[A page of a comic printed in blue and red ink.]

[In small blue text at the top of the page. The first word is illegible due to a tear.] [?] is a work of fiction. All events described are imaginary, and any resemblances to persons, living or dead can only be coincidental.

[Large red banner across the page, with white block text reading:] DESERT DRAGON COMIC

[Subheading in bold red text on white background:] AN ADVENTURE of Dr. MENSANA

[White text printed on a blue pterodactyl just below the right end of the title banner:] PRICE 3d. By Hub.

[The comic is arranged in six panels, with two panels in each row. Text is blue, except where red is used for emphasis.]

[Panel one. Image of Australia as seen from space. Australia is red, with the Earth and the starry background in blue and white. Inset text box.] [Red] AUSTRALIA: [end red] ONE OF THE WORLD’S OLDEST LAND SURFACES

[Panel two. The top half of this panel includes the blue pterodactyl described above.] ZOOLOGISTS AND BOTANISTS HAVE CALLED AUSTRALIA "THE LAND OF LIVING FOSSILS", BECAUSE LIFE-FORMS WHICH IN MOST OTHER COUNTRIES ARE ONLY FOUND AS FOSSILS, IN ROCKS AS MUCH AS 200,000,000 YEARS OLD, ARE FOUND [red] LIVING [end red] IN AUSTRALIA [red]TO-DAY! [end red.]

[Panel three. Image in blue and white of a moving steam train with steam trailing behind and light shining forward. An inset box shows a red map of Australia with state lines marked and a shaded area crossing the SA and WA border. A red arrow points from the text to the shaded area of the map.] [red] NULLABOR PLAIN: [end red] MYSTERY AREA IN THIS LAND OF LIVING FOSSILS, STRETCHES 300 MILES EAST TO WEST. IT'S [sic] NORTHERN LIMITS ARE NOT KNOWN FOR IT IS LARGELY UNEXPLORED, BUT IT IS KNOWN TO COVER AN AREA OF MORE THAN 100, 000 SQ. MILES! SPEEDING OVER THE WORLD’S LONGEST RAILWAY "STRAIGHT" THE TRANS-AUSTRALIA EXPRESS CROSSES THE NULLABOR.

[Panel four. Image in blue and white of moving steam train. Front of engine is just outside the panel. A red patch of ‘light’ is reflected onto the ground and up onto a cloud from the gap between the engine and the first carriage.] AS OUR STORY STARTS THE CROSSING IS MADE IN THE DARKNESS OF A DESERT NIGHT. LOCO LIGHTS PROBE THIS DARKNESS FOR THE TRACK AHEAD – RED GLARE SHINES FROM THE LOCO FOOTPLATE – THE REST DARKNESS – PASSENGERS COMFORTABLY ASLEEP. [red] EXCEPT THOSE IN ONE COMPARTMENT WHOSE LIGHTS STILL SHOW, FOR THEY ARE TOO EXCITED TO SLEEP….. [end red.]

[Panel five. Four men sitting in a railway compartment, talking.] [red] THE PASSENGERS IN THE LIGHTED COMPARTMENT OF CARRIAGE 2 [end red.]

[White-haired man in red and black checked jacket. Speech bubble reads:] THERE IT IS DOCTOR! "DESERT WONDERLAND"! WHO KNOWS WHAT WE'LL DISCOVER ON IT – OR BENEATH [underlined] IT!

[Dark-haired man in dark suit. Speech bubble reads:] THEN WE'LL HOPE FOR SURPRISES, PROFESSOR!

[Dark-haired man in red suit. Speech bubble reads:] IT LOOKS RATHER QUIET TO ME – BUT THAT IS WHAT WE CAME FOR!

[Red-haired man with white coat and striped tie. Speech bubble reads:] YOU SURELY DON'T EXPECT TO FIND [red] PREHISTORIC MONSTERS [end red] IN THOSE CAVES, PROFESSOR?

[Panel six. Text only.] THE PICTURE AT LEFT SHOWS THE MEMBERS OF A SCIENTIFIC EXPEDITION LED BY PROFESSOR STONE.

THE PROFESSOR HAS RECENTLY RETIRED AND IS ABOUT TO REALISE HIS LIFELONG AMBITION TO EXPLORE SOME OF THE COLOSSAL LIMESTONE CAVES THAT LIE HUNDREDS OF FEET BELOW THE NULLABOR PLAIN.

PROFESSOR STONE IS AT LEFT OF OUR PICTURE: THE OTHERS ALREADY KNOWN TO THE READER, ARE DR. MENSANA, "FLAK" WHITE AND "GREG" BROWN.

[red] DR MENSANA HAS COME AT THE INSISTENT REQUEST OF HIS OLD FRIEND THE PROFESSOR… "FLAK" AND "GREG" FOR A REST CURE AFTER THE STRAIN OF THEIR ADVENTURES IN CAGING THE BLACK CULTURE AIR PIRATES.

[Red number '1' in bottom right corner.]