The untitled 16th Lady Penelope comic story was published in the Lady Penelope magazine as a nine part story, over issues 73 to 81.
The story is notable for a rather curious and unusual crossover with Fireball XL5, especially at this point of time in the history of Lady Penelope magazine, where such links back to the "TV21"-verse were scarce. Although the Fireball XL5 craft and its famed pilot Steve Zodiac appear, neither are directly named, and as the story progresses the XL5 designation disappears from the craft, as if it was only added in the start as an accident. As such, it can almost be said that this is an 'accidental' crossover - a crossover which was not intended in the story's script, but ended up becoming one anyway due to other factors. Additionally, this story was also a crossover back with the main Thunderbirds series, with the Tracy family making an appearance at the start of the story.
Synopsis[]
Lady Penelope is unexpectedly elected president of the Spacewoman's club, despite outrage from a few of its members owing to the fact Penelope has never been in space before. Looking to rectify this, Lady Penelope declares her first act as president will be to organise a trip to the moon and back. Meanwhile, someone calling themselves 'Count Lorenzo' begins making threats to the World Government, threatening to destroy both the moon and the British Houses of Parliament if his million dollar ransom demand isn't met.
Characters[]
(in order of appearance)
- Lady Penelope Creighton-Ward
- Parker
- Alan Tracy
- Jeff Tracy
- Scott Tracy
- Tin-Tin Kyrano (cameo)
- Spacewoman's Club elector
- Mrs. Carmell
- Linda Williams
- Newsreader
- Count Lorenzo
- Examining doctor
- Van delivery driver
- Captain Steve Zodiac
- XL5 astronauts
- Moonbase scientists
- Westminster police officer
Equipment Used[]
- FAB 1
- Fireball XL5
Reprint history[]
While never having been reprinted in English, the story would be translated into Dutch for TV2000, where it would appear between its issues numbered 03/1968 to 11/1968.
Trivia[]
- Lady Penelope is stated to have never been in space before, meaning this story must be set before the novel Operation Asteroids, which sees Lady Penelope kidnapped on-board a space freighter, that had been published the year previously.
- Lady Penelope finds herself in a similar state to the one she was in during the events of The Man From MI.5, as she is tied up to a boat set to explode.
- Story 16 is not the only 'accidental' crossover in the Thunderbirds continuity. The Man From MI.5 had accidentally crossed over with The Daleks (itself a Doctor Who spin-off), via the incredibly brief appearance of the back cover of an issue of TV Century 21, the page which contained The Daleks comic. As TV21 was supposed to exist in-universe, it can be interpreted that the Daleks must also exist - although such an intention was not deliberate.