Corriere
dei Piccoli / Corrierino 1993 #17 Featuring: James,
IQ,
Tracy,
Gordo, Trevor,
Coach
Mitchell, Dr
Derange, Skullcap. Synopsis: A helicopter approaches a meteorological
observatory high in the Italian Alps, in the Aosta Valley region. It's
snowing, unusually for April, but one of those aboard the helicopter
suggests this is not a natural occurrence. Descending on ropes from the
chopper are Skullcap and a SCUM henchman, who quickly overpower the
security guards at the observatory. They are soon joined by their boss,
Dr Derange, who proceeds indoors to take a hostage - Professor Lacour.
The price of his freedom, says Derange, will be Lacour's discovery, and
instructions for its use. However, somebody unseen has overheard this
conversation, and makes a quick escape in a car. Dr Derange orders
Skullcap to bring them back. James takes a shortcut and ends up in front of Skullcap's car, ramming it off the road where it crashes into a nearby tree. James then goes to help the woman driving the other car, who introduces herself as Sheila, the secretary of Professor Lacour. She explains that Lacour has created an invention that will be very important for humanity and was about to announce it on television. His 'Mutometeo' device is able to modify the climate of any area on the planet. James realises that the world is in trouble if this technology falls into the wrong hands, and he and Sheila head to the observatory on the bobsleigh. Meanwhile, Lacour is refusing to tell Derange how to operate the Mutometeo, saying it should be used only for good - whereas Derange wants to turn Europe into a desert. Lacour
tells Derange that in any case, his invention isn't yet perfected - but
Derange doesn't believe him, given the unusual snowstorm that's raging
around the facility. The SCUM agent who has been guarding the weather
centre warns Derange and Skullcap of intruders outside - Derange sees
from the window that it is James, as well as Lacour's secretary.
Derange seems pleased at this development, as a chance to eliminate
Bond once and for all, and sends Skullcap and the guard to greet them.
Outside, the crooks immediately open fire; James tells Sheila to take
shelter in some trees, while he lures the crooks away from the facility
on his skis. Pursuing
on skis themselves, the villains lob an explosive device at James,
which misses, but opens up a chasm in the snow ahead of him. However,
IQ's extendable ski poles save the day, allowing James to vault over
the hole, and distracting the crooks so they end up toppling into it
themselves. James reconvenes with Sheila, while Derange, who's been
watching from the weather centre, is furious - but says it isn't over
yet. He calls his helicopter pilot, telling him to come and collect
him. But Lacour has used the Mutometeo to whip up a blizzard outside,
making it impossible for the chopper to land. Undeterred, Derange takes Lacour
at gunpoint, along with the Mutometeo device, and commandeers James's
bobsleigh to make his getaway. Happily, he hasn't reckoned with the
turbocharged engine on the bobsleigh, and when he attempts to operate
it it flies out of control, smashing straight into a tree. While Lacour
is unhurt, the Mutometeo is destroyed in the crash, meaning that the
blizzard clears and Derange is able to escape via the helicopter.
Lacour declares it's best that the technology was destroyed, as
evidently humanity is not ready for his discovery. The downside is that
the improved weather puts paid to the Warfielders' skiing plans -
however, Gordo is undeterred, as the retractable wheels on the
bobsleigh mean he can turbo around on the grass instead. Review:
Much like the first original strip for Corriere dei Piccoli, this story
features strong resemblances to an episode from the TV series - in this
case, Weather or Not,
which
also features Dr Derange and Skullcap embroiled in a scheme to take
control of technology that can manipulate
the weather. Once again, though, the similarities really end there, and
this is an altogether different take on the plot device, with an
atmospheric Alpine setting which generates some effective (and, given
the subject matter, apt) action sequences. Dr Derange is on fun, fine
form, his pleasure at wreaking mayhem palpable as in all his best
episodes, and especially on learning James has turned up so he can
finally eliminate him. The detail around the weather control aspect
feels more pedestrian, particularly given it's previously-trodden
ground, and there isn't much elaboration on what Derange would do with
the Mutometeo and why, other than his suggestion of turning Europe into
a desert, because... well, because he's evil, we suppose. It's good to
get a small but amusing cameo from Trevor here, though - 'Tsk
... the usual exhibitionism' was the closest translation for his snarky
thought-bubble, as James launches himself from the roof of the van on a
bobsleigh. |
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