Starring Chuck D. Head! is a 6-part Decap Attack story beginning in Issue 10 of Sonic the Comic. It is the first in the series and shows the creation of Chuck D. Head and the invasion of Max D. Cap.
Staff
- Nigel Kitching - script and art
- Steve Potter - lettering
Story
The story begins as Kevin the Bat tells we're just in time to see Professor Frank N. Stein begin something. Fortunately, we've already missed the messy bit, but Kevin can't tell us much more, as Igor crushes him with a massive mallet, killing him immediately. Frank isn't happy and orders Igor to join him for the experiment that will give him a son. Frank tells Igor to raise the corpse into the lightning storm, ignoring Head's comments. Igor talks down the chances of Frank's success, not knowing that two bats are sneaking up on him. As they discuss getting revenge, a bolt of lightning hits the dead body, reviving it. Frank is hysterical, informing the corpse that the previous owner of his arms had a nasty accident with a food mixer. Chuck 'remembers' dying in a landmine blast as Igor fights off the attacking bats, taking the battle on to the bench in the lightning storm. Frank struggles to remember the body's name, a bloody piece of paper only labelling him as "Chuck". As the bench Igor fights on gives way, the whole thing comes tumbling down, seemingly knocking Chuck's head off. As Frank searches for it, Igor places Head on Chuck's soldiers, completing his new look. Furious, Chuck's real head appears from his torso and refuses to wear Head as a head. That gives Frank an idea of what to call his new son - Chuck D. Head.
Chuck threatens to kill Frank for not putting all of his new brain in the same head, but their argument is interrupted by the emergence of Max D. Cap's castle rising from the ground. Fearsome and menacing, he orders Frank to create an army of the dead for him, or else (and, by the way, he hasn't got Frank's lawnmower). Max goes back to his men, checking with Rupert how his speech went. Cap's minions then leap into Castle Frank N. Stein, ready to "persuade" Stein to do his bidding. Chuck retaliates by throwing Head at one of the monsters, then using his own head to butt Croc in the face. Bullhead fares batter, headbutting Chuck off the roof. The reanimated corpse loses his life, Head falling next to him soon after.
As Loyd Grossman introduces Boomers to the castle (and gets Bullhead to throw him out of the window), Frank and Igor attempt to create an army of the dead. Outside, Head explains to Chuck that he was fitted with three hearts, although only two of them work now. Head wants to go back and save the professor but Chuck refuses. He soon changes his mind when he learns he needs regular electric shock treatments or he'll die. They find a grate into the castle and Chuck again throws Head, this time through solid iron bars. In the dungeons, Chuck comes across a skeleton with a stake in its ribs. Chuck pulls it out, Head terrified that it might come from a vampire. Chuck laughs it off, but a vampire does leap out of the coffin at them. The vampire initially can't find a neck, but with Chuck's help, tucks into his dinner. He soon regrets it and dies at the taste of Chuck's purple blood.
Max D. Cap demands to know why Frank hasn't yet built him his army, with Igor revealing the situation was a total fluke. Croc and Bullhead have been dispatched to the dungeons to find Chuck, five days after he managed to get into the castle. In the dungeons, Chuck and Head are lost and soon wander into their chasers. Head tells Chuck to use the bomb they found (between issues) but as he lights it, his enemies attack, knocking the bomb out of his hand. He picks up both Head and the bomb from the floor and throws what he thinks is the bomb... looking up, he sees the bomb on his shoulders which explodes, killing yet another heart.
Now desperate, Frank decides to clone Head with his Clone-O-Matic in order to get Max his army. Chuck gets out of a coffin, still not dead, but stumbles right into Max D. Cap and Rupert. The accountant is ecstatic, ready for the showdown between good and evil. The demon torches Chuck, who replies by headbutting him. Rupert orders Max to give his speech, but Max bungles it, mixing up 'invincible' with 'invisible'. As the fight crashes into Frank's chamber, the professor announces his experiment to be a success. The assembled gang are horrified at the sight of the half-brained creation...
...a Blockbusters contestant! Armed with his mascot, Winston, the no-hoper chases Max D. Cap and Rupert out of the castle. As they order their men to flee, Max has time to give one last threat - he'll be back, with a vengeance! The castle sinks out of sight, leaving Frank to deal with the contestant. Igor takes control, asking him what "D" is an ancient place of imprisonment and torture. The contestant contemplates several answers (Desert, Dentist, Denmark, Darlington) as Frank takes Chuck for a Hob Nob. In the dungeons, the contestant (and Winston) is chained up, still unsure what the answer is, as Igor tortures him with a hot poker.
As a final thought, Megadroid appears to apologise to readers for the stupidity of the last six issues. As somebody brings another massive bag of complaints, he urges readers to stick around for something more sensible next issue.
Trivia
- This is the first Decap Attack story.
- Chuck's creation is revisited in Birthday.
- Another character named Kevin appears in two Decap Attack stories.
- Igor has red eyes in the first page.
- "Megadroid" continuously chimes in during the story, berating Kitching for his corny jokes or apologising to readers for the absurdity of the plot.
- Max D. Cap and Rupert return once more in Dead!.
- A handy heart monitor shows how many lives has left, decreasing during the strip. It reflects the actual life monitor in the Decap Attack game.
- The Blockbusters contestant and Winston return in Who Killed Chuck?, still trying to get that "D" word!
- Megadroid makes his first appearance in a strip, albeit in just one panel.
Timeline
This is the first Decap Attack story. The next is Who Killed Chuck?.