Don Drake on the Planet Saro

Don Drake on the Planet Saro is DC’s first science-fiction series, and it’s a good thing it’s been completely forgotten.

Influenced more by Gulliver’s Travels than by Buck Rogers, Don Drake is an American pilot who, with his lovely companion Betty, winds up on the planet Saro, which is populated by midget-men and giants, both constantly the prey of giants beasts on land and in the sea.

Don is armed with an atomic gun, which looks sort of like a lamp with a big lampshade that he shoots at the monsters.  He tries to aid Queen Zita of the Zetrurians against Krenon, the Captain of the Guard, but Krenon has the priesthood on his side, and they rouse the Zetrurians in revolt.  Don helps crush the revolt, but Krenon flees to the giants and gets them to invade Zetruria.

Don and Betty get captured and are being held in a room with blinding lights, while Zita meets with the leader of the giants.  Krenon sets off explosives that cause the giants and Zita to flee, leaving Don and Betty trapped in the collapsed torture room.  As the series ends at this point, and Don is never seen or heard from again, it’s safe to say he dies there, far from home, abandoned by the people he fought so hard to save.

 

Don Drake:  New Fun 1 – 6 (Jan – Oct 35)

More Fun 8 – 16 (Feb 36 – Jan 37)