
A LOWLY
FERRY PILOT...
I'M NO
EXPERT ON
YOU'RE
TRYING TO
HIDE
SOMETHING
FROM ME,
AREN'T YOU?
207 eh
ALL SPACE
COLONISTS
WANT TO HEAR
THE SAME OLD
STORIES, AND
I'M SICK
OF THEM! I SECURED
MY SHIP TO
THIS ROCK!
IT CANT
JUST DRIFT
OFF LIKE
THAT!
BLAST IT!
WHAT'D
100
WRONG?!
HEY! WE'VE
GOTTA STOP
THAT SHIP!
YOU'VE GOTTA
4)
y—
THIS ROCK FLIes
ON ITS OWN. WE
COULDN'T CONTROL
TT, EVEN IF WE
WANTED TO. YOU TRAPPED
ME! YOU WANTED
TO TRAP ME
INSIDE THIS
DONT WORRY,
MISTER. OUR ROCK
IS STILL FLYING.
AND WE'LL
EVENTUALLY ARRIVE
ON EARTH.
YOU TAKE
ME FOR
IF THERE'S A
COLONIZED
PLANET
SOMEWHERE IN THE HALOS
STAR SYSTEM.
MAYBE
Ut
LOOKS BLUE... 212
T KNOW IT
DOES, LADY...
BUT NOBODY
EVER GOES
NEAR IT...
IT’S BETTER
NOT TO LAND
THERE...
JUST BECALISE.
AMONG SPACE
PILOTS, SOME
PLANETS ARE
JUST TABOO...
AND VERDOVE
B IS ONE OF DONT BLAME ME IF
ALL HELL BREAKS
Loose... I've GOT
A REALLY BAD
FEELING ABOUT
THIS... HEY! COME
BACK! IT'S
DANGEROUS
OUT THERE! = LIKE THEY I WONDER
SAY, THE WHAT KIND
WISE MAN OF
STAYS AWAY PROPULSION
FROM
DANGER... LDONT ;
SENSE Is YOU'RE
ANYTHING.
T DON'T EVEN
COME ON
IN! THE
WATER'S
FINE!
DON'T SENSE
ANYTHING
WRONG, DO
YOU, KOM? smn (ae
AY (Se
Eaat
KS I GUESS
THERE ARE NO
ANIMALS, AND
CERTAINLY NO
WE DON'T SEE
A SINGLE
DEAD TREE
OR LEAF
Bar THE
SUNLIOHT’S WARM
AND THERE'S LOTS
(OF WATER... IF
YOURE LOOKING
FOR APLACE TO
50,0 You WANT
To MAKE THIS
YOUR NEW HOME?
LIVE, NORVA,
THIS MIGHT NOT
THAT ALL OF THE
PLANT LIFE HERE'S
THE SAME COLOR
OF GREEN?
RIGHT. IT’S
Just THE
WAY OUI
OLD PLANET
USED TO BE!
THE MOUNTAINS
AND THE FIELDS
HERE ARE ALL
THE SAME
SHADE OF
GREEN...
219 THE GREY
COLOR ON
THOSE
MOLINTAIN
RIDGES IS
EXPANDING!
we ES wiHeRe’s|
Bee) BUT LET'S ene ep
1 a fy
(ee
9 ay
ine
oe a en :
2. 2 i
AS
ee
wis Ze
sp a $y ns Bue
“e ALL THE TREES
AND GRASS ARE
ALL CHANGING
AND TURNING
INTO A GREY
STICKY MASS.
\\\ some KIND OF GREY
WE'RE BEING
GOBBLED UP BY
‘SUBSTANCE.
WE'VE GOT TO GET
BACK TO THE SHIP
RIGHT AWAY! 224 I
GUYS THIS.
PLANET'S
TOLD YOU
WEVE GOT TO TAKE
OFF RIGHT AWAY!
CLOSE THE DOOR! ONCE, AT PLAN
THERE'S NOT A A SPACE rinets oe
ININUTE TO Lose! ‘STATION,
sta HUMANS! AND
iEARD THEY USE CLEAN
TO ATTRACT US,
LIke BAIT!!
AIR AND GREENERY WEL TRY To
REACH HER
TELEPATH-
226 we
DEFINITELY
USED uP
ONE OF
OUR NINE
LIVES...
ust GOES
To SHOW IT's
BETTER TO
AVOID TABOO
Look! THE \
GREY AREA'S
ONLY A LITTLE
SPOT, NOW.
Youre KIDDING?!
YOU REALLY THINK
THE WHOLE PLANET
JUST SITS AND INORGANIC
WATTS FOR MATERIAL,
LUNSUSPECTING
SPACE TRAVELERS
TO WANDER BY? allie | PEOPLE?
°)
NS )
THEY SAY THAT ONE IN A | d LISTEN, KID... TKNOW
HUNDRED PLANETS IS THIS SHIP RUNS OFF
TABOO, LIKE THIS ONE.. ‘SOME SORT OF PSYCHIC
THAT'S WHY WE SPACE POWER YOU'VE,
PILOTS STAY AWAY..
KNOW YOU WANT TO MAKE IT TO
INOTHER ” Ener, AND YOLIVE PROBABLY
WORDS,
VOune, 967 US ON COURSE FOR THERE... J 1 SAto, IF
THE EARTH
YOU'RE THERE ARE
TONS OF
SPACE
COLONISTS
JUST LIKE
YOU, WHO
232
THERE'S NO END
TO THEM! SOME
WHENEVER T
MEET THEM, T
ALWAYS TELL
THEM IT'S
USELESS, BUT
THEY DON'T
&..BUT THIS CAN'T
BE! THERE'S NO WAY
T CAN BELIEVE THIS! T'M FROM
EARTH AND
WHAT SAY WE
TAKE THIS
ROCK-SHIP
WE'RE GOING TO
EARTH! EVEN IF
Irs Just A
BURNED-OUT
‘SHELL, I’M
“> TAKING ROMY
To Zr! SEARCH THE
WHOLE
UNIVERSE AND
YOU'LL STILL
NEVER FIND IT!
IT'S GONE!
234
I CAN'T SEE
ANY STARS
WE'RE TRAVELING
Ly FASTER THAN THE
ee? OF Lie! WHAT MAKIMUIRA WAS:
SEEING WAS NOT THE
USUAL STARFIELD, BUT A
DIMLY LIT SPACE, FILLED
WITH GLOBES OF LIGHT,
THAT MOVED ABOLIT IN
EVER-CHANGING
AMOEBA-LIKE SHAPES,
THE ROCK-SHIP WAS
TRAVELING IN SPACE WARP
MODE. IT WAS, IN EFFECT,
ENGAGED IN A TYPE OF
TELEPORTATION...
235 DIFFERENT
|PIMENSTON!
BEGGING
UNIVERSE,
EITHER, WHAT'D
YOU SAY?! THAT'S OUR OWN
GALAXY! WE'VE
EXITED OUR OWN
GALAXY, THE
MILKY WAY!
IT'S THE
SYSTEM WE
LIVE IN...
THOSE ARE
I'M PROBABLY NEIGHBORING
THE FIRST AND ™ UNIVERSES... OUR
LAST HUMAN TO JF WHAT'RE THOSE Morya tone
EVER SEE OUR PAINT THINGS Ine coneoeen OF
GALAXY FROM FLOATING TRILLIONS OF
THE OUTSIDE... IN SPACE? sr THE SHIP MOVED WITH A FORCE
THAT WENT BEYOND THAT OF RAW
SPEED, TAKING THEM THROLIGH
BILLIONS OF LIGHT YEARS IN BLT
“YA FLASH. IN ANOTHER INSTANT, THE
F MILKY WAY WAS REDUCED TO A
SPECK OF LIGHT, FLOATING AMONG
COUNTLESS OTHER, SWIRLING
GALAXIES. AND STILL, THE LITTLE
SHIP CONTINUED ON. WE SEEM
“) HEADED TO
A SPECIFIC
ONE...
fy KOM MUST HAVE BEEN
THINKING ABOUT
LANDING ON SOME
PLANET SOMEWHERE...
DOES HIS
JUST THINKING
‘ABOUT IT TAKE
US THERE?! WE'RE
PLUNGING
INTO THE STAR
SYSTEM!!
LOOK! THERE'S A
SOLAR SYSTEM WITH
A SUN AND PLANETS!
HOW STRANGE...
LOOK, MAKIMURA-
SAN... IT LOOKS
JUST LIKE EARTH! WELL, IT 15.
ANOTHER:
UNIVERSE,
SIGN OF
LIFE Here
THIS LOOKS
UST LIKE LET'S TAKE
A LOOK \w\lr Wi;
Wy “ai ile lili,
SNAKES? THEIR \
FACES LOOK
MORE LIKE THE,
BAD GUYS IN I CAN'T GET ANY
RESPONSE. I ONLY
SENSE SOMETHING
COLD AND
REPTILIAN.
WHY THEY JusT
STARE AT US? HEY, LOOK UP
IN THE SKY!!
ae so Se oS WOW... HE'S
STILL AT IT...
HE'S BEEN
EATING FOR COME HERE.
LOOK! THIS
ISN'T SKIN!
IT's JUST
IT DOESN'T
EVEN KNOW
WE'RE HERE! DON'T THEY HAVE
ANYTHING LIKE THIS
WHY DID YOU
CREATE
SOMETHING SO
RIDICULOUS?!?
WELL, THERE IS
AN OLD GERMAN
LEGEND ABOUT A
GOLEM, OR A MAN
MADE OF CLAY...
THIS Guy's
DIFFERENT, LIKE THE
LADY SAID,
I GIVE up!
I DON'T
S, UNDERSTAND
THIS THING IT FEELS
IT'S GETTING
CLOSER AND
CLOSER! IT'S ONLY A
BUNCH OF
BELIEVE
IT! THIS
PLACE IS
CRAZY! CREATURE
WAS SMASHED
BY THE GIANT P
ROLLERS!
256
J _LooKs LiKe
THIS PLACE IS
RULED BY
EVOLVED ORES:
AND MINERALS,
NOT
BIOLOGICAL THE SHIP'S
‘SURROUNDED
BY THE
) ROLLERS!
Looks Like
THEY'RE
PREPARED TO
SMASH INTO IT! /] tN
vehi
ite
ah ‘gh Pe cotiaoe mone
LIKE THAT... ee
WE'RE IN
TROUBLE,
KOM... CANT
YOU HELP US
HIGH THE
ROLLERS'VE
STACKED
THEMSELVES: OP \ 0
a | sO
lal |
rye WELL, AT LEAST
THEY DIONT SMASH
US LIKE THEY DID
THE MUD PIE
FIVE HUNDRED
BILLION WORLDS!
I SURE HOPE THAT
WASN'T THE BEST
OF ‘EM...
<= HOW CRAZY
THE REST OF
‘EM MIGHT
BE...
263 ONCE MORE, OUR
VOYAGERS LEFT THE
STELLAR SYSTEM,
INSTANTANEOUSLY
LEAPING BILLIONS
OF PARSECS.* THEY
TRAVELED ON,
WANDERING
THROUGH AN
ENDLESS OCEAN
KOM... I'VE
HAD ENOUGH.
LET'S GO
BACK TO
EDEN 17
TOGETHER...
morn WE'VE COME ALL BESIDES,
THE WAY TO THE EDEN 17 1S
EDGE OF THE , LIKE MY
UNIVERSE, AND oe SECOND
WE'RE NOT LIKELY * HOME...
TO FIND A PLANET x I'M EVEN
LIKE EARTH . io ‘STARTING
HERE... =
I CAN SEE IT
IN YOUR FACE, “HONE? HAH!
WHAT'S THE
BIG DEAL
ABOUT EARTH,
--BUT
NEVER MISS
THE PLACE,
T SPENT
‘THe FIRST
‘SEVENTEEN
LL Years oF
— MY LIFE IN
A STERILE
GLass
CHAMBER... YOU MUST
BE
FRANKLY,
WE'RE
«-THE JEWS
LOST THEIR
LAND AND
WERE
SCATTERED
AROUND THE
WORLD...
WELL, LET ME ASK THIS,
THEN. IF EARTH'S SUCH I GOTTA HAND
IT To YOU,
KOM... YOU
DON'T GIVE
UP EASILY,
90 YOu?
THE SHIPS HERE WE
ARE AGAIN...
MAYBE WE'VE
REALLY MADE IT
TO EARTH THIS
TIME, KOM...
FOLKS!
268 HEY, IN A
GALAXY THIS BIG,
THERE'S BOUND
TO BE ONE PLANET
WITH ISLANDS: WE'RE IN THE
MIDDLE OF
NOWHERE,
BILLIONS OF
PARSECS FROM
OUR OWN GALAXY!
270 271 MAKIMURA-
SAN! PULL
HER UP!
LIKE ALIVE
THE WHOLE
LANDING SITE'S
WIRE! SHE'S <9
THIS
CAN'T BE
HAPPENING...
272 WITH ITS INVITING
"GREENERY," AND WHAT
APPPEARED TO BE
ROLLING FIELDS FULL
OF FRUIT AND PRODUCE,
WHO COULD POSSIBLY
HAVE GUESSED THAT
THE PLANET WAS
REALLY LIKE A GIANT
ELECTRIC CHAIR...?
os Fos
y Ores: YX EVERY TREE,
EVERY BLADE
OF GRASS,
WAS FAKE,
LIKE FANCY GROUND MERCILESSLY.
IN THE MIDST OF ALL
THIS, POOR ROMY HAD
FUNCTIONED LIKE A
LIGHTNING ROD, WHILE
KOM, BEING A SMALLER
OBJECT, HAD ESCAPED
‘A DIRECT HIT.
WAS TORN BY
CONTINUAL
FLASHES AND
gy, EXPLOSIONS. (ON THE OTHER
HAND, WITH
UP LOOKING JUST LIKE BILLIONS AND
EARTH?! TT SURE DOESNT TRILLIONS OF
SEEM LIKELY THAT HEAVENLY
SOMETHING LIKE THIS
WOULD HAPPEN TOTALLY
WORLD THIS PLACE WOUND
BUT I DONT
WANT A PLANET,
THAT LOOKS
LIKE EARTH!
WANT THE
—_
277 I HAVE TO
APOLOGIZE TO YOU,
KOM... I LIED TO
PROTECT ROMY.
TRUTH OF THE
MATTER IS, I JUST
DIDN'T WANT HER TO
ZY YOU LIED To
Us!?! THEN TO TELL YOU
THE TRUTH, IT]
v N
YOU CAN STEER
THIS SHIP
SORT OF PSYCHIC
POWER, BUT YOU'LL |
NEVER BE ABLE TO
LAND THERE... a\ y . (OTHER
COLONISTS
LEAVE EARTH,
THEY'RE
NEVER
ALLOWED
BACK! IF THEY
TRY TO
RETURN,
THEY'RE
ATTACKED. AND.
THEN IT's
CURTAINS
ONLY SPECTAL
PATROLS AND FERRY
PILOTS LIKE MYSELF
ARE ALLOWED IN AND,
OUT OF EARTH'S WHY? IT's
SIMPLE. ‘CAUSE
THERE ARE TOO
MANY PEOPLE ON
EARTH, THAT'S
WHY. WHY ELSE
DO YOU THINK
SO MANY PEOPLE fia
LEFT EARTH FOR
OTHER PLANETS
IN THE FIRST
PLACE?! THERE'S
NOT ENOUGH
PEOPLE
“== LEPT BARTH -
TO COLONIZE
ALL SORTS
OF OTHER
PLANETS, BUT
THEY JUST
KEPT
INCREASING
rc
! AND AFTER LIVING
IN OLITERSPACE,
THE COLONISTS
EVENTUALLY ALL
BECAME NOSTALGIC
FOR BARTH. THEY
BECAME HOMESICK!
IT’S A NATURAL |
REACTION FOR |
PEOPLE BORN |,
THERE, I GUESS... ||
Cag
CAME BACK
Nera
IN aa 5 ih
THERE WAS
NO WAY THE
[| 22 1 veciston
WAS MADE TO LIMIT |
RETURNS. IN OTHER .. RETURN
IMMIGRATION WELL, THAT
WAS AGES
TODAY'S
GOING TO
HELL IN A
use YouR HANDBASKET
PSYCHIC es
POWERS
if TO TAKE
: THIS SHIP
a BACK TO
0
SEVERAL HUNDREDS OF YEARS AGO,
AROUND THE END OF THE TWENTIETH
CENTURY, PEOPLE USED TO TALK ALL
THE TIME ABOUT ECOLOGY AND
BEING ZARTH-FRIENDLY... IVE Never Hearo Yi)
285 COULDN'T BRING MYSELF TO LEAVE POOR
ROMY AND KOM ON THE EDGE OF THE UNIVERSE.
$0 I HELPED THEM LEAVE THE STRANGE LITTLE
PLANET THEY HAD JUST VISITED, AND MOVED
THEM CLOSER TO THE REAL EARTH. BY
TRAVELING THROUGH DIFFERENT DIMENSIONS,
IT IS NOT DIFFICULT TO MOVE FROM ONE EN?
OF THE COSMOS TO THE OTHER... nev?! WHAT'S
GOING ON?! THIS
IS THE MILKY WAY!
THE STAR CLUSTERS
AND GASEOUS
NEBULAE ARE JUST
THE WAY I
*)_ REMEMBER 'EM!
2
rd
287 HOW CAN
THE MILKY
WAY BE
gust LOOKS LIKE A
SPACESHIP, BLIT
IVS DEFINITELY
NOT FROM
WHA?! WHO THE C
HECK ARE YOU?! AS LONG AS T
HAVE THIS
‘SPECIAL CANE
HERE, I CAN
FIND MY
WAY INTO
ANYTHING,
EASY AS PIE.
OF COURSE Nor.
BUT A FERRY
PILOT LIKE YOU
SURELY KNOWS
THERE ARE
LoTs oF
UNREGISTERED
DONT BE
AFRAID, MY
FRIEND. TM
JUST AN
ORDINARY
BUSINESSMAN.
UST DOING
WHAT KIND OF
PLANET WOULD
PRODUCE SUCH
HEH HEH HEH...
TM FROM KELPO
49 AND 1 GO BY
THE NAME OF
2UDARBAN. 1
KNOW I DONT
LOOK LIKE TT,
BUT T's ACTUALLY
A DESCENDANT
OF EARTH
COLONISTS
MYSELF...
YOURE LYING!
THERE'S NO
COLONIZED
PLANET REGISTERED
UNDER THE NAME
OF KELPO 49!
WELL, 1 DONT
TRUST YOU... TLL
BET YOU'RE TRYING
TO SNEAK ONTO
EARTH, AREN'T YOU?!
HEH HEH HEH..
‘ME? WHY,
FIRST OFF, WITH THIS KIND
OF FACE, HOST PEOPLE ON
EARTH PROBABLY MISTAKE
ME FOR & COMMON RAT! YOU HAVE WELL, TM A NCA WHAT Is IT
PROBLEMS, FACILITATOR. YOU NEED?
CAN MAKE WHAT DO You
want?
RIGHT? AND
YOU NEED f
SOMEONE'S ' , WELL, MR.
HELP, DO FERRY PILOT?
YOu NOT?
HEH HEH HEH
AND WHAT ABOUT YOU, MY
LITTLE BOY...? T'D SAY
YOU HAVE SOME MOOPTE
BLOOD IN You.
I DO! ROMY HERE HAS
BEEN HURT. SHE CAN'T
MOVE OR ANYTHING...
IT'S ALMOST LIKE
SHE'S DEAD...
My FEE WILL
BE... YOUR
MOTHER!
I WANT YOUR
MOTHER! FOR
BUSINESSMEN
LIKE ME, LIVE
MOOPIES ARE
AN EXTREMELY
VALUABLE
AND THEY'RE
TOUGH, TOO.
THEY CAN
SURVIVE IN ANY
ENVIRONMENT.
THIS LADY
OR HERMIT
MOOPIES CAN
CHANGE INTO
ANYTHING
THEY LIKE...
50 YOU CAN TAKE
“EM ANYWHERE. ON
ALL THE PLANETS,
EVERYBODY WANTS
ONE. THEY'RE A ,
SALEMAN'S DREAM!
WELL, WHAT DO
YOU SAY? WANT
ME TO FIX YOUR
FRIEND? IF SO,
JUST GIVE ME
THE WORD! T'M SURE YOU'LL
MULTIPLY LIKE
AND WHAT “(Axo waar agour You
ABOUT YOU, - LITTLE FOLKS?
MY FRIEND? IS THERE ANYTHING
ANYTHING:
YOU WANT?
ABOUT A
ROCKET? A USED
‘ONE'S FINE.
TILL GIVE You
100,000
CREDITS.
WE'D LIKE TO HAVE A NEW
PLACE TO LIVE. WE WANT
‘ANEW PLANET WHERE
WE CAN MULTIPLY.
Pe
WELL, IF YOU
PUT YOUR NAME
ON THE LIST, I
CAN GET BACK
HOW ABOUT
A MILLION
YEAR LOAN? 296 THIS
THING
USES 529
KINDS OF
ENZYMES
AND 364
KINDS OF
we;
et (
WHAT DO YOU
THINK,
MAKIMURA-SAN?
DO YOU SEE
SOMETHING IS
DIFFERENT!
BUT WAIT...
SOME-
THING'S A
BIT ODD...
TURNING AND HER
DARKER! SKIN 299 ROMY! YouR BEHOLD
HANDS ARE SO YOURSELF IN
‘SOFT! YOU'RE
COMPLETELY
DIFFERENT
FROM
BEFORE! WONDERFUL!
I CAN'T
BELIEVE IT!
YOU CAN'T SEE
IT Yer, BUT
THAT'S THE SUN
OVER THERE...
See IT
SHINING?!
301 THAT'S THE
SUN?! YOU MEAN
MY HOME'S
RIGHT NEXT TO
THAT STAR?!
I CAN'T
BELIEVE
THIS! I'M
EARTH'S
RIGHT IN
FRONT OF
us!!
SOON I'LL BE ABLE
TO SEE GREEN
WORKING AS A
SPACE PILOT,
SOMETIMES THE
SCALE OF TIME
N THE UNIVERSE:
T WANT TO LIVE AS
LONG AS THE
UNIVERSE... THERE
MUST BE SOMETHING TT WOULD
BE BEST
NOT TO
LISTEN, T DON'T
NEED ANY
MORALISTIC
I's A BIRD
THAT FLIES
AROUND THE
YOUNE
GOTTA BE
KIDUING!
A‘BIRD"
THAT FLIES
IN SPACE?
WELL, SEEKING \
RESUVENATION'S.
ONE THING... TO
WANT TO LIVE AS
LONG as THE
UNIVERSE 15 4
TOTALLY
aust WANT
TO KNOW
IF Irs
Ad, BUT IT's
TRUE. THERE
ARE EVEN PEOPLE
WHO CLAIM TO
HAVE ACTUALLY
‘SEEN TT...
WELL, HAVE
YOU EVER
THEY SAY THAT
ANYONE WHO
DRINKS ITS
BLOOD BECOMES
IMMORTAL, AND
Lives FoREveR!
303 TT DOESNT
IF You
BELIeve Ir
OR NOT.
marter To me |
I FOUND THIS
THING DRIFTING
IN SPACE.
THERE WAS
NOBODy IN IT, 4
SO I FIGURE
THE CREW HAD
EITHER DIED OR
ABANDONED SS
~Qo0og0o8
QO
i.
°:
305 SYSOP WELL, DON'T
ASK STUPID
QUESTIONS...
WELL, 11's NAMED APTER
AFAIRY TALE LIKE THE RIP \Y ITS JUST LIKE
~_ INIT, BEING A SPACE FERRY
PILOT... WE TRAVEL
HUNDREDS OF LIGHT
YEARS BETWEEN
PLANETS IN A COLD-
SLEEP STATE...
BASICALLY
TABOO
FOR US.
INTO AN OLD sereR We Reach \//
EARTH, T'LL PROBABLY
NEVER SEE YOU
AGAIN, EITHER. THE NEXT
MORNING,
MAKIMURA TOOK
OFF IN HIS NEW
SPACESHIP,
THIS TIME
HEADED FOR THE
REAL GARTH. THE
CREW ALSO
INCLUDED
WHAT APPEARED
TO BE THREE
ROBOTS... WELL, HERE
WE ARE, ON
THIS 15
MAKIMURA. GORO
MAKIMURA. TD
COVE 4RQ-3378! THIS IS WHERE
MOST OF THE
COLONISTS
TRYING TO
SNEAK ONTO
EARTH ARE
CAUGHT BY
PATROLS. 314 OUT ALREADY!
TCANT STAND
BEING INSIDE
THIS ROBOT
SHELL!
WELL, IF
IT ISNT
MAKIMIRA!
COME BACK TO
EARTH, EH? RIGHT?
Maree
OUGHTA RIP
OFF THEIR
SHELLS, BH?
HEY, T HALL THIS
iT SO?
STUFF HERE, THAT'S we
WELL, T
ALL! CABBAGES, DON'T THINK
SARDINE HEADS... We
I DON'T CARE T
WHAT'S INSIDE! MIS TO.
OURSELVES, WE'LL STOW
HIM WAY IN
THE BACK,
WHERE NO-
‘ONE'LL HEAR
HIM IF HE
YELLS...
318
THREE DAYS
WITHOUT WATER
AND FOOD HE
WON'T HAVE.
AND BESIDES,
ITLL 82 THE
LAST TLL EVER!
‘SEE OF HIM!
ONCE T’M IN
OUTERSPACE, WELL, ‘GUESS T
D0 HAVE A SOFT
SPOT FOR SOME
PEOPLE... BUT TLL
LOSE MY LICENSE
al aan WY
nl a
| il I) i ent RICH?
a TNS HE SAID THE
REJUVENATION
PROCESS HAS
ASIDE
EFFECT!
THAT MAKING
YOU YOUNGER
PUTS UNDUE
STRESS ON
YOUR CELL
STRUCTURE...
THAT AS A
RESULT YOU'LL
AGE FASTER
THAN EVER, AND
DIe IN THREE
DAYS...
TWO DAYS HAVE
ALREADY PASSED
SINCE WE LANDED,
SO THAT MEANS
YOU'VE ONLY GOT
ONE DAY LEFT...
TRUE, 2
MAKIMURAL! Si
Say IT'S a
Nor! (
WZ NOT AFTER YOU'VE
COME SO FAR
AND BEEN THROUGH
$0 MUCH, ROMY!
HOW CAN YOU HAVE
ONLY ONE MORE
DAY TO LIVE??
IT'S NOT FAIR!
I ALWAYS:
DREAMED OF
BEING ABLE
TO RETURN
TO EARTH
$0 IF I DO DIE
HERE, I’LL AT
LEAST DIE
SATISFIED...
BUT YOUR
YOU'VE DONE )
| Lire
EVERYTHING
POSSIBLE TO [ eel
{END HERE...
LEAD Me BACK pease
TO GO BACK
TO EDEN 17 15 N =. WITH, COME BACK
TON tiv one | | “Aeee’en
TALKING TOO Day Lert, | | THREE Days,
MUCH, ROMY. YOu KOM, AND
YOU DON'T HAVE ° BETTER TLL TAKE
ALL THE TIME IN MAKE THE YOU BACK
Most TO YOUR
Zz OF Ir.
TLL BE
AND ONE OTHER
HERE IN THE THERE'S THING... TELL KNOW
ANYTHING | | KOM TO LET ME WHERE...
You NEED, | | KNOW WHERE BECAUSE T
YOU SPEND YOUR DON'T INTEND
LAST HOURS TO ABANDON
YOUR BODY
322 Tee HEE HEE
HEE. .I KNEW
UP TO, YOUNG
FELLA.
WHAT YOU WERE.
TLL Just
TAKE BACK
THIS OLD
ROCKET
HERE... AND
KEEP THE
100,000 AS A
RE-STOCKING i HM.
woser
i | iGatens
|
|
| ~
ane! I AND JUST
DON'T
WORRY!
TILL MAKE
IT WORK!
8...BUT T
DON'T KNOW
HOW TO.
DRIVE, KOM!
326 WK
m3
230504
9SS5C CAR REALLY
FOLLOWS
ORDERS! 5
ai T THING WE'RE
IN SOME KIND
OF INDUSTRIAL
‘AREA, ROMY.
THERERE
STRANGE
VIBRATIONS
HERE.
—
BUT THERE'S NO
WATER HERE, AND
NOWHERE TO THIS LOOKS
LIKE A FUEL
DEPOT FOR
SPACESHIPS.
YY ‘ THERE'S A
= maNHoLe
LOOKS LIKE \
IT GOES ON
KA aa
Na H
), THERE MUST FOREVER!
BE, ROMY! IF We fil TLL NEVER ii
arn al
334 TT Must BE TO. ANP THE WATER
‘DRAIN WATER MUST FLOW INTO
Ouro THE © _ACANALOR
FACTORY. SOMETHING,
THERE'S A
SICKENING
‘SMELL
WE MIGHT
Ivis FIND A WAY
8...BUT WHAT IF
WE'RE WRONG?
335 KOM!
STAY CLOSE!
336 1H
THEY'RE COMING
APTER ME!
THEY APPARENTLY WANT
To BAT US, ROMY!!
HELP ME,
KOM! HELP! UH OW. HE
(SPOTTED us! ROMY! ROMY!
WE'RE SAVED!
WE WERE IN
SOME KIND
OF mes
DEPARTMENT OF
PRECISION
MACHINERY,
WHERE TWAS
BORN, I WAS
TAUGHT THE
THREE
PRINCIPLES...
Tar was AN Meomeero
ae ae HELP YOU...
CAR, AND IT
PROBABLY
WOULD HAVE
KILLED YOU!
WE WERE
BEING
CHASED
MN
WHENEVER A
HUMAN IS IN
DANGER, WE
‘MUST DO
EVERYTHING TO
HELP THEM...
-- SUST
LIKE THE
CREATURES
We MET
SPACE.
YOU SURE ARE
STRANGE.
1 CAN HEAR WHAT
YOU SAY, BUT T
CAN'T SENSE
ANYTHING FROM
YOUR HEART.
YOURE]
IN LISTEN,
CHIHIRO...
ROMY'S LOOKING
FOR A PLACE WITH
‘SOME PLACE WITH
BIRDS AND BEES,
BUT VERY QUIET,
AND WITH NO ONE
CLEAN WATER, ‘AROUND. YOU KNOW
TREES, AND (OF ANY PLACE
FLOWERS... LIKE THAT?
OveR THERE
: THIS ISA 1S TOKO.
FACTORY IISA
COMPLEX. TAM RESIDENTIAL
ONE OF THE AREA. WHAT
ENGINEERS. YOU ARE
LOOKING FOR
IS NOT
THERE...
THERE 15 OVER
7WO HUNDRED
KILOMETERS
OF DESERT
THERE... THE DESERT
AREAS ARE
PLACES WE
PEVELOPED
ap
Bur WHY
WOULD NOW WHATEVER
youro WE DO THERE
aurine | OBE
THING ORvE!
STUPID? ”
MEMORY FILE, THERE
USED TO BE A SPRING
406 KILOMETERS WEST-
NORTHWEST OF HERE...
343, DONT.
HOW CAN HUMANS MAKE
12 BILLION ROBOTS
LIKE CHIHTRO, AND
STILL TRY TO KEEP
THEIR OWN KIND FROM
RETURNING FROM
THe STARS?
yo 4
WHY IS A ROBOT
WITHOUT A HEART,
LIKE CHIHIRO, SO
KIN? TO US, WHILE
ALL THE HUMANS TRY
TO KILL us?
I GUESS T
Kc SUST DONT
UNDERSTAND
LC EaRTH AT ALL.
AND WHY
WOULP ROMY
WANT TO
RETURN
To THIS
PLACE SO
BADLY? THE PAIR CONTINUED ON AND ON, WITH
NOTHING MORE THAN A VAST WASTELAND
BEFORE THEM. WHAT HA? ONCE BEEN A
PEACEFUL LAND OF PRETTY BIRDS AND ANIMALS,
WAS NOW A BARREN DESERT, CAPABLE OF
SUPPORTING LITTLE MORE THAN THE
OCCASIONAL FLY, ANT OR —
345 SOME NATLIRE OLIT HERE... USED TO BE ONE, BUT WE © TT WITH TILE,
AND THAT T'D FIND PUT IN ADIVING BOARD ‘CLI. OTHERWISE
eS TO MAKE IT MORE FUN. _{ YER FEET SLIP...
Ke 7 SAY, LOOK AT
(THe cure Lime
‘MAMA NAPPIN'
SHE'S NOT
NAPPING! SHE'S:
UNCONSCIOUS! SOMETHING
‘ABOUT HER
‘ONLY
HAVING
HALF A DAY
TO LIVE? SO SHE'S COME ALL
THIS WAY TO EARTH,
ONLY TO DIE, BH?
‘AND YOU'VE
GOT THE
GOVERNMENT
(ON YOUR
TAIL, TOO?
50 BASICALLY,
T’M JUST LIKE
YOU GUYS!
BUT DON'T
WORRY, FOX'LL
HELP YOU
IF YOU HANG
AROUND HERE
TOO LONG,
THE COPS'LL
FIND YOU. 351 WE'RE HERE!
‘SOME NICE
PEOPLE
CALLED FOX
‘ { SALLY LED
US HERE!
352 T REMEMBER! YOU CAN SAY THAT.
AGAIN BUT THERE'S
‘SOMETHING EVEN
MORE INTERESTING
354
‘AN AWFUL LOT MUST
HAVE HAPPENED
WHILE I WAS
> UNCONSCIOUS,
DIDN'T IT, KOM?
THERE! CAN YOU FEEL
IT? I'S Just LIke
MUSIC. SOUNDS LIKE
"CHIRP CHIRP CHIR! YOU'RE RIGHT,
KOM! THOSE
ARE BIRDS
SINGING!
THEY'RE
LITTLE
FINCHES!
355 AND THIS,
eo AND THE!
SUN'S
STARTING
To Set!
i
jars THE ROCKET YOU \
CAME IN ON TOOK
OFF WITHOUT
PERMISSION...
THE ILLEGAL
MIGRANTS YOU
SMUGGLED IN
STOLE AN AIRCAR. HOWEVER... THERE
15 SOMETHING YOU
CAN DO TO ATONE
FOR YOUR CRIMES...
(
RIGHT...
We ARE
WILLING
TOBE
LENIENT
WITH YOU...
“PROVIDED
you 60 our
8...BUT ONE
OF THEM 1S
GOING TO
DIE INA
PUNISHMENT!
Pn
NO! You 7
MUST DO
358 By My
CALCULATIONS,
SHE'S ONLY GOT
TWO OR THERE
HOURS LEFT...
TLL NEVER BE
ABLE TO FIND
HER IN THE I NEVER
THOUGHT
WE'D MEET
YES... SOME
MOTORCYCLE
NO TIME FOR
JOKING!
T TRIED TO ‘BUT WHEN THE
UNFORTUNATELY, EXPLAIN UD ES TOLD We
I HAVE TO KILL THINGS AS THE SE: oe
BOTH OF YOU... BEST AST COMMITTEE WOULD
SEND ME TO A
PRISON PLANET, I
HAD NO CHOICE.
COULD. You KNOW
THAT ROMY
ONLY HAS A
FEW HOURS TO
Live, RIGHT?!!
FINALLY SEEN
HOW CRUEL ny own
AND INHUMAN pi mere
THIS PLACE Far BETTER
CALLED
363 YOU'LL BE
LEAVING FOR
SPACE AGAIN
SOON... SO
YOU'D BETTER
eNJoy IT
WHILE YOU.
SUNSET...
MPH...
Iris
AMAZING,
ISN'T IT... MAYBE SOME
IT'S FUNNY... ANCIENT
I'VE NO.
MEMORY OF MEMORY IS
EVER BURNED INTO
SEEING IT MY BRAIN, OF
AS ACHILD... MY DISTANT
ANCESTORS
ENJOYING THE
‘SUNSET
EVERY DAY...)
BEFORE YOU IF YOU EVER STOP BY
SHOOT ME, EDEN 17 IN THE
MAKIMURA-SAN. .. FUTURE, WOULD YOU
T HAVE A FAVOR BURY MY REMAINS
TO ASK. THERE? IT'S WHERE
MY HUSBAND'S
BURIED, TOO...
YOU MAY
PULL THE
TRIGGER L.. I SHALL
DEAR = NEVER FORGET
KOM...
YOUR
KINDNESS...
366 FOR BETTER OR
WORSE, ROMY
DIED BEFORE T
COULD SHOOT
HER... BUT
YOU'RE STILL
HERE...
THE COMMITTEE WON'T
BELIEVE Me UNLESS I
GIVE THEM SOME PROOF
THAT YOU'RE DEAD! YOU'RE BLEEDING
A POND, SLOWLY
EMERGED FROM,
THE SURFACE OF
THE WATER... Pose
FORGIVE
‘ME, ROMY...
FORGIVE
MAYBE THIS
HAND'LL BE AFTER MAKIMURA LEFT AND THE SUN SET,
THE LAKE WAS SHROUDED IN A CHILLY
SILENCE. YET IN A SHELTERED AREA ALONG
THE SHORE, A SINGLE LOTUS-LIKE FLOWER
BLOSSOMED IN THE WATER. PERHAPS IT
WAS ANOTHER INCARNATION OF KOM.
PERHAPS, IN HIS LAST DESPERATE PLEA TO
HIS MOTHER, KOM HAD SUDDENLY REGAINED
THE MOOPIES' HEREDITARY ABILITY TO
TRANSFORM THEMSELVES AT WILL.
4
371 Be
_ Se B Fahd
Bc tl Fe
trot!
biol
2 RE
eee WHAT IS THIS
THING THAT
BROUGHT
IF YOU WANT
PERMISSION TO
HUNT, THEN YOU
SHOULD ASK OUR BUT OUR
QUEEN IS
EARTH,
SHE HAS
NEVER LEFT|
T PERSONALLY
DELIVERED
THIS SO-
caLtep Romy — TELL ME
HERE IS THE
ACTUALLY A TRUTH!
‘MOOPI!
rE,
ISN'T SHE!? MOOPIES caN CHANGE
THEMSELVES INTO
of
RW
A CLEAN LITTLE
TOWN, BUT
NOT MUCH TO
WE DO NOT DON'T BELIEVE
J TOLERATE Me, YOU MAY GO
Hp SUCH THE PALACE AND
Oo
Dp BLASPHEMY
Paar nama 2
Ee eea ) Neate
BUT IF YOu
PLANET LIKE
THIS... Bur You're
Just ABOUT
THE AGE ROMY
BECAME
AFTER 1
PUT HER WELL, THEN, YOUR
HARDSHIPS,
T GAVE BIRTH
TO AON,
AND T NAMED
HIM ‘CAIN.’
DOES THAT
ANSWER
YOUR
QUESTION?
TILL STAY A BIT
‘AND SEE IF I
CAN 90 SOME
BUSINESS:
HERE AFTER
(OH, DONT YOU
WORRY. OLD THIS TOWN IS
TOO CLEAN
AND SIMPLE.
ee) Basil Zo
5
+IGHOR! MUNITIONS
PISTOLS,
MACHINE GUNS
AND RAY GUNS!
ONCE YOU GET ALL
THESE THINGS
TOGETHER, YOU'VE UNQUENCHABLE
THERE IT GOES.
RIGHT INTO THE
WATER SUPPLY.
386 By HEH HEH HEH
PUTTING IT
INTO THE WATER
LIKE THAT “anos.
OLD SAYING ) cone TO
c
MAKES IT SO
AFTER THREE DAYS,
ALL I HAVE TO DO
1S OPEN SHOP. A
CAN SELL ALL THE
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