This story takes place in a millenial world as imagined in 1979.  In this other world, the internet has remained an obscure pet project of the Department of Defense, cars can fly, and space travel is routine.

The cast of characters is based on the cast of The Maltese Falcon – namely Bogart, Greenstreet, and Lorre.  I had to throw in Bacall, to make it all work.  Ray Bradbury, the great writer, looked this book over and said he also was a huge fan of Bogart, Greenstreet, and Lorre.  (He said some other stuff too, which I have mercifully forgotten. )

Chapter 1 – Saturnalia  The hapless Inspector Malcolm Adroit (Bogart) travels to Saturnalia, a satellite in the outer ring of Saturn, on a mission to guard the interests of the futuristic Solarcom Protectorate .  He out-Clouseaus Inspector Clouseau in a SNAFU extravaganza.  Back on Earth, he is fired

Chapter 2 – CIAO  Forcibly retired, Inspector Adroit goes into business as a private investigator.  His first client (Lorre), an AWOL Kamikaze Pilot, is being hunted by the the C.I.A. of the Orient.  His many brushes with death drive Adroit to get advice from the Fat  Man (Greenstreet),

and also to read escape literature to relax.  Namely, he follows “Freddie the Fur Seal”,  a serial comic strip featuring the atrocities of seal hunts.

(This story fills the 28 page book “2000AD”.   It is printed in black and white to capture the distinctive flavor of the original pen-and-ink artwork. )  To get a copy ……)