When I reviewed the first issue of Tragg and the Sky Gods, I made a point of mentioning how well constructed the story is. That continues with the second issue (September 1975). Writer Don Glut provides us with a concise but effective summary of the situation in case we missed the first issue, then continues to effectively mix together action with exposition in a way that keeps the story fast-paced while still passing on a lot of information to us. Glut often jumps back and forth between different characters, but we never lose track of where everyone is and what they are doing.
This issue begins with Tragg and Lorn trying to convince their tribe that the Sky Gods have returned, but are now evil. Gorth, Tragg's arch-enemy in the tribe, is still accusing Tragg of lying and egging on the tribe to simply kill him and Lorn. Tragg's older brother Jarn, though, manages to mediate a compromise. Tragg and Groth will check out the area where the Sky Gods landed and find out if Tragg is telling the truth.
Gorth actually doesn't care if Tragg is telling the truth. Consumed with jealousy, he simply wants Tragg dead. So he pushes Tragg into a animal pit and continues on to the Sky Gods' damaged ship on his own, where he's quickly captured.
All this action is mixed in with scenes involving the aliens. Their ship is damaged beyond repair, though they are trying to fix their radio and contract the main invasion fleet. They want to wipe out the "apes," but have limited energy for their ray guns. They have a gas that can brain wash the humans, but only a limited supply of that as well.
It's all very clever plot construction. The decision to have the alien ship damaged by rampaging dinosaurs in the previous issue rationally establishes a reason why the high-tech aliens can't simply wipe out the humans with a few bursts of a death ray.
All sorts of shenanigans follow. Tragg proves his genetic superiority by pretty much bashing animals to death--a sabertooth in the animal pit and a T-Rex that is about to chow down on the alien woman Keera.
That's actually an unfair way to phrase it. Tragg is clearly shown using brains as well as brown to fight the beasts in a tactically effective manner.
Anyway, everything leads up to a brainwashed Gorth leading the tribe into a trap, with Zorak planning on using a couple of well-placed ray gun shots to drive a stampede of monsters into them. Tragg and Keera end up nearby. Keera, by now, clearly has the hots for Tragg, who uses her jetpack as a flamethrower to drive off the stampede and save the tribe.
But, though Keera is having some second thoughts about what her people are doing, is still largely loyal to them. She backs Gorth (who is still brainwashed) in his claim that the Sky Gods are friendly, so Tragg and Lorn end the issue still in exile from the tribe.
Like the first issue, this one is a more-or-less self-contained story that also builds effectively on the overall story arc. Jesse Santos's art fits the story perfectly. Tragg and the Sky Gods continues to be a highlight of the 1970s comic book industry and really does deserve to be better remembered than it is. We'll return for a look at the next issue soon.
Next week, Golden Age Batman goes oyster-fishing.
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