Apocrypha I : Concept Art by Lewis Smith (1995-1997)

Concept art done by "Return of Jetman" series creator Lewis Smith from 1995-1997. Some pieces depict aspects of the series that have been revised as it has evolved, and do not reflect the current version of "Return of Jetman."

Concept Art by Lewis Smith (1995-1997)

• Jet Phoenix (1995)
  
• Green Wyvern (1995) - 1
  
• Green Wyvern (1995) - 2
  
• Toranza (1995)
  
• Wyvern Chariot (1995) (predecessor to Dragon Wyvern)
  
• Return of Jetman Logo (1996)
  
• Red Kestrel (1996)
  
• Power Up Toranza (1996)
  
• Alter Egos (1996)
  
• Wing Sword (1996)
  
• Chaos Manticore (1997)
  
• Power Up Green Wyvern (1997)
  
• Power Up Toranza (1997)
  

Artwork © Lewis Smith.

Jet Phoenix, Kei Mizuno/Green Wyvern, Wyvern Chariot, Ken Tendo, Etsuko Oishi, Gohan Oishi, Reiko Hayasaka, Red Kestrel, & Chaos Manticore © Christopher Elam & Lewis Smith. Based on characters from CHOJIN SENTAI JETMAN (© TV Asahi/Toei/Toei Agency). Toranza & Gai Tendo © TV Asahi/Toei/Toei Agency.

Jet Daedalus

Jet Daedalus / ジェットダエダルス

DESIGNATION : Jet Daedalus

FORMATION : Daedalus Kenjo [Robo Mode Conversion] = Osore Formation

Jet Daedalus artwork © Lewis Smith.

Jet Daedalus © Christopher Elam & Lewis Smith. Based on characters from CHOJIN SENTAI JETMAN (© TV Asahi/Toei/Toei Agency).

ROJ Episode 1 Notes

RETURN OF JETMAN

"Throwing The Gauntlet"
(Episode 1)
Production Notes
by Christopher Elam
© 2002-2010 Christopher Elam

 

These notes are based on material originally posted on December 3, 2002 on the now-defunct OWARI Message Board (formerly http://pub14.ezboard.com/bowari, currently http://owari.yuku.com/).

Return of Jetman Episode 1 - "Throwing The Gauntlet" (the title refers both to Lord Xenotos' arrival & to Jet Phoenix's challenge to his new charges) wrapped principal writing on June 4, 2002. An earlier version of this story, written by Lewis Smith and edited by the present author, appeared in OWARI #2 (May 1996). This first episode is based directly on Lewis' story and many of the special touches outlined in these notes are due to his fertile imagination.

Episode 1 definitely shows the signs (to me, anyway) of being a tentative first effort. Lewis had not yet settled on a direction when he crafted the original story (which had at least four drafts), and I was still very unsure of myself when I wrote this version (which had at least three drafts). As a result, the plot is rather basic and adheres firmly to the conventions of the sentai genre. This isn't necessarily a bad thing.

There are portions of this story that kind of make me wince today, but I think it is a success overall. It establishes most of the main characters, gives them a bit of characterization, and sets at least a couple of storylines in motion. It's played reasonably straight, but with the clear knowledge that it's not the most important thing in the world. On the whole, I think it works as a nice little bit of fun and as a harbinger of better things to come. Not too shabby.

• The Prologue sequence is designed to give the basics of the original JETMAN series, for those who might be unfamiliar with it. It is one of the few parts of the story that I quoted almost verbatim from Lewis' original.
  
  
  
• 22,300 miles above Earth, the space station Skyforce Earthship 2 floated silently in the void of space. - 22,300 miles is geosynchronous orbit (give or take) for an artificial satellite. I learned this from the JLA Satellite in the Justice League of America comics of the 1970s and 80s. This may be the only non-metric measurement used in the series (NASA currently defines a metric geosynchronous orbit as 35,786 km.). And yes, there was an "Earthship" space station in the original JETMAN series.
  
  
  
• Supreme Commander Aya Odagiri - Odagiri was the chokan ("commander") of the team in JETMAN - the first female sentai commander ever. In this series, we felt it only right that she be head of Skyforce, the organization responsible for creating Jetman in the first place.
  
  
  
• Ensign Sakurai - Named for Hiroko Sakurai, who played "Fuji" in ULTRAMAN (1966-67).
  
  
  
• Dr. Masaru Komyoji - Yep, this is an adult version of Masaru (played by Masahiro Kamiya) from JINZO NINGEN KIKAIDA. In crafting ROJ, I was fascinated by the concept of seeing some of the little kids from these shows as grown-ups. It's a theme that will be revisited during the series.
  
  
  
• "J Project" - the original name for the project to create Jetman.
  
  
  
• Skycamp - Jetman's HQ in the TV series.
  
  
  
• Jet Phoenix - Lewis created this mystery character to serve as both the commander and so-called "sixth ranger" of the team. He shares his name with an attack formation of the Icarus Hakken ship in the series. I almost renamed him "Fire Phoenix," but forgot this until it was too late. Probably just as well.
  
  
  
• Each team member is named for a figure from Japanese fantasy. Gai Tendo, for example, is named after Gai Yuki, the Black Condor from the JETMAN TV series.
  
  
  
• Ken Tendo, on the other hand, is named after the leader of KAGAKU NINJA TAI GATCHAMAN, a 1970s anime series that was either a direct or indirect influence on JETMAN.
  
  
  
• One conceit both Lewis and I found amusing was to turn the names Gai and Ken on their stereotypical heads. So Gai is the responsible leader type (his namesake was a rebel without a pause) and Ken is a hothead (rather than a heroic stalwart like his namesake).
  
  
  
• Reiko Hayasaka (whom Lewis gave dyed white hair for reasons which escape him) is named for Reiko Chiba, who played "Mei" in KYORYU SENTAI ZYURANGER. We both REALLY liked her in the mid-1990s.
  
  
  
• Etsuko Oishi is named for Etsuko Shiomi, star of special effects and martial arts films and programs like MESSAGE FROM SPACE, SISTER STREETFIGHTER, and others too numerous to list here.
  
  
  
• Gohan Oishi? I think it's obvious now that he is named for a character from the DRAGONBALL anime series. Hey, it was a lot more obscure back in 1995!
  
  
  
• The Chaos Coalition - I created this name to give the villains their own identity rather than making them a new incarnation of the Byram (or Vyram or Vairamu - whatever Romanization floats your boat) villains from the JETMAN series. However, Chaos' motives are essentially the same as those of the new Byram in the original version of ROJ.
  
  
  
• The planet Perwor's name is a play on Hyper World, which was the only name we managed for the new Byram's home planet back during the first go-round for ROJ.
  
  
  
• The name "Helldevil" has been floating through my head for years, looking for an outlet. The villains' starship finally provided just such an outlet. It's one of those details where I try to give a certain Japanese-style English flavor to the proceedings.
  
  
  
• Lord Xenotos - In the original version of ROJ, his name was "Thanatos" and he was the brother of Radeige, JETMAN's chief villain. This connection was dropped so he could better stand on his own merits as a character. Lewis re-imagined him visually as well, and made him far more dynamic. The name "Xenotos" is derived from the Greek word xenos ("stranger").
  
  
  
• Dystron - Originally "Destron" (named for the villain organization of KAMEN RIDER V3), I gave him a slightly more distinctive name and Lewis made him look quite different than he had first pictured him. Dys is Greek for "bad".
  
  
  
• Hedes - Originally called "Hades," his new name was meant to conjure up Dis (the Roman name for the Underworld), as well as "hideous." However, I mistakenly thought "Dis" was spelled "Des" on the night I wrote the first scene with him (it was late!), and I decided not to go back and correct the error. So Hedes it is.
  
  
  
• Miira - Originally just "Mira." It would be great if you would think of her name as being based on the Latin mirari, which means "wonder at" or "admire" and is the root of both "mirage" and "mirror." Neither Lewis or I will claim to be clever enough to have actually thought of that at the time. If we had, her name would probably be "Mirari." She didn't turn up in the original ROJ series until the sixth installment, but I decided it would be best to establish her character right from the outset.
  
  
  
• "It was most fortunate to discover these 'Jetmen' were powered by the same energy we use as Chaos Energy," she gloated. - This line establishes that "Birdonic Waves" and "Chaos Energy" are different names for the same thing.
  
  
  
• The Garo - These henchmen for the Chaos Coalition are never described in the narrative, and will not be throughout the series. Most henchmen from Japanese superhero shows look sort of stupid to me, so I want the reader to use their imagination to create a henchman that works for them. The alternative would be making henchmen that look like helmet-wearing waiters or orange pirates.
  
  
  
• Gamenon - He was not a turtle monster in the original draft(s), but part of a group of "knights" which also included Destron/Dystron. I wrote the other two knights out because they really had nothing to do in the series (in fact, Lewis himself wrote them out of the original series after a couple of stories for the same reason). Since kame is Japanese for "turtle", it was a short trip to make Gamenon (think "Gamera") a turtle monster - an enforcer who is one of the creatures that I will be calling "Chaos Beasts."
  
  
  
• I suppose I cheated a little by skipping from the kids being offered the powers of Jetman to them flying into battle in their Jet Fighters. Truthfully, I wanted to keep the story moving along at a reasonable pace and avoid an excess of "talking heads." I also wanted to let the reader fill in details that I just didn't feel like providing. There will be more focus on both Jetman's training and their personal interactions away from battle in later installments.
  
  
  
• Oh, perhaps I should mention that the "Phoenix Fighter" was the Bird Garuda/Jet Garuda from the original JETMAN series in the initial version. I changed that part to slide away from the TV show a little more and to give us some flexibility.
  
  
  
• Gohan, as some of you might notice, is a total otaku ("fanboy") for many, many things. This seemed a lot more original back in 1995 when we were creating this series. Now the Japanese have similar characters in both cartoons and live-action programs.
  
  
  
• Yes, I did make sure to mention the status of Gohan and Etsuko's mother, even though she isn't part of Jetman.
  
  
  
• I did the teaser on a whim, and liked it so much that I ended up writing them for every episode. It was rather fun to emulate the "coming attractions" segments so vital to TV sentai. This teaser, and all subsequent ones, were written prior to the story they were previewing.
  

 

© Christopher Elam.

Return of Jetman Episode 1

RETURN OF JETMAN

"Throwing The Gauntlet"
(Episode 1)
by Christopher Elam
(based on the work of Lewis Smith)
© 2002 Christopher Elam

 

PROLOGUE

In the year 199X, the Earth was infiltrated by the forces of Hyper-Dimensional Invaders Byram. Led by the ruthless Count Radeige, they were gods made flesh. Journeying from an extra-dimensional place, they used their super science on a campaign of conquest.

Five young people gained great power to battle the evil machinations of the Byram. They were called Chojin Sentai Jetman. Together they overcame their individual differences to protect their home world.

The struggle between Jetman and Byram was the stuff of legends. Finally, the heroes of Jetman triumphed over their foes and were able to retire from their duties as protectors of the Earth. A grateful mankind erected a monument at the site of their final victory. To this day, it stands as a reminder - a black obelisk emblazoned with the Jetman symbol and this inscription -

"On this site, the heroes of Jetman sacrificed all to save Earth."

***

22,300 miles above Earth, the space station Skyforce Earthship 2 floated silently in the void of space. In the 25 years since the Byram invasion, no crisis had emerged that had required its personnel to go to full priority alert. At least that had been the case until four hours earlier.

Supreme Commander Aya Odagiri sat at her desk and pensively examined the report. Her heart sank as she read what it said. The signs were unmistakable. Hostile forces were preparing to enter Earth's solar system.

Her reverie was broken by the buzzing of her desk communicator. She pressed the button and a female voice stated, "Dr. Komyoji to see you, Commander."

"Very good, Ensign Sakurai. Send him in."

The rumpled and clearly disturbed Dr. Masaru Komyoji raced into the office. "I came as soon as I got your message," he exclaimed so rapidly that his words seemed to run into each other. "Is it really as bad as I'm hearing?"

Odagiri laid the report on her desk and looked up at the scientist. "I'm afraid so. Is our man going to be ready?"

Dr. Komyoji straightened himself and replied confidently, "Without a doubt. He's been prepared for this day for twenty years."

Commander Odagiri swiveled her chair around to look out the view portal into the starry blackness of space. "Good," she said. "Because we're reactivating J Project, too."

Komyoji was taken aback. "Surely, that's not necessary. The risks involved..."

"I'm well aware of the risks," the Commander interjected. "So are their parents. We're going to need a team for this job and they're our best hope."

Komyoji was unsure but knew his protests would fall on deaf ears. "I'll let him know," he said and excused himself from the office.

As Commander Odagiri stared into the deceptive calmness of space, she reflected on the past. In the years since her elevation to Supreme Commander of the global defense corps Skyforce, she had been called upon to make many hard choices and she had done so without hesitation. This time was different. She was consumed by doubt. Once again, she was sending civilians to combat a threat. The fate of the entire world would rest in untested hands.

She prayed she had made the right decision.

***

During the war with Byram, Skycamp had been Jetman's base. Now it was just an abandoned building in the middle of Tokyo. Or so everyone believed.

Dr. Komyoji stood at the entrance and swiped his personal access card in the security lock. Then he entered the lengthy code sequence in the keypad and the door slid open. He entered and was struck by the absence of light. It really did look deserted. Only Komyoji knew differently.

"Can I have some lights please?" he called out plaintively.

Instantly, the building lit up and he could see the bank of video monitors and the round conference table. He wondered how many people were aware that Skycamp was far from abandoned. It was instead refurbished, awaiting the day it might be needed as the newly retooled "Skywatch".

Where was he? Komyoji knew he was here. Why did he keep him waiting? "Would you please show yourself?" he cried.

Almost simultaneously, he felt a gloved hand grasp his shoulder from behind. He turned quickly and stood face-to-face with the person he had come to see. He was a tall figure, clad in a black uniform and helmet recalling the Jetman team. At his side was his Wing Sword, ready to strike down any foe. The cape he wore did little to hide his imposing physique. The fiery bird insignia he wore on his chest described him more than mere words. He was the one who watched and waited for the day he hoped would never come, the keeper of the Jetman legacy. He was Jet Phoenix.

"Sorry," he said. "I'm not used to having guests."

Komyoji brushed it off. "That's not important right now. I assume you've seen the report, too."

Jet Phoenix walked to the monitor bank. "I have," he replied. "Alien invaders on course to be here in one week. Looks like it's time to reactivate Skywatch."

Komyoji hesitated, but only for an instant. "It's...bigger than they'd anticipated. They've decided to...activate J Project."

Jet Phoenix stiffened at the implications of Komyoji's words. This was more than he'd bargained for.

"I haven't received word of that," he protested.

"I'm the messenger," Komyoji said. "You'll receive confirmation from Skyforce shortly. They'll be here in three days."

"I want it on the record that I'm against this."

"So am I. But orders are orders."

Jet Phoenix ran a finger across the bottom of his helmet's visor. "Orders," he muttered. "I've never been very good at following orders."

***

Three days later, the five youths, 3 men and 2 women, appeared at the door to the Skywatch complex at the appointed time. The door opened silently and they entered with great trepidation. They had no idea why they were there. Three days earlier, they had each received a cryptic message from their parents. Be here today at this time without fail. It was vitally important.

Each of them wondered what was so "important" as they marvelled at the layout of the base. It was truly a sight to behold. Then, a figure emerged from the shadows.

"Greetings, my friends," Jet Phoenix welcomed as he extended his hand. "I need your help to save the Earth!"

The five youths exchanged quizzical glances. Finally, one of their number, a long-haired muscular young man, stepped forward. "What are you talking about?" he asked indignantly. "Is this some kind of joke?"

"Ah, you must be Ken Tendo," Jet Phoenix responded without pause.

Ken had intended to continue his verbal onslaught, but stopped short. "How do you..."

"Know who you are?" Jet Phoenix finished. "I know all of you, at least from your records."

They all stared in stunned amazement as Jet Phoenix continued. "Ken Tendo, 20 years old, son of Ryu and Kaori Tendo. Your twin brother Gai Tendo is next to you. The white-haired young woman next to him is Reiko Hayasaka, 18, daughter of Ako Hayasaka. Last in the line are Etsuko and Gohan Oishi, 19 and 18 respectively, the children of Raita Oishi and his wife."

Gai Tendo, from appearance a bit more tactful and measured than his brother, finally spoke up. "So you know who we are. That doesn't answer the question of what this is all about."

Gohan turned to speak to his companions. He was bigger than any of them, a formidable young man. "It's about Jetman!" he enthused. "Look at him! That's got to be it!"

Etsuko, a tall and graceful beauty, dismissed her sibling immediately. "Come on Gohan! That was ages ago! What does that have to do with us?"

"Actually, it has everything to do with you five," countered Jet Phoenix. "Earth is on the verge of hostile alien invasion. I need you five to join me as a new Jetman!"

"WHAT??!!???" Reiko reacted with a volume that belied her diminutive size. "We don't have any special powers! We wouldn't stand a chance!"

Jet Phoenix maintained his composure. He had known it wouldn't be easy. "You do have powers," he explained. "All of you do. The Birdonic Wave power was passed on by your parents, the original Jetman team. They're merely dormant. All it will take is a short treatment by our equipment to give all of you special powers. Greater than those of the original Jetman, in fact."

"I'm not asking you go out alone," he continued. "I'll train and guide all of you. It's been decided that this threat is too big for us to handle without you. We need Jetman!"

The five young people tried to wrap their heads around what Jet Phoenix had told him. It was overwhelming. Jet Phoenix realized that and sighed. "It's a big responsibility, I know, and far too sudden. I wish it hadn't been necessary to involve you. Estimates indicate that the aliens will be here in four days. If you agree, I can have you ready for them. Otherwise, we'll have to face them without you."

Jet Phoenix turned to leave the five to discuss the matter amongst themselves. "I'll need a decision in two hours," he said as he walked away.

***

The colossal blood red spaceship Helldevil sliced a path through space. It dwarfed even the largest of Earth cities, which made sense when you considered its purpose was to transport an elite force dedicated to subjugating and then exterminating Earth's population. Its commander was Lord Xenotos, a cruel-looking being with chalk white skin. He had a vested interest in his goal, for he was also the ruler of his people.

Lord Xenotos and his Chaos Coalition had ruled the planet Perwor for what we would consider decades. But that was before the planet had grown unstable. It became clear quickly that evacuation was the only solution. The known universe was searched for a planet that could support Perwor's population of 12 billion. Finally, a suitable candidate was discovered. Its name? - Earth. The problem? - Inhabitants.

Lord Xenotos resolved to take matters into his own hands. He would lead the invasion force himself in Perwor's long range battle cruiser. They would take the fight to the Earth's surface and wipe out the population on their own terms. Then his people could live in peace on their new world.

However, Lord Xenotos had not risen to power by being reckless. He studied his target from afar very carefully and was alarmed to discover the records of Jetman. Jetman had fought off an invasion force in the past. He knew there was a chance they could do it again. Unless...

"Dystron!" he boomed from his command chair in the control room. "I see we have entered the planetary system. How soon before we are in range?"

His thuggish, green-skinned helmsman observed the panel with his single, multi-faceted eye. "We are in range now, my lord," he reported.

"Excellent," Xenotos breathed as he sat back in his seat. He turned to his vizier Hedes. Hedes wore a black robe to conceal his twisted, wizened body, but his mind was unsurpassed.

"Activate the Chaos Energy Capture Beam," Xenotos ordered.

Hedes nodded and pressed a button. Instantly, a small antenna on Helldevil glowed with energy and sent four beams of light to Earth. Then, just as quickly, it was over.

"Success!" Hedes exulted. "We have four subjects in custody!"

"Four?" Xenotos queried. "I thought the records indicated there were five?"

Hedes relaxed as the tension he had momentarily felt eased. "That is true, my lord. However, further research demonstrated that one subject is currently deceased. We have them all!"

Lord Xenotos' consort, the striking red-skinned female Miira, strode onto the bridge. "It was most fortunate to discover these 'Jetmen' were powered by the same energy we use as Chaos Energy," she gloated. "That made it exceedingly simple to devise a plan for them before we even arrived on Earth!"

Xenotos turned quickly to Hedes. "Are you sure that beam captured all organic beings with that energy signature?"

"Oh yes, my lord," Hedes reassured. "They would only be protected by a blocking signal and clearly they weren't. We have them all. We may take the Earth at our leisure."

***

Helldevil's entry into Earth space hardly went undetected. Aboard Earthship 2, personnel scrambled to their stations. The force field was brought up at full power. And then...they waited.

Supreme Commander Odagiri stood impatiently in the control center. She couldn't stand sitting idly. She wanted them to make their move. "Any activity since those energy pulses?" she inquired of the nearest technician.

"Negative. I...WAIT!" he shouted. "A large scale teleportation beam. Pinpointing coordinates."

"Right. That's it," she said with quiet reassurance. "Send that info to Skywatch now."

She pulled a small red and white device from her jacket pocket. She clicked a switch on the side and spoke into it. "Code Four," she said and then clicked the switch again.

It was do or die time.

***

Lord Xenotos had a keen sense of irony. What better spot to launch his conquest of Earth than the site of Jetman's greatest triumph? There would be no garish heroics this time. He materialized with the rest of his considerable landing party. Surrounding him were the rest of the Chaos Coalition - Hedes, Dystron, and Miira. His force was filled out by the savage monster Gamenon and the Garo, genetically-engineered non-living foot soldiers. They would begin the taking of the planet while the Helldevil's crew manned the ship in space. Xenotos was ready for battle the instant he arrived. As he surveyed the landscape, he felt...disappointment.

"Where are the defense forces?" he inquired. "Are the Earthlings so cowed that they cannot muster a fight?"

Dystron examined the readings on his scanner. "We have a sighting, my lord," he reported. "Six craft heading in this direction."

"Six?" Xenotos laughed. "Perhaps they seek to negotiate surrender terms!"

***

Ken shifted uncomfortably in the cockpit of his sleek Jet Fighter as he cruised through the air in formation with his teammates. "I don't see why we had to wear these Skyforce issue monkey suits in-flight," he complained. "Seems like it leaves us vulnerable."

"You're still in flight training," Jet Phoenix radioed from his Phoenix Fighter as he led his charges into battle. "You need unrestricted vision until you hone your instincts."

"How do we get down there again?" Reiko asked nervously.

"On my mark, switch to auto-pilot," Jet Phoenix responded smoothly. "Then activate short range teleport beam. It'll bring you to the surface."

"I can't believe this is really happening!" Gohan enthused.

"Neither can I," Etsuko added, with much less enthusiasm.

Gai remained silent and poised, filled with steely-eyed determination. He had never been more ready for anything in his life.

***

Lord Xenotos examined the obelisk memorial with contempt. Did the Earthlings think that marking battle sites made them sacred? He turned in disgust and gestured to the vaguely turtle-like Gamenon.

"I want this worthless eyesore destroyed," he ordered.

The creature stepped towards the obelisk, but stopped dead in his tracks when a laser blast scorched the ground before him. The assembled landing party looked up to see Jet Phoenix standing on a nearby cliff, his Wing Gauntlet cocked and ready.

"I am Jet Phoenix of Earth!" he announced. "I order all of you to leave this planet at once! We do not want war, but we are ready for it!"

"Geez, does he really think that'll work?" Ken whispered as he and his companions stood behind their mentor just out of sight.

Gai turned to his brother. "Ken, shut up."

Down below, Lord Xenotos sneered. "Well, I am Lord Xenotos and this is the Chaos Coalition!" he answered mockingly. "Who will fight us? You alone?"

"We will!" Gai proclaimed as he and his companions stepped forward. A quick arm motion and each activated the special henshin bracelet they now wore on their left wrists.

"Cross Changer!" they exclaimed in unison and there was a blinding flash of light. When it subsided, the five normal-looking youths stood clad in their new uniforms for this war, uniforms much like that of their mentor.

Gai - "Red Hawk!"
Ken - "Black Condor!"
Gohan - "Yellow Owl!"
Etsuko - "White Swan!"
Reiko - "Blue Swallow!"
"Chojin Sentai Jetman!" they announced as one.

Jet Phoenix smiled. Despite his reservations, he had to admit part of him felt good. Jetman was back.

Lord Xenotos was livid. "You told me you had them!" he raged to Hedes.

"My lord, I do," Hedes begged. "They must be new, their presence shielded. I couldn't..."

"Enough excuses!" Xenotos shouted. "DESTROY THEM!"

The Chaos Coalition surged forward. Jet Phoenix and his Jetman team rose up, drew their Wing Swords, and then began the flight down to engage the enemy.

Etsuko turned to Ken as they sped down. "I hope this works," she said.

"Hey babe, take a chance!" he shot back.

"Don't call me babe."

And then they were on the ground amidst dozens of hostile aliens. Each Jetman found himself engaging several of the Garo at one time. They were shocked to find themselves holding their own. Apparently, their newly-enhanced strength and Jet Phoenix's crash course in fighting techniques had made a big difference.

Gai dodged an errant punch from one of the Garo and felled the alien with a karate blow. Four more Garo swarmed him and he used his Wing Sword to scatter them. All the while, he remained focused on the battle. His years of martial arts training had taught him well.

From the corner of his eye, Gai observed several of the Garo readying to attack him en masse. He turned directly towards them with one fluid movement as his fists began to glow. "Hawk Fire!" he exclaimed as he sent the Garo in all directions by shooting flames from his palms.

Ken, meanwhile, found himself one on one with The Chaos Coalition's knight Dystron. Ken had largely brushed off the discipline of the martial arts over the years, so his fighting style was "punch and run". It had proven to be a less than effective strategy against his hulking opponent.

"ARRRRRRGH!" Dystron roared as he knocked Ken to the ground. "Stay still so I can kill you!"

Ken wasn't fond of that plan, but he was trapped. He concentrated and shouted, "Condor Stealth!" and then he seemed to evaporate into thin air.

Dystron was caught off-guard. The human had disappeared! Then everything went black as he was clubbed in the back of the head with the blunt end of a sword. Ken dropped his invisibility cloak and felt a certain sense of satisfaction. These "Jet Powers" they had all developed would come in handy.

"Don't mess with Black Condor!" he told the unconscious Dystron as he departed for a new fight.

Etsuko mixed her dance training with combat skills as she delivered a high kick to a Garo's face while pirouetting away from a lunging attack. To her, the fight felt almost like a choreographed routine. Each move seemed to flow into the next. Then a group of Garo jumped her simultaneously.

"Swan Ice!" she shouted as she activated her Jet Power to blast her attackers with a freezing ray. Moments later, they were all frozen as solid as statues.

Her brother Gohan was having similar success. All of that pro wrestling he had watched was paying dividends at last. He was giddy with excitement as he powerbombed one Garo and took out three more in the process. A brutal barrage of dropkicks and suplexes flew freely. This had to be how it felt to be Ultraman, he mused.

"Owl Thunder!" he shouted as his feet glowed and he began stomping the ground for all he was worth. Seismic waves sent his beaten opponents reeling.

"Dragonball powers too!" he thought happily. "Just call me Son Gohan!"

Reiko was, by her very nature, a timid if rebellious soul. So she was surprised what a rush the battle was. Despite the danger, she was having fun. True, she was eluding the Garo thanks to her tiny size rather than actually fighting them. But it was the principle of the matter.

Then she ran right into one of the Garo. Days earlier, she might've screamed in terror. Instead, she reached forward and pantsed the hapless henchman, then moved aside so a Garo trying to catch her from behind hit his fellow instead.

The Garo might've been genetically engineered, but they were painfully stupid. They began to fight with each other. Reiko observed with amusement for a few seconds, then zapped them both with her Wing Gauntlet.

"I love it when a plan comes together," she deadpanned. Then she turned to find herself surrounded. So much for plans. Now she was outnumbered. That was easily remedied.

"Swallow Division!" she shouted and an identical copy of her flashed into existence. Then another. And another. Where once there had been one Reiko, there now stood four. The Garo were understandably confused and that was all the opening Reiko and her analogs needed to bring the Garo down.

Jet Phoenix surveyed the battle scene as he effortlessly tossed Garo aside. The kids were raw, but they were doing it. With enough training, they had the potential to win this war.

The fact that the battle was not going well for their side did not escape the notice of the Chaos Coalition. Lord Xenotos conferred with Hedes, Miira, and a still woozy Dystron, who had staggered back to join the group.

"We have been caught unaware," Xenotos said as his gaze met Hedes. "We need to regroup to deal with this contingency."

"Agreed," Miira said. "But we will need a distraction to allow us to escape."

Hedes produced his Chaos Stick wand from his robe and projected a beam of light that struck Gamenon. The creature grew to gigantic proportions.

"Will that do?" Hedes asked.

Lord Xenotos looked up at the now tremendous Gamenon. "Yes, I believe it will. It may even turn the tide in our favor."

Jet Phoenix radioed his charges. "Bring in your Jet Fighters and get in them NOW!" he ordered. As he did, he watched as the Chaos Coalition and the remaining Garo vanished. They would be dealt with another day, he thought as he clicked the button on his own Wing Gauntlet to bring him to the cockpit of his Phoenix Fighter.

Jet Phoenix and the Jetman team buzzed Gamenon in their flying machines, blasting him with rapid laser volleys. They didn't even slow him down.

"Jetman!" Jet Phoenix barked into his mic. "Icarus Gattai!"

Each Jetman brought his Jet Fighter into tight formation and pulled a lever on the control panel. Metal began shifting and bonding between each craft until all five had combined into a single giant humanoid robot.

Inside the robot, all five Jetmen were situated in a single cockpit located in the robot's head. "Jet Icarus!" they proclaimed in unison as the robot landed on the ground.

"Remember the drills," Jet Phoenix cautioned as he circled overhead.

Jet Icarus grappled methodically with Gamenon. The robot was controlled by all of the Jetmen working as a team and they had hardly perfected the handling. Gamenon swung wildly and struck the robot in the head, sending it tumbling down.

In the cockpit, Jetman was shaken. "I don't know if we can do this!" Etsuko screamed.

"We can!" Gohan snapped back. "It's just like a video game!"

"Need to...get righted..." Reiko gasped as she pulled her control lever with all her might.

"We are going to do this guys," Gai said with a coolness that left little doubt that he believed the words.

Ken smirked. "You said it bro'! Let's show turtle boy there who's boss!"

With a new resolve to its crew, Jet Icarus stood up and pummeled Gamenon unmercifully with metallic punches. The resilient monster still did not fall.

"Birdonic Saber!" Gai exclaimed as he activated the special control on the panel and a huge sword crackling with energy appeared in Jet Icarus' hand. Jet Icarus raised the sword and then brought it down to slash Gamenon. The contact caused a huge explosion and, when it died down, there was no trace of Gamenon. He had been completely obliterated. Jet Icarus drew its Birdonic Saber over its head.

Jetman had won.

***

Lord Xenotos brooded on his throne in Helldevil's Imperial Chamber. All of his careful planning seemed for naught. An unforeseen development - a second Jetman - could spoil everything.

Miira entered the chamber unbidden with the confidence that suited her station. "Contemplating the battle, Xenotos?" she asked with a familiarity only she dared. "I have an idea that may solve our dilemma."

As Miira spoke, Lord Xenotos became more and more intrigued. What she proposed was nothing short of...

"Brilliant!" he exclaimed as he rose from his throne with a newfound zeal. "No matter what the outcome, we win!"

Lord Xenotos and Miira retired to their personal quarters to refine their scheme - a scheme designed to strike Jetman at its very core.

***

The members of Jetman were positively bubbling with excitement as they disembarked from the Jet Fighters in the Skywatch hangar. While most of the enemy had escaped, they had taken their measure on their very first mission. It all felt like a crazy dream.

That dream came crashing down on them as Jet Phoenix grimly motioned them to the conference room. Each of them returned to their normal forms and took their places at the table.

"I have bad news," Jet Phoenix said. "I've received word from Skyforce field agents that the original Jetman team is missing. Gone without a trace."

There was silence as the team was too shocked to say anything. Finally, Etsuko looked to him with pleading eyes. "Mom...?" she asked plaintively.

"Your mother is safe," Jet Phoenix reassured. "Only the Jetman team is gone. The only conclusion is that the enemy kidnapped them."

"Revenge," Gai said gravely.

"No," Jet Phoenix replied. "They went missing before the landing. Energy pulses detected by Earthship lead Skyforce to believe they were captured in a preemptive strike. Only the special shielding of your new Cross Changers saved all of you from the same fate."

"What do we do now?" Gohan asked.

"We wait," Jet Phoenix answered. "They must have them on their ship and we can't attack it right now."

Reiko sat quietly, lost in her own thoughts.

"DAMMIT!" Ken yelled as he slammed his fist on the table. "Can't we do anything?"

"No," Jet Phoenix responded. "The next move belongs to the Chaos Coalition."

 

TO BE CONTINUED

 

NEXT TIME ON RETURN OF JETMAN

The Chaos Coalition launches its sinister plan. It's Jetman vs. Jetman in a duel to the death! Who will triumph in the battle of super teams? And who is the mysterious Green Wyvern? How will she affect the final outcome? For the answers, don't miss RETURN OF JETMAN Episode 2 - "Generation Conflict"!

 

 

Story © Christopher Elam, based on the TV series CHOJIN SENTAI JETMAN and the original "Return of Jetman" stories by Lewis Smith. JETMAN and all characters from the CHOJIN SENTAI JETMAN series © TV Asahi/Toei/Toei Agency. Masaru Komyoji © Ishimori Pro./Toei. Original characters © Christopher Elam & Lewis Smith.