DALEKS – The Humanoids

SHORT STEPS AND SIDE STRIPS:  The Humanoids

Presented in: The Dalek Book

Script: Unaccredited *

Art: Unaccredited **

Page Count: 8

Main Characters: Daleks, Jeff, Mary and Andy Stone

* The Dalek Book was written by David Whitaker and Terry Nation

** Illustrations for the book were by R Jennings, J Woods and A B Cornwell

Synopsis:

The Stones land on Mars, Andy confident that there won’t be any daleks around, as they’re not registering on his specially adjusted spectroscanner.  Outside the ship they find two capsules, apparently containing unconscious humans.  The Stones take them into the ship where one of the humans regains consciousness and tells Mary that he’s from Alpha Centura.  However, both the humans seem to fall unconscious in strange ways and then Andy discovers that the spectroscanner has been smashed.  Jeff realises that they’ve walked into a trap and one of the “humans” emerges from the medical bay, pointing a gun at him.  Mary realises that they aren’t humans but humanoids and are under the control of the daleks.  The daleks arrive but the Stones are ready for them and manage to destroy them with the ship’s weapons.

Episode Endings:

One – Taking off from Mars with the two humanoids as prisoners, Jeff and Mary joke that Andy will probably have to pay for a new spectroscanner and preferably one that also detects humanoids as well as daleks.

Continuity

Dalek casings are made purely from dalekanium. 

The Stones’ ship has a pulveriser on board along with an arsenal of weapons that can destroy daleks.

Comments:

A little obvious sadly, given Andy’s insistence that the spectroscanner will pick up any daleks is emphasized heavily at the start and that the story is called “The Humanoids”, it isn’t difficult to work out what will happen.  It’s interesting to note that, in this story, humanoids are artificial humans whereas in “City of the Daleks” it’s implied that humanoids are regular humans that have been bought under dalek control.  All in all, not a very satisfying strip and not one to go out of your way to read.