2000 AD Annual #1981

In a quietly tense moment aboard a drifting space station, Aunt Lizzie firmly reminds Howard that ownership of Robot Lucifer isn’t up for debate—especially not when the robot’s new leg, forged by Howard’s company, is just one part of a much larger story. The line between creator and caretaker blurs as old tensions surface, and the fate of the machine hangs in the balance.

In "The Guinea Pig," Mike, a test pilot, finds himself in a high-stakes game when foreign agents attempt to steal the experimental plane he's flying. After a daring mid-air collision with their helicopter, he captures them and brings them to justice—only to return them to their mother-ship the following day, setting off a chain of events that blurs the line between enemy and ally.

In "Duel in the Dunes," Kain fights through relentless battles in a desert arena, unaware of the truth behind his existence. As the final clash ends, he uncovers a startling revelation: he is an android, and the entire arena is a child’s toy, its combatants tiny robots.

In the gritty streets of Belminster, former alien-empowered cop Grant teams up with rookie detective Bailey and C.I.D. officer Hanson to crack a string of high-profile jewel thefts—each crime leaving behind only a whisper of the strange, fading power that once made Grant a legend. With his Smokeman abilities fading and the Zetans long gone, Grant must rely on instinct and partnership to outwit a thief who seems to vanish like smoke.