Hurricanes. You can't ignore 'em.

Especially if you live in the hurricane-prone areas of the world, such as the American Gulf States and Caribbean.

In recent years, they've been increasing in numbers and ferocity. And we all know why that is, don't we? Yep, good old Global Warming, that's why.  Warmer seas generate more powerful hurricanes. Which is bad news -  since hurricanes are pretty vicious as it is.

They can stretch as far as 40 miles across and reach speeds of up to 150 mph and, when they make landfall, make mincemeat of anything that gets in their way. Remember the news pictures of Hurricane Katrina that hit New Orleans in 2002?  That's a typical worst-case hurricane scenario. That it might happen again doesn't really bear thinking about, does it?

In The Maelstrom Mission, there is an even more violent breed of hurricane - the Super Hurricane - brainchild of main baddies Assassin and Maelstrom. It's easily a hundred times more destructive than a normal hurricane.  In other words, they are the ALL-TIME MUTHAS OF HURRICANES.



A Super Hurricane in its formation stage


Super Hurricanes have nice names - like Bart and Lucy. But don't be fooled. Despite the wussy monikers, these dudes are evil and cantankerous and differ from normal hurricanes in many dangerous respects. They travel at speeds exceeding 200 mph, can be directed straight to their targets and, once they get there, explode in flames like napalm bombs.





They can also, unlike normal hurricanes, travel far inland, so they can destroy any city in the world that Maelstrom aims them at ... which is exactly what he's planning to do.

Er, things aren't looking too good for humanity, then ... or, indeed for Freddie and his mates who have to find an effective way of destroying them.

If you want to find out more about (normal) hurricanes, check out the website of the National Oceanographic & Atmospheric Administration at http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/ the main weather-data gathering agency in the United States.

And, if you want to know the best way to avoid a Super Hurricane if it should come flying over your neighbourhood ... the best advice is, when you see it coming - DUCK!