Down These Mean Streets A Man Must Go (comic story)
Down These Mean Streets A Man Must Go was the first comic story of Lytton, a spin-off of Doctor Who making use of Eric Saward's individual license to the titular character. It was Lytton's first official appearance since PROSE: Mistaken Identity in 1991.
Publisher's summary[[edit] | [edit source]]
Ex-soldiers. Mercenaries. Businessmen. Swapping shooters for suits, it's 1975, and Lytton and his long-time batman Wilson run the Jazz Soiree Club in London's West End. A classy affair in the otherwise seedy environment of Soho, the duo inevitably incurs the jealousy of the criminal underworld who want a piece of the action. What rivals can't buy, they'll take. But every man has its price, and it's good business to be civil. After all, Lytton needs a rare piece of kit. Extraterrestrially rare. But how far will he go to obtain it? London is about to find out.
Plot[[edit] | [edit source]]
Saigon, South Vietnam, 1968: Major Lytton and Lance Corporal Wilson sit in a café when they notice a van, heading in their direction, going all over the place. As the van shows no sign of stopping, and keeps driving into stalls, vehicles and people, Lytton and Wilson prepare for the worst - that the van might be a suicide bomber. They begin shooting at the vehicle, but it stills shows no sign of stopping. Just before it reaches them it explodes, and Wilson is hit by some shrapnel. Lytton heads off to find a medic.
Soho, London, 1975: Wilson walks down Old Compton Street, past a sign asking for helping in finding a murderer, on his way to The Jazz Soiree Club. He heads down a side alley and opens up a sewer lid when he hears a strange noise coming from within. Lytton catches him looking, and dismisses the noise as simply a radio left behind by a sewer worker.
As Wilson protests, Mr Shend arrives, hoping to have a word with Lytton. They return to The Jazz Soiree Club, owned by Lytton, and survey the clientele: a crowd of faceless individuals waiting to get inside the club. Mr Shend and Lytton discuss Wilson, and Shend offers to buy him for a million. Before Lytton can respond, they hear Wilson’s scream from back down the alley.
They find him by the sewer lid, where he has just been attacked. Whilst Lytton looks around for the attacker, Shend has a chat with Wilson. He wants to know what pieces of alien technology Lytton is looking for. He believes Lytton is looking for something called ‘Eve’. Wilson denies any knowledge of what Lytton is looking for, just as his boss returns from his search.
Wilson and Lytton head to the nightclub, and Wilson informs Lytton about his and Shend’s conversation. They survey the dancehall, where the faceless “wannabes” are dancing. Lytton asks Wilson to watch the main door, and to send up Miss L.
When Miss L arrives in his office, Lytton asks how her evening went. She informs him that it went well except for Mr Longbody, who did not behave so well and continued to ask about ‘Eve’. Lytton tells her to continue to deny any knowledge of it. She also informs him that four gentlemen want to see him, just as the phone rings. A Mr Gray has come to see him, who claims to have an important message about ‘Eve’.
Mr Gray has arrived with his associates Mr Stein, Smart and Standing. When they attempt to intimidate Lytton for information about Eve. Lytton punches Mr Gray and runs off down the side alley. As they chase after him, a few are badly injured and run off. One of the men is decapitated. Lytton turns around to see who has helped him: Mr Shend.
Meanwhile, Miss L takes down an aperitif for Mr Longbody.
Mr Shend and Lytton have walked down the street to a large house. Below the house is a large vault, filled with what Shend claims is the ‘biggest collection of alien artifacts’ with enough explosives to destroy entire galaxies. He has something that Lytton is looking for: a Positron Molecular Condenser. In return, he wants a million – or Wilson. Lytton leaves, but tells Shend he will think about it.
Back at The Jazz Soiree Club, Miss L lies in a pool of blood, torn apart revealing wires within. As she lies there, she repeats ‘He Behaved Rather Badly Again’ over and over.
To Be Continued
Characters[[edit] | [edit source]]
- Gustave Lytton
- Charlie Wilson
- Mr Shend
- Miss L
- Mr Gray
- Mr Stein
- Mr Smart
- Mr Standing
- Mr Longbody
Worldbuilding[[edit] | [edit source]]
- On Friday 30 September 1975, a sixth woman and fourth man were murdered in Brewery Street.
- The Jazz Soiree Club featured Count Bassie, Annie Ross, Duke Ellington, and Henriksen Black.
- Lytton is looking for a positron molecular condenser with a miston scale and a point seven mark 12 transference booster as well as something called "Eve".
- Lytton lives in parallel worlds.
- Due to "time slip", his club is attended by "Wannabes" with faceless masks.
- Mr Shend's alien artefacts collection was stored under a house with structural engineering that made it bigger on the inside. It was designed by an architect from Gropious in the star system Alpha Nine.
Notes[[edit] | [edit source]]
- In the digital version of the comic, the text "London, 1975. Old Compton Street, Soho." is present but the textboxes are absent in an apparent error.
- Though a police note in the story notes 30th September 1975 as a Friday, it was a Tuesday in the real world.
- In the real world, Duke Ellington died in 1974.
- The transference booster is referred to as a "mark 12" and a "mark twelve".
DVD Commentary[[edit] | [edit source]]
Each issue of Lytton has a DVD of Value Added Material available, containing among other items a commentary for each issue by writer Eric Saward and artist Barry Renshaw. Below are some insights from the commentary for Issue 1.
- To be added
Continuity[[edit] | [edit source]]
- Wilson hears roaring noises coming from within the sewer tunnels below London, and remarks upon it to Lytton who dismisses it. Later, Lytton will go in search of Cybermen in the same tunnels. (TV: Attack of the Cybermen)
External links[[edit] | [edit source]]
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