Poison from Outer Space

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Episode 15 of The Trigan Empire

Poison From Outer Space
aka The Alien Dust (The Collection)
De fatale wijn (Dutch title)
The Fatal Wine (Dutch title, translated)

Written by Mike Butterworth
Illustrated by Don Lawrence

Poison From Outer Space was originally published in 8 instalments in issues 363 (28 December 1968) to 370 (15 February 1969) of Look and Learn magazine.

It was reprinted in 1975 in 2 issues (20 December 1975 & 27 December 1975) of Vulcan comic.

It is reprinted in Volume 4 of The Trigan Empire—The Collection (the Don Lawrence Collection).

It is reprinted in Volume 2 of The Rise and Fall of the Trigan Empire (Rebellion).

Plot summary

In the third year of Zemm, two planets collide. This creates many meteorites, one of which lands on Elekton. Strange material from the rock has a peculiar effect on the scalla plant, from which a brew called Gorbal is made. The two brothers Jud and Kren are brewers and find that this year’s Gorbal is the best ever, but whoever drinks Gorbal this year becomes aggressive, and Kren kills his brother.

Kren, who lives in Hericon, sells his wine at the royal court. Nikko, the king, drinks it while signing the peace treaty with Zeth. The next day, however, Nikko wants to conquer Zeth. Keren and Roffa, who have also drunk the wine, help him, but Janno refuses. Nikko wants to arrest him, but Janno escapes in a one-man giro-craft. Janno flees far away but is captured by the nomadic Zuggs tribe.

Nikko conquers Zeth, and when Trigo hears about it, he becomes very angry. But Trigo also hears that Nikko now wants to conquer the great plain next to Zeth, where the Zuggs live. He thinks Nikko will learn his lesson. Janno saves the leader of the Zuggs, Jegiz, from an attack by a Nobra, and they become friends.

Nikko advances with his troops in hover tanks onto the Great Plain. The Zuggs blow up the army’s fuel supplies and flee far away, forcing Nikko to chase them. Due to a fuel shortage, they become stranded and are surrounded by the Zuggs. Janno escapes to them, and Jegiz lets him go, departing with his army to thank Janno. Because the Gorbal had run out, Nikko returns to normal and shows remorse. For three months they travel to Trigan to atone before Trigo. He forgives him, as Peric had already discovered that the Gorbal had been poisoned.