| The Uralian Space Pirates | |
|---|---|
 General Gubovich, from Tops in Adventure #1 | |
|
Real Names |
Boris Zandrozov, General Gubovich, Colonel Valdov, Colonel Sklar, Akra (really Tarka, the Crusader from Mars), others unrevealed |
|
First Appearance |
Crusader from Mars #2 (1952) |
|
Original Publisher |
Ziff-Davis |
|
Created by |
Unknown |
Golden Age Origin
The space pirates of Uralia, led by its ruler Boris Zandrozov, stole valuable anti-gravity fuel throughout the galaxy. They evaded capture by retreating to their base on the moon, where their enemies' strasosphere ships were not equipped to go. The Solar System Cabinet assigned Tarka, the Crusader from Mars and Zira to deal with them. Disguised as the deserter Lieutenant Akra, Tarka infiltrated their organization and lured them to Iapetus, moon of Saturn. He then had Zira send the moon out of orbit, dodged the Uralian pirates until they ran out of anti-gravity fuel, and tricked them into crashing into it. After Zandrozov's death, a new democratic government took over on Uralia.
Note
Needless to say, Uralians were yet another in the long line of USSR-inspired villains to appear throughout the Cold War. Their name is a play on the Ural Mountains, a Russian mountain ridge that serves as the dividing line between Europe and Asia.
Golden Age Appearances
- Crusader from Mars #2 (reprinted in Tops in Adventure #1)