The Incomplete Death's Head (comic story)

The Incomplete Death's Head
Main character(s):	Death's Head II, Tuck
Featuring:	Death's Head, Seventh Doctor, Bruce
Main enemy:	Hob
Main setting:	Maruthea, Time Vortex
Key crew
Publisher:	Marvel Comics UK
Editor:	John Freeman, Paul Neary, Tim Quinn
Writer:	Dan Abnett
Artist:	Simon Coleby
Penciller:	Simon Coleby
Inker:	Sean Hardy, Niel Bushnell, Tim Perkins
Colourist:	David Leach, David Boyle
Letterer:	Annie Parkhouse, Gary Gilbert
Release details
Printed in:	TIDH 1 - 12
Cover date:	January 1993

The comic story The Incomplete Death's Head was published in 1993, and served as a sequel to (and a means to reprint) many comics featuring the original Marvel character Death's Head. The story featured Death's Head II, a resurrected version of the original character, experiencing memories of the original figure. The story is a sequel to Time Bomb! and runs congruent to Party Animals.

Its first segment appeared in issue #1 and continued through issue #12, stringing together the reprints which were meant to be archive footage being watched by Death's Head II and his partner Tuck.

Plot

Connections

Death's Head II and Tuck arrive in an unknown location through a matter transporter, immediately attacked by large guard robots. These "defense synths" are quickly defeated by the duo. They then find an archive console dedicated to the life of the original Death's Head. Viewing images of his creators (Lupex and Pyra), Death's Head II begins to explain his upbringing to Tuck.

Lupex and Pyra built the original Death's Head from the Forces of Majik and Techno on Styrakos. Someone or something stole the Cyborg body created by the pair and dumped it on the planet Scarvix, and programmed it with a killer instinct. Young Death's Head built himself a bounty hunting business. Death's Head's earliest memories are of Scarvix, learning the basic tricks of the business, such as killing a man named Tex.

Death's Head and Tuck view the events of the Marvel back-up comic strip Death's Head!

Following this memory, Tuck attempts to find out where they are while Death's Head II asks the computer to tell more about his history. After months spent on Scarvix, Death's Head was apprehended by an unknown individual and was transplanted through a warp gate to a parallel universe where a war was being forged between two races of robotic giants. The computer apologises, as this era of Head's life is poorly archived. Death's Head at this point was greatly enlarged and was forced to fight in a wide range of battles, including some of the most fierce in the dimension's ancient war. The computer again apologises for the lack of clear quality on the images, noting that the recordings are over three million years old.

In the final days of the war, the Death's Head cyborg was caught in the gravitation well of a collapsing planet, which accelerated him at trans-temporal speeds into the time-space continuum. Here he entered...

Death's Head and Tuck view the events of the DWM comic strip The Crossroads of Time, followed by the Dragon's Claws comic Watch Out – Dragon's Claws Here's Death's Head!

Upon seeing Death's Head surviving even after being nearly blown entirely to smithereens, she notes that even then he did not know when to give up. She suggests that they stop viewing the archive's chapters to instead explore the station. Death's Head II states that he would rather stay, because it is important to him to know who the original Death's Head had truly been. When created by Doctor Necker, the robot that would become Death's Head II was programmed with over 105 personalities and memories. It was when Death's Head became dominant that he was able to break her control. He sees this as the perfect change to learn more about the character running his life. At this moment, he is electrocuted by the machine, as his brain is dragged into the archive itself.

Mind Meet!

Tuck tries to wake up Death's Head II, but to no avail. He is trapped in the archive, being forced to relive his past life...

Finally freed from the memory, Death's Head II awakens in Cyberspace and is greeted by a virtual duplicate of the original Death's Head, who controls the virtual universe. Death's Head mocks the power that he has over Death's Head II, and tells him that to escape he has to deduce the identity of his holder from his own broken memory archive. The pair as sweeped in by a bright light as another record plays...

Death's Head II is forced to re-live the events of the Marvel comic Death's Head Revisited

Issue 3

Death's Head II is forced to re-live the events of the Marvel comic Contractual Obligations

In the real world, Tuck notes that even then Death's Head had a mismatched relationship with his partner. Suddenly, the screens of the archive are over-taken by the face of Death's Head II, who warns Tuck that they are on the planet Maruthea, a dangerous place due to its unpredictability. As Tuck turns away from the screen, a gigantic figure looms behind her.

Issue 4

Death's Head II is forced to relive the events of the Marvel comic strip High Stakes, followed by half of the DWM comic strip Keepsake

Halfway through the transmission of an archive featuring the Seventh Doctor, Tuck grows frustrated with the archives inability to help her free Death's Head II. She turns, and finally notices the robotic creature that has been watching her.

Issue 5

Death's Head II is forced to re-experience the events of PlagueDog!

In a gap between archives, Death's Head II is shocked by how much information exists about his past incarnation's life. The computer duplication of Death's Head agrees, and questions Death's Head II about how he will one day kill the original Death's Head. Death's Head then is finally shown by his previous incarnation that Tuck is under attack, and that in order for him to escape he must deduce the identity of her attacker. As Death's Head II tries to argue with this, Death's Head points out that an important supplemental memory is about to start playing...

Death's Head II is forced to experience the second-half of COMIC: Keepsake

Issue 6

Death's Head II defeats a creature from his memories.

Death's Head II suddenly has to defend himself from a creature which has come alive from his own memories. As soon as he is able to comprehend this fact, he is thrown into another memory...

Death's Head II is forced to experience the Marvel comic Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darling!

In the real world, Tuck is flung across the room by the machine which has attacked her. Knocked out, the machine states that their attempt to infiltrate the archive has meant very little. He then identifies himself as Hob.

Issue 7

Hob tells Tuck the archive information does not concern her. Dazed, she asks Death's Head to wake up. Hob is surprised at her use of the name, and does not understand how Death's Head can appear as he does. Death's Head II does not hear any of this, as his mind begins to re-experience another memory.

Death's Head II is forced to re-experience the events of the Marvel comic Sudden Impact!

Issue 8

Death's Head II is forced to re-experience the events of the Marvel comic Shot By Both Sides

Hob asks if it truly can be Death's Head. Tuck replies that if he is used to the original version seen in the archive, he won’t recognise Death's Head II, but he is indeed a “new and improved” version. Hob finds this fascinating, and remarks that he is finally there. Tuck then threatens Hob to reveal where they are, who he is, and what the archive really is.

Death's Head II is forced to re-experience the first half of the Marvel comic The Deadliest Game

Issue 9

Tuck and Hob view the events of COMIC: Time Bomb! on the archive, while Death's Head II presumably re-experiences them

Tuck asks Hob why he showed her that archive. He explains how the Hob seen in the archive was him, and that he and Dogbolter survived the thermonuclear explosion but were flung across space-time. This required heavy modifications. He concluded that if he was able to survive, then so was Dogbolter. Hob says he will search for his master across every inch and second of the universe and history. He also explains how he came to Maruthea, from where he could build an archive about Death's Head outside time and space, in order to track down Death's Head and force him to seek out Dogbolter. He then considers Death's Head II’s appearance as a “gift”. As he asks Tuck to lower her weapon as it could not harm him, she wonders if she will think of anything to save Death's Head.

Death's Head II is forced to re-experience the second half of the Marvel comic The Deadliest Game

Issue 10

Death's Head II is forced to re-experience the events of the Marvel comic Clobberin' Time!

Hob tells Tuck her attempts to harm him are futile. When she suggests he is too loyal and that Dogbolter might be dead, he becomes enraged and threatens to smash her. Tuck prepares her gun, worryingly.

Issue 11

Death's Head II is forced to re-experience the events of the Marvel comic The Cast Iron Contract

In the virtual world, the two versions of Death's Head discuss the events they just saw. They also find it is easier to control the virtual environment. When Death's Head II remarks that is because the original is a part of him, the original Death's Head notes the reason Hob knows nothing of Death's Head II (or other incidents, such as how he killed his father Lupex or who placed him in the robot wars) is because he isn't on the archive. He also wonders why there is no record of his visit to Maruthea, or why Hob never tried to capture him there, when Death's Head II says it might not have happened yet. As they wonder if Hob has noticed, the archive finds new activity to track.

 In the real world, Hob continues to chastise Tuck for saying Dogbolter had died. They then notice the archive is showing the party on Maruthea and that Death's Head is there, exciting Hob.

The End... Yes?

Hob, seeing that both Death's Head and the Seventh Doctor are present on Maruthea, happily plans to force them to find Dogbolter. Tuck hopes for Death's Head II to wake up.

Tuck, Hob, and the two Death's Heads observe the events of COMIC: Party Animals

The two versions of Death's Head notice the different incarnations of the Doctor leaving Maruthea (which won't please Hob), and discuss how they have no memory of coming to Maruthea. Death's Head says it can be confusing with time travel, as he used to work with the Time Variance Authority. Death's Head II wants to save Tuck, and the original is confused what Hob wants— to force him to find Dogbolter or kill him. Death's Head II says the latter is impossible, seeing as how he himself killed the original. The virtual Death's Head points out anything could happen on Maruthea, as the next segment of the Archive begins.

Death's Head II is forced to re-experience the events of the Marvel comic Priceless!

The virtual Death's Head uses the archive with She-Hulk to show that time is very malleable and unreliable. When Death's Head II says he wants to help Tuck, the original says he can put him back in his body, but on one condition: don’t let Hob kill the actual Death's Head.

Hob holds Tuck in his grasp, preparing to kill Death's Head. Suddenly, Death's Head II slices off the arm holding her. As she stands up, Captain Britain offers to help, but the two Death's Heads decline. The first Death's Head asks why Tuck referred to the second as "Death's Head". However she notices Hob is beginning to speak. He cries he has been hurt, as had Dogbolter. He goes on to proclaim he has survived a chrono-nuclear blast, and is more deadly than imagineable. The two Death's Head incapacitate Hob. When Tuck points out they are both the same, this angers the original. As he prepares to kill Death's Head II, he is suddenly shocked.

The Seventh Doctor introduces himself, saying his modified Tissue Compression Eliminator would provide enough time for Death's Head II to leave and for himself to wipe the incident from the memory of the original. He also explains he had suspicions that he had further reasons to visit Maruthea than just Bonjaxx's birthday party. Death's Head II picks up the Doctor and asks him what is going on. He explains he was the one who originally put Death's Head in the "robot universe" and met him later in the Crossroads of Time, and when he was hired by Dogbolter. Death's Head II does not like that his life had been messed with, but the Doctor says he was merely making a few "editorial alterations", and the only thing he did to his timeline was to bring him to Maruthea to prevent Hob from killing the original. Death's Head II thanks him, but also threatens him not to interfere any further. The Doctor agrees, then invites him to the party. Death's Head II and Tuck instead decide to leave. As the three say their goodbyes, the Doctor plans to bring the original Death's Head back to the party.

Characters

• Death's Head II
• Tuck
• Hob
• Death's Head
• Seventh Doctor
• Tex
• Spratt

Party attendants

• Bonjaxx
• The Doctor (future incarnation)
• Doctor Strange
• Penguin
• Doctor Octopus
• Dalek
• Knave
• Jester
• Warlock
• Namor
• Doctor Doom
• The Thing
• Rocket Raccoon
• Conan the Barbarian
• Hulk
• Human Torch
• Random
• Scarlet Witch
• Thor
• Volstagg
• Spider-Man
• Lucas Bishop
• Ghost Rider
• Tigon Liger
• Stacy Arnheim
• Guillermo Perez
• Apocalypse

Worldbuilding

• Death's Head was a bounty hunter.
• The final two parts are set during the events of COMIC: Party Animals. Because of this, the same party is shown in various brief glimpses. However, the only characters seen at the party in both stories are Bonjaxx, the Seventh Doctor, a future incarnation of the Doctor, Captain Britain, a Sontaran, a penguin, a Dalek, the Silver Surfer, the Hulk, and Death's Head.
  • New individuals seen at the party include Doctor Strange, Doctor Octopus, Scarlet Witch, Namor, Random, Warlock, Knave, Jester, Doctor Doom, The Thing, Rocket Raccoon, Thor, the Human Torch, Volstagg the Voluminous, Conan the Barbarian, Spider-Man, Lucas Bishop, Ghost Rider, Tigon Liger, Stacy Arnheim, Guillermo Perez, and Apocalypse.
  • A balloon with Spider-Man's face on it is also seen.
• Death's Head II tells the Doctor that if he finds him meddling with his timeline again, he will "kill him so often [he'll] run out of incarnations".
• The Doctor tells Tuck the Daleks must not have seen anything like her.

Notes

• Tuck first appeared in Death's Head II #3 where she became his new partner. This is the first story she appears in that is tied to the DWU.
• The Transformers UK stories were excluded because at the time of publication Marvel UK no longer had the rights for it, with the in-universe explanation for the omission being that the archive was corrupted. However, one image among those representing the corrupted part of the archive stands out. In this image, Death's Head is towering over a red-coloured robot preparing to deal a final blow. This is strongly reminiscent of the only cover Dave Gibbons drew for the Transformers (UK) comics, for issue 133, where Death's Head similarly overpowers the leader of Autobots Rodimus Prime.
• Issue 5 of The Incomplete Death's Head contains an "archive back-up scan" regarding information Hob has collected about the Doctor. It summarises the Doctor's encounters with Josiah W. Dogbolter. (COMIC: The Moderator, The Shape Shifter, Time Bomb!) Images of the Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh Doctors are labeled as the first, second, and third aliases known to the archive. The Fourth Doctor is pictured as a possible alias.
  • The archive incorrectly records that the Doctor and Frobisher embezzled Intra-Venus, Inc. of 750,000 mazumas. The total was actually 250,000 mazumas.
  • Keepsake, Frobisher, John and Gillian Who, Ace, Ian Chesterton, Liz Shaw, Sarah Jane Smith, Peri Brown, Leela, Miss Young, Sharon Davies, and Death's Head are listed as the Doctor's allies and "known confederates."
  • The "archive back-up scan" lists Marvel Doctor Who publications as additional files about the Doctor:

This Unit contains additional scans on THE DOCTOR. For more data go to files IDH 01 + IDH 04 + IDH 05 + DWM 001 - 200 + DWCC 01 - 09 (security access code required)Archive back-up scan

• Almost certainly in-part due to the extreme obscurity of this storyline, COMIC: The Stockbridge Showdown does not reference its take on the events following Time Bomb! In Showdown, Hob and Josiah W. Dogbolter have clearly survived the explosion and Hob has not been mutated. Furthermore, Hob abandons Dogbolter near the end of the story, out of character for TIDH's obsessively-loyal take on his personality.
• For the most part, The Incomplete Death's Head has never been reprinted or rereleased. However, the Marvel Unlimited digital release of Death's Head! issue 10 is actually the digital copy of TIDH 11. This means that, at the end of the issue, two pages exclusive to TIDH appear in the release. This includes a single panel featuring the Seventh Doctor.

Continuity

• Hob survived the chrono-nuclear explosion of the Dogbolter Temporal Rocket, but was unable to find his master. (COMIC: Time Bomb!)
• As the Doctor enters Bonjaxx's Bar, a penguin enters besides him. A group of Penguins has previously appeared outside the bar in COMIC: Party Animals, and the penguins had first appeared in Once Upon a Time-Lord.
• When Hob is seen spying on the Seventh Doctor, the figure that stands next to him is actually his future incarnation. (COMIC: Party Animals) An identical "Doctor" also appears in COMIC: The Final Chapter and Wormwood, but was revealed to be a disguise taken on by Shayde.
• Bonjaxx resembles the Molags, a Dæmon-like race seen in COMIC: Menace of the Molags.
• The Doctor remembers trying to visit Maruthea, which was not only for Bonjaxx's party but also to ensure Death's Head's timeline was safe. (COMIC: Echoes of the Mogor!, Time and Tide, Invaders from Gantac!, Nemesis of the Daleks, Party Animals, PROSE: The Infinity Season)