Look out, universe! Amelia is behind the wheel of Zik’s ship and she’s having a blast! Flying is awesome!

In the distance, the Kodiak also makes its way back to Zoz. It’s a long trip, and a perfect opportunity for Zik to give Amelia her first flying lesson. She looks like she was born flying!

WELCOME TO ZIK EPISODE 2! And look at that! Zik is in full color now! That’s right, from this chapter onward you’ll get to enjoy the adventures of your favorite space hero in color. The first episode was in greyscale because I’m still learning the craft of comic making, and I wanted to focus on other aspects first without having to learn color on top of it. It’s also cheaper to print, so that will allow me to get episode 1 into a book sooner!

Buckle up, let’s get this episode soaring into the stars!

Zik turns to James Anchor and thanks him again for arriving in the nick of time. Our heroes seem to have gotten away! But Zik thinks it may have been too easy. Think about it: Queen Elcyra wasn’t aiming her torpedoes properly, and she all but ceased fire right after the Kodiak landed its first shot. Zik thinks she let them go! But why?

Meanwhile, Trent and Amelia have arrived on the bridge in their new space suits! This will keep them much safer while traveling in the dangerous environment of space! (Seriously, why the heck do people on Star Trek wear pajamas to work?)

And, clinging to the hull, deader than a doornail, is the clonoid that Queen Elcyra planted on the hull of the Kodiak…

WOW! It’s the end of the first chapter of Zik, The Gallant Defender of Zoz! Prison Planet has been quite an epic tale, clocking in at 147 pages! I’d like to take a moment to thank the people who have supported me in getting here, especially Adam Black and Raven Perez for their art and story-writing advice. These guys are great coaches! Also, all the great readers who have been tuning in every week to see the continuing adventures of their favorite space hero, and especially the awesome site members who have signed up to get the extras. And lastly, my awesome family for being supportive as I spend countless hours drawing and drawing and drawing. Thanks!

Episode 2 starts very shortly! Next week I will be featuring some amazing fan art that up until now has only been available for site members. The week after that, a whole new Zik adventure begins, along with a major shift! Stay tuned, you’ll be blown away!

Zik has gotten a direct hit on Queen Elcyra’s massive ship! James Anchor notices that it’s had the desired effect: the rate of fire from Queen Elcyra’s ship has dropped off dramatically! That means it’s time to get the heck out of here, and he gives that order to the helmsman Gerald. James also gives Zik the green light to cover their escape with a few more rounds from the Kodiak’s howitzers! Boom! How do you like that, you tyrant?! Elcyra’s ship is now leaking air from three big holes!

The Kodiak fires its cannons in point defense mode and destroys the torpedoes as they approach, but there are so many of them!

Tactical officer Emma notices that not all the torpedoes are aimed accurately, as if Elcyra is shooting from the hip! James Anchor orders her to flag the torpedoes that are a threat in the targeting computer so that weapons officer Jason knows which torpedoes to prioritize. He then gives the order to return fire with the main guns!

Zik takes a seat at an auxiliary station and offers to man the howitzers so that Jason can concentrate on the cloud of incoming torpedoes. He fires the massive front howitzer! James Anchor orders the Chadee fighter pilots to stay in their hangar bay, but to be ready to launch – escape is their objective, not destruction!

Meanwhile, Fiona has found a space suit for both Trent and Amelia, and helps them to learn how to put them on properly. If a torpedo gets through the defenses and hits the ship, you definitely want a space suit on!

Zik’s howitzer shot is a direct hit on the hull of Elcyra’s massive capital ship! Will our heroes make good their escape?

Tactical officer Emma makes the urgent announcement: Queen Elcyra has launched a barrage of torpedoes at the Kodiak! Captain James Anchor gives helmsman Gerald and weapons officer Jason some quick commands, and then announces an alert to the rest of the ship! Zik gets his crash helmet ready and moves to the secondary weapons console.

Meanwhile, there’s nothing Queen Elcyra likes better than crushing her enemies! She cackles with glee, giving Zik’s nickname for her more truthfulness than he probably anticipated!

Down in the medical bay, Fiona is helping Vera into a medical diagnostic pod. It doubles as an escape pod in case the attack goes badly for our heroes! Trent and Amelia aren’t sure what the alarm means, but Fiona explains it quickly. She’ll have to get some proper space-worthy clothing for Amelia and Trent! You don’t want to get sucked out a hull breach wearing a t-shirt or a robe! Fiona has a spare flight suit that should fit Amelia, and she offers Trent some body armor. Will the Kodiak survive the onslaught?

Queen Elcyra seems quite put out that an entire ship of people would laugh at the opportunity to escort her illustrious person to meet with their leaders.

Zik can’t take her arrogance any longer, and cuts her off mid-sentence! He gives her a piece of his mind and lets her know that Zoz has no leaders, nor does it want any! The long and violent history of humanity since the dawn of civilization has proven the point: people who submit to authority inevitably get tyranny!

The crafty, crazy Queen doesn’t seem too bothered by Ziks tirade. She orders her Clonoids to open fire on the Kodiak!

Queen Elcyra has arrived! She opens her first official dialogue with a Zozian vessel by mocking the Zozians. Diplomacy isn’t important to a tyrant!

James Anchor gives a polite response with a stoney expression. Zik isn’t impressed either, but for him things are already personal – after all, Elcyra just killed a bunch of his new friends!

Elcyra introduces herself with the grandiose titles she has bestowed upon herself and tells the Zozians that they can have the honor of escorting her to meet with their leaders.

Zik and James look at each other with bemused expressions. Did she really just say “Take me to your leader” to a ship full of people with no rulers? The situation is too ludicrous for words, and everyone on the bridge cracks up laughing!

James Anchor formally welcomes his guests to the Kodiak, but as Vera’s lung cancer acts up, he realizes that they need a check-up to make sure his crew isn’t in any danger. After all, there’s a thousand years of colds and flus that have had a divergent evolutionary path! The Kodiak’s medic Fiona is tasked with checking them over in the infirmary. But no time for chit-chat, the captain is needed on the bridge!

Zik and James head up to the command bridge and get a report from tactical officer Emma. A huge ship is inbound! There’s only one person that could be! Gerald, the pilot currently manning the weapons systems while Jason finishes stowing the shuttle, is ordered to ready all weapons systems.

Sure enough, Queen Elcyra arrives in her capital ship, mighty pleased with herself for catching the Zozians before they can leave!

Zik starts his ship and gives Seamus access to monitor the systems to keep an eye on the damaged engines. Meanwhile, Amelia has a million questions about the ship and how it works! Zik promises to teach her to fly when they get back home to Zoz. Speaking of heading home, it’s time to start that journey! The small fleet of ships takes off, heading for orbit, while the Zernabian prison factory burns in the distance. They have to travel carefully, trimming the use of the main engines once the ship gets high enough to go the rest of the way on the auxiliary maneuvering thrusters. They approach the Kodiak, which is drifting in orbit waiting for them, surrounded by the wreckage of some more Zernabian patrol ships! It seems the pilot, Gerald, has been busy!

Our refugees board the shuttle and James Anchor gives the order to take off. The first stop: Zik’s ship! As the shuttle rises into the sky, Vera peers out of the window and bids her dear friends an emotional farewell. Soon, the shuttle and its Chadee escort arrive at the cave where Zik’s ship is hidden. Zik and Seamus, the Kodiak’s chief engineer, get out to go and inspect the ship. A curious Amelia tags along. Seamus pronounces the patch job to be good enough for now while Zik changes clothes.  Our hero steps out in his new (old) outfit, and Amelia praises his fashion choices!