Arc 136:  Tell It To Telstar

Written by Frank Robbins (writer and artist)

Strips: 6511 - 6576

Dates: 03/22/1965 - 06/05/1965

Daily Arc 076
A mysterious summons to the Pentagon reunites Johnny Hazard and his photographer friend Snap Hunter, there to meet with Ben Young, CIA Bureau Chief on Middle-Eastern Affairs. The Agency is in a "ticklish diplomatic bind" so using these two for this mission gives them deniability. The nation of Yahwan, led by wily King Ibn Ali, has been selling its oil to both the US and USSR. Now the monarch is coming to States to negotiate a new contract and while he is away, his Air Force head, General Jakal, plans a coup d'etat with the help of the Russians. The CIA want Hazard and Hunter in Balkans where Jakal is to meet with the Soviets to finalize the coup plan. Hunter is to "present an 'on-the-spot' closed-circuit newscast" of the plotting, making use of a telecaster and the Telstar satellite. Hazard's role is to get Hunter to the Balkan area without being spotted.