The Death of Fifi (comic story)

The Death of Fifi
Main character(s):	Helen A
Featuring:	Fifi
Main setting:	Terra Alpha
Key crew
Writer:	Andrew Cartmel
Artist:	Adrian Salmon
Letterer:	Colin Brockhurst
Release details
Printed in:	SFX 346 – 351
Release date:	3 November 2021 – 23 March 2022

The Death of Fifi was the first story of The Happiness Patrol series, published by Cutaway Comics in issues of SFX. It was written by Andrew Cartmel with art by Adrian Salmon. The story concerned the backstory and fate of Helen A and Fifi, as a prequel to The Happiness Patrol.

Summary

1: First Degree Grief

A young Helen L lives in a lighthouse on a cliff with her parents. She falls off the cliff and is believed to be dead. However, she returns to find her parents mourning her, and turns them in for their act of grief to Sultana Myles (Smyles B), head of the Happiness Patrol. Smyles B sees potential in Helen.

2: Meeting Fifi

Helen, now ranked Helen H, contests with Gillian H for the position of squad leader at Gladness Academy, but loses. As squad leader, Gillian H is given a Stigorax, Fifi. Fifi bonds with Helen H and sniffs out contraband pity porn in Gillian's locker, causing her to be arrested and sent to Chuckle Camp.

3: Funeral Comedian

Smyles B attends the funeral of Christine A, fellow founder of the Happiness Patrol and First Citizen. Afterwards, Helen and Fifi find a comedian returning to mourn and kill him, which impresses Smyles B.

4: Stand Up Tragedy

Helen, now ranked Helen D, leads her entire squad and Fifi to an underground tragedy club to find killjoys. They find the on-stage tragedian is her old rival Gillan, now demoted to Gillian Q. Gillian tries to escape in an air duct, but Fifi chases after her and after some time catches her. The other killjoys are executed.

5: Helen A

Some time later, Helen finally becomes the ruler of Terra Alpha, ranked Helen A. During a parade thrown in her honour, Gillian Z throws a grenade at her car. Smyles throws herself on the grenade. Smyles survives albeit heavily wounded, while Gillian does not. Everything is happy, until someone arrives...

6: The Alien

Holding the dying Fifi in her arms, Helen reflects on the alien "Professor" and his human companion who arrived on Terra Alpha and toppled her rule. She begins to weep and finally understands the killjoys in a twisted form of cathartic ecstasy. She hears Smyles cock her weapon and accepts her fate.

Characters

• Helen A
• Fifi
• Smyles
• Helen A's parents
• Gillian Z
• Christine A
• Comedian

Worldbuilding

• Sultana Myles, aka Smyles B, was the creator of the Happiness Patrol and the Happiness Patrol Head of Customer Experience, alongside Christine A, who was First Citizen until her death.
• Happiness Patrol squad leaders are given Stigorax.
• Helen H learns how to "cheer up" killjoys at Gladness Academy.
• Gillian H is caught owning pity porn and is sent to Chuckle Camp. She later works as a tragedian at a tragedy club.
• On Terra Alpha, "R.I.P." stands for Risible In Perpetuity.

Notes

• This story clarified that Helen A was not the founder of the Happiness Patrol, but that it had existed on Terra Alpha since she was a child. She rose to become leader later on.
• Christine A's gravestone erroneously reads "Christina A".

Continuity

• The Happiness Patrol aim to eradicate killjoys. (TV: The Happiness Patrol)
• Helen prefers execution by firing squad. (TV: The Happiness Patrol)

External links

to be added