EPISODE 4

"The Man From I.N.K.W.E.L.L."
-OR-
"Life's a Witch"
Story by Lee Solomon.
Art by Donnie Pitchford

     P opeye and Koko were aboard the small escape shuttle, about to set course for earth. Koko opened up the large suitcase he brought with him from his planet of exile. He took out a gadget that looked like binoculars. "Here, Popeye." Popeye looked through them toward the shrinking image of the S.S. Olive. "Yep... There she is." Popeye flicked some switches on his dashboard. Three rockets shot out, headed toward the S.S. Olive. But before they hit the S.S. Olive, they exploded. Where it looked like empty space in front of the S.S. Olive, now revealed the debris of "Star Hag's" ship. "Blow them down," mumbled Popeye.

    In his locked cell on the S.S. Olive, Bluto heard the explosion. "DRAT!" he thought, "that runt got me Black Barnacle II. At least he's gone now. Everything is working perfectly." Bluto then started working on the lock of his cell door.

    Back on earth, at the Sea Hag's castle in Paris, she looked up a few magic spells and took a laser gun just in case. "I'll get that hussy Boop one way or the other. HEE HEE HEE!!" A black cloud of smoke engulfed the Hag as red fire shot from the floor.

    At the White House, Betty Boop was working on her speech to update the public of the S.S. Olive's mission. Chief of Security Oscar knocked on her door. "Excuse me, Madam President. We are receiving some urgent news from the S.S. Olive in the communications center." Quickly, Betty rushed to the large radio transmitter-receiver quarters. As she entered, General Ham Gravy snapped to attention and saluted. Betty returned the salute and walked to the console where secretary of state John Sappo and Professor O.G. Wotasnozzle had just translated the coded message. "Bad news, Madam President..." commented Wotasnozzle as he handed Betty the message. The room overflowed with an ear-splitting silence as Betty read the paper. After what seemed like an eternity, she bravely put on a smile that could melt the South Pole and commented, "well... at least they found Koko!" Sappo then ordered, "all right, we got work to do... Gravy, I want every soldier you can find, outside the White House now!! Oscar, beef up security. I don't want President Boop to breathe without being monitored. Let's go... we're going to be invaded any second now... and Gravy, send five battalions to the Vatican to protect Pope Michael Peter II. Get ready for fireworks, gang." In the confusion, no one noticed the tear that rolled down Betty's cheek. She took a deep breath and vowed it would be the last tear she'd shed for herself.

    At that moment, Popeye and Koko cruised out of hyperspace and zoomed into earth's atmosphere. "Popeye... we're off course! The space station is in Florida," said Koko. "We ain't got time for that!" yelled Popeye as he landed their shuttle on the White House lawn. Several soldiers ran to the ship. "Avast ya gobs!! Belay that!! Back to yer posts!!" ordered Popeye as he and Koko ran into the White House. Betty saw Popeye, and they ran into each other's arms. "Oh, Popeye," choked Betty. "Don's ya worry... no one will hurt ya while I'm here... I promise, Betty," whispered Popeye. Betty noticed Koko. "Oh, Koko!!" She gave him a big hug and kissed him on the nose. "C.L.O.W.N.E. has been notified that you're back, and several I.N.K.W.E.L.L. agents will be arriving to assist you."

    Suddenly, black smoke filled the room. Red fire shot up from the floor, and the wicked laugh of the Sea Hag echoed. Sappo glared at General Gravy. Gravy answered, "I'm sorry, but how do we stop a being with occult powers?" Koko, on hearing this, ran out of the room. The witch hovered in midair in front of Popeye, who was shielding Betty. "HEE HEE HEE!!" laughed the Sea Hag, "Popeye's efforts will not prevail, his vain attempts will surely fail, as I speak it, in a flash, in a swoop, I take away the life of Betty Boop!" As the Hag spoke the last line of the incantation, Koko ran back in the room and threw a pail of water on Betty. Lightening shot from the Hag's fingers, but was deflected by the dripping wet Betty. "There's your answer, General Gravy," said Koko, catching his breath, "with Holy Water from a church." "Oh, but I'm prepared for that," said the witch as she pulled out her laser gun. Popeye, taking his pipe out of his mouth, commented, "now tha's smart thinkin'," as a gummy liquid shot out of the pipe's mouthpiece and hit the gun's nozzle, hardening and making the gun useless. "An' so is this, courtesy o' C.L.O.W.N.E.!" said Popeye. "Blast you, one-eye!" yelled the Sea Hag, "you won this battle... but you can't be two places at once! Tell me, Popeye... will you stay on earth to protect Boop from me, or will you go back to space to protect Olive Oyl from Bluto? HEE HEE HEE!!" Black smoke rose, and the witch was gone.

    Back on the S.S. Olive, Bluto got his cell door open. "Olive, my babe," mused Bluto, "your true love is coming for you!"....

To be continued in episode 5. Reprinted with Permission from the Official Popeye Fan Club News Magazine. INTRO
EPISODE 1
EPISODE 2
EPISODE 3
EPISODE 4
EPISODE 5
EPISODE 6
EPISODE 7