DELL #21 May/June 1951~ 36pp. 10 cents

Art interior: Jesse Marsh
Writer: Gaylord Du Bois
READ IT HERE

Cover: 9th photo of Lex Barker as Tarzan
Inside Front Cover: Black and white drawing called ‘Jungle World.’ Features gorilla, chimps, baboons, and monkeys.
1st story - “Tarzan Returns to the City of Gold”
Cathne - Rescue White Woman

     Tarzan and Tantor are awakened by Elaine Hammond and Dane Carnal’s jeep. Dane shoots Tantor in the tusk. Tantor throws him into a tree trunk killing him. Tarzan convinces Elaine to leave. She accidentally drives into a canyon. Tarzan splints Elaine’s arm and starts to drive downstream to Cathne. The last time Tarzan was in Cathne was twenty years ago. 

As they approach Cathne, Tomos, a nobleman, causes problems for Elaine and Tarzan. Gemnon defuses the situation and introduces his son Jathon. The jeep is pulled into Cathne by lions. Tarzan leaves. Tomos convinces Alextar, the king, that Elaine is a spy. She is imprisoned. 

Meanwhile, Tarzan removes the bullet from Tantor, informs Elaine’s father about his daughter, and hunts for two weeks with the apes Torchak and Zuthog. Tomos goes to have his way with Elaine. He takes away her pistol and accidentally kills himself while examining it. The guard thinks Elaine killed him. Jathon takes the blame for Tomos’ death. The king sentences them to die on the Field of Lions. They are pulled in the jeep towards the field. Jathon cuts the ropes, and they speed away. Thwarted by a deep river, lions bear down on them. Jathon kills one with his spear. Tarzan kills the other with his knife. More lions come. Tarzan calls for the apes, which carry them safely back to Mr. Hammond. Tarzan leaves to hunt with Torchak. End.

The featured story Tarzan Return to the City of Gold is a new story with references from CiG and TaM. This story demonstrates many good Tarzan qualities throughout the story: his friendship with Tantor, his attempt to aid the bad hunter, the protection of the female character, his strength in righting the jeep, leaping the boma, his friendship with the apes, and his killing of a trained fighting lion with only his knife. Tarzan also appears to be wiser and more philosophical than in earlier issues. The writer sprinkles in a few characters from the novel CiG and TaM: Gemnon, who is Tarzan’s friend in both the novels and the comic is present. Gemnon in the novel is Tomos’ assistant, in the comic they appear to be equals; It is twenty years later in the comic and Gemnon has apparently aged considerably -- Tarzan has not. Tomos is the villain in both the novel and the comic; and Alextar, the king, is ineffectual and easily persuaded in both comic and novel. A major departure for the comic is that Tarzan says that he was last in Cathne twenty years earlier. If that is the case, then King Alextar should be dead. Alextar had become king in CiG and five years later in TaM he commits suicide after killing Tomos. The City of Gold, Cathne, as well as the Field of Lions are taken from CiG. New characters introduced by the comic have Cathnean sounding names. The apes also have names that sound similar to ERB apes: Torchak, of the comic, is very much like Kerchak; and Zuthog, of the comic, is one letter difference from Zutho from LJ and LE; there was also an ape known as Zu-tho in TI and LeM as well as the ape known as ‘Big Mouth,’ in FC. 

2nd story: “Tarzan and the Galley Slave” ~ 16pp.
Lost Cities - Rescue White Man

Using Tarzan’s directions, Paul d’Arnot, Tarzan, and N’kima helicopter towards Castra Sanguinarius in search for the missing Captain Maurice Ladue. Tarzan tells Paul about the founding of the twin cities by a Roman legion. They head east for Castrum Mare, the sister city. They land and hide the helicopter. While watching a Roman warship go by, they 
are captured by Pygmies. N’kima escapes. They are sold to Consul Publius Mallus of the warship /Cygnus/ and chained to oars. The enemy fleet is found near the Tortoise Islands. The /Cygnus/ shears off an enemy ships oars and rams nother. They are rammed by the enemy and begin to sink. Tarzan breaks his chains. They board the enemy ship. Tarzan and d’Arnot are freed because they fought to protect Consul Mallus. They discover Captain Ladue chained to oars. As a storm approaches, Tarzan sends d’Arnot over the side of the ship. He breaks Ladue’s chains. Tarzan throws the guard overboard as Ladue gets the guard’s keys. They swim ashore and discover N’kima at the helicopter. D’Arnot and Ladue fly home. Tarzan and N’kima fly off through the trees. End.

The second story is a new story with references from LE with the same two warring cities and their basic history. N’kima is in LE as well as this story. Here he does not play a key roll in the plot as he did in the novel. D’Arnot was not in LE, but his presences here is to pull Tarzan into the story. The mention of Muviro at the beginning is for the connection to the novels. There are two new characters: Captain Ladue, who is there only to be rescued, and Consul Publius Mallus, who has a name very close to Mallius Lepus, a centurion in LE. Tarzan’s strength is displayed with the breaking of chains. Two of Tarzan’s best qualities are shown in this little story: (1) his cool confidence that he is in control no matter what the situation, and (2) his patience like that of the jungle animals in waiting for the right time to make his move. The story really barely touches on Tarzan and the Lost Empire and barely touches on character development of the new people. It is a consistent story which flows its plot to a logical conclusion. It is only slightly above average in presentation.

The flyover of Castra Sanguinarius gives us a glimpse of the city which has a typical post and lintel architecture consistent with ancient Roman. The warriors from both cities are costumed in Roman-like armor. The battle ships from both cities have an authentic look of Roman war galleys. The last time we saw d’Arnot in Dell #14 (also a Roman lost legion story) he was wearing a blue shirt and a blue hat which we associate with military units other than the French. In this issue he wears a white shirt and a blue cap which we do associate with the French military. D’Arnot and Tarzan go through a number of costume changes: their normal clothing at the beginning, stripped to the waist as galley slaves, dressed as Roman soldiers as they help Consul Mallus, and finally stripped to the waist again as they make their escape. Muviro, only seen in the first few panels, wears a red wrap-around rather than his usual blue, and he has a very elaborate necklace piece never seen before. Marsh ends the story with a very nice panel of Tarzan and N’kima swinging through trees in a great foreshorten perspective not seen before in his work. 

The second story has less character development and includes Muviro and N’kima that really have nothing to do with the story or its development. The inclusion of Castrum Mare and Castra Sanguinarius is not significant here unless a return to these cities is planned for future issues. 

The comic is note worthy for being the last of the bi-monthly issues.

“Mabu Saves a Stranger” -- 12th text story -- no illustrations - 2 pages

“Two Against the Jungle” -- 11th story - “The Attack of Savages” -- 5 1/2 pages
The bottom half of the last page of Sid and Bucky offers subscription rates of $1 for one year, $1.85 for two years, and $2.70 for three years. They also offer a Canadian subscription for the first time.

Inside Back Cover: Black and white -- Dell Comic Club -- membership ad. featuring Tarzan. Membership includes five color pictures from Lex Barker covers and a Dell Comic Club certificate. There are two examples of the Barker cover shown, #17 and #19. The Tarzan illustration at the top is from Gollub’s Dell #9. Near the bottom of the page is an illustration of Bucky with a monkey on his shoulder. The price for a subscription is now one dollar for a year which includes twelve issues.

Back Cover: Photo of a diorama of a family of three white African rhinoceros. 1st photo courtesy of American Museum of National History, NY.

 

DELL #22 JULY 1951 ~ 52pp. 10 cents

Art interior: Jesse Marsh 
Writer: Gaylord Du Bois
READ IT HERE

Cover: 10th Lex Barker cover
Inside Front Cover: Black and white ink drawing. “Jungle World” - Tarzan on the left front standing in shrubbery. 
Background line drawing of roofs of Cathne, set in the lost land of Pal-ul-don. The drawing relates to the second story in this issue.
1st story “Tarzan and the Winged Terror” ~ 24pp
Dr. Mervin - Evil Witch Doctor - Rescue White Woman

Tarzan applies some healing leaves to the tiny elephant that Boy has 
wounded. Doctor Mervin and his daughter, Yolander, enter. Hector, the tiny elephant, is part of a growth experiment. They travel to Dr. Mervin’s camp and find Bokawah, a witch doctor, snooping around. Dr. Mervin shows Tarzan and Boy the results of the growth hormone. He had a pair of eagles but Bokawah allowed them to escape. Tarzan stops Bokawah from harming Hector. Bokawah is fired. He threatens Yolander. Later the witch doctor sneaks into camp and puts a sleeping potion in the stew. They all eat the stew except Tarzan and retire. That night the witch doctor slips into camp and carries off Yolander. Bokawah makes a trail of chicken blood to the sleeping quarters and releases giant shrews. Tarzan defeats the shrews and leaves to find Yolander. Bokawah spies Tarzan coming and releases one of the giant eagles he stole. Tarzan is knocked unconscious by the eagle, which carries the ape-man to its cave above Bokawah’s cave. Tarzan awakens and kills it. The other eagle becomes enraged and breaks its chain. Tarzan fights off the great bird, which flies to the cave below and carries off Bokawah. Tarzan throws his knife killing the eagle. Bokawah drops to his death. Tarzan carries Yolanda to safety. End.

The featured story is a new tale. It is a good tale which develops the character of Bokawah, the evil witch doctor quite nicely. The story starts with the doctor’s growth experiments turn against him as the evil witch doctor steals two of the giant eagles, kidnaps the girl and turns giant shrews loose to kill the doctor, Tarzan and Boy. (In some ways this is a very mild mannered Dr. Moreau story - certainly not the perversity of the scientist in the H.G. Wells novel.) From then on it is a variation of the story of Bukawai from Jungle Tales. In this story the witch doctor captures a girl rather than a child; has two giant eagle companions rather than two hyenas; and has his eagle attack Tarzan rather the hyenas. This witch doctor never captures Tarzan as in the novel. In the comic Tarzan reverses the eagle attack back onto Bokawah just as he reverses the hyena attack back onto Bukawai in Jungle Tales. 

The animals controlled by the witch doctors results in their deaths in both stories. Side note: as Tarzan is carried off by a eagle he says, “While there’s life, there’s hope.” The one flaw in the story is in the fact that Tarzan threw his knife into the second eagle and yet somehow has a knife to cut Yolanda’s bonds. (It must have been Bokawah’s knife left in the cave.) 

The drawings of Bokawah are the highlights of this story. The strong influence from the great back cover warriors of previous Dell issues is evident. Bokawah is an expressive and strong villain. Tarzan and Boy use the witch doctor’s vacated hut. In the hut there are some very interesting tribal masks that have an authentic looks but not in color. The character of Yolanda is easily the sexiest female character to date in the Dell Tarzan comics. She has more poses accenting her femininity and vulnerability than any other female character presented. 

2nd story “Tarzan and the Chariots of Cathne” 16pp.
Gangsters - Cathne

Tumuri, a Waziri warrior, brings news of people asking to speak to Tarzan. Tarzan meets the leader, Lou Coron, on his plane. The gangsters pull guns and Blackie, the pilot, is instructed to take off. Coron explains how he captured Elaine and Jathon, found out about Cathne, the City of Gold, and their subsequent escape. They force Tarzan to guide them to Cathne. They strafe Cathne with machine gun fire. Tarzan is sent into the city for the gold. The ape-man explains his plan to Gemnon, King of Cathne. Tarzan tells the gangsters that it will take a long time to bring out all the gold. Afraid of the Cathnean lions, the gangsters make them unload the gold away from the plane. The gangsters in turn load it onto the plane. Work stops at night, and Tarzan tells them about the hunting lions. The Cathnean warriors roll chariot wheels down the hill and knock the plane off its wheels. The gangsters believe they are being attacked by lions and run into the brush. Tarzan breaks his bonds. The hunting lions are turned loose. They kill all the gangsters except Coron, who escapes. Elaine and Gemnon’s son, Jathon, arrive by plane. Coron attacks them. A lion kills Coron and threatens Elaine and Jathon. Tarzan slays the lion. Jathon and Elaine are reunited with Gemnon. Tarzan says he will return someday. End.

The second story is a new story which brings back characters from Dell #21.1. The start of the story has a native, Tumuri, bring Tarzan information that will be the basis for the plot. This part has been Muviro’s principle duty up until this issue. Elaine and Jathon have married and Gemnon is now the king of Cathne, because the old king (Alextar) has died childless. Gemnon was chosen by the people to be king. This Cathne is consistent with the Cathne established in the comic, but it is a major change from the novel (see analysis comments for Dell #21.1). The story abounds with greedy gangsters and Tarzan’s cool confidence in defeating them. A break in the Tarzan persona is when he laughs out loud at the gangsters. This is more of a ‘movie Tarzan’ than a Burroughs’ hero. The one questionable event is when Gemnon reaches Jathon and Elaine and calls to them, “... my son! And Elaine, your lovely wife!” How and when did Gemnon learn of their marriage since they have not been back since their escape from the Field of Lions in #21.1? 

This second look at Cathne gives a much better look at the architecture of Cathne. The look is very Greek in the post and lintel buildings and temples. 

“Great Magic” - a Mabu story -- 13^th text story - no illustrations - 2 pages

“Two Against the Jungle” -- 12^th story - “The Battle of the Beasts” -- 5 1/2 pages bottom half of the last page contains the same ad as the previous issue.

Inside Back Cover: Black and white -- Dell Comic Club -- membership ad. featuring Tarzan. Same ad as presented in last issue.

Back Cover: Photo of a diorama of a pair of bongo antelope. Photo courtesy of American Museum of National History, NY

This is the first monthly Dell issue.

 

DELL #23 AUGUST 1951 ~ 52pp. 10 cents

Art interior: Jesse Marsh 
Writer: Unknown Gaylord Du Bois
READ IT HERE

Cover: The 11th photo cover of Lex Barker as Tarzan
Inside Front Cover: Black and white ink drawing of Tarzan with N’kima on his right shoulder. There are textural grasses and trees framing the two figures. N’kima looks out at you with a curious expression as Tarzan looks at N’kima. N’kima’s fur is depicted with long pen strokes that are repeated on Tarzan’s arm. This links the two figures together equally as well as the fact that they are holding hands. The expression on N’kima face captures the personality of Burroughs’ nervous friend of Tarzan. This illustration ties nicely to the first story
1st story “Tarzan Keep Faith” ~ 24pp
Bring ‘Em Back Alive Hunter - Arabs - Rescue Jad-bal-ja

     A French officer refers two hunters, Murdo and Syke, to M’buna, a witch doctor, to guiding them to Tarzan’s jungle. Muviro informs Tarzan about the hunters and M’buna. N’kima goes with Tarzan to see the hunters. Syke shoots a net over Tarzan and N’kima. They sell Tarzan into slavery to Sheik Abou Ben Ephraim. N’kima escapes. The Sheik bates Tarzan with the key to his chains. Tarzan sends N’kima to find a file. Tarzan files at the chains and then breaks it. Tarzan ties the Sheik to the town’s water pump. Tarzan uses Bara to rides to Muviro. The Waziri chief tells him about M’buna’s death and the capturing Jad-bal-ja, Sabor, gray apes, and baboons.

Tarzan travels to Paul D’Arnot and learns about the freighter ship, Manta, carrying the animals to America. Wearing a suit and tie, Tarzan flies to Florida and finds Jungle Land Inc. He hires a transport plane. In his hotel room Tarzan strips to his loincloth and rests until midnight at which time he will go to rescue his animal friends. He leaves the hunters a warning note to not to return to the jungle under penalty of death. He frees the animals. They board the plane and fly back to Africa. End.

The featured story is a new story, but it contains the same basic theme of Dell #20.2 -- hunters capturing Jad-bal-ja and his mate, Arabs, and Tarzan rescuing his animal friends. The story does move along very quickly with the standard plot of capture, escape and mild revenge. The real highlight of this story is the delightful actions of N’kima. N’kima’s personality is captured beautifully, and this is what makes this a memorable work. This is the second capture of Jad-bal-ja and his mate which starts to make one wonder about the ferocity of the golden lion. Muviro regains he role of informing Tarzan of potential trouble. He also gets a second appearance after Tarzan’s escape from the Arabs. But here he gives Tarzan information about the number of animals which proves to be inaccurate during the rescue from Florida. Two of the four captured great apes appear to be missing. Sheik Abou Ben Ephraim is humiliated once again by Tarzan. The last time was in Dell #17.1.

Marsh does get a chance to show Tarzan in a suit and tie, but he is at his best when showing him with the animals: Bara, Jad-bal-ja, apes and N’kima. A low point is when Tarzan leads the animals to the plane at night time. It appears as if it is daylight. This could be a problem with the colorist not reading the story before starting work. The sheik has a slightly softer looking face from his appearance in #17.1; Muviro has lost his earring from #21.2; and Paul d’Arnot is wearing a blue coat in this issue, and his hatband is not as decorative as in #21.2. This reviewer questioned whether or not Bara was the giant eland from #18.2. With this antelope’s horns being drawn slightly curved, it must be a different animal because the giant eland’s horns are depicted as straight.

2nd story “Tarzan And The Trumpeting Herd” ~ 16pp.
Shiftas - Rescue Missionaries

Tarzan warns the missionaries, Rev. and Margaret Kenton, and their daughter Carol about the Shiftas raiding the area. He sends them to Captain Armand Jacot at the upper falls. On the way the Shifta band attacks, kidnaps Carol, and knocks out the reverend as the mother faints. Some gray apes notice the Shiftas. An ape named Kralu muses that Tarzan would steal the child back, which he does that night. The Shiftas think jungle spirits took the little girl. Tarzan trails the Kentons to their hiding place. He kills a lion that is stalking them. Tarzan carries the wounded reverend to Jacot’s camp. Captain Jacot takes the Kentons out of the Shifta infested area. Tarzan tracks the Shiftas to discover that Carol is not there. Following the scent of the apes, he discovers hyenas stalking the child and the apes. Tarzan saves the child. They take Tantor towards French camp. Tarzan overhears the Shiftas preparing to ambush the French in the Valley of Shadow. Tarzan rushes to warn the French. Carol is reunited with her parents. Tarzan uses Tantor’s herd to drive the Shiftas into the gunfire of the French troops. The enemy is routed, and the elephants leave. Tarzan tells Tantor a few wounds are worth the peace it will bring for a few years. End.

The second story is a new story of Tarzan rescuing missionaries. It intertwines Shiftas from CiG  and TTr, Captain Armard Jacot from ST, and askaris from BTa to a host of new characters. It is really quite a complicated story that constantly moves from Tarzan to missionaries to Shiftas to apes back to Shiftas etc. The cast of characters is far more complex than most comic book stories yet the transitions are handled very smoothly. The theme of the story started with the missionaries, but the ending of the story quickly pushes the missionaries aside and the climax focuses on the disposal of the band of Shiftas. The results is a bit of a fractured tale causing an anti-climatic ending of the missionaries plight. The manner in which Tarzan handles the hyenas is slightly reminiscent of the way Tarzan handled the hyenas in Tarzan and the Jungle Murders.

Marsh’s drawings are rather static when there is little action. In the more dramatic situations such as killing of the lion, flying through the trees, and riding elephants his skills show through better. His depiction of the gray apes is done with his usual aplomb. Another problem with the colorist appears is Captain Jacot’s face is depicted as a black man, yet his hands are white.

“The Legend of the Sun” -- 14th text story -- no illustrations - 2 pages

“Two Against the Jungle” -- 13th story - “On Elephant Island” -- 5 1/2 pages bottom half of the last page containing the same ad as in the previous two issues

Inside Back Cover: Black and white -- Dell Comic Club -- membership ad. featuring Tarzan.

Back Cover: Photo of a diorama of a mountain gorilla. Photo courtesy of American Museum of National History, NY
 

 

DELL #24 September 1951 ~ 52pp. 10 cents

Art interior: Jesse Marsh 
Writer: Gaylord Du Bois
READ IT HERE

Cover: The 12th with a Lex Barker photo
Inside Front Cover:  The “Jungle World” drawing is black and white with tints and tones of red. It has the subtitle of, ‘Paul-ul-don The Lost Land Where Time Stands Still.’ The foreground depicts various prehistoric animals such as: dyal, gryf, woolly mammoth, and others with thipdars in the sky. The background has a volcano which spews smoke into the sky area which covers three quarters of the page. The prehistoric creatures relate to the two Tarzan stories better than the front cover.
1st story “Tarzan On the Trail of Antiquity” ~ 24pp.
Lost World - Dinosaurs - Rescue Scientist - Doctor MacWhirtle

    Tarzan, Paul d’Arnot, and Doctor Alexander MacWhirtle helicopter to the Valley of the Monsters. They land on a pinnacle and proceed to search on foot. Tarzan and d’Arnot leave Dr. Mac with the helicopter. They return with two tyrannosaur eggs to discover the Doctor missing. The Doctor’s trail stops abruptly where tracks of a gryf and a dyal meet. D’Arnot’s rifle has no effect on an attacking thipdar. Tarzan sends Paul back to the helicopter. Tarzan follows the dyals tracks. He avoids a tyrannosaurs. Being close to Jo-rah’s country, Tarzan decides to see if the dyal is his.

Tarzan observes Jo-rah and his tribe mounted on dyals about to be attacked by zu-gomangani, fifteen feet tall apes. Doctor MacWhirtle ties a half of stick of dynamite onto a spear and throws it. The blast kills some of the giant apes and knocks Jo-rah and the Doctor unconscious. Tarzan kills the last zu-gomangani. Jo-rah tells Tarzan about the Doctor’s rescue and how the dyal, which Tarzan gave him, laid eggs so now they have many dyals. D’Arnot comes with the helicopter. They leave. The Doctor is ecstatic about the dinosaur eggs.

Back at the tree house, one of the eggs hatches in the helicopter. The Doctor sends Boy to check on the eggs. The baby tyrannosaur escapes into Tarzan’s jungle as Boy spreads the alarm. The Doctor panics about the other egg and makes d’Arnot fly him home immediately. End.

The featured story is a new tale which returns Tarzan to two places he has visited in previous Dell stories - the Valley of the Monsters and Cor-o-don, the home country of Jo-rah. The story at times seems to be forced and contrived. Paul d’Arnot is very rifle happy in this story. He is so taken with his express rifle that he is a bit annoying. Jane is reduced to housewife tasks, and Boy has silly jobs to do. Doctor MacWhirtle is a good comic book character. He is developed quite nicely as the stubborn, feisty professor type. The part of the story which will upset Tarzan purist is the scene in which Tarzan cooks his meat in the crook of a tree. Tarzan would obviously eat his meat raw and would not build a fire in a tree. This is the second time dynamite has suddenly appeared to resolve a situation that probably should have been solved in another way. 

Marsh begins the story with a very interesting bird’s eye view of the Tarzan, Jane and Boy in the tree house. Some of the best panels are in the first part of the story which depicts the landscape of the Valley of the Monsters. The landscapes are obviously influenced by Albrecht D?rer’s watercolor sketches he made on his trip to Italy. The drawings of Dr. Alexander MacWhirtle are stereo-typical of the quirky professor - small, beard, long mustache, big grin, glasses, and pith helmet. (Much like the Prof. Porter character in the Disney Tarzan movie forty-eight years later.) Paul d’Arnot’s uniform is the same blue uniform as in the last issue only this time his hatband is highly decorative. A second bird’s eye view of Tarzan looking down from a tree at the teledon is a creative view point. 
 

2nd story “Tarzan and The Moving Forts” ~ 16pp.
Rescue Ta-den - Empire Restored (A-lur)

Tarzan investigates why a gryf is in his jungle. He strikes the beast on the nose, mounts it, and follows the trail of the men who rode the gryf across the Great Thorn Desert. At an abandon campsite he detects the scent of Ta-den and Oloa, Alur royalty. He fears M’bongo tribesmen have captured them. He uses the gryf to rescue Ta-den and Oloa from the M’bongo. They tell the ape-man that the Waz-ho-dons have captured Alur.

Tarzan asks Muviro and his Waziri warriors to help take back Alur. Ta-den shows Muviro how to subdue a gryf. The Waziri agree to help. They march to Alur. Tarzan purposes that part of them attack while he and Muviro take warriors to capture a dozen gryfs to ride into the city. Tarzan tames a gryf and sends it back to the warriors.

A Tor-o-don on a gryf attacks Tarzan. The ape-man easily knocks out the Tor-o-don. They return with the twelve gryfs to the outskirts of Alur. At dawn eighty Waziri approach the city. The Waz-ho-dons attack. The Waziri retreat. Tarzan and the Waziri mounted on gryfs come out from the trees. Tarzan purposes a hand-to-hand combat with their leader to settle the dispute. The Waz-ho-don king agrees. Tarzan defeats the king and the Waz-ho-dons leave Alur. Ta-don thanks Tarzan and offers Muviro half of the city’s wealth. Muviro states that the Waziri fight for honor not for wealth. End.

The second story is a new story that features the power of the gryf. It depicts how easily it defeats a rhino, frightens off the M’bongos, and may be the answer to defeating the Waz-ho-dons. However, the climax is not the gryfs ripping through the Waz-ho-dons but Tarzan in hand-to-hand combat with the Waz-ho-don king. However, they are instrumental to the plot of the story as well as responsible for the Waz-ho-dons in keeping their word to leave Alur. The elimination of the hyphen in Alur (A-lur) is curious. There does not seem to be again reason to eliminate it. Ta-den is called the king of Alur. When last in A-lur Dell #16.1 Ja-don, Ta-den’s father, was the king. Something must have happened to Ja-don, but we are not privy to the circumstances of Ta-den becoming king of A-lur. In the novels Tarzan usually travels with fifty Waziri warriors -- in this story he travel with twice that number - one hundred. The comic Tarzan easily knocks out the glass-jawed Tor-o-don. One could not help but think that the Tarzan of the novels would have killed him. The story, even with it’s distractions, is a better tale than the featured story in this issue. 

Muviro looks similar to his last appearance in Dell #23.1, but this time he is given rather an important job instead of just being a messenger. Ta-den was last seen in Dell #16.1 where he looked much younger and had very distinct pointed ears. Now he looks more serious (the weight of being king?) and his ears are quite normal looking. Oloa is depicted for the first time. She is very sexy in appearance but only given a couple of panels near the start of the story. There are no real good panels of Alur making it difficult to compare the city to previous panels depicting Alur. Overall it is standard fare for Marsh’s drawings with some good action panels when Tarzan is fighting with gryfs, Tor-ho-dons, or Waz-ho-dons.

“The Ways of the Elephant” --15th text story -- 2 pages -- no illustrations

“Two Against the Jungle” -- 14th story - “Journey’s End” -- 5 1/2 pages bottom half of the last page containing the same ad as in the previous three issues

Inside Back Cover: Black and white with red tints and tones -- Dell Comic Club -- membership ad. featuring Tarzan. (see Dell #21)

Back Cover: Photo of a diorama containing a family of three buffaloes and some tick-tick birds. Photo courtesy of American Museum of National History, NY.

 

DELL #25 October 1951 ~ 52pp. 10 cents

Art interior: Jesse Marsh 
Writer: Gaylord Du Bois
READ IT HERE

Cover: The 13th Lex Barker cover
Inside Front Cover: The 12th ‘Jungle World’ features the serval, a long-necked and extreme fast small wild cat of Africa. The page is an ink drawing with the small serval in the foreground and a large lion behind him who turns to look at the small cat. A large tree is to the left background with smaller tree on the left side.
1st story “Tarzan The Web of Arrack” ~ 24pp.
Lost City - Rescue N’tala

    A distraught Kilumo, Muviro’s son, tells Tarzan of N’tala’s, his bride to be, mysterious disappearance. Tarzan follows N’tala’s and another strange scent over a long journey to a natural walled valley.

Tarzan encounters a massive spider web. He gets caught in the web. A gigantic spider rolls Tarzan up in a web and takes him to a city. Natives take him to their queen, Mataha, who decides the ape-man will compete in the Webs of Arrack. Tarzan spies N’tala. In the Webs of Arrack Tarzan defeats the wrestler, Gudo, a lion, and Mador, the undefeated gladiator. Tarzan refuses to be Queen Mataha’s consort. The ape-man disarms Mataha and escapes. The queen summons a giant spider, whose poisonous bite subdues Tarzan. Araknid, the giant spider, brings Tarzan back to the queen. Tarzan and N’tala are taken to the Pool of Magon to be sacrificed to the Arrackian god, Magon.

They are tied to stakes on a raft and pushed out into a lake surrounded by sheer cliff walls. Magon, giant crocodile, approaches. Tarzan breaks his bonds, rips up the stake, and dives into the water. He shoves the stake into the maw of the gimla. Tarzan grabs N’tala and dives into the water. They follow the crocodile under water and through a tunnel that leads out to the other side of the mountain. Tarzan carries N’tala home. Tarzan says that he will return to destroy the spiders, but for now there is a wedding to attend. End.

The featured story is a great new story. It has all the qualities of an exciting Burroughs tale with capture/rescue, a beautiful maiden in trouble, a beautiful villain, great battles, and daring feats. The series of fights Tarzan must complete in the Webs of Arrack are very similar to the battles he must go through in Tarzan and the Lost Empire. The play off the word ‘arachnid’ with the name of the giant spider, ‘Araknid,’ plus the name of the city, ‘Arrack,’ is a nice touch, which probably was lost on younger readers. The giant spider does appear to have more influence from the Barsoomian spiders in A Fighting Man of Mars than with the Tarzan stories. Plus, N’tala, when reunited with Kilumo, calls him “... my chief!” - that is also a Barsoomian influence. Jane, Boy and the tree house are all given small unimportant parts at the beginning of the story. At the end of the tale Tarzan hints that he would some day return to destroy the spiders - thus indicating that there were more than one spider. This would be a welcome adventure because this story is very well told and moves rapidly to its conclusion. Also, Tarzan must show his superiority over the creature that defeated him handily twice.

The drawings of the giant spider, Araknid, are terrific drawings. It looks like a huge tarantula. N’tala is drawn as a very attractive young lady, another one of Marsh’s beauties. The queen, Mataha, appears very attractive at first with her low cut gown, but as her villainous personality becomes apparent, her attractiveness also wanes. Although the cities drawn in the last few issues don’t have the same flair of the earliest issues, the people are drawn in a much more relaxed nature with a good variety of close-up and distance shots.

This is one of the best stories to date. 

2nd story “Tarzan and the King of the Gomambas” ~ 16pp.
Rescue White Woman (and Prisoners)

Tarzan saves a temporarily blinded Laura Thomas from two leopards. The Gomambas captured her. The cruel and insane King Lukah blinds his slaves. Laura managed to escape. Tarzan takes her to Doctor Harvey Warfield, who believes the effects of the poisonous juice can be reversed. That night the Gomambas capture them.

They are taken to King Lukah in the Gomambas village that has electricity. Laura is returned to the slave pen. The mad king has them manacled and delights in showing his library, art works, and movie screen. He shows them their fate of being blinded and chained to a giant wheel that they will have to push to grind grain into flour.

Tarzan tells the prisoners that they will all escape tonight. He breaks his chains as well as the bonds of the Doctor. He calls for Jad-bal-ja. Tarzan takes the golden lion with him to the dynamo room. Tarzan sabotages the power plant. He frees the prisoners. The ape-man has Laura and the Doctor lead the blind slaves down to the boats. Meanwhile, the King wants to know what happen to the electricity. Tarzan and Jad-bal-ja enter the room. Tarzan forces Lukah is get the key to the manacles. Lukah retrieves the key, but he also tries to blind Tarzan. Tarzan turns his hand so that the king blinds himself. Jad-bal-ja alerts Tarzan of approaching natives. They make their escape. Tarzan warns the Gomambas not to take any more captives. End.

The second story is a new story but lacks the great story telling and plot of the first tale. Some giant leaps of understanding and beliefs are probably necessary in this short sixteen pages stories, such as: when Tarzan hears Laura say King Lukah’s name, he knows immediately that she was the captive of the Gomambas. Yet, Tarzan does not seem to know anything about their culture or the madness of Lukah. It is nice to see Jad-bal-ja given a chance to play a significant role other than just being captured by animal hunters. It also brings a smile to your face to read ‘Stygian blackness.’ But it is also disturbing to read Doctor Warfield’s comment that Tarzan ‘broke the laws of science’ by breaking their chains and calling to Jad-bal-ja. The slaves pushing the grinding wheel around in the circle reminds one of the scene from the Cecil B. DeMille movie of Samson pushing the grinding wheel. (Samson and Delilah, the movie, was released in 1949.) The story has good potential and probably would have been much better, if they could have devoted more pages to it.

The colorist must have changed at this point or at least an attitude change is apparent in the bright golden color used for Jad-bal-ja. There are a number of notable features in the art work of this story: King Lukah’s formal outfit is a thing of wonder (this much detail is rarely seen of these pages); the library scene creates a deep perspective and displays the opulence of the king; and the stares of the blinded prisoners captures the stare of a visually impaired person with great aplomb. Laura Thomas is very attractive without the sexiness of N’tala in the first story. All in all, the drawings in the story are very good with Marsh continuing full stride towards more natural and animated drawings. 

“Mabu’s Special Day” -- 16th text story -- 2 pages -- no illustrations

“Brothers of the Spear” -- 1st story - 5 1/2 pages bottom half of the last page contains a subscription coupon

Inside Back Cover: Black and white ad for Tarzan comics - Lex Barker’s head shot from Dell # 20 is in the upper right hand corner. A drawing of a native shield is placed diagonally in the upper middle of the page. The offer for subscriptions rates and gifts is the same as previous issues.

Back Cover: Photo of a diorama of a mandril (sp). Photo courtesy of American Museum of National History, NY.

 

DELL #26  November 1951 ~ 36pp. 10 cents

Art interior: Jesse Marsh 
Writer: Gaylord Du Bois
READ IT HERE

Cover: 14th photo of Lex Barker as Tarzan
Inside Front Cover:  Black and white drawing entitled ‘Jungle World.’ Tarzan is arm wrestling a native named Buto. Their arms are interlocked on circle stone which sits on a cylinder. There are trees behind each one of the contestants.

1st story "Tarzan and The Treasure of Isis" ~ 24pp.
Type - Lost City

   Professor Plume wants Tarzan to guide him to a Lost City containing the treasure of Isis so he can study the hieroglyphics. Leveque, a deserter, has Suleiman, the Strong, knock out Tarzan. They force the Professor to draw a map. Tarzan wakes and fights Suleiman. Tarzan ties him up. Leveque escapes with the map. Suleiman breaks his bonds and escapes.

Tarzan and the Professor head for the desert on Tantor. In the desert, Leveque and Suleiman bargain for their lives with Sheik Abdul Hamid and his Touaregs.

Tarzan builds a rope bridge across a ravine. They cross through a man-made tunnel in the mountain. They meet Om-at and the Waz-dons who guides them through the jungle.

Leveque and Suleiman cross the desert and Tarzan’s vine bridge. They trick a Waz-don warrior to guiding them through the jungle. Tarzan’s party makes it through the jungle. Once through the jungle, Leveque shoots the Waz-don. They follow Tarzan’s party. At the Lost City Tarzan and Tantor fight giant scorpions. Pterodactyls attack the scorpions. Tarzan uses sulfur fumes to drive away the Pterodactyls.

The sulfur fumes exposes the hieroglyphics. Tarzan accidentally opens a hidden cavern. Inside is the treasure of Isis. Suleiman knocks out Tantor with a boulder. They get the drop on Tarzan and the Professor. Leveque knocks out Tarzan. They take as much gold as they can carry. Tarzan awakens and throws a rock at Leveque and Suleiman. The Frenchman’s rifle shot causes a rockslide that crushes Leveque and Suleiman. End.

This is the first single story issue since Dell #12. Tarzan and the Treasure of Isis is a new story. But the first part of the story reminds one of the first part of Tarzan and the Forbidden City. Both stories have a man wanting Tarzan to guide him to a Lost City as well as a map and the escape of the bad guys even though Tarzan appeared to have incapacitated them. The story in the comic is a very different story. There are many great scenes with lots of new giant creatures that must be confronted. But it is also disappointing in many ways. Tarzan battles giant blind rats not the sabor-toothed tiger. Suleiman, the Strong, gets to kill it with his bare hands. This is probably to establish his great strength to make him a worthy opponent for Tarzan. Tarzan gets knocked out twice from behind. The biggest draw back to the story is the rope bridge. In a matter of a couple hours, Tarzan has built a rope bridge that is strong enough to support Tantor’s weight - a great stretch of belief. The tunnel through the Mountains of the Moon is very convenient to get the elephant on the other side of the mountain. 

Visually, this is one of the better issues even though there is little variation in the panel per page. Some of the better scenes are: Tarzan running down the street in Kebr-el-makech, the shadows of the giant vultures on the ground, the torch lit cavern, the Lost City, the smoke from the burning sulfur, and any panel with animals in them. It also has a good variety of different points of view, which makes it very interesting. Suleiman does look like the stereotypical circus strong man with his handle-bar mustache. Professor Plume is the clone of Doctor Alexander MacWhirtle, Dell #24.1. Both are short in stature, glasses, gray beards and mustache, and pith helmet. Both are the stereotypical professor types including the Disney Tarzan movie. Om-at looks younger than when he was last encountered in Dell #16.1, and he no longer wears the red skull cap he was last seen sporting. 

“Mabu Proves a Trainer” -- 17th text story -- 2 pages -- no illustrations

“Brothers of the Spear” -- 2nd story - 5 1/2 pages

Inside Back Cover: Black and white advertisement for Tarzan comics.

Back Cover: Photo of diorama of a giant panda. Photo courtesy of American Museum of National History, NY
 

 

DELL #27 December 1951 ~ 36pp. 10 cents

Art interior: Jesse Marsh
Writer: Gaylord Du Bois
READ IT HERE

Cover: 15th photo of Lex Barker
Inside Front Cover:  Black and white new advertisement. Christmas offer includes a gold-plated key holder and a membership certificate to the Dell Comics Club.
1st story "Tarzan and The Apeling" ~ 24pp.
Type - Apes and White Lumber People - Rescue White Woman
Tarzan learns of an Englishman cutting lumber in his jungle. Tarzan confronts Colin Durham who promises not to hunt and respect the laws of the Waziri.

Thurag shows Tarzan his mate, Kalith, who was wounded by Colin. Thurag wants revenge. Tarzan leaves to deal with the tarmangani. Thurag gathers a war Dum-Dum. Colin refuses to leave. Tarzan tells him that he is in danger from the apes. He goes to investigate the Dum-Dum.

The apes are in a frenzy. Teeb goes to the lumber camp. A rotten branch causes Tarzan to drop to the ground unconscious. The apes head for the lumber camp. Colin takes all his men out to search for a missing elephant. Teeb pulls Jimmy out of his tent. Margaret follows. The mangani destroy the empty camp.

Colin and his men return to find their campsite trashed. He worries about his wife and son. A natives approach Margaret and Jimmy. The apeling pulls Jimmy into the jungle. Tarzan stops Colin from aimlessly shooting into the bushes. He almost shoots his son. Jimmy reports that natives have taken his mother. Tarzan and Teeb follow the trail of the savages. That night, Tarzan pulls the chief upside down into a tree with a rope. The natives, fearing evil spirits, run. Tarzan and Teeb find Margaret’s hut.

Natives throw spears as Tarzan carries off Margaret. Tarzan takes Margaret to the lumber camp. They will leave in the morning. Tarzan hopes that Colin has learned his lesson about careless shooting. End.

The single story, “Tarzan and the Apeling,” is a new story. It has a pretty tight story line that leads to the relatively easy rescue of a white woman. Muviro’s role has been reduced to informing Tarzan of intruders in the jungle. This is a task that constantly reoccurs in the Dell comics. With the writers usual penchant for naming everything, it is unusual that the native tribe that captures Margaret Durham goes unnamed as does their chief. The radical change or addition to the Dum-Dum rites is bound to be a disturbing factor to Burroughs purest. The writer has Thurag calling for a ‘war Dum-Dum.’ A war Dum-Dum was never alluded to in any Tarzan novels. With no mangani words in the last issue, this story makes up for it with no less than twenty ape words. The story ends with a moral - ‘do not to shoot firearms carelessly.’ The last page is actually only two thirds of the page. The bottom of the portion of the page is a legal statement of ownership required by law.

This issue marks a significant style change for the artist. There is a major increase in the hatching and cross-hatching lines used to flesh out the drawings more. It is most effectively used in the evening panel of Wathoo speaking with Colin Durham thus creating shadows on their faces. This is a change that gives the drawings a more sophisticated appearance. Tarzan leaps through the trees much more naturally in this issue than in previous comics with one except. Muviro has dramatic red plumage headdress greater than he has ever had before. Plus, his facial characteristics are more chiseled and mature than when last seen in Dell #24.2. 

“Mabu’s Great Idea” -- 18th text story -- 2 pages

“Brothers of the Spear” -- 3rd story - 5 1/2 pages

Inside Back Cover: ‘Jungle World’ entitled “The Lost Land of Pal-ul-don.” The left side is a swamp, and the right side is a waterfall. They are black and white ink drawings.

Back Cover: Photo diorama of a mother and baby chimpanzee. Photo courtesy of American Museum of National History, NY

 

DELL #28 January 1952 ~ 36pp. 10 cents

Art interior: Jesse Marsh
Writer: Gaylord Du Bois
READ IT HERE

Cover: 16th photo cover of Lex Barker
Inside Front Cover:  Advertisement.
1st story "Tarzan - The Wickedness of Gogulu" ~ 24pp.
Type - Lovelorn United - Opar
A leopard leaps on Inkolo’s, Prince of the Nagosi tribe, shield. Tarzan kills one of the leopards. Inkolo kills the other.

Inkolo tells Tarzan that he is seeking treasure to buy the freedom of Ila, the wicked sorcerer Gogulu’s slave. He is in love with her, but is forbidden to touch a slave by law. Tarzan takes him to the Oparian mountain. Inkolo remains below to protect Tarzan’s ascent.

Tarzan sneaks into treasure vault of Opar. He takes a handful of jewels and gold. Korak, the king of the apes of Opar, confronts Tarzan. Tarzan fells him with one punch. Other mangani chase Tarzan to the edge of the cliff. They throw rocks at him as he descends. Inkolo shoots arrows at the apes. Tarzan shows Inkolo the treasure.

The Prince gives Gogulu the gold and jewels. Gogulu says the sale must be done according to law. The sorcerer has his son, Ungo, drop a mamba, in front of Ila. Ila screams. Inkolo kills the snake. Ila faints and falls into the Prince’s arms. Gogulu declares that the Prince must die. King Inkomne, Inkolo’s father, will obey the law. Tarzan is allowed to take Inkolo’s place and is led to the pit. Tarzan demands that Gogulu take the ransom treasure. He does and pronounces her free.

Tarzan leaps into the pit and kills the buffalo. Tarzan accuses Gogulu of treason. He proves that the mamba was a trick. Inkomne sentences Gogulu and Ungo to the arena. The King gives the ransom treasure to Ila as a dowry. Tarzan gives Ila a golden necklace. End.

Tarzan The Wickedness of Gogulu is a new story that recycles some ideas used in previous Dell titles. After the last two issues containing weak stories, it is good to see an improved story line. The writer recycled the plot line from Dell #12 of lovers separated by a price of freedom for the woman. It also borrows from Dell #15.2, which contains the story of the separation of the lovelorn, Tarzan killing gorgo with a neck twist, and a disgruntled witch doctor using a snake for his revenge. The last time the apes of Opar were used was in Dell #5. In that issue the gund of the apes was Gulchak. They helped Tarzan rid Opar of the men of greed. Now the mangani are lead by Korak, who does not find Tarzan particularly friendly. The apes of Opar throw rocks at Tarzan as he descends the cliff just as Tarzan did to the communists as they attempt to climb the cliff in Tarzan The Invincible. It is curious that King Inkomne uses the term ‘numa,’ a mangani word, to describe Tarzan’s bravery. Although the ending of the story is a bit contrived, it is still a good Tarzan comic story.

The ruins of Opar has the look of ancient Greek architecture as seen before in Dell #5 and 13.1. However this time some vegetation grows up around the columns. Tarzans opens the same stone lid to the treasure vaults of Opar. The worm’s eye view panel of Tarzan descending the steps with the circular opening above him is a highlight of the issue. The climb up and down the cliffs of Opar is not as dramatic as in previous stories. The gestures and poses of the people keep improving with this issue. The costuming of the Nagosi people is more elaborate than usually used on native tribes.

“Journey’s Beginning” -- 19th text story -- 2 pages

“Brothers of the Spear” -- 4th story - 5 1/2 pages

Inside Back Cover: “Jungle World” Black and white ink drawing of Smilodon, a saber-tooth tiger, weighing 800 pounds.

Back Cover: Photo of a diorama of an Asiatic leopard. Photo courtesy of American Museum of National History, NY
 

 

DELL #29 February 1952 ~ 36pp. 10 cents

Art interior: Jesse Marsh
Writer: Gaylord Du Bois
READ IT HERE

Cover: 17th Lex Barker photo cover
Inside Front Cover:  ‘Jungle World’ Black and white drawing of two Zulu warrior tumbling through the air doing a ‘Baboon Dance.’ The small horizontal background is of huts and Zulu people.
1st story "Tarzan Tracks A Robber Band" ~ 24pp.
Type - Ship Wreck - Arabs - Rescue White Woman
On a yacht Tarzan, Thurag, Doctor Louis d’Arnot, and his wife Alice strike another vessel in a storm. Alice and the crew are carried away in a lifeboat. Louis is on a half built raft. Tarzan and Thurag cling to a piece of the yacht’s mast. They drift a part.

On shore, Tarzan spies the abandon lifeboat. Tarzan and Thurag follow the trail into the desert to discover the bodies of the crewmen. Tarzan deduces that Alice is a captive. They follow the camel tracks to a wadi. Tarzan and Thurag kill the Berber’s, dress in the their clothes, and take their camels.

A patrol boat picks up Louis. They search the coastline and find the lifeboat. They follow the trail to the dead crewmen. They take Louis to his father, Captain Paul d’Arnot. He tells him of his wife’s capture. Captain d’Arnot takes a helicopter and is surprised to discover Tarzan and Thurag dressed as Berbers. Tarzan tells them to wait for his smoke signal before moving in. Paul gives him a flare gun. Tarzan and Thurag slip into the city

Berbers attempt to sell Alice to Raksha Bey. Tarzan leaps into the room and throws Raksha Bey at the two men. He tosses Alice up to Thurag in the window. Tarzan carries Alice out of the city. In the hills the Berbers fire at them. A bullet wounds Thurag. Tarzan fires the flare gun. A helicopter flies in and machine-guns the Berbers. Alice joins Louis in the helicopter. A second helicopter comes for Tarzan and Thurag. End.

Tarzan Tracks A Robber Band is a new story that is an average tale with many elements that push one’s boundaries of acceptance. Actually the tale is not too bad on the surface with a ship wreck, evil Arabs, and a rescue of a white woman. The story starts with all parties together on a ship. They become separated with three different subplots, which unites all again at the end. Paul d’Arnot has been promoted to Captain, plus we learn about his son, a doctor, and his daughter-in-law Alice. A weak connection can be made with the Lady Alice, the ship that brought Jane Porter to Africa, and Alice d’Arnot who we first see on a ship. The push of acceptance comes with Thurag. His wearing a life jacket is a bit silly. But it is his donning Berber clothing and riding a camel that stretches beyond the limits of adult acceptability. 

It is only the first eight pages that have foreground and background details. After page eight, the background elements are reduced to the bare essentials. It is almost as if there are two different artists working on this issue. There is also a reduced amount of hatching used in this issue. The last time Paul d’Arnot was seen, Dell #24.1, he was noticeable younger. He still has his mustache, but his hair has grayed considerably. In this issue he wears a new sporty black uniform with epaulets (his promotion to Captain?), and his usual red cap is now blue. The weakest drawings in this issue are the depictions of the helicopter. Proportioned incorrectly at times, it is drawn in a minimal style, which looks crude in comparison to the other objects. 

“Jungle Stampede” -- 20th text story -- 2 pages

“Brothers of the Spear” -- 5^th story - 5 1/2 pages

Inside Back Cover: New advertisement. Black and white. Free offer for a Dell Comic Club Certificate and a picture of characters featured in Dell comics. Right side has drawing of kids heads with testimonial balloons. Black and white sample of the group picture which is said to be delivered in four colors. Warriors sketch at the bottom of the page are from Dell cover #20.

Back Cover: Photo diorama of African lions. Photo courtesy of American Museum of National History, NY

 

DELL #30 MARCH 1952 ~ 36pp. 10 cents

Art interior: Jesse Marsh
Writer: Gaylord Du Bois
READ IT HERE

Cover: 18th photo of Lex Barker as Tarzan
Inside Front Cover:  The ink drawing ‘Jungle World’ is subtitled ‘The Honey Guide.’ Tarzan is on the left side of the page with his left hand raised to a hold a branch. A small bird on a vine under Tarzan’s right arm turns to look at the ape-man. A small tree trunk on the right side of the page is slight split open with bees coming out of the opening. There is a forest in the background.
1st story "Tarzan Meets the Threat of Arrack" ~ 24pp.
Type - Lost City -- False god Exposed - Doctor MacWhirtle
A giant spider attacks Boy. Tarzan kills it. He cuts out the spider’s poison sack and mandibles. Tarzan and the Doctor decide to go to Arrack and eliminate the giant spiders. Tarzan makes special arrowheads to deliver MacWhirtle’s cyanide of potassium. Tarzan recruits Muviro and fifty Waziri to help.

Tarzan and the Doctor make camp in the mountains to wait for the Waziri. When they arrive they attach the arrowheads to the shafts.

MacWhirtle helicopters the Waziri to the ledge. They descend into the valley. A sentry informs Queen Mataha about the approaching party. The Queen whistles for the spiders. The Waziri wipe out the spiders with their poison arrows. Muviro’s fallen warriors are asleep from spider bites.

Tarzan and his Waziri battle the Arrackian warriors. Tarzan stabs Mataha with a spider mandible. Believing their Queen is dead, the Arrackians retreat to the palace. They use spider webs to block the doorway and release bees. Dr. Mac drops the smoke bombs from his helicopter. The smoke forces the Arrackians to surrender. Tarzan reveals that Queen Mataha is still alive. Tarzan demands that they destroy all spider eggs, end slavery, and disband their belief in the crocodile god, Magon.

The spiders and eggs are destroyed. At the Pool of Magon, Tarzan leaps into the water and kills the giant croc. Tarzan refuses leadership. The Waziri stay to eliminate any spiders they may have missed. He commands Mataha to uphold the surrender agreement. Tarzan will return to pick the Waziri and the freed slaves. End.

Tarzan Meets the Threat of Arrack is a new story that relates to Dell #25.1 - Tarzan The Web of Arrack plus it marks the return of Dr. Alexander MacWhirtle form Dell #24.1. Despite a number of flaws, this is really a good Tarzan story that is tight and full of action. Tarzan does ask MacWhirtle about the dinosaur eggs - plural. But Dr. Mac only took away one egg in Dell # 24.1. The good Doctor’s helicopter does land on Tarzan’s tree house deck - that must be one strong deck. Also, the fuel used by the copter appears to be an endless supply. After Tarzan and MacWhirtle fly to the Lost Valley of Arrack, the Doctor transports the Waziri two at a time into the valley. A tremendous amount of fuel must have been consumed. There is also the question of WHY did Tarzan and MacWhirtle land in front of the Queen and give away their position and alert the Arrackians? Although no ape language is used in this issue, there are many strong points to the story. Tarzan chooses fifty Waziri to accompany him on this mission. Tarzan often selected fifty warriors in the novels. Tarzan kills the crocodile god, Magon, which exposes the creature as a false god. This is similar to Tarzan killing Ma-amu, crocodile god of the white savages of the Vari, Dell #1. The story is left opened ended so that Tarzan may return once more to the Lost Valley of Arrack.

The five and four panel pages are used most effectively when animals are involved such as in the killing of horta and the battles with spiders and the crocodile. Doctor MacWhirtle is the same as he appeared in #24.1 - bespectacled, pith helmet, and white coat or shirt so you know he is a doctor. The drawings of the helicopter have not improved and are still the weak point of the visuals. On the whole the drawings and colors are sharper, crisper, and clearer. Marsh has gone to a closer view in the panels so that the negative space is held to a minimum. This gives a much better look to the comic. 

“The Honey Bird” -- 21st text story -- 2 pages

“Brothers of the Spear” -- 6th story - 5 1/2 pages

Inside Back Cover: Black and white -- Dell Comic Club -- membership ad. featuring Tarzan

Back Cover: Photo of a family of three white zebras. Photo courtesy of American Museum of National History, NY