MAGAZINE Issue # 7 March/April 2013

COSMIC STAR TAKING FLIGHT!

SUNBLAZE: ESCAPE FROM TARANA PRIME AN ALL-NEW SHORT STORY!

ALSO, THIS MONTH’S SPOTLIGHT ON

PROJECT: INTERPLANETARY UNITY!

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Table of Contents

SPOTLIGHT ON PROJECT: INTERPLANETARY UNITY...…............................ 2

A closer look at the science fiction saga that started it all for Dan Delby Comics!

COSMIC STAR……………………………………………………………….............. 3

The superhero who uses space technology to fight crime is taking over the web!

SUNBLAZE: ESCAPE FROM TARANA PRIME……………………………….......4

An all-new short story sequel, featuring everybody’s favorite outer space outlaws!

Note: This issue marks the one-year anniversary of Dan Delby Comics

Magazine! Special thanks to each and every one of our readers, who

have enjoyed this magazine over the course of the past year! Dan Delby

Comics Magazine looks forward to continuing to entertain readers

everywhere!

Copyright © 2013 Dan Delby. All rights reserved.

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SPOTlIGHT

Project: interplanetary unityProject: interplanetary unityProject: interplanetary unityProject: interplanetary unity The comic book adventures of Dan Delby’s wildly popular science fiction saga, Project:

Interplanetary Unity, have been collected in a graphic novel, now available from Dan

Delby Comics! The one-shot Project: Interplanetary Unity- The Struggle for Peace, as

well as all four issues of the Project: Interplanetary Unity series, comprise the Project:

Interplanetary Unity graphic novel. Also, Project: Interplanetary Unity #4 is now

available as an individual comic book. Log on to www.dandelbycomics.com to purchase

the print and/or digital versions of the Project: Interplanetary Unity graphic novel, which

again contains a total of five comic books, with the one-shot Project: Interplanetary

Unity- The Struggle for Peace comic book, as well as all four issues of the Project:

Interplanetary Unity comic book series. All of the comic books contained in the Project:

Interplanetary Unity graphic novel are also available for individual purchase via the

website, in both printed and digital format, including the newly-released fourth and final

comic book of the series.

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COSMIC STAR TAKES THE INTERNET BY STORM Cosmic Star, the latest webcomic written and illustrated by Dan Delby, is fully underway,

as it is steadily growing in online popularity. In addition to learning of Doctor Bryan

Kincaid‘s superhero adventures as Cosmic Star, readers are also treated to a bonus story

included in every issue. In the bonus story included in the first issue of Cosmic Star,

readers are introduced to sQUADron, a team of four superheroes, consisting of a familiar

face in Red Cobra, along with his teammates Superatomic-Man, Orchid Woman, and Mr.

Monstrous. In the second issue‘s bonus story, readers are introduced to a group of six

known as Night Gathering, consisting of Spiral Overcast, Darkgoyle, Beam Lady,

American Arrowman, Burning Ember, and Varilahr the Martian Ocean-man. If you

haven’t been doing so already, check out www.dandelbycomics.com under the

“Webcomics” section of the website to access the Cosmic Star webcomic, updated

weekly! Also, Cosmic Star fans may now order their very own copy of Cosmic Star #1,

available for purchase in both printed and digital format, via www.dandelbycomics.com,

the official website of Dan Delby Comics!

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Sunblaze: Escape from Tarana Prime

by

Dan Delby

Captain Andrew Swenson did not plan on finding himself in the midst of an Imperial

raid whilst dropping off a shipment of illegal cargo on Tarana Prime, but that is precisely

the predicament that he and his crew found themselves in. Swenson, Jerra Ten, Arturro,

Lyle Drendon, and Belle Drift fought their way back to the Starship Sunblaze with every

ounce of firepower they could muster from their respective laser guns. The Imperial

troops outnumbered them greatly, but Swenson and his crew were managing to hold them

off. Despite being in the heat of battle, as the shootout between the Sunblaze crew and the

Imperial troops was in full swing, Swenson turned to Jerra and said, “If I die, here on

Tarana Prime, at least I got to go one last round with the whores of Ozancha II before we

arrived here,” with a wink and smile.

Aboard Sunblaze, Lanson Shadowson and Crane Windsong noticed that the others

were in trouble. Lanson looked on, as he noticed Swenson and crew were in the middle of

a battle against Imperial troops. Lanson turned to Crane Windsong, who was now sitting

on the floor, with her legs crossed, and arms outstretched, as three orbs circled around

her, as she meditated. Lanson then said, “Excuse me, Crane. Pardon me for interrupting

your meditation, but I see that the crew members of this vessel are in trouble. As tenants

aboard this vessel, are we expected to defend this vessel along with the crew?”

Crane broke from her meditation, opened her eyes, and looked up at Lanson, as

the orbs circling her stopped traveling around her, but remained suspended in the air. The

Martian priestess then said, “No, we are not necessarily expected to defend this vessel.

However, I choose to enter into a ritual such as this, when I see that the crew is in trouble.

It is to ensure their safety, and to abet a positive outcome in whatever perilous situation

they may find themselves in. You are welcome to help them in whatever way you choose,

or do nothing at all. As a tenant of this vessel, it is entirely up to you.” Crane then closed

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her eyes, and returned to her ritual of meditation, as the orbs surrounding her began

moving in circular motion once again.

Lanson looked away from Crane, as he knew, with complete certainty what path

he was going to choose.

Swenson saw an Imperial trooper coming from his left, as he blasted him with his

laser pistol. Swenson then took out another Imperial trooper, this one coming at him from

his right, with his laser pistol. Swenson saw that the rest of the crew were holding their

own, but he, and the rest of the crew, then noticed more Imperial troops coming at them,

from out of an opening garage door from the warehouse that the Imperial troops were

raiding. Swenson said, “I don't know if we can make it back to the ship in time. Jerra,

help me hold these troops off. The rest of you get aboard the ship!”

“Aye, Captain,” said Jerra, as she stood side by side with Swenson, laser rifle in

hand, as she helped Swenson hold off the Imperial troops, as the rest of the crew headed

up the ramp and into the ship.

Swenson and Jerra felt the Imperial troopers closing in, as every shot fired at them

got closer, and every waking moment seemed to be nearing their last. Suddenly, to the

astonishment of both Swenson and Jerra, a figure hurled over their heads, from behind. It

was Lanson, leaping through the air, as he then landed on the ground, as perfect a landing

as Swenson and Jerra had ever seen a human perform after such a high and far jump. The

edges of Lanson's laser blade were lit, as Lanson managed to beat back the offense of the

Imperial troops, singlehandedly. Swiping and slashing his blade, with a flurry of

movements that only a Raori master such as himself could have so precisely made,

Lanson felled Imperial trooper after Imperial trooper, blocking their laser fire with his

laser sword, and hacking them apart, one by one, with said laser sword.

By this time, Swenson and Jerra were able to get back to the ship, and up the ramp

they went. Swenson commanded, “Belle, get this ship ready for takeoff, and let's get out

of the atmosphere, pronto!”

“Aye, Captain,” responded Belle, as she had already made her way to the helm,

and began flipping switches like crazy, as she always did, speedily getting Sunblaze ready

for an escape from peril.

Swenson, then ran midway back down the ramp of the ship, as he shouted,

“Shadowson, you had better get back to the ship, we are getting ready for blastoff!”

Swenson handily took out a handful more of the Imperial troops, as he then turned

his head back around toward the ship, and then sprung into the air, showing great agility,

and presence of mind, as he unlit his laser sword with a push of the button on the sword's

handle, as he sheathed the sword in mid-air, and then came in for a perfect landing just in

front of where Swenson was standing on the ramp. Swenson and Shadowson headed back

inside the ship, as Lyle closed the ramp, as Sunblaze was leaving the ground. The

remaining Imperial troops, and even their commanding officer, fired away from the

ground, to no avail, as Sunblaze took off into the sky, heading out of the atmosphere.

Swenson looked at Crane, as he often did, and said, “You're superstitious little

rituals are useless. You should take a lesson from Shadowson, if you really want to help

keep this ship and crew out of harm's way!”

Crane grinned, as she looked up at Swenson and says, “This ship, and all the

members of this crew, are still in one piece. So, from my vantage point, my rituals are not

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at all useless.”

Swenson shook his head with a frown and look of utter disbelief spread across his

face. As Swenson turned away from Crane, and stormed toward the bridge of the ship,

Crane's grin turned to a smile. There was something about Swenson that Crane found

quite attractive, and could sense that he felt oddly attracted to her as well. A warm feeling

came across Crane's heart, as she found comfort in the fact that while she believed in the

spiritual, and Swenson clearly did not, their difference in philosophy did not seem to

interfere with their budding mutual attraction.

As Sunblaze emerged from the planet's atmosphere, Belle quickly noticed an

Imperial space battleship looming not far from them at all. “Captain, it's an Imperial

space battleship!”

Now standing on the bridge, Swenson looked down at Belle, as she was seated at

the helm, and said, “Belle, it looks like we are going to have company!”

Two Imperial fighters shot out from the space battleship, and headed toward

Sunblaze.

Swenson piped up, “Those two fighters are flying on opposite sides of one

another, and as you well know, Belle, we've seen this maneuver before from Imperial

fighters. Slow down and let them catch us. Then, when one fires on us, tilt this ship to the

opposite side of the attacking fighter. Maybe we will get lucky and they will hit their own

fighter instead of us. Then we can fire away on the attacking fighter.”

“Aye Captain, I'm on it,” said Belle.

Upon reaching firing range of Sunblaze, the fighter to Sunblaze's left fired, as

Belle tilted the ship in the opposite direction, just as Swenson had commanded her to do.

Just as Swenson had predicted, the Imperial fighter hit the other Imperial fighter

destroying it.

Swenson then said, “Perfect! Now, fire away on the remaining fighter, Belle, and

then let's get out of here, and into hyperspace!”

“Aye, Captain,” said Belle, as she unleashed laser fire from Sunblaze upon the

Imperial fighter, as the fighter then exploded. Belle then shifted the ship into hyper drive,

as Sunblaze took off in a blinding light, into the darkness of space.

Just before entering his Imperial Throne Room, Emperor Ardnarov paused in the hallway,

as he saw Admiral Kadankar walking toward him. As Kadankar neared where he was

standing, Ardnarov asked, “Admiral, has anything eventful happened today?”

“No, not really. However, we did receive a report that some of our officers, who

were conducting a raid on an illegal operation located on Tarana Prime, as well as two of

our fighters, were lost during the attempted capture of a vessel that had just dropped off

some illegal cargo.”

“How did the smugglers manage to escape?”

“A master of the Raori arts was among them, and gave the smugglers the upper

hand on the ground. Then once they were out of the atmosphere, they managed to

outmaneuver and destroy two fighters sent from a nearby Imperial space battleship, and

then make the jump into hyperspace. With resources already lost, the commanding officer

of the Imperial space battleship decided not to give chase.”

Ardnarov's facial expression changed, as he pursed his lips, and asked, “A Raori

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master, you say?”

“Yes. According to the report, the captain of the escaping cargo vessel referred to

him as, ’Shadowson’,” answered Kadankar.

The Emperor, now looking wide-eyed, with a sudden sneer coming across his

face, said, “Shadowson? Find that cargo vessel. Send out an emergency message across

all Imperial channels, and seize this vessel at once!”

“It will be hard to differentiate this particular cargo vessel, since it is a model

often used for hauling cargo. However, the report did mention that the ship had a unique

paint job of flames across the top of the wings.”

“Use all available information to identify this vessel. I want this ship at all costs!”

“Yes, your majesty.”

Emperor Ardnarov then entered his throne room, after asking his guards to remain

at the door, as he requested that he be left in peace for the remainder of the evening.

Touching the scar on the side of his face, then opening up a case containing a sword,

Ardnarov then took the sword in his hands. One hand rested beneath the handle, as the

other hand rested underneath the blade, near the tip. As he was holding the sword across

his hands, he then took his hand underneath the blade and moved it to the handle as well,

with the other hand. Holding the sword solely by the handle, Ardnarov energized the laser

sword, as he said, “Yes, I will finally have my revenge on Lanson Shadowson!”

Aboard Sunblaze, the crew was now at ease, as the ship was cruising along just fine after

its escape from the Zalradaar Empire's clutches on Tarana Prime. Arturro had been telling

the crew stories from his days working at an underground medical facility. The crew

enjoyed sitting around the table in the ship's lounge area, telling stories, drinking,

smoking, laughing, and having the occasional game of poker.

As he lit up a cigar, Swenson reminded the crew that they managed to scrape past

the Zalradaar Empire once again. Swenson then looked at Crane and said, “And no, I

don’t credit your ritualistic mysticism with our escape from the Empire, I credit this crew

with a hard fought battle against the Empire; and our new friend, here, Shadowson, with

his mastery of the Raori arts,” as he then held up his glass in honor of Shadowson.

Crane then chimed in, “Believe what you will, Captain, but I find it to be no

coincidence that you, and your crew, make it through scrape after scrape with the Empire,

as I perform my rituals to aid in your survival.”

Swenson then said, “Listen, baby doll, I’ve been outrunning the Empire since long

before you became a tenant on this ship!”

Before Crane could interject, or Swenson could continue, Shadowson interrupted,

as he looked at Swenson and said, “Captain, while I am delighted that you are impressed

by my mastery of the Raori arts, I must warn you that I may bring more trouble out of the

Empire, for you and your crew, than I am worth. You mentioned me, by name, during our

escape from the surface of the planet. If the Imperial officer leading the raid mentions that

in his report, and mentions my name specifically, it will get back to Emperor Ardnarov.

The Emperor will then see to it that his Empire will hunt us down.”

“I take it you are personally acquainted with the Emperor,” quipped Lyle. “After

witnessin' you take out that band of pirates in the saloon on Ozancha II, and now

witnessin' you take out that bunch of Imperial troopers on Tarana Prime, I have no doubt

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that you have no need to fear the Emperor, but the Emperor damn sure needs to fear you,”

said Lyle with a grin and nod.

Shadowson shifted his eyes toward Lyle and said, “Let's just say that Emperor

Ardnarov is nowhere near the fan of mine that Captain Swenson is, and I will not take any

challenges from him lightly.”

Swenson then looked at Shadowson, Lyle, Crane, Arturro, Jerra, Belle, and then

back at Shadowson, with a look of sly confidence in his eyes, as he said, “So, the

Zalradaar Empire is, and will continue to be, after us. What else is new?”

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