014 – The Frozen Human [Astro Boy] (Manga)

Astro Boy (1952-68), Chapter 014 ‘The Frozen Human’ (冷凍人間), was originally published in July 1955 in the “Super Vacation” special supplement insert in Shonen.

What it’s about?

A Frenchman by the name of Monsieur Ampere is leading an expedition of explorers on a search to excavate the tomb of an ancient ruler of the Mayan civilization among the pyramids of Mexico. He has enlisted the services of Astro to assist his crew.

But things are not simple. A strange robot built like a sphinx, a half human half lion mythological creature is attacking and killing the people and also some other robots in the form of huge crabs. Astro has to protect the explorers but half of them are already wiped out before Ampere can bring Astro to join them. The survivors all prepare to begin work and a man known simply as Professor explains the layout of the pyramid. It has openings on the east and south sides and their goal, the burial chamber is in the middle. They all grab their equipment and set off.

When they enter one of the passageways they strike a cave-in that blocks the passage. Ampere goes outside for fresh air while his men start digging and is captured by a wild Mexican played by Duke Red. The Mexican holds Ampere captive with a shotgun saying that he won’t let him interfere with his brother’s goals. Ampere’s men sneak up from behind and tackle him when they come out having left Astro to take full charge of clearing the debris.

Astro announces that he’s opened the passage and Ampere leaves three men to guard the Mexican while they search further. They find water has flowed in underground and Astro goes ahead to see if they can easily get to the main chamber underwater. Meanwhile they discover that the Sphinx has killed the men left outside but remarkably not the man they were guarding. They take the Mexican into the pyramid with them and Astro appears to say they can reach the main chamber safely. He was delayed in his return by a fight with ten crab robots. Holding their breath they find the chamber but only the mummy’s sarcophagus is there. They search around and find a secret doorway though and Ampere says this is what he’s really been looking for most of all.

It turns out to be a hidden laboratory where a man is frozen in a huge block of ice. The Mexican declares that it is his brother, Doctor Don Peres Prado. His dream was to meet people many centuries in the future. So he chose to freeze himself here in this pyramid to keep his body alive in suspended hibernation. His equipment is set to awaken him after a few centuries worth of frozen sleep. The Sphinx appears and fights Astro. They both run away into another chamber during their battle and Astro gets the upper hand and the Sphinx is badly broken. Astro asks why he attacked humans and he explains that he and the giant crabs were created to protect Doctor Prado while he peacefully sleeps. Astro bitterly regrets his actions upon understanding at last and promises to repair the Sphinx somehow. The Sphinx humbly admits that he also should have explained this to Astro in the first place.

Meanwhile Ampere is instructing his men to help him steal the uranium reserves but the Professor objects when Ampere prepares to kill the frozen doctor. When he refuses to let go of the gun Ampere throws him aside and shoots him dead. Then one of the other men reveals himself as an undercover policeman sent to investigate Ampere’s criminal activities. He charges him with murdering the Professor. He fights Ampere’s remaining men and one of them (played by Lamp) flees carrying the box of uranium. Ampere follows him through the underwater passage but Lamp betrays his boss. Before Ampere can get out the other side Lamp drops a huge boulder into the water cutting off the passage. Lamp runs off with the uranium and jumps into the waiting car. But he forgets in his jubilation that the pyramid had two exits. Everybody gets out and Astro tries to capture Lamp. Realizing what is going on Lamp tries to drive away but ends up crashing the car killing himself. The detective and the Mexican take Ampere to jail while Astro returns to try to fix the Sphinx and make sure Doctor Prado is able to continue hibernating in peace and safety.

Trivia
This story is used in episode 50 of the 1980’s series entitled The Secret of the Mayas.