We learn in Magnus Robot Fighter #8 (November 1964--written & drawn by Russ Manning) that there was once a war between those who wanted a giant weather control tower built and those that didn't.
The pro-weather control faction won and this seems to be a good thing, as this issue opens with a celebration of the 1,100th anniversary of that victory. The crowds are givin the opportunity to experience different weather conditions and just have fun.
Well, it's all fun and games until someone loses an eye--or rather, when an insane battle robot takes over the weather tower.
At first, no one knows exactly why the weather has gone wild, but Magnus soon has a chance to save a teenager from some rogue robots and gets an explanation.
The kid (named Howie) is one of four teenagers in a group called the Outsiders, which have been inspired by Magnus to work to be independently capable and not depend so much on robots. Ironically, while climbing down to see the site of the last battle between the pro- and anti-weather control factions, they unearth an old Battle Robot, which is programed to take over the weather control tower and use it to wreak destruction. The Outsiders make a valiant attempt to stop it with an avalanche, but it blasts its way through. Taking over both the weather tower and the the robots guarding it. Those were the robots trying to kill poor Howie before he could warn anyone.
There's a lot of detail in the plot to make it all work, but Manning gives us the exposition through an action-packed flashback that provides us all the information we need without slowing the story down at all. It's an example of expert graphic storytelling.
Storming the weather tower is now the thing to do. With Howie tagging along, Magnus out-fights guard robots and uses his intelligence to get past weather related obstacles (such as a literal acid rain). Once again, it is expert graphic storytelling. Manning provides us with superb art and with a hero who has to use both his physical abilities and his brains to win out.
Reaching the tower, Magnus finds the other three Outsiders, who snatch up rayguns from destroyed guard robots and give the Robot Fighter cover while he rips the head off the battle robot and saves the day. One of the Outsiders is wounded during the fighting, but 40th Century medical care saves his life.
A nice touch at the end is the Outsiders' willingness to take responsibility for letting loose the battle robot. But Magnus figures that would have happened eventually and they weren't to blame (an arguable point, since the boys had been rock-climbing in a restricted area), but the four boys had literally put their lives on the line to save the city, so we can give this to them.
As is typical of Russ Manning's Magnus stories, this one is glorious. The art is fantastic and the story is solid and well-constructed.
In fact, let's spend another week with Magnus, looking at another issue that involves the Outsiders.
This, of course looks like a fantastic comic. I particularly like how world-building and exposition were handled in visually interesting ways, as you pointed out. What a great series!
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