Short Shoremen
Big Kids 9–12

TWISTLOCK! Issue #1

Locked On and Lifted

Night-shift crane mechanic Danny Oakes touches a glowing twist-lock from a shooting star and becomes the dock's own superhero.

Harbor Point, 2 AM. Danny Oakes, crane mechanic, is finishing the night shift when...
Panel 1 of 71/7

DannyWhoa! Make a wish, Danny... wait. Is it coming THIS way?!

It landed inside container #42. Inside: a glowing twist-lock, humming like a giant bee. (Real life rule: never touch strange stuff. Tell a grown-up!)
Panel 2 of 72/7

DannyI should NOT touch strange glowing stuff... but it's like it's calling me...

Next morning, at coffee break...
Panel 3 of 73/7

DannyHey, has anybody seen my... oh. OH. I'm holding a forklift.

CoworkerDanny... that's FOUR TONS!

Other coworkerMy SANDWICH!

Then, trouble! An old dock robot, unplugged for years, suddenly switched itself on. The crew called it... THE TANGLER!
Panel 4 of 74/7

The TanglerBZZT! STACK! TANGLE! STACK STACK STACK!

Dock bossEverybody behind the yellow line, NOW!

No time to think. Danny had a helmet, a suit sewn from old safety vests, and a brand-new name.
Panel 5 of 75/7

TwistlockTWISTLOCK is on the job! Locked on... and LIFTED!

Twistlock could have smashed the robot. But a good mechanic always asks: what's broken?
Panel 6 of 76/7

TwistlockJust as I thought. A loose bolt scrambling your circuits. Hold still, big guy.

The Tanglerbzzt... ...thank... you?

By sunset, Harbor Point had its neatest stacks ever, and a brand-new crew member.
Panel 7 of 77/7

The TanglerSTACK NEATLY! COIL ROPES! HAPPY!

TwistlockStrong arms are good. Fixing what's broken is better.

The End!

Next time: Twistlock vs. the Fog Bandit!

Hero tip: Being strong is cool. Being kind and fixing what's broken is even cooler.

Read another comic:

Fog Night at Pier 9Lights Back On!The Bridge BunchAll comics
Twistlock, a dockworker superhero in a yellow hard-hat helmet and navy and orange suit, holding a shipping container over his head

Meet Twistlock!

Secret identity
Danny Oakes, night-shift crane mechanic at Harbor Point
Powers
  • Crane-Strength: lifts a full 30-ton shipping container with one hand.
  • Lock-On Grip: his gloves glow gold and hold anything steady, so nothing falls on anybody.
  • Beacon Helmet: an amber light that cuts through fog and darkness and tells everyone to stay back.
  • Mechanic Sense: he can hear what's broken in any machine, and he'd rather fix it than smash it.
Look
Yellow hard-hat helmet with an amber beacon light and a clear safety visor; navy suit with safety-orange panels and silver reflective stripes; a twist-lock badge on his chest; orange work gloves; tool belt; steel-toe boots. No cape: capes get caught in machinery. Safety first!
Catchphrase
“Locked on and lifted!”
Weakness
Totally helpless around a really good sandwich.