Brik Blastoff Of The Outback

Here's a project I have been dying to do for a long time. I designed it. Tom Minton helped write it. Lynne Naylor did presentation art. Jeff John put the story bible together. Chris Peterson did the inks.

THE WORLD OF BRIK BLASTOFF

Four hundred billion years in the future, long after every single one of you will be dead, the universe as we know it shall no longer be. Planet Earth, destroyed in a nuclear holocaust is an ancient myth. The remnants of earth's particles have been fused into complex agar molecules. These molecules are buried deep in asteroids scattered throughout the Milky Way.

Agar is the most prized possession in the future, because it is the perfect food. People build colonies around the asteroid belts and mine the elusive material. Piracy and Agar Wars are constants in the future, and it is a world of chaos.

Piercing through this chaos stabs a shining bolt of order — Brik Blastoff of the Outback. Stationed on a lone outpost on Ganymede, Brik Blastoff and his noble Rocket Rangers keep a stern watch on the galaxy, ever ready to free the oppressed, right wrongs and enforce their prime directive: "To interfere with alien cultures, to bring freedom and democracy to places where they don't even want it, and above all, to make the galaxy a safe place in which to be Manly."

Brik Blastoff

Captain of the Rocket Rangers, paternal and extremely ethical, Brik is a role model's role model.

A send-up of masculine stereotypes, Brik never unclenches his virile teeth, not even while eating. He sucks food into his system by sheer will power. Every morning he irons his head, then prepares a pot of scalding black coffee, which he pours onto his face!

Jimi

Brik's teenaged (thirteen months) sidekick and first lieutenant of the Rocket Rangers.

Intolerant of lawbreakers and overly eager to please Brik, this wild teen must sometimes be restrained and disciplined by his more experienced crew members.

This bubbly youth is also the most talented member of the team. He entertains the crew with jokes, songs, mime, and some complex dog tricks.

Jimi can hardly wait to experience puberty.

Steve

Smartest of the Rocket Rangers. The only normal recruit.

Steve is the straight man in the series, although she is a woman. Her name was given to her by Brik, who thinks women are just funny-looking men.

Steve is the science engineer. She also is a liberated woman, a rare thing in the future, and this drives Brik crazy.

Nit Hoatzin

Psycho female recruit. Nearly as talented as Jimi.

Outwardly appearing similar to a beautiful earth woman, Nit Hoatzin (named by Brik himself in a rare fit of creativity) is actually of an ancient, dying alien race known simply as "Derek." While communicating telepathically with the only other survivor of her people, Nit exhibits some pretty weird behavior: idiosyncratic eye movements, numerous spasms, and a failure to bleed.

Nit’s duties include guiding young Jimi through puberty.

Comet the Wonder Cow

The cow's cow.

Comet is a real cow who floats through space who is occassionally encountered by our cast in their adventures. He eventually replaces the Buck Bronto character after Buck's rapid demise via her own spontaneous combustion.

Comet is Brik’s mascot. He is a male cow.

Dik Diskusting

Psychotic and brilliant scientist and inventor. Brik Blastoff's arch enemy.

The villain of the piece, Dik was once a revered super genius like Brik, but has since turned evil. Dik goes back to college days with Brik, when they were still friends. Brik always outclassed Dik in every department, a fact that still makes Dik's blood hop. Dik cracked long ago, swearing vengeance on all biological life forms — especially Brik Blastoff.

Brik's great pity towards his onetime friend sends Dik to maniacal levels.

If you can believe it, A,T and T once licensed Brik and the gang for this online ad...

Drawn by me, Jim Smith, Mike Fontanelli and inked by Shane Glines and his pal, whose name I don't recall...help me Shane!