Wednesday 8 May 2013

M.A.S.K. Comic Issue 11

After last issue's V.E.N.O.M. cover takeover, we continue on that theme as we go from the "Shifty, Sneaky and Dangerous" Floyd Malloy to the V.E.N.O.M. leader Miles Mayhem on issue 11 of M.A.S.K. dated 14th-27th of March 1987.

Holding commuters on the world famous San Fransisco Landmark of the Golden Bridge to ransom, Mayhem is looking for the princely sum of $10 Million to free the hostages.



Table of Contents -

  • Front and Back Wraparound Cover
  • Five Pages - "Project Dinosaur" Part 4 (B&W with Pink Tint First Cell)
  • Four Pages - "Stop The Falls!" Part 2 (Colour)
  • Five Pages - "Operation Golden Gate" (B&W)
  • Centre Page Spread - Stinger
  • Single Page - Advertisement
  • Four Pages - "Maelstrom Mayhem" Part 1 (B&W)
  • Single Page - Letters Page
  • Single Page - MASK Art
  • Single Page - Advertisement
  • Four Pages - "UFO Over Africa" Part  (B&W)
  • Single Page - Advertisement
Matt Trakker in Thunderhawk is battling Miles Mayhem in Switchblade in the Russian skies at the start of "Project Dinosaur".  On the ground below, Gator is about to come under fire from Russian Tanks on Manoeuvres!

At Boulder Hill, Buddie Hawks is still disguised as a Russian General and attempts to contact the tanks to advise them not to engage Gator.  However, Scott and T-Bob get in his way and T-Bob stumbles pulling the plug literally out of the plan.

Instead, Dusty Hayes has to use his Backlash Mask to disable the Russian tanks allowing them to go after Sly Rax on Piranha and Cliff Dagger in Jackhammer.  In a scene reminiscent of the Cartoon, Rax manages to get thrown off of his stead and the dimwitted Dagger heads down a narrow ravine.

Mayhem has to urge Dagger to turn his turret backwards to fire upon Gator - but it's already too late - Hondo uses his Blaster Mask to bring down ice and rock on top of the fleeing Jackhammer!

Mayhem lands Switchblade to discover that the Eggs have been "cooked" during the battle.  Matt gives the order to his team to rendezvous back in Finland so that they can give the Russians back control and allow V.E.N.O.M. to deal with them instead.

However, the sneaky Miles Mayhem has fooled M.A.S.K. into thinking that all of the Eggs are destroyed - but one has survived....

Our colour strip this issue, "Stop the Falls!", starts off where last issue left off - with Miles Mayhem gloating about his plan to stop the world famous Victoria Falls and hold her to ransom.  Suddenly, a flock of birds is disturbed and fearing there are "snoopers" around, Dagger is ordered to use Torch to deal with them.  In the Forest are M.A.S.K. leader Matt Trakker and Bruce "Magic" Sato.

During Daggers attack, Bruce is knocked out code as is their Walkie-Talkie - so no way to call for reinforcements.  (I'm confused - Bruce has his Lifter Mask and Matt has Spectrum - I thought they had Comms built-in to them??).

Matt has to leave the stricken Bruce to race for help.  At the "Jungle Headquarters" he meets up with Scott and T-Bob who summon over the rest of the M.A.S.K. team.  As Mayhem's team make their start on building a dam to stop the river flow, Brad Turner on Condor, Dusty Hayes and Hondo MacLean in Gator and Matt in Rhino make their attack.

Our cliffhanger this issue sees Matt falling into the water - but who will finish him off - the Waterfalls or the Crocodiles?

In our cover story, "Operation Golden Gate, the morning commute is about to be disrupted as Miles Mayhem in Switchblade attacks.  Dropping a bomb from Switchblade onto the centre of the bridge as Sly Rax at one end of the bridge and Cliff Dagger at the other with some henchmen to prevent the commuters from fleeing the scene.

Held to to ransom, Mayhem demands $10 Million to free the hostages and relinquish the bridge.

The P.N.A (Peaceful Nations Alliance) call in M.A.S.K. to resolve the situation.  Matt Trakker and Bruce Sato approach in a small boat but are spied by Miles Mayhem who drops a Torpedo Bomb on their boat.  Our heroes are left stranded in the water; their boat blown to smithereens as Mayhem strafes the water with his guns mounted on Switchblade.

Luckily, Brad Turner comes to their rescue on Condor but is soon under threat from Rocket Launchers in the hands of the V.E.N.O.M. henchmen.  Fortunately for Brad, he is quicker than them and easily takes care of them and manages to pick up the bomb as he does a fly past.

Rax pushes the detonator button - too late; Brad has already dropped the bomb into the water below.  This gives the commuters the encouragement to over through their captors as Matt Trakker and Bruce Sato come to their aide.  Rax and Dagger cling onto Switchblade's landing gear as they flee leaving behind their henchmen.

The theme of our V.E.N.O.M. cover is continued to the Centre Page Spread -


Bruno Sheppard's GTO that converts into an armoured tank - Stinger (Scorpion in some regions I believe).  Stinger was always one of my favourite vehicles - can't really put my finger on why, but she is definitely a beast and a force to be reckoned with!

Miles Mayhem, Sly Rax and Floyd Malloy are ready to create a "Maelstrom Mayhem" as they attack a Top Secret Alternative Energy Plant hidden within a Welsh Hillside.


Of all the images I remember of M.A.S.K. from my youth, the one to left is foremost in my mind.

The detail of the Masks and Uniforms with the rain running down the visors is such an iconic image.

In my previous post - David Pugh Fan Page on Facebook - you will see the original piece of Art from the Artist David Pugh.

Floyd Malloy takes care of the scientists with is Buckshot Mask.

Once the Station is under control, undercover V.E.N.O.M. Agent Sir Joshua Snyde explains to Mayhem that the station harnesses and controls wind to increase the efficiency of Wind Generators.

Mayhem has other plans in mind as he unleashes the full power of the station causing Storms powerful enough to destroy the Severn Bridge.

As Matt Trakker and Bruce Sato arrive in Thunderhawk in it's Jet Mode - they get caught in a spin by the wind.


They manage to land safely just as the wind dissipates - almost as if it had been turned off.  A local WPC advises our team that some Innocent's are trapped under the bridge.

Cliff Dagger comes under attack at the beginning of "UFO over Africa" as Floyd Malloy plays a practical joke on him - firing Buckshot at his butt on low power.  Sly Rax and Bruno Sheppard are also present as Miles Mayhem runs through the plan.

He is using a "Fake UFO" to keep the local Military out of the way so that the rest of the team can attack Robertsville - a diamond mine with £200 Million in uncut diamonds.

As the V.E.N.O.M. team puts Mayhem's plan into action, Matt Trakker and Bruce Sato encounter the UFO and realise it's just Switchblade in disguise.  Mayhem escapes and Matt comes to the conclusion that this was a decoy for a bigger job - he is right and soon the M.A.S.K. team are on the right trail and make their way to the diamond mine.

This is another great issue.  Now that we are seeing more of the new vehicles, characters and masks in action - the excitement of the comic is building issue on issue.

Yes, most of the comic is in Black and White - but who needs colour when you have some of the best artists ever creating this great comic.

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Thank you.

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