"The Contest" Ninja High School#2 (1987) with credits to Ben Dunn (script), Ben Dunn (pencils), Carlos Castro/Yauping/Fabin Doles (inks), Punjab/Phil Deadshot (letters), and Herb Mallette (editor)
The day of the contest arrives. Jeremy, befuddled by the ninja living with him, asks what Ichi plans to do if she wins. He also counters with what she'll do if he refuses to marry her. She threatens suicide, which gets Jeremy to rescind his refusal.
The two teens are being watched by someone, however. Hokoto No Kenterminator-number 1 agent of RNC! (Also either a clever ripoff or homage of Fist of the North Star plus the Terminator, depending on your personal taste).
Asrial, meanwhile, is waiting. She makes it clear it will be no contest-after all, what hope does a mere human have against a Salusian of Imperial birth? Professor Steamhead excluded, of course.
The professor asks her to not underestimate her opponent, plus he reminds her of their bargin. If she wins, he gets a small worthless planetoid full of boiling water. Well, worthless to others. To the professor, STEAM is never worthless.
As the girls head to class (after being stopped from kicking the contest off early by the principal and Arnie-more on him later), Jeremy and the Professor are kidnapped by the RNC and robots put in their place. Waking up in the RNC's dungeon, they are greeted by Lendo and his scientific advisor Professor Hossenfeffer. The two professors know each other and they are NOT friends. Although here their disagreement is based on which is superior-steam or sunbeams.
Lendo, not wishing to be a bad host, gives Jeremy a tour of the building. With the help of Ms. Brunhilda (Hossenfeffer's daughter, not revealed here) Jeremy ends the tour at another cell, and she is to give him the 'works'. Jeremy, however, makes it clear that he has no plans for Ichi and if Lendo wants her so bad, well, he isn't to stand in his way. Lendo doesn't care and has Jeremy dragged off to the cell.
Never mind all that though, the contest is starting! No one seems to notice that Jeremy and the professor are clearly made of metal. The rules are simple: Find a ring that the professor has hidden someone in town. Asrial, wearing a suit based on the first Gundam series tries to fly off via jetpack but Ichi cuts her down to size.
Mass property damage occurs. Meanwhile, Professor Steamhead manages to escape to the airducts and finds the phonelines. Which enables him to hack into the Jeremy robot and sabotage Lendo's attempt to sabotage the contest.
With the robots exposed, the girls call a truce while a small commando force launches an assault on the RNC. Lendo doesn't take it well and orders the entire company to defend the building.
Pretty good. First issue of the series I bought and I've been hooked ever since. Great action and everything moves at a brisk enough pace to keep you entertained. Funny Fist of the North Star reference too, but at the time I had no idea.
Slight change to the continuity. Anna (Mrs. Feeble) mentions here that Ichi's father raised her to be a ninja, yet later issues would say that her grandfather was the expert/clan leader and her father was more of a typical salaryman.
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