"The Revolution" is a comic-strip story originally published in TV Century 21 issues 130 to 136, 15th July to 26th August 2067 (1967). It was written by Alan Fennell, and illustrated by Frank Bellamy. It would later be adapted for audio as part of Danger and Deception.
The atomic ship President leaves New York, on her maiden voyage. In Nicaragua, International Rescue surveys the canal through which President will sail, en route to the Pacific and her ultimate destination of Australia.
None, however, are aware that President's journey is about to be sabotaged, by local revolutionaries...
Plot[]
July 15th, 2067: the atomic ship President is departing New York, on her maiden voyage to Australia. High above, in Thunderbird 1, Jeff and Scott Tracy observe the launch before heading home via Nicaragua, so they can examine the new canal through which President will sail, to reach the Pacific...
Far below, in the shanty town of San Casas, revolutionaries are plotting ways to make the government notice their plight - and decide that the best way to do so, is to blow up the President as she is transiting the canal...
The revolutionaries travel from village to village looking for like-minded people to aid them in their cause. The leader, Juan, outlines his plan: the canal will be blocked, and the crew and passengers aboard President will be ordered to disembark before the ship is blown up. But some of Juan's comrades don't share his vision - and, the next morning, they take the tanker Juan had planned to use to block the canal...and ram it into President's bow...
President's crew can't control her after that, and the massive liner crashes into the bank, completely blocking the canal. Juan and his friends elect to proceed with their plan, and the rebel leader orders that the passengers and crew disembark - but his comrades threaten to shoot anyone who leaves the ship!
President's skipper, Captain Thomas, reports the situation to the World Maritime Agency - which is also picked up by Thunderbird 5, and relayed to Tracy Island. Jeff sends Scott and TB1 out to the danger zone, where he discovers that water levels in the canal (unwittingly dammed up by President) are rising...
The President of Nicaragua is prepared to send in troops to deal with the revolt - but Jeff contacts him directly and advises him to call them off. He agrees, and grants International Rescue 24 hours to deal with the situation...
As the rebels watch, rising water levels flood the nearby village of San Pedro. Scott's on hand to save the villagers who were unable to evacuate in time - but, suddenly, the weight of water bursts the north bank of the canal, sending a tidal wave cascading across the plateau...
Thunderbird 2 is launched; and, as the stranded President is becoming unstable in the water, TB2 arrives and launches Thunderbird 4 into the canal. As the yellow mini-sub is inspecting President's condition below her waterline, the mammoth liner shifts her position yet again - and over the radio, Virgil hears Gordon cry out, as TB4 is being crushed!...
As Thunderbirds 1 and 2 attach lines to President, in an effort to free the trapped TB4, Juan is unable to stand idly by any longer - he dives into the water, to rescue Gordon. At last, President is pulled back onto an even keel! But the danger isn't over yet - Juan's followers are still plotting against him, and have gone to warn the army that the rebels are being aided by International Rescue...
With President secured, Virgil uses TB2's grabs to repair the breach to the canal. As government troops open fire on the area, Scott generates a massive smoke-screen with TB1's engines, to separate the two factions. Gordon leads Juan and his loyal followers to surrender. The attack is finally halted, and the traitors are arrested. With repairs to the breach in the canal complete, the water level begins to rise once again...and International Rescue heads for home.
Characters[]
(in order of appearance)
- Scott Tracy
- Jeff Tracy
- Juan
- Rebels
- Villagers
- Golan
- Casta
- Captain Thomas
- Jose
- John Tracy
- President of Nicaragua
- Virgil Tracy
- Brains
- Gordon Tracy
- Nicaraguan army
International Rescue Equipment Used[]
- Thunderbird 1
- Thunderbird 2
- Mechanical grabs
- Heavy duty cables
- Thunderbird 4
- Thunderbird 5
Reprint History[]
The story would be translated into Dutch for TV2000, where it would appear as the 10th translated story, published between issues 01/1968 and 07/1968.
The story would next appear in English when it was reprinted in Thunderbirds The Comic between issues 11 and 13, and given the title of The Revolution. Accompanying this reprint, in issue 13, was a Graham Bleathman cutaway of the President. Around the same time it would also appear in the comic album Thunderbirds to the Rescue.
In November 2013, the story found itself in volume five of The Vintage Comic Collection, which would be the last volume of that publication before it was indefinitely suspended. The next year, it would also appear in the second volume of Thunderbirds: The Comic Collection.
Cover Tie-Ins[]
Trivia[]
- Thunderbird 4 is severely damaged in this story, having being crushed underneath the President. The exact extent of the damage is never stated, indeed, it is not even clear whether the wreck of the submarine is retrieved from the bottom of the canal. The only indication as to the sub's status is given when Gordon says that "Brains is already rebuilding Thunderbird 4" in the story's closing panels. Nonetheless, the submarine is back in action for the very next story.
- The story would later be adapted for audio in Danger and Deception.