Writer:- The Victor editorial team. Artist:- Matias Alonso.

Main cast:- Hork (pronounced Hawk) Larsen; Toto, Kreeg and Gruun of the Asturian; Starlord Zanon - leader of the Vorl race and Lord Markan, his second in command, Master Smee and L'Asine, two space travellers.

Time period:- The 25th Century, planets - Laneen, Asturia, Smee's and others in the galaxy.

A story of vengeance that has its origins on Laneen, a human colonised planet somewhere in the far reaches of outer space in the twenty-fifth century, takes on unexpected twists and turns in this space adventure. We meet one of our heroes Hork (pronounced Hawk) as a young boy on Laneen, where his parents work as farmers. Whilst out playing in nearby caves, a rockfall entombs Hork. He digs himself out just in time to see an unknown spaceship leaving the planet. And, everyone has disappeared.

Back on Earth, Hork meets his only surviving relative, Grandfather Lars Larsen and his friend (and our second hero) Toto, a bald-headed negro. Larson, a wealthy man and a spaceship designer, is as keen as Hork in wanting to find his parents. It appears that similar disappearances have also taken place on other newly colonised planets. For the next few years Hork is trained by Larsen in matters of space education and Toto trains him to be a space pilot and in combat. To aid the two in their mission Larsen has built them a fast ship (and our third 'hero') the 'Avenger'.

The training is completed just in time as Larsen's home is destroyed by a mysterious spacehip! The now adult Hork vows, 'You'll regret this day! Until the score's settled you'll have to deal with Hork the Hunter!

Our heroes are quickly on the trail of the Asturians who have been responsible for the kidnapping of the colonised planet humans. The first story twist is that the Asturians far from being the enemy are in fact Hork's and Toto's allies. The Asturian, Kreeg tells them that his race have been kidnapping humans, but only to save them from the Vorl. (They are being kept frozen on their home planet). An alien race who are the sworn enemy of Asturians and who are hell bent on domination of the galaxy. After meeting the Vorl second in command, Lord Markan a shootout occurs with Vorl guards, who mortally wound Kreeg. Before he dies he tells Hork to travel to the edge of known space, to a world without sunlight. There he will find the answers he is looking for.

The second half of the series involves Hork, Toto, Gruun another Asturian, space travellers and space pirates making plans to stop the Vorl. But can all of Hork's allies be trusted? Gruun has a weapon known as the Cosmatron which is the only weapon which can be stop the Vorls. It is fitted into the Avenger, but it is useless without its power source, the Fire Jewel. Will they locate the Fire Jewel, stop the Vorl invasion and live to see Hork's parents? Read the last part of this story below.

This is an entertaining space saga, with spacecar and spaceship chases, death and sacrifices. The artwork by Alonso is enjoyable, the artist allowing his imagination to run wild. The script in places is a bit wooden though. For example, 'Yes! In my bones I feel I can trust you though not even knowing why,' (issue 776).

The following adventures of Hork the Hunter are from issues 774, 778 and 785.

© Adrian Banfield, 2009.