ANNUAL 2012

A 64-PAGE RETROSPECTIVE ISSUE, CHRONICLING THE JOURNEY OF

DAN DELBY COMICS DURING 2012

PLUS, FULL REPRINTS OF PROJECT: INTERPLANETARY UNITY #1-2, SHOWCASE OF

THE SPECTACULAR, NEBULA STAR, SUNBLAZE, LURKING MOONLIGHT, RED COBRA,

LADY DARKSHADE, COSMIC STAR IN ATTACK OF THE DASTARDLY DESTROYER, AND

HORROR OF THE MONSTERS!

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Table of Contents

PROJECT: INTERPLANETARY UNITY #1….…………………………..................2

The first of the four-issue science fiction comic book series, reprinted in its entirety!

PROJECT: INTERPLANETARY UNITY #2………………………………..............13

The second of the four-issue science fiction comic book series, reprinted in its

entirety!

SHOWCASE OF THE SPECTACULAR……............………...………......................26

The one-shot superhero anthology comic book, reprinted in its entirety!

LURKING MOONLIGHT…………….…………….................……...........................46

The one-page superhero comic strip, reprinted in its entirety!

RED COBRA………………………………...................................................................47

The one-page superhero comic strip, reprinted in its entirety!

LADY DARKSHADE……………………………….....................................................48

The one-page superheroine comic strip, reprinted in its entirety!

COSMIC STAR IN ATTACK OF THE DASTARDLY DESTROYER……………49

The one-page science fiction superhero comic strip, reprinted in its entirety!

HORROR OF THE MONSTERS………………………………..................................50

The one-page horror comic strip, reprinted in its entirety!

NEBULA STAR………………………………...............................................................51

The science fiction/horror short story, reprinted in its entirety!

SUNBLAZE………………………………......................................................................55

The science fiction space western short story, reprinted in its entirety!

2012: A LOOK BACK……………………………….....................................................58

A retrospective look at Dan Delby Comics over the course of the past year!

Copyright © 2012 Dan Delby. All rights reserved.

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Nebula Star

by Dan Delby

Captain Sean Briggs, the Earthen commanding officer of the Nebula Star, a starship

commissioned by the Alliance of Worlds, sat in his command chair, on the bridge of the

Nebula Star. Briggs looked in front of himself, to his left, and there was Ensign

Alexander Jacobs, an Earthen helmsman. Briggs looked in front of himself again, this

time to his right, and there was Lieutenant Anvea Moneradias, a Drylliari navigator.

Briggs looked to his right side, at the science station, and there was Commander

Draaltaara Uhnvhen, a Ralizatari symbiotic life form, serving as his first officer. Briggs

then looked directly behind himself, and there was Lieutenant Savrulahr Aervnhu, a

Venusian who served in a dual role as the chief security officer, and the chief

communications officer. Briggs then faced forward, sat back, and watched the screen in

front of him, as he thought of Lieutenant Commander Irmrhium, his Android second

officer and chief engineering officer. Briggs’ thoughts then drifted to his Martian chief

medical officer, Doctor Kyra Ledra. Briggs’ thoughts then scattered among various other

officers who also served under him on the Nebula Star. All of these people, were his

responsibility, and he was powerless to know which one would be the next to die under

his command.

“Lieutenant Aervnhu, come with me,” said Briggs, with an abruptness in his

voice.

“Aye, Captain,” said Aervnhu.

Doctor Ledra was working diligently to determine the cause of death for several

unexplained casualties that had occurred, aboard the Nebula Star, that week. She

explained this to Captain Briggs and Lieutenant Aervnhu, who had both come to sickbay

in order to better assess the situation by checking in with Ledra on any information she

may have turned up.

“All I know is that something, or someone, has been draining the energy of people

serving aboard this ship until they die,” said Ledra.

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Briggs turned to Aervnhu and asked, “Lieutenant, do you suppose that someone

might have slipped past you and the rest of the security officers aboard this ship? Do you

suppose that particular person could have gained access to an energy-draining weapon of

some sort, before boarding, and is now running rampant aboard this ship?”

Aervnhu asserted, “Anything is possible Captain, but the question is, who aboard

this ship would have smuggled a weapon like that aboard? Also, what would be their

agenda?”

“Whoever it may be, they would definitely not be a team player, that’s for sure,”

said Briggs. “It sounds like we very well may have a traitor aboard the Nebula Star, and a

lethal one at that.”

Before Briggs, Aervnhu, or Ledra could say another word, Lieutenant Moneradias,

who had overheard Briggs as she rushed up to him, and said, “No, Captain, this is in no

way the work of a technological weapon capable of energy drainage.

“Well, who, or what, is responsible for these deaths aboard this ship?”

“It is the work of an energy vampire, Captain.”

Briggs, Aervnhu, and Ledra looked at one other, with looks of great puzzlement

on each of their faces.

Briggs then looked at Moneradias, and inquired, “How can you be so sure that it is

an energy vampire?”

“Because in my culture, energy vampires, also known as psi-vamps, have been a

threat to our people for centuries.”

Briggs inquisitively piped up, “So, how do we go about ridding the Nebula Star of

this vampire being?”

Aervnhu sarcastically chimed in, “I don’t know, how about we go with the old

stake through the heart routine from the vampire legends of Earth?”

Moneradias shook her head, took a deep breath, and then responded, “No, for that

is a way to deal with the mythological blood-draining vampires of Earthen folklore. These

energy-draining vampires are more than just myths, they are very real, and have brought

much death upon my people, the Drylliari, throughout the ages. These energy-draining

vampires are considerably different than the descriptions given for the blood-draining

vampires of Earthen lore, thus have a very different means by which to dispose of them.

In order for an energy vampire’s death to occur, the energy vampire must feed off

of the energy of a Gheshaardi, as the Gheshaardi’s life force is incompatible with that of

the energy vampire’s. The Gheshaardi’s life force is like an instantaneous poison of death

to the energy vampire. Also, Gheshaardi, unlike all other known beings who have some

of their energy drained by the psi-vamp, but are able to escape death from an encounter

with an energy vampire, the Gheshaardi are also immune to becoming energy vampires

themselves.”

Aervnhu asked, “Couldn’t we just obtain an energy-draining weapon like we had

talked about earlier, and use that to kill the energy vampire?”

Moneradias replied, “In theory, yes. However, the type of weapon you speak of

would only be feasible to use if the user of the weapon could detect where the vampire is,

and who they are. Our life sign scanning devices found on this ship can detect energy

levels in beings, and I suppose when the energy levels read a bit higher or lower than the

norm, then it could very well be that the particular being who is being scanned is an

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energy vampire.

An energy vampire needs regular replenishment of energy in order to sustain their

life. With that being said, an energy vampire’s life signs could be stronger than the

average non-vampire being, if said energy vampire is fresh off of draining the energy

from one of its victims. On the flipside, an energy vampire who is in dire need of energy

replenishment could show up on scans as having lower life signs than the average non-

vampire being.

This method would be quite dangerous though, in that you stand the highly

possible chance of killing an innocent non-vampire being, whose life signs may be above

or below normal, due to adrenaline, illness, or any other factor that may cause a change in

energy levels. The only real way of avoiding a possible mistake such as this, is enlisting

the help of a Gheshaardi. The Gheshaardi can also sense the presence of an energy

vampire from great distances, and can track them to their precise location. Also, the

Gheshaardi are shape shifting beings, so the energy vampires cannot tell them from any

other being. Again, the Gheshaardi are the only answer to this problem.”

Briggs then said, “So, that brings me to my next question. How do we go about

obtaining the help of a Gheshaardi?”

“That is quite simple. My planet’s government employs a small number of

Gheshaardi to aid them in dealing with the occasional threat of energy vampires on the

Drylliari homeworld. I will contact my homeworld, immediately, to secure the services of

a Gheshaardi, if you wish,” offered Moneradias.

“Yes, please do, Lieutenant,” said Briggs, with great enthusiasm.

Ensign Anderson was making his way through the engineering corridor, when all

of a sudden, a man jumped out from a dark corner adjacent to the corridor, grabbed him

with both hands clasping each side of his face, and then Anderson felt his energy being

drained from him, via ocular means. The man allowed Anderson‘s lifeless body to fall to

the floor, as he walked away, satiated by the intake of Anderson‘s life force. This man

was the energy vampire!

“Where do you think you’re going?,” said Lieutenant Marsden, as she reached for

her communication device with one hand, and her laser pistol with the other. Before she

could use either, the energy vampire already had her by the face, and drained the energy

from her, as the psi-vamp then left her carcass on the floor of the engineering corridor, as

he confidently walked away.

Doctor Ledra looked over the cadavers of Anderson and Marsden, which had both

been transported to sickbay. “Two more victims of the psi-vamp, when will this come to

an end?” said Doctor Ledra, with a great tone of disappointment in her voice.

“It ends today,” said Briggs.

Briggs made his way from the sickbay area to the docking port of the Nebula Star.

At the docking port, standing next to Aervnhu, was a Gheshaardi. The Gheshaardi

announced herself as Idrazhea, as she was welcomed by Briggs.

Briggs then said, “There is much work to be done. There, apparently, is an energy

vampire running rampant on this ship. We are losing crewmembers left and right, and we

desperately need your help.”

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“Leave that to me. I won’t be long,” as she took the form of Briggs.

Briggs, amazed by this, said, “You look more like me than I look like myself,”

with a big, hearty laugh.

“That’s the idea,” said Idrazhea with a smile.

Briggs and Aervnhu waited patiently by the docking port, and were joined by

Commander Uhnvhen and Lieutenant Commander Irmrhium. Briggs received a message

transmission on his handheld communication device from Doctor Ledra, saying that the

dead body of the energy vampire had been retrieved.

Briggs and the rest of the crew bid Idrazhea farewell, now back in her own form,

after returning from taking the life of the energy vampire, as she boarded her vessel.

Aervnhu reported to Briggs that he found an identification card on the dead body,

with the name Cirdran Balabriha on it, and that the card was last stamped, electronically,

at Starbase Eight.

“That explains it. The psi-vamp boarded our vessel at some point during the time

we were docked at Starbase Eight, last week. At least this mystery has now been solved.

By the way, I am ordering you to dispose of the psi-vamp’s dead body by throwing it out

an airlock. While Lieutenant Moneradias assured us that psi-vamps are starkly different

than the vampires of Earthen lore, I don’t want to take any chances of this psi-vamp rising

from the dead,” said Briggs.

“Aye, Captain,” said Aervnhu, as he headed to sickbay, and messaged three of his

fellow security officers, via his communications device, to meet him in sickbay to help

dispose of the psi-vamp’s body, as Briggs had commanded.

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Sunblaze

By Dan Delby

After entering the Ozanchan atmosphere, the Starship Sunblaze landed at Jadar’s Space

Haven, a spaceport located in the badlands of the planet Ozancha II.

Andrew Swenson, owner and captain of the cargo vessel, Sunblaze, had a lot on

his mind. Andrew was feeling his thoughts drift back and forth between everything from

the narrow escape from Wenyadra IV to how he was going to have enough cash flow to

make it all the way to Tarana Prime with the shipment of illegal goods. Plus, the constant

worry that was on his mind, and on the mind of most everyone throughout the universe,

of whether or not the Zalradaar Empire would extend its long arm, with its crushing fist,

filled with unnecessary regulations, unparalleled oppression, and outright tyranny.

Andrew, an Earther, was a professional smuggler by trade, owning and operating

his own business. Andrew took jobs of all kinds for he and his crew. Sometimes they

were legal, overseen by the Empire‘s watchful, domineering eye. Other times, they were

illegal, with a constant cloud of fear hanging over the heads of Andrew and his

crewmembers, a fear that they would be caught, as they attempted to slip under the radar

one more time, with each and every illegal task they performed. This is what it took to

make ends meet in a universe ruled by a despotic governing body of insurmountable

might though, as legal trading alone could not sufficiently support running a small cargo

vessel like Andrew’s, due to the Imperial regulations imposed on doing business legally.

Andrew boasted a most interesting cast of characters aboard his vessel. Andrew

employed a cyborg named Jerra Ten, who served as his first mate; Arturro, an android

who served in the dual role of ship engineer and ship medic; Lyle Drendon, an Earther

who served as ship security; and Belle Drift, an Earther who piloted the ship. Also, Crane

Windsong, who was a Martian high priestess, was a tenant aboard the ship, renting one of

its two extra cabins.

“Belle, get the ship fueled up, but at only three-quarters of a tank. No more, no

less,” said Andrew.

“Aye, captain,” responded Belle.

Andrew then turned to Lyle, as he said, “Ask around the spaceport for someone to

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rent the empty cabin aboard this ship. We need to bring in more cash flow, so whoever

you can get that needs a ride to Tarana Prime, get ‘em sold on renting our cabin, get their

money, and bring ‘em aboard!”

“Aye, captain,“ said Lyle.

Andrew, Jerra, and Arturro stayed near the vessel, as Crane went to the merchant

area, as she was looking to acquire holy items essential to the practice of her religion.

Andrew then started to walk away from the vessel, and said to Jerra and Arturro,

“Stay near the ship, I’m going to head over to the spaceport brothel.”

Lyle made his way through the exterior of the spaceport, and into the saloon. It

was well known that the saloon of any given spaceport was most likely the best place to

find travelers needing a lift to another planet, or vagabonds looking for a ship to call

home for awhile.

After looking around the saloon for a few moments, hoping to spot someone who

looked in need of a cabin, Lyle noticed a commotion starting over near the far end of the

bar. A rugged gang of space pirates were encircling a young couple. The young man

stepped up to defend the honor of his lady, even in the face of certain death at the hands

of the space pirates.

The apparent leader of the space pirates looked at the young boy with a sneering

grin, and said, “Well, well, well, young man, your woman will do just fine for me. Either

you give her to me freely, or I take her from you by force. The choice is yours!”

Before the young man could say anything, the young woman piped up and said,

“I’m not going anywhere with the likes of you, so you might as well kill us both!”

Two of the pirates grabbed the young woman, as the young man turned to try and

get her back from them. The lead pirate pulled out his laser pistol, and aimed the gun at

the young man’s head, as his finger started to squeeze the trigger.

All of a sudden, the lead pirate’s arm was cut clean from his shoulder. The two

pirates holding the young woman, were, almost instantaneously, decapitated. The other

two pirates, cut in half. The lead pirate looked up, as he was now writhing in the floor,

and saw that it was a Raori master of the mystical arts, with laser sword in hand, looking

down at him. Before the lead pirate coud utter another word, the tip of the Raori’s laser

blade was thrust violently into his chest.

As the Raori pulled his laser blade out of the lead pirate’s carcass, he looked to

the young couple and said, “Sorry that you had to be witness to such bloodshed, but it

was necessary in saving you from the wrath of these five brutes, and necessary in saving

the rest of the universe from any future wrath they might have brought upon anyone. I bid

you both good day,” said the Raori, as the laser beam that stretched along the edge of his

sword evanesced, as he placed the blade back in its sheath.

The Raori turned, and walked out of the saloon. Lyle, after witnessing the Raori’s

deed of derring-do, followed behind the Raori.

“That was quite a moment to behold that you just provided for everyone,” said

Lyle.

“Thank you, sir. Might I ask who you are?” said the Raori.

“I am Lyle Drendon. I am employed on the cargo vessel, Sunblaze. My

commanding officer sent me on a mission to find someone to rent an extra cabin that we

have available on our ship.”

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“Pleased to meet you Lyle, I am Lanson Shadowson. Say, where is your ship

headed next?”

“Tarana Prime.”

“Consider your cabin, rented. I am a wanderer. I sense good vibes from you, and I

see that traveling with your crew is what I am supposed to do. You see, your compulsion

to speak to me was no coincidence, as there are no coincidences in the universe. Take me

to your ship, Lyle.”

Jerra, standing next to Arturro on the entry ramp of the ship, welcomed Crane

back to the ship, as she said, “So, I see that you find a few things?”

Crane said, “Yes, indeed. I found some gemstones for my meditation rituals.”

Andrew made his way back to the ship from the brothel, as Jerra grinned and

asked, “So, Captain, are the whores of Ozancha II still to your liking?”

“That they are, Jerra,” said Andrew, as he grinned in return.

Arturro spoke up and said, “Here comes Lyle. He appears to have found a tenant

for our vacant cabin. A Raori master of the mystical arts, no doubt, judging from his

clothing, demeanor, and weapon of choice, sheathed on his side.”

“Captain, I’ve found someone to rent our cabin. Here’s his deposit and first

month’s rent,” said Lyle, as he handed Andrew the money he had collected from Lanson.

Andrew looked down at the money in his hand and said, “Good work, Lyle.”

Belle hurried back to the ramp and said, “Fueled up, and ready to go, Captain!”

Andrew then said, “Well, then what are we waiting for? Let’s fire this baby up

and head out of the atmosphere. All aboard!” as he smiled and headed into the ship’s

entryway, with his crew and tenants following behind him.

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2012: A LOOK BACK

A retrospective look back at author/artist Dan Delby,

and Dan Delby Comics, in the year 2012!

The year 2012 started off with a bang, as January 1st, New Year’s Day, saw the release of

Dan Delby’s one-shot superhero team comic book, Next Force, featuring a team of six

mutant superheroes striving to save the planet! Also in the first quarter of 2012, February

saw the online launches of Dan Delby’s Project: Interplanetary Unity science fiction

webcomic series, and Dan Delby Comics Magazine! In March, Dan Delby launched the

Dan Delby Comics Podcast, as well as his short story collection, Incredibly Imaginative

Tales, and appeared as a guest at the Technicon 29 science fiction and fantasy convention,

held at Virginia Tech, in Blacksburg, Virginia!

The second quarter of 2012 kicked off with the releases of two one-page

superhero comic strips by Dan Delby, Lurking Moonlight and Red Cobra! Also in April,

the Dan Delby comic book that fans had long been waiting for was released. The ultimate

superhero arrived, as Captain Superb, a one-shot superhero comic book by Dan Delby,

was released! Also in the second quarter of 2012, the month of June saw the launch of

Dan Delby’s one-shot webcomic, Hero Crew, a superhero team comic book, featuring the

teaming of six Dan Delby Comics superheroes: Captain Superb, Knight Cowl, Web

Mistress, Lurking Moonlight, First Guardian, America-Man, and Laser Gold! Hero Crew

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was the first comic to be released under the Superstardom Comics imprint! June also saw

the artwork of Dan Delby featured at the annual Chautauqua Festival of the Arts, held in

Wytheville, Virginia. Two acrylic paintings, and one oil painting, by Dan Delby were

featured during the festival’s art show.

July started off 2012’s third quarter with the release of Dan Delby’s Showcase of

the Spectacular, a one-shot superhero anthology comic book, released under the new

Momentum Comics imprint. Also in July releases, both Project: Interplanetary Unity #1

and #2 were brought to print and digital. July also saw Dan Delby appear at the Wythe

County Public Library, in Wytheville, Virginia, for a presentation and book signing! Also

in July, Dan Delby appeared as a guest at the highly-attended, first-ever, WyVaCon

science fiction and fantasy convention, held at the Wytheville Meeting Center, in

Wytheville, Virginia! In September, Dan Delby’s Hero Crew #1 and Project:

Interplanetary Unity #3 comic books were released in both printed and digital format!

Also, the month of September saw the release of Dan Delby’s short story collection,

Amazingly Astonishing Journeys!

The fourth quarter of 2012 saw the October launch of Dan Delby’s Cosmic Star

webcomic series from the Momentum Comics imprint, and the October releases of three

comic strips by Dan Delby: Lady Darkshade, Cosmic Star in Attack of the Dastardly

Destroyer, and Horror of the Monsters! Also in October, Dan Delby appeared as a guest

at the 21st annual Rising Star science fiction and fantasy convention, held at Bluefield

State College, in Bluefield, West Virginia.

Dan Delby would like to take this opportunity to thank all of his fans, whether

they are online fans or fans who have met Dan in-person, all of the great behind-the-

scenes people who have organized such wonderful events for Dan to appear at, and all of

those behind the scenes at the various print and digital publishing companies, and web

hosting services that Dan utilizes, for all of their support over the course of the past year,

making 2012 a great year for Dan Delby Comics!

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FOR ALL OF THE LATEST

DAN DELBY COMICS

NEWS AND INFORMATION,

AS WELL AS ORDERING

INFORMATION, DIGITAL MAGAZINES,

PODCASTS, AND SO MUCH MORE…

VISIT THE OFFICIAL WEBSITE OF

AUTHOR/ARTIST DAN DELBY, AND

DAN DELBY COMICS, AT…

WWW.DANDELBYCOMICS.COM

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Check out Dan Delby’s action-packed

science fiction superhero webcomic series… Cosmic Star!

New from Momentum Comics,

an imprint of Dan Delby Comics!

Access is available via

www.dandelbycomics.com!

Copyright © 2012 Dan Delby. All rights reserved.

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Order the new book, Amazingly Astonishing Journeys,

featuring six short stories by Dan Delby!

Available as an e-book via:

www.dandelbycomics.com