Lf TM ATLAS COMICS motels ) (fe Lj ARN ye Cp MOE esTHE YEAR 1S (977. THE} THREE MEN HAVE JuST PLACE 1S THRESHOLD J, BEGUN A RECORD - A MAMMOTH SCIENTIFIC BREAKING FIVE MONTH 4) LAS IN EARTH ORBIT... STAY ON BOARD THE 5 SPACE STATION... BUT SCANT HOURS INTO THE | | HOUSTON, THIS 15 TYLER! SECTOR C 15 LEAKING AIR! WE'VE GOT LESS THAN TAIRTY M TO PINPOINT THE LEAK! IF “THE DAMAGE To SECTOR C HAS BEEN SEVERE! TANKS OF LIQUID OX7GEN EXPLODE, CRIPPLING THRESHOLD SEYOND REPAIRS “TP Bur WITH GVERY DEATH THERE 16 A BIRTH, AND al THE SPACE STATION'S DEMISE 15 BORM AN INCREDIBLE NEW CHAPTER IN-MAN'S if SIMA AND-L: WILL. READY THE REST* FOR-TAKEOFF/ BURT, YOU SET OUR LANDING Y CO-ORDINATES! AFTER WE UNDOCK. ALIGN WITH PHOENIX Volume 1, Number 1, Jan, 1975 is published 6 times-a year by Seaboard Periodicals, Inc,, executive offices and office of publication 71? Filth Avenue. Now York City, New York. 10022. Subscriptions in.U.S., Canada and possassiong $1.50 for 6 issues, copyright @ 1975, Seaboard Periedicais, inc. All rights reserved. PHOENIX is a trademark of Seaboard Periodicals, lncTHERE'S NO TIME FOR ~ A COMPUTER FIX! START THE COUNTDOWN! aaa 10/4 —h/B3N | eee] SPLASHDOWN TAR- GET SAGATED! ry acer ROGER! RELAY THE DATA TO MORSTON! OKAY, JIM! ON MAIN THRUSTERS AND LETS HER IN MANUALLY? SAIL ON IN! ALTHOUGH FLOATING WRECKAGE ear GLIONT THE ASTRONAUTS MANUBVER THROUGH THe SCATTERED DEORIS OF THRESHOLD! ‘UNKNOWN TO THEM, HOWEVER, — SMALL BULLET-LIME FRAGMENTS |: RIDDLE THEIR SPACESHIP! IF 1 CAN OEPLOY THE LIFE RAFT, WE & MAY BE ABLE TO... J |g Secon PS LATER, THE MIGHTY S8-I ROCKET IGNITES, SEPAR- ATING THE SHUTTLE FROM THE DAMAGED SPACE LAB!‘CAUGHT IN THE AWESOME BLAST, AND : | THE PIERCING ITE OF SUB-ZERO TEs i IN HIS LAST WAKING - MOMENTS, THE © » ASTRONAUT SEES A. WE HAVE No cworce/ IS AM NOT INSENSITIVE. ..BUT IT WOULD RUIN THE EXPERIMENT! ED TYLER LANDS, A CRUMPLED © MASS, ON A FROZEN BEACH IN _ THIG ARCTIC WASTELANG... oNUMB...NEAR DEATHS « A : INTELLIGENCE OUT § THERE! WE CANNOT ALLOW IT TO Ore! 7y NO ENTITY 15 BENEATH CUR CONCERN!; | y 1115 TRVE! WE ARE INDEED S Vetch 7 GREAT! BUT THAT 15 NoT THE VS (@) } Bey “SSUE! OTHERS WILL COME IN y Ni, SEARCH OF THIS CREATURE! IF THEY FIND AVM, THEY MAY FIND £45 AS WELL! ~ a i i) FOR THAT REASON ALONE, WE d MUST REMOVE THE HUMAN. ft ee ae TT (J AND SO, MOMENTS LATER, WITH A CRACKLING OF STATIC. FOUR, FIGURES MATERIALIZE AROUND THE STRICKEN EARTHMAN! Fi HIS. SHIP HAS VANISHED BENEATH! THE SEAS TAKE HINA WITH: IN OUR 2OMPLEX, NO TRACE OF THE ACEIDENT WILL. REMAIN! ALL-RIGHT! LET SURE, CHIEF! 3 ME KNOW AS SOON’) MEANWHILE, : AS YOU'VE GOT WHAT BDO 1 TELL DID YOU PICK UP ANY- £ SOMETHING! THEIR WES? 4. THING ON RADAR YET? | TELL THEM WE'RE COING THE SEST WE CAN!| WHILE UP IN THE ARCTIC... MY MEAD... FEELS LIKE IT'S. ON FIRES THAT IS GOOD! WE WERE CON- CERNED YOU MIGHT NOT SURVIVE OUR IDS DEAR GOD! WHAT IN THE NAME OF ALL THAT'S HOLY IS BUT WHERE ARE My coM- v—O-g PANIONS? WERE THEY Ao YES, L REMEMBER \ NOW! THE BXPLOSIONS a. Lory ! DEAD? LORD..! PRICE,,,STOCK! THEIR FAMILIES. ‘eS LONGER, CONCERN RIGHT NOW THAT eh iene aon. 1S UNIMPORTANT?! ORDEAL {5 YOUR SPACESHIP WAS DESTROYED! WE SAVED ‘YOUR LIFE! BUT I'LL PLAY ALowe, AT LEAST UNTIL I CAN FINO OUT WHO THESE PEOPLE ARE... ++ AND WHAT THEY WANT WITH MESMINUTES LATER, MUCH TO THE OATS “aE al THANK YOu! WE SAVED “\/L VOTE WE LET HIM LIVE... EARTHMAN’S DISAPPOINTMENT... E THIS CREATURE'S LIFE, BUT BUT WEVER PERMIT HIMTO P THIS (5 4BSUADS i CANNOT ALLOW HIM TO RETURN | LEAVE THE ComeLexy’ I'M ON TRIALS TO HIS WORLO. OUR EXIST- /—— . ; Dome ENCE MUST REMAIN A SECRET! SHOULD HE ENTERTAIN \, THOUGHTS OF ESCAPE, OUR PRESENCE WOULD Se Ss BECOME KNOWN To ALL! , THIS MEETING IS * a HELD TO DETERMINE THE FATE OF ASTRO- NAUT TYLER! VOTE...1HE magoRity ) RULES! BEGIN, LEI! WE CANNOT TAKE THA CHANCE!I VOTE DEATH! HE REPRESENTS A THREAT TO OUR, . SOCIETY S iF EVER A MAN NEEDED OWEN MARSHALL GOTTA PUT 4 STOP To THIS! EXCUSE ME! MAY 1 SAY A - WORP ON MY OWN BEHALF?) rr = WILL. SIMPLY HEAR AND ACCEPT THE VERDICT OF \. THIS COUNCIL! | ED TYLER FELT HI6 MUSCLES IE CONTR. GROW ZAU7 AS THE LIFE AND mie Peet YOU ARE DEATH QUESTION WA JEBATED! R/S ou WILL DO EXACTLY AS WE Says 4 'CRIPES! I'MA NOT GONNA. LET THAT DOES IT! ME! 00 WHATEVE! \ a MY¥ THOUGHTS... AHO’ 7 ILL AVA YOUR, MOLDY KISSERS FROM HERE TO ANTARES! "YOU DEVILS eeMR. TYLER a DOES NOT SEEM) TO UNDER- rANDS Fou MEAN NOTHING TOUS! YOU ARE PRIMITIVE! IRRA- TIONAL! YOU REACT HOWEVER, YOu ARE THE FIRST HUMAN TO. COME AMONG US IN MANY YEARS! I WOULD LIKE TO KEEP YOU UNDER OBSERVATION! WITH BMOTION... AND “¥o1) AND-YOUR PEOPLE ARE NAUGHT BUT Cer ae AONE. FOR WE CAN LEARN 7 MUCH ABOUTM\AN FROM ‘YOUR PRESENCE! THERE- FORE, 1 VOTE WE SPARE YOUR LiFe! | SELE FOR SIGHTS: HAT WILL STUN YOUR THINKING, ANE OH? IN THAT CASE, 7 YOU ARE IN FOR A A. JOLTING SURPRISE! TO TELL YOu ’ \ THE ee NOTHING COULD SHOCK MME MORE ‘BAN OUTPOST! _4 i ops ay BE SEATEC...AND WATCH “THE SCREEN | ; BEFORE ‘You! a OVER A AAILLION YEARS OLD! THEY j SHOW THE DAWN Me ’ 30 IT WAS WiTH BUT OUR RACE : | HIGH EXPECTATIONS GOD CREATED goes / EVOLVED QUICKLY..< IN Ae gee WE EXPERIMENTED THIS PLANET AND 6 | OTHER STAR SYSTEM... AND a | UPON YOUR ANCES- ALL THINGS a2s& — Ww R PRE- ; j+| TORS... MUTATED. IB VISITER YOU IN THE UNIVERSE! —_ HISTORIC PLANGT! if YOURS WAS A WORLD ~ A oF MAMMALS... UNTAMED! VERY MUCH —— - SO! WHICH IS AND WE HAVE % : WHY WE MUST BEEN HERE EVER \/4N ANGELS, ‘il OESTROY YOUR SINCE WATCHING \ HUH? THEN WHY \— PEOPLE AND Ja GROW.,.MAKE | HAVE YOU NEVER |f\ START ALL OVER MISTAHKES...AND | REVEALED /p AGAIN! _/* MAKE WAR ON § YOURSELVES? ZR ONE ANOTHER! = ARE YOU ASHAMED OF YOUR HANDIWORK? NOW LISTEN, Ue HAD ABOUT ALL. 1 : CAN TAKE FROM YOU AND jie OU SELF-RIGHTEOUS 4 & BUDDIES! PANo By YOUR OWN F ADMISSION, MANKINO 1S OME OF THOSE be, MISTAKES! vkTHE ALIEN THOUGHT FOR A MOMENT... OND, THEN, .. AND WHAT BETTER PLACE To YOU REALLY BLEW TANS START THAN HERE...AND NOW! ONE, KiDpO! LOOKS LIKE THAT WAS ‘YOUR £AST TEMPER TANTRUMS A SEARING BOLT OF MUCLEAR ENERGY SHATTERS THE QUIET OF THIS SUB-ARCTIC CHAMBER! 1 ehrs A BUT ZA0UGN OF THIS! WE MUST NOT BE ENEMIES! IS NEAR! COME! I WILL SHOW You TO YOUR QUARTERS!. — cae, THIS PLACE MAKES J LATER, IN HIS aa as GOT A FEELING THINGS PRIVATE CUBICLE. ; GONNA START JUAAPIN WELL, THE DEIEI CERTAINLY DID THEIR BEST TO MAKE ME FEEL AT Mame! ED TYLER HAS NO IDEA HOW 4ONG THE ALIEN REST PERIOD WILL £ASZ.. / “TRANGISTORS... ® PICK UP MAY SPACE SUIT... PLUG THESE INTO MY GLOVES... JUST AS LSUSPECTEP NERE! DIDN'T LOCK ME IN ‘CAUSE HE FIGURED 1 HAD NOWHERE To GO! A inst RULE FOR ALIEN HOT SHOTS: NEVER LNDER- eBTATE A HUMAN! | H ... AND THEN RAID THEIR 2 MEN'S SHOP FOR A CLIMATE- PROOF JERSEY! pt WHEN I SLIP THESE OVER MY FLYING GEAR, TLL BE THE MOST FASHIONABLE PILOT IN THE WASA CORRAL! CONNECTED To. MY SUIT’S WIRIST-CIRCLITRY, THIS RIG'LL MAKE ME MORE THAN A MATCH FOR THOSE SIDE- SHOW FREAKS!WHAT I& THE MEANING OF THIS, FORGET /f 4 NEREI! AS OF THIS AMOMENT, .. e ‘you KNOW. NoT WHAT }. oe APRECIATE ALL You DO! YOU'VE DOME FOR ME, BUT... THE OTHERS ARE * - COMING! THEY WILL PUNISH YOU! AND SOONER OR LATER,” © LL BE BROUGHT DOWN BY Sena FORCE OF NUMBERS! MY PEOPLE LIKE PAWNS a< DION'T REALIZE THOSE Sees i SL THINGS WOULD A4cy’ Gc ny SUCH A PUNCH! _, THE HUMAN MUST NoT Bst4re/EVERYTHING--OUR ENTIRE IS RUNNED! fe EVEN TURN THEM | WELL, NERE|, ARE AGAINST US? vr WELL, THEN, 4 lore Ee) I DEMAND WE TRACE TRA TIME HAS PASSED SWIFTLY AND TYLER [% COMES TO RECOG- NIZB JHE TERRAIN. ME CORRECTLY, BY NOW I SHOULD BE SOMEWHERE OVER /CELANDS oN asA egul Sor Now J’A\ THE MOST CERTAINLY Ie a ALIENS f . =>. : AN ON EARTH! CAN'T RETURN TO FOUND ouT.AsoUT ? P LESLIE, THEY 'D USE ; HER FOR AANSOM... AND ‘THAT'S NOT A RESPONSIBILITY TAKEN LIGHTLY? BUT WHAT . PO L 202 WHERE TO CAPTURE 00 1 Goa? ‘ ee ME’ I CAN'T PUT P 1 a ge HER IN THAT KIND Bur LET us LEAVE BD TYLER FOR IME - MOMENT--AND TURN. OUR ATTENTION THREE MILES TOTHE WORTH... & eer 3 THE GENERATOR'S * GONNA BLOW!< you KNow, IT's eunny? 7 ae be i000 wir ABSOLUTE: - [ ecasteo crs z I'D CO : a Powe. | FALLING APART’ OKAY, BUDDY-- THIMMCS iF YOU HIT THE FISSURESWHILE HUNDREDS OF MILES TO THE AORTH.. PEEL ...SOMETHING... HAVE YOUBEEN Vi) SHOWERING THE | CORES, LEI? MY WRIST UNIT 5 PICKING UP A BOM- BARDMENT OF AUCLEAR PARTICLES FROM... STRANGE MY WHOLE BODY... ), Wee a 3 ALIVE WITH @4piA- THOM! & WONDER... THAT DOE: IT! IF I'M GOING TO r ROM pallies : fi ‘a Fl ! THAT MEANS j ie Ce ‘ee ALL I NEED DO 1S di AROUND... INTERCEPT THEIR BEAM ... SET UP A NEGATIVE . ELECTRON FLOW... aieAARS, HIS RESISTANCE 1S TOO STRONG! OUR REACTORS ARE OVERLOADING. BUT. ...CAN'T GIVE IN...BL. NEW FISSURES INTO WHICH FLOW- ING LAVA CAN BE CHANNELED! GUESS I'D BET-- WELL-- THERE'S NOT MUCH MORE L f=~ CAN DO AROUND HERE, . ; “DO You KNOW 3 WHAT CAUSED THE o\. @RupTioN? PEOPLE MANAGED TO ESCAPE INTO THE HLS... SORRY, FRIEND! I'M AFRAID I KNOW LESS ABOUT THIS f es THAN Your DO! _, ‘WELL, AT LEAST Z DON'T HAVE 70 WorRy 4] ABOUT THE ALIENS . ee ee: But THE TRUTH BE KNOWN, ONCY A WANDFUL OF ALIENS WERE CAUGHT IN THE ARCTIC THE OTHERS HAD BEEN GOING ABOUT THEIR BUSINESS AS USUAL OBSERVING MANKIND, io shee AN AWESOME PEFEAT AT THE HANDS OF A HUMAN, “NOW, HOWEVER, THERE 1S GRIM, | DETERMINATION IN THEIR Pt IR. NO LONGER COULD” THIS ACT OF AGGRESSION HEY SIT IDLY BY AND WATCHE CANNOT GO UNPUNISHED NOR eee ; ae CAN WE PERMIT A PRIMITIVE | H| | CREATURE IN POSSESSION OF PEON /GaeREFORE, 1 PROPOSE WE aq ND SHEN ABORT pgs TH), CEA OUT ANA PECNTION, << te OL nT, a FINO AND FEACA THIS EARTH wey CREATURE A LESSON... a AND SOON THERE- AFTER, 4 COMPACT TRANSPORT SAILS FROM “THE ALIENS’ ARCTIC RECESS. a fs “is AN MEANWHILE, ATNASA [| HEADQUARTERS... 3 LESLIE, 1M AFRAID THERESNG OF WHICH, THERE IS ONG WHO I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN \ ‘CANNOT SLEEP.. ONE WHOSE SOUL |S IN THE ALIENS WOULON'T LET }, ‘MENT. ..CURSED BY A HEAVY BURDEN! ME GET AWAY SCOT FREE! HOW COULD I HAVE BEEN SUCH A FOOL? if NOT WITH: HOUT TRYING NS THAT HOW 1'M GOING T0 USE MY POWER TO BETTER _ MANKIND? BY DESTROYING IT? SOME HERO YOL! TURNED OUT TO BE, TYLER! AND My WIFE! WHAT KIND OF ANGUISH MUST SHE BE GONG THROUGH? - MAN, I WONDER IF FLASH GORDON VER HAD PROBLEMS WILL COME TO KNOW AS THE PHORNIX LIKE THESE? ARE JUST BEGINNING! BE HERE NEXT Is9U& FOR THE Most FINALE TO-AN ORIGIN A STORY IN COAAIC HISTORY” ee BUT PROBLEMS FOR A MAN THE WORLD