High One

Origin
Alan Moore is sent to the moon piloting an atomic powered space ship designed by Professor Manheim. This trip marks mankind's first foray into space travel.

Amazed at the high rate of speed, Alan is surprised to come across another space ship. The craft sends a beam at Alan's ship, capturing in a "magnetic pull". Once aboard the other craft, Moore is addressed by the Martian space pirate Jana Jana flees the Mars-Venus Patrol. The pirate has made captives of Professor Fenrir and the professor's daughter, Desua. Jana's craft has run out of fuel, and he intends to use Alan's ship to refuel the atomic engines. Alan resists, but is overcome by superior numbers.

Jana has Alan set adrift to die in space. Desua uses a magnetic beam light to beam capture Alan and bring him along behind Jana's vessel to the Moon.

Landing on the moon, Alan sees that the space pirates, Professor Fenrir, and Desua are breathing the air. He removes his own helmet, which is nearly out of air, and takes the chance to see if the lunar air is breathable. He rushes the pirates, but is knocked out and taken by Jana before the High One, the ruler of the Moon Men. Jana says the group are invaders, but Professor Fenrir convinces the High One by showing the ruler Jana's true thoughts with a device called a thought stealer.

The High One and his lunar men attack Jana's pirates, disarming them. The High One decrees Alan Moore and Jana will battle, a match Alan Moore wins easily with help from the Moon's lesser gravity. The pirates are taken prisoner.

Alan Moore returns to Earth and the waiting Professor Manheim in Jana's vessel. He takes Desua and Fenrir with him to show them Earth, promising to return them to their own planet afterward. Professor Manheim is surprised at Alan's new craft. Alan says it is good to breath Earth air again.

Public Domain Appearances

 * Weird Tales of the Future #1