Death's Head #7

Issue Details

Synopsis

 “Shot By Both Sides” Writer: Simon Furman. Artist: Bryan Hitch. Inker: Jeff Anderson. Colorist: Stuart Place. Letterer: Annie Halfacree. Editor: Steve White. Death's Head and Spratt track down Photofit, a shape-changing criminal, to a crowded television studio. Let the death and destruction commence! Death's Head went to considerable expense and effort to have his old spacecraft recreated to the smallest detail. Unfortunately, not only did he forget to ask the technicians how to fly the craft manually but also an explosive was hidden in the cargo area by Short Fuse. Death's Head was flying his latest spacecraft, the DH II, when it was blasted by Big Shot. This was immediately followed by the detonation of Short Fuse's hidden explosives. This second explosion lightened the craft enough to land relatively safely. The ship plummeted down, crashing through another vehicle before the computer came back online and pulled it out of its dive. The computer then initiated a landing sequence, after a fashion. The ship came to halt upside down on top of Short Fuse's car. Death's Head sent for a tow truck. Later that night, Death's Head and Spratt discovered that the face-changing villain known as Photofit was on the loose and looking for a way out of the country. They identified him with a special device, but were unable to capture him. However, they managed to place a tracer on his car before he could get away. They left the device at their office, and began to track the car. Later still, the tracer stopped transmitting. They found the wreckage of Photofit's car at the studios of O.T.T. TV. Death's Head reasoned that Photofit would have changed his appearance. He went back to the office to retrieve the device that had identified Photofit before and left Spratt to do a recon of the studios. Meanwhile, Short Fuse had placed explosives in a nearby car. As Death's Head walked past, Short Fuse detonated the explosives. The blast merely thrust Death's Head out of the way of a blast aimed by Big Shot. While Death's Head was oblivious as to who was behind the explosions he was smart enough to deduce somebody was out to get him. Big Shot attacked again, blasting Death's Head through a wall. Another of Short Fuses explosions went off behind Big Shot, sending the bounty hunter flying towards Death's Head. Death's Head rolled backwards and kicked Big Shot overhead. Big Shot fired at Death's Head again, but the mechanoid dodged the blast and it hit one of the bystanders. Death's Head charged at Big Shot, and as the two grappled with each other another of Short Fuse's explosives went off. Death's Head and Big Shot went through the wall into the next room, where the game show - Run to Rio - was taking place. Spratt was playing against Photofit, who had killed and replaced one of the contestants. Spratt pointed out Photofit to Death's Head, but the mechanoid was still preoccupied with Big Shot. Photofit ran away, taking on Death's Head's appearance. Just then Short Fuse appeared and, mistaking Photofit for the real Death's Head, grabbed him by the neck and produced an explosive. Photofit reverted to his true appearance, giving off a dazzling bright light. In his confusion, Short Fuse forgot to deactivate the bomb. The explosion killed them both, and sent Big Shot crashing through the side of the building. Death's Head forgot about Big Shot, and went to see if there was enough of Photofit left for him to collect a reward with. Having assumed all the explosions were the work of Big Shot, Death's Head remained none the wiser about Short Fuse's involvement.