Countdown: UFO (1971) Part Two - The Picture Strip: Part Four

The New Boss:
Part 1:  Issue 12: 8th May 1971.
A UFO reaches Earth and manages to strike General Henderson's car as he is returning from vacation in America, causing a crash and injuring him.  Henderson's replacement at an International Astrophysical Commission meeting is General Calper, who accompanies Straker in a ShadAir jet.  Calper is unsympathetic towards SHADO but in flight is sighted homing in on them.

Part 2:  Issue 13: 15th May 1971.
Straker calls on Skydiver for assistance and Sky 1 homes in but not before the UFO is able to fire on the ShadAir Jet.  Calper is slightly injured but the jet crew still make it to New York for the conference.  A recovered Calper addresses the delegates and tells them he believes SHADO is no longer competent in defending Earth and calls for investigation of Straker and the organisation.

Part 3:  Issue 14: 22nd May 1971.
The Commission agrees that a detailed investigation will help assist budget reviews and Straker is ordered to co-operated fully.  The Commander takes Callper back to SHADO Headquatres and gives him a full tour including a captured Alien space suit, but the General is undeterred in his opinions even when overcome with a dizzy spell.  Stating it is better the public know, Calper intends to broadcast to the nation and pulls a gun on Straker.  With little choice, Straker overcomes him, but in a Military organisation this is a court martial offence!  

Part 4:  Issue 15: 29th May 1971.
Straker escapes in a racing car that is being used for one of the studio films and Calper calls on both SHADO and Civil Police to catch him.  Out in the country, Straker is able to lose the Police and doubles back to Paul Foster's apartment to get help, but Foster is waiting in a SHADO Mobile.

Part 5:  Issue 16: 05th June 1971.

Foster disobeys orders from Calper to open fire and confronts Straker, who tells him of the General's plans.  Realising something is wrong, Foster joins Straker, who believes Calper may have come under an Alien influence.  Meanwhile, Alec Freeman has been replaced by Calper's aide, Crawford.  Freeman is also suspoicious and contacts Straker & Foster in their  mobile.  They arrange to meet in the ruins of a house destroyed by a UFO months earlier but en-route they encounter another Mobile driven by Crawford!

Part 6:  Issue 17: 12th June 1971.

The battle is short, with Foster forcing Crawford off the road and driving through a Police cordon.  At the ruin rendezvous with Alec Freeman, they discover Calper had hypnosis during recent dental treatment and think this may have made him open to outside influence.  Recalling Calper's dizzy spell when seeing the Alien suit, Straker hatches a plan and Freeman returns to SHADO.  Later, Calper is en-route to the television studio to make his broadcast when a Mobile blocks their way.  As his guards pull their weapons, an Alien approaches.

Part 7:  Issue 18: 19th June 1971.

The Alien commands Calper to stop the guards and the General barks an order.  Watching from the Mobile, Foster & Freeman realise Straker - dressed in the Alien spacesuit - was correct.  But a UFO is homing in and eliminates Calper before being destroyed by Sky 1.  Returning to SHADO Headquaters, Straker believes the Aliens knew the plan had failed and destroyed Calper to prevent how they controlled him being discovered.  Back at the Astrophysical Commission,  Straker's budget increase is granted.