Buck Godot

A fourth story written by John J Buckley, Jr. and penciled by Doug Rice, which has never been reprinted, appeared in #8 (winter 1984).

[1] In 1993, Foglio began publishing the 8-issue limited series Buck Godot - Zap Gun for Hire through Palliard Press.

Humanity has also become the custodian of The Winslow, an immortal, indestructible, sentient small fuzzy alligator-like creature that usually doesn't do anything more than say "Hi!

However, the chaotic nature of human expansion into space has resulted in two Great Checks: a powerful alien intelligence known as Lord Thezmothete, who prevents humans and other species from exploiting pre-spaceflight civilizations; and the emergence of the Law Machines, intelligent robots that enforce the law in all places.

New Hong Kong is the home base of the series' eponymous protagonist, Buckminster "Buck" Godot, a quick-witted mercenary whose motto is "Always available, but never free".

He was once a security chief of the corrupt X-Tel Corporation, but "retired" from their service after an ethical dispute, damaging their headquarters and stealing a starship as he left (in what Godot later cheekily described as "taking his pension in a lump sum").

Her human-variant alteration gives her voluntary control over glands in her body that exude an intensely-powerful pheromone that can entice anyone (at least, anyone with a healthy sex drive).

Buck's response is generally that she is "too small", a reference to the fact that Hoffmanites are so large, heavy, and strong, once joking that they could have a go if she gained about 400 pounds.

Buck's drink of choice is the "ion sucker", whose containers also make useful weapons (as well as components for flower arranging).

Buck's notable antagonists have included the aforementioned X-Tel Corporation, the human collective mind PSmIth (read as "Smithe", referencing the "psi" shortening of "psychic"), the high-grade thief and assassin named Der Rock the Destroyer and the notorious space pirate known as the Pistol Packin' Polaris Packrat (a sentient who has the dubious honor of being the only creature Buck will deal with for free; Al suspects that there's someone out there paying Buck to breathe) with his two talking laser pistols, Smith and Wesson, who have some history with Junior and lament that he "isn't speaking to them".

These include the Prime Mover, an immortal and omnipotent alien lifeform who has a deal with humanity to prevent their extinction, Ambassador Whreee of the Klegdixal, a paranoid and conniving alien race and oft-time political rival of humanity, Parahexavoctal, chief of security of the entire Gallimaufry, and Buck's uncle and fellow Hoffmanite, Frakkus Godot.