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DELL #81 June 1956 ~ 36pp. 10cents

READ IT HERE
Art interior: Jesse Marsh 
Writer: Unknown (Gaylord Du Bois - unconfirmed)
Cover: 2nd Gordon Scott cover photo

Inside Front Cover: New subscription offer - one year with four magic puzzles for $1.50 - 
drawing of Tarzan - Dell’s Pledge to Parents - black and white

1st story “Tarzan and The Beasts of Mokar”- 15pp.
Type -- Lost City - Rescue White Man - d’Arnot

Captain Paul d’Arnot, retired, flies to Tarzan, Jane and Boy at the tree house bearing a letter from Dr. Henri Dumont. Dr. Dumont was hunting artifacts near the Gourambi range. He was taken captive in the legendary city of Mokar. He sent out the letter with his dog Roland. He does not expect rescue because of the Beasts of Mokar. He asks that his buried artifacts be recovered. Tarzan agrees to accompany Paul. The Jungle Lord tells Boy to stay and protect Jane.

They fly Paul’s airplane to the mountains. They land in a saddle near the range. Because of the high winds, they tie the plane down with ropes. Roland leads them to the spot where the artifacts are buried. Paul digs up the strong box. In the box are gemstones and a note. The note asks the finder to keep half of the gems for themselves and give the other half to the Louvre Museum. Paul says all the gems will go to the museum. They rebury the box and start to search for Dumont.

Roland leads them to a mountain pass. There is a large statue of an elephant blocking the gap. Roland warns them of the trap. Tarzan notices the trigger and rolls a stone between the legs of the statue. The trunk of the bronze and steel elephant smashes the rock. The trunk retracts. Paul wants to go around the trap. Tarzan shows them how to avoid the trip plate. The next pass has a giant statue of a man blocking the path. Tarzan notices the bones a leopard under the legs of the statue. He jabs a branch in-between the legs. The knees snap closed and return. Tarzan surmises that Dumont was running low and the leopard leaped for his back and was killed. Tarzan crawls between he legs. Roland and d’Arnot follow.

They enter a fertile walled valley. Paul sees fields and gardens at the other end. Out of the brush come hundreds of mandrills, the Beasts of Mokar. Tarzan realizes that there is a moat ahead. They cut branches for smoke sticks to keep the baboons at bay. Under the cover of darkness they make for the moat, using the smoke sticks to hold back the mandrills. Tarzan leaves his rope and d’Arnot at the moat. He and Roland jump over the moat and enter Mokar. They search the cliff dwellings for Dumont. Finally they find him in a gardener’s hut. They lead him back to the moat. They anchor the rope across the moat with Tarzan holding one end. Dr. Dumont crosses on the rope hand over hand. They use the smoke sticks to repel the baboons as they leave the valley. Dumont tells them that the people of Mokar are peaceful and secretive. They kept him because they wish to remain hidden from the world. Paul flies them home. Dr. Dumont says that his notes on the legendary city will make him famous. They give Roland credit for the rescue. End.

The featured story is a new story with a new lost city, Mokar. We learn that Captain d’Arnot is now retired. Jane looks quite lovely in her two-piece outfit. Boy wears the fez hat. The winds are so heavy that Tarzan and Paul must tie down the airplane. Exactly why this is part of the plot is unclear. Paul and Tarzan display their integrity by saying all the gems from Dr. Dumont’s collected artifacts should go to the Louvre Museum. The two traps of the elephant and giant remind one of the cliffhangers of the Saturday matinee movies. Tarzan easily solves the riddles of the traps. The title characters, the Beasts of Mokar, have only a minor part in the tale. Roland, the Great Dane, plays a key part in the story and probably deserved a place in the title. A great build up is made of the legendary city of Mokar; yet, we are not given even one glimpse of the people. The people are peaceful and will do almost anything to protect themselves from the outside world. On the way home after the rescue Dr. Dumont states that his notes on the hidden city will make him famous - so much for secrecy. The drawings are pretty standard fare. The story has some great plot devices but also has some flaws. The most disturbing is the doctor’s plan to capitalize on Mokar. This should have made Tarzan angry. 

“Friendship is a Treasure” -- 72nd text story -- 1 page - one illustration

2nd story “Tarzan and The Wall of Fire”- 9pp.
Type -- Rescue Dombie - (Argus)

Boy and Dombie search a gully for a wild pig. They find two crying chimpanzees. Boy learns that they are sad because they are childless. The chimps get the bright idea to adopt Dombie. Boy looks pale and sickly to them. They grab Dombie and swing off through the trees. Boy attempts to follow them but soon loses sight of them.

Boy rushes to Tarzan and Jane and tells them what happened. Jane cautions Tarzan about the approaching storm as he leaves to search for Dombie. A lightning strike starts a fire in the forest that spreads to the plains. Tarzan must divert around the area. Animals flee the on-coming fire. Tarzan picks up the trail of the chimps and Dombie. The wind creates a wall of fire. Tarzan leaps onto the back of a passing eland to save his energy for the pursuit.

The chimps and Dombie reach the edge of a river. The chimps fear both the water and the fire. As Tarzan rides up, Dombie breaks free and jumps into the river. Tarzan places the two frighten chimps on the back of an eland crossing the river. On the opposite side of the river, the chimps won’t dismount because a leopard is coming out of the water. The eland runs off with the chimps hanging on for dear life. Tarzan swims over to Dombie and helps him to the other side.

Tarzan and Dombie start to walk home. A leopard stalks them. Tarzan’s yell frightens off the leopard. They climb a tree to spend the night. Boy flies overhead with Argus and Aguila, the giant eagles. Tarzan calls to him. They land in the tree. With Tarzan on one eagle and Boy and Dombie on the other, they fly home. End.

The second story is new story in which Tarzan once again must rescue Dombie. This happened once before in Dell #78.2. Dombie has his new mature look. Jane also looks very attractive in the same outfit as in the first story with the addition of a large blue hat. Boy’s fez hat takes on a conical look. Chimpanzees play a big roll in a story for the first time. The wall of fire causes the animals to flee - very realistic display of natural enemies running side by side. After that occurrence, the story is relatively standard. The drawings are also standard except a few at the end of the story in the tree. Three of the last four panels have very nice perspective looks from above or below the eye level. Once again the writer has trouble with names of previous characters. In this story the second giant eagle is called Aguila. This is a first time use of this name. Did Tarzan create another giant eagle? Or did the writer forget that the second giant eagle created for Boy in Dell #63.1 and trained by Boy for flying in Dell #65.2 was named Aiglon? Overall it is a good story with good drawings.

“Brothers of the Spear” -- 57th -- 6 pages

First in the Dictionary -- splash page - aardvark - 1 page - color

Inside Back Cover: Forest Folk - apes and monkeys (bush baby, gorilla, baboon, chimpanzee. mandrill) 1 p. - black and white

Back Cover: New advertisement - 3 speed Schwinn Corvette - color

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DELL #82 July 1956 ~ 36pp. 10cents

READ IT HERE
Art interior: Jesse Marsh
Writer: Unknown (Gaylord Du Bois - unconfirmed)
Cover: 3rd Gordon Scott photo cover

Inside Front Cover: New subscription offer - Free Lucky Penny - 
Dell’s Pledge to Parents - drawing of Tarzan - color

1st story “Tarzan in The Chasms of Opar” - 15pp.
Type -- Gangsters - Opar - La - White Pygmies

Tarzan feeds Argus and Aguila fish as Prince Alad, a White Pygmy, rides up on an antelope. He tells the Jungle Lord that a flying chariot landed on the Rock of Opar and that the men wounded some of his people. He continues that they descended into the Chasm of Opar where La and the crooked men dwell. Tarzan and the Prince fly to Opar on Argus. They observe the guarded airplane. They land near King Ilony and his warriors. Tarzan wants to follow the gangsters into the chasm. King Ilony is weary of the gangsters and the crooked men. Tarzan asks the King for ten volunteers. An earthquake shakes the ground. Peering into the chasm they witness the gangsters terrorizing the crooked men. As night falls, they descend into the chasm. The robber leader commands Duchy, one of his henchmen, to leave behind a gold idol. He wants the jewels of Opar. Tarzan overhears them refer to the temple. He tells King Ilony to wait in readiness. He will go to the temple by himself. Tarzan uses the trees to travel to the temple.

La prays in the temple. Tarzan drops in. La pulls a knife. Tarzan explains that he is there is help. La stops the crooked men from attacking. Tarzan tells her about the robbers’ plan. She wonders why Tarzan has come to her aid. Tarzan explains that he knew that they would be slaughtered. The gangsters approach the temple. Tarzan outlines his ambush of the gangsters. The earth trembles. Tarzan grabs La and leaps to a tree branch. The branch breaks. The ape-man strikes his head on the ground. He is unconscious when the gangsters find them. The leader demands that La take them to the jewels. La refuses to speak. They threaten to harm Tarzan. La gives in. Tarzan revives. They tie up the ape-man.

La leads them into a passageway in the cliff. La opens the secret door to the treasure room by pulling on an ear of a bas-relief lion. The treasure overwhelms the gangsters. Tarzan breaks his bonds and kicks the gangsters’ weapons away. He is handling the gangsters single-handedly when the earth quakes violently. The robbers run out of the cave. They discover that their companions attempted to take-off in the plane but crashed and burned at the base of the mountain. Tarzan carries La to safety via a different passageway. The cliffs smash together. They do not know if the gangsters made it out or not. La demands that Tarzan stay with her as her mate. Tarzan refuses. La commands the crooked men to kill him. Tarzan calls to King Ilony and his men to attack. The antelope mounted pygmies rout the crooked men. They make their way out of the chasm. Tarzan believes that the gangsters will no longer be a threat. King Ilony declares that Tarzan has never failed them. End.

The featured story is a new story that revises the story of Opar once again. La and the crooked men are living deep in the Chasm of Opar. The White Pygmies live on top of the Rock. The Oparians have a temple deep in the chasm that is quite fantastic. It has the look of a Cambodian temple. It is pure white with tremendous relief carvings on every level. The treasure of Opar was once under the ruins of the city above. It is now in the chasm behind a secret door in a cliff of rock. Pulling on the ear of a bas-relief lion opens the secret door. This is an interesting addition to the treasure room. (This was once referred to as the Cave-of-Heavy-Yellow-Stones back in Dell #5.) Once again an earthquake plays a key role in the story. It appears as if the quake seals up any chance at getting to the treasure. (Time will tell if that is true.) La has not been seen since Dell #59.3. She is still in love with Tarzan and tries to have him killed when he refuses to be her mate. The White Pygmies leadership is a bit more difficult to follow. In Dell # 49.1 King Nikon was in charge. He introduced his son Prince Ilony. In Dell # 59.3 Ilony was king. In Dell Annual #4.1 Nikon was once again king. In this issue Dell #82.1 Ilony returns as king and introduces his son Prince Alad. Despite all the changes, this story is a delight in its combining the habitants of Opar with robbers/gangsters. It uses many elements used before in the comics, but it is inventive with these elements giving one the real flavor of a Burroughsian Tarzan.

“The Words of Tamai” -- 73rd text story -- 1 page - one illustration

2nd story “Tarzan in The Nandi’s Den”- 9pp.
Type -- Beast Terrorizes Area - Rids Area of Nandi Bear - Cave Bear

Riding the ostrich named Bwana M’kubwa Boy hunts for supper. A buffalo stampede drives them into a ravine where a Nandi Bear confronts them. They rush to the tree house and inform Tarzan and Jane about the bear. Tarzan harnesses Bara and goes to search for the terror. He comes upon Maluku and his tribe who are vacating the area because of the bear. Tarzan tells them not to go far. He will take care of the threat.

Backtracking the stampede, Bara becomes nervous about the scent of the bear. Tarzan releases Bara and proceeds alone. He discovers the den. He throws a rock inside as a precaution. Inside he finds a small cub. He befriends it and carries the balu out of the cave. He formulates a plan and takes the cub down to a river.

The mother bear returns to the den. She becomes enraged and tracks Tarzan’s scent. Tarzan allows her to get close before running to the river. He dives into the river with the cub. The mother Nandi follows. Tarzan releases the cub and dives underwater. The heavy current carries the mother and cub downstream. Tarzan wishes that the non-believers in the existence of the Nandi could have witnessed this. He plans to let Maluku’s tribe know that it is safe to return to their home. End.

The second story is a new story that features the Nandi Bear. The rare creature was presented only once before in Dell #32.1. Tarzan describes the bear as being yellow brown in color. The colorist, limited by the four-color process, paints the bear as brown. The story starts with Boy in a silly blue hat with a black feather riding an ostrich. The ostrich is given a name, Bwana M’kubwa. The naming of ostriches is becoming a regular occurrence. The last two ostriches used were also named. The translation of Bwana M’kubwa is given as Big Chief. This is a curious translation. Jane has little to do except lounge on the ground in front of some flowers. The pose reminds one of a famous painting, the name of which evades the memory. This is a tight little story with one logical plot. The drawings are standard Marsh work with no really outstanding panels.

“Brothers of the Spear” -- 58th -- 6 pages

Good Neighbors -- splash page featuring potto, ostrich, bongo, okapi, basilisk, and dugong - 1 page - in color

Inside Back Cover: New advertisement - Daisy Air Rifles - color

Back Cover: Advertisement Juicy Fruit Gum (same as Dell Tarzan’s Jungle Annual #5) - color.

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DELL #83 August 1956 ~ 36pp. 10cents

READ IT HERE
Art interior: Jesse Marsh 
Writer: Unknown (Gaylord Du Bois - unconfirmed)
Cover: 4th Gordon Scott photo cover

Inside Front Cover:  New advertisement for Cheerful Card Company - color

1st story “Tarzan and The Channel Pirates”- 15pp.
Type -- Pirates - Restores Order - Rescues White Men - Argus

Flying on Argus Tarzan spots an Arab fishing village. A leopard stalks a woman working in a garden. Tarzan directs Argus to grab the leopard and carry it off. Sara, the daughter of the Sheik, covers her face as she speaks to the Jungle Lord. She tells him that Channel Pirates are keeping them from fishing. Sheik Abdullah Ben Ibrahim thanks Tarzan for saving his daughter. Tarzan offers to fish for them. He commands Argus to follow him in the air. The Sheik believes that the great bird is Roc.

At sea, Tarzan has Argus spots shoals of fish for him. He feeds Argus from the first netting. Channel Pirate approach in a dhow and fire at the ape-man. Tarzan is nicked in the arm as he dives overboard. The pirate captain searches the waters with his binoculars. A shark enters the area. Tarzan kills it with his knife. The pirates see the shark thrashing around and believe the fisherman to be dead. Tarzan grabs onto the dhow’s rudder. He signals Argus to follow him.

The dhow enters a lagoon that contains a wrecked ship. The pirates board the ship to strip it. Tarzan swims towards a small island. The pirates spot him and fire. On shore Tarzan finds Captain Wallace Baine and the survivors of the wreck. They tell their stories to each other. Tarzan plans to capture the dhow. He calls to Argus. The survivors are surprised as Tarzan flies off on the eagle. The pirates loot the vessel.

That night Tarzan returns to the island with the Arab fishermen. Tarzan outlines his plan. They swim to the dhow. Tarzan subdues the guard. The coalition force boards the dhow. Tarzan enters the pirate captain’s quarters. The captain pulls a pistol. Tarzan disarms him. A short battle brings the pirates under control. Tarzan offers Captain Baine the dhow. The Captain says that he must first retrieve a strongbox he dropped overboard so the pirates could not get it.

In the morning Tarzan dives for the chest. As he attaches the box to the line, he discovers a bed of pearl oysters. An octopus attacks him. The survivors pull up the chest with the octopus attached to it. The octopus leaves. Back on board Captain Baine reveals that the chest contains $200,000 worth of gold. The survivors pull out with their prisoners on the dhow. Tarzan tells the Sheik about the pearl oyster bed and that it is all for his people. Tarzan flies off on Argus. End.

The featured story is a new story that once again presents Arabs in a positive light - as poor fishermen who are terrorized by pirates. After a couple of issues without a killing it looks, at first, as if that was going to continue. Tarzan could have easily commanded Argus to kill the leopard that was stalking Sara, but instead, the eagle carries it to a safe distance and releases it. Killing does take place. Tarzan kills his fourth shark. After the battle with the pirates, Captain Baine reports to Tarzan that one pirate was killed, although it was not shown. Sara covering her face in the presences of Tarzan is a nice touch. The reason that the three-mast sailing ship went aground is vague at best. Did the pirates have something to do with it or did they merely happen upon it? Tarzan builds a coalition force of the fishermen and the survivors of the shipwreck. This is typical of the Dell Tarzan and something he is very good at. The battle with the pirates is a minor event in the story. This is something that could have afforded more attention. In the end Tarzan solves everyone’s problems. One interesting side note is in the second panel on the ninth page: Jesse Marsh allows Argus’ wing to extend out of the panel and into the first panel. This is pretty daring for the conservative Marsh.

“The Lion Hunt Dance” -- 74th text story -- 1 page - one illustration

2nd story “Tarzan and The Stranger From Pal-ul-don”- 9pp.
Type -- Beast Terrorizes Area (Gryf) - Buto

Tarzan, Jane and Boy net fish and feed them to Argus. Indorro, a runner from Buto, enters and tells the tale of a beast terrorizing their kraal. They surmise that it is a gryf. Indorro also reports that many warriors have been injured. Tarzan instructs Jane to take the runner home and feed him. Boy wants to accompany Tarzan. Tarzan says it is too dangerous. Tarzan flies Argus to the kraal.

The gryf thrashes around the village. Tarzan subdues it and rides it out of the kraal. A messenger tells Buto that the N’goros are coming to attack the village. Buto mounts the gryf at Tarzan’s side. M’gogo reports that the enemy is in a ravine near the Rock of Leopards. They charge the gryf into the N’goros as Buto’s warriors follow. The N’goros are routed. The gryf turns on Buto’s men, and they must scattered for their lives. Tarzan and Buto ride to the gryf to the Great Swamp. The gryf heads for Pal-ul-don. End.

The second story is a new story. Once again a beast terrorizes an area. This time it is a gryf that has wandered in from Pal-ul-don. Once again Tarzan must save Buto’s Village. The last time was in Dell #50.3 when he saved them from a Secret Society. All of Buto’s people (the Bamwe) with the exception of Buto have changed their hairstyle into a statue of liberty look. The subplot involves a tribe called the N’goros, who are about to attack Buto’s village. The name N’goro was first used in Dell #50.2 and was used as the name of a witch doctor of the M’bongo tribe. This time it refers to the enemies of the Bamwe. One N’goro calls out the name Isilo. Isilo was used in Dell #58.2 and #59.2 as the name of a young Waziri. Actually, the writer could have been using Isilo as an expression rather than a name. Twice in this story Jesse Marsh allows figures to extend beyond its panel to the one adjacent - once with the horn of the gryf and again with an antelope leaping into the next panel. With two stories in a row using this technique one hopes that it will become a permanent part of his drawing style.

“Brothers of the Spear” -- 59th -- 6 pages with advertisement for Tarzan’s Jungle Annual #5.

Subscription Offer -- one year plus push-button pens for $1.50 - plus Dell’s Pledge to Parents - 1 page - in color

Inside Back Cover: New advertisement for Wrigley’s Juicy Fruit gum - color

Back Cover: New advertisement for Cracker Jack - color

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DELL #84 September 1956 ~ 36pp. 10cents

READ IT HERE
Art interior: Jesse Marsh
Writer: Unknown (Gaylord Du Bois - unconfirmed)
Cover: 5th Gordon Scott photo cover
Inside Front Cover: New subscription offer - one year with a gold plated key chain, necklace, 
tie clasp, or bracelet for $1.50. Tarzan illustration and Dell’s Pledge to Parents - in color.

1st story “Tarzan and The Eye of Thoth” - 15pp.
Type -- Lost City (Mitzer) - Lost Race (Mitzeraim) - Rescue White Man (Prince Thyron)

Tarzan flies Argus to Cathne. King Jathon and Queen Elaine greet him. Meanwhile, Prince Thyron and his party are hunting for rock antelope. They dismount from their lion-drawn chariots. Savages throw stones from slings, knocking them unconscious. The Prince and his men are carried off. Lord Rython escapes detection. He drives his chariot, pulled by Beauty and Shooting Star, back to Cathne. He informs the King of his son’s capture. King Jathon calls for General Andol to assembly a rescue party using riding lions. Rython agrees to guide them to the ambush site despite his injuries.

Tarzan rides a lion along with the Cathneans. Argus follows in the air. After finding the spot, Tarzan uses his tracking skills to trace them to a mountain with a cleft in it. A barrier of poison tipped bamboo protects the opening. Tarzan calls for Argus. They fly over the mountain and discover a city built into the sides of a bowl shaped valley. A huge statue of Thoth dominates the center of the area. Tarzan notices the crystal eye of the statue. Suddenly, a beam of light emanates from the eye. Argus swerves to avoid the beam. Tarzan surmises that the sunlight passes through a system of mirrors and focuses through the eye. A beam ignites wood on a pedestal. The Jungle Lord spies Prince Thyron on another pedestal. He has Argus swoop down and pick up the bound prince just in time before the light beam would have disintegrated him. The Mitzeraim warriors shoot arrows at them to no avail. Tarzan returns the Prince to his father.

General Andol has sent for reinforcements. Tarzan maps out a battle plan in the sand. That night, Tarzan scales the mountain wall. He subdues five sentries and signals to Jathon. The Cathneans and their lions use bamboo ladders to climb the mountain face. They enter the valley. A Mitzeraim sounds the alarm. There is a terrific battle. They are no match for the Cathnean warriors and their lions. The sun filters through the crystal eye. Tarzan, Jathon, and Thyron are forced to take cover behind a rock. Tarzan calls for Argus, who flies the ape-man close to the statue. Tarzan casts a spear, smashing the crystal. The Mitzer are defeated. Jathon thanks Tarzan for his help. End.

The featured story is a new story that is quite fascinating despite its inaccuracy about the Egyptian god Thoth. The statue of Thoth in this story has the body of a man and a head of a hawk or a falcon. This is incorrect. The Egyptian god Horus has the body of a man and the head of a hawk or a falcon. Horus is the god of Upper Egypt. It was a cosmic deity - a sun god. Its eyes were the sun and the moon. Thoth was usually depicted with the head of an ibis or a dog. Thoth was the god of Lower Egypt. It was the god of speech, wisdom, and magic. The illustrator must have felt that statue with a falcon head would be more impressive looking that one with a head of an ibis or a dog. By using the image of Horus and naming it Thoth, the writer combines lower and upper Egypt. This is something only a great pharaoh could do.

Jathon and Elaine are aging quickly. It was just a little over five years earlier in May/June 1951, Dell #21, in which they met. They now have a teenage or older son. Their looks are aging equally as fast. Cathne, the city of gold, is taking on more of a golden look in the roofs and fascia boards. Along with the great story, there are a number of interesting panels. The view above Argus looking down at the Cathnean army is nicely rendered. The statue of Thoth is of interest, but even more impressive are Argus’ shadows on the ground and subsequently on the statue. The battle is a mismatch from the start. The Mitzeraim only hope was from the beam of light from the crystal eye. Tarzan shatters their chances when he shatters the crystal. The writer left the story open to the possibility of a return to the city. This would be indeed welcome if the story were as well written as this one.

“Of a Feast and Devils” -- 75th text story -- 1 page - one illustration

2nd story “Tarzan and The Hunting Pack”- 9pp.
Type --Saves Wild Dog

Tarzan points out to Boy a pack of wild dogs that are about to attack a herd of zebra. Tarzan calls out a warning to the zebras. The Cape Hunting Dogs do not fair well. They investigate the results and find one dead dog and another wounded. Boy asks Tarzan to try and nurse it back to health. Tarzan binds its wounds and mouth. They take it back to the tree house where a balu chimp and a lion cub are not amused. They convert a small hut into a kennel and place the African Wild Dog in it. Boy names the dog Lucky. In a week Lucky gives birth to five pups.

After two months, they take the pack out hunting. Lucky and her children bring down a wild pig and eat it. By eight months they have trained the dogs to drive game towards them.

One morning Boy finds the kennel empty. He talks Tarzan into tracking them. A hyena has a hold of the young dog named Skippy. Boy fires an arrow. Tarzan dodges a second dango. Boy cries for help. The wild dog pack attacks the hyena. Tarzan kills the dango with his knife. The pack drives the other hyena into the river. Tarzan believes that it will not return for a while. Lucky lets Tarzan know that she has paid her debt to him and that she and her family are returning to the wild. End.

The second story is a new story. It is good but not the quality of the first story. It features the wild dog or wild hunting dog. The animal looks like what is commonly called the African Wild Dog or the Cape Hunting Dog. Plus, the animal is suspiciously similar to the Dangina from Dell #43.2. In that story Tarzan made an attempt to eliminate the species from the face of the planet. This story is the apology for the attempt. He nurses a wild dog back to health and cares for the five cubs it gives birth to while living with Tarzan. These wild dogs are colored closer to their natural form, reddish brown with spots. The Dangina were colored gray with spots. Both Tarzan and Boy wear silly floppy hats during the first part of this story. Conveniently a small hut is near the tree house for conversion to a kennel for the wild dogs. Tarzan is forced to kill a hyena to protect himself. The other hyena escapes major harm. The drawings and story are good but not exceptional.

“Brothers of the Spear” -- 60th -- 6 pages

Splash Page -- “Not Real Horns” featuring rhinoceros - 1 page - in color

Inside Back Cover: New advertisement - Scotch cellophane tape - color

Back Cover: New advertisement Wrigley’s Juicy Fruit gum - color

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DELL #85 October 1956 ~ 36pp. 10cents

READ IT HERE
Art interior: Jesse Marsh
Writer: Unknown (Gaylord Du Bois - unconfirmed)
Cover: 6th Gordon Scott photo cover

Inside Front Cover: New advertisement for Trix cereal in color

1st story “Tarzan and The Windmill of Maun Gah” - 15pp.
Type -- Rescue White Man - Apes - N’kima

The great apes, Tornak and Nala, hear weeping and go to investigate. They see a woman crying and a leopard stalking her. They cry out ‘Sheetah’ to warn her. Sheila Ross believes they are saying her name. The apes pull her up into a tree and keep the leopard at bay by throwing sticks at it. Sheila faints. They send N’kima to find Tarzan.

The little monkey finds Tarzan in a canoe on the river. N’kima leads the ape-man back to the apes and Sheila. Tarzan throws his knife and kills the leopard. Sheila falls out of the tree. Tarzan catches her. She explains that her white hunter/guide died from a snakebite. Tarzan surmises that her bearers have deserted her. She further explains that she is searching for her father, Professor Ross, whose plane disappeared. She spotted wreckage near an old volcanic crater. Tarzan knows the spot and wants to send Sheila to Nairobi. The young girl insists on accompanying Tarzan on his search. Tornak and Nala tag along and build sleeping platform for Sheila that night.

Finally they reach Maun Gah, the ancient crater. Tarzan spies a tiny light at the top of a cone. They pass through the Crater Village undetected. At a small hut they find the Professor. He relates his story how he was injured when he crashed and cannot walk very far. He has built a windmill using his helicopter rotor and grinds the villagers’ grain. He has modified it so that he can quickly convert it in a flying machine by using the strong updraft winds. He is positive that the natives would try to stop him from leaving. Tarzan suggests that he take Sheila on the flying machine. He and the apes will find them if they go down. The Professor explains that the strong winds are in the morning.

In the morning, two natives come with corn to grind. Tarzan, the apes, and Sheila hide in the hut. Sheila sneezes. Mabundi goes to investigate. An ape grabs him. Mabundi and the other villager flee for their lives. Tarzan and the Professor prepare the flying machine. Sheila spies the armed villagers returning. Tarzan cuts the tether and the Professor and Sheila are carried up into the air. The villagers see them leaving and look for the jungle man that grabbed Mabundi. They peek into the hut. Tarzan and the apes come from behind the hut. They each take one hostage to protect themselves from the native spears. When the reach a safe area, they release their prisoners unharmed.

A week later Tarzan commiserates with Muviro at Muviro’s kraal about being unable to find the Professor and his daughter. A runner enters with a message on a forked stick. It is from the Professor informing Tarzan that he and Sheila landed near Nairobi. They are safe. Muviro says with the Windmill of Maun Gah. End.

The featured story is a very good story. Its greatest flaw is the confusion of an airplane or helicopter. Sheila, the daughter, says that her father’s plane went missing and that she spotted wreckage of the plane. However, when they finally reach the professor he says that he built a windmill from his helicopter rotor. It is a small thing but why not refer to it as a helicopter from the beginning? The two apes get to save the pretty young girl from a leopard. This is usually Tarzan’s forte. N’kima has only a small part and probably does not need to be listed in the “Type” of story information. The apes start the story and use a lot of ape language, which helps to give the story more of a Burroughsian feel than many of the stories. The bond between Tarzan and the apes is very good. The combination windmill/flying machine is an ingenious invention. Although the machine is a bit fantastic, it is a very inventive and fun. The Professor is drawn as a relatively young man. Usually the doctor/professor types are drawn as much older men. Most of the drawings are in the typical Marsh style. One notable panel is the large panel at the bottom of the fifth page. The large tree has some elements of a Burne Hogarth tree. This is a very good story.

“Mabu’s Warning” -- 76th text story -- 1 page - one illustration

2nd story “Tarzan and The Missing War Canoe”- 9pp.
Type -- Save Boy and Dombie - (Boy Dombie Adventure) - Tantor

Boy and Dombie examine Muviro’s new war canoe at the Waziri landing site. They board the canoe. The river rises and carries the canoe out into the river. They are not strong enough to paddle the canoe. They drift downstream past the Wabanda Village. They hide inside the canoe. Two Wabandas spot their enemy’s canoe and swim out to it. As one warrior attempts to board, Boy strikes his hands with a paddle. They believe Waziri warriors are hiding in the canoe. They swim back to spread an alarm. The canoe drifts near an island. Boy and Dombie abandon the canoe and swim to the island. The Wabanda capture the empty canoe with their war canoes.

At the tree house Jane worries to Tarzan that Boy is not home and it is almost dark. Tarzan goes to the Waziri landing site and notices that Muviro’s new canoe is missing. He deduces the events and takes a canoe to search for the boys. Boy recognizes Tarzan on the river and mimics a jungle bird to signal him. Boy explains to Tarzan what happened. Tarzan hears Tantor’s trumpet and has an idea. The Jungle Lord paddles the boys to the main land and sends them for Tantor.

At the Wabanda landing site a warrior attempts to get the drop on the ape-man. Tarzan knocks him out with one punch and takes Muviro’s canoe. The warrior awakens and alerts the Wabanda. They pursue Tarzan in a war canoe. Tarzan puts to shore. A Wabanda prepares to cast a spear. Tarzan throws a rock, knocking the spear from his hand. Mounted on Tantor, Boy and Dombie arrive. The Wabanda flee. Two warriors in the canoe stand their ground. Tantor overturns the canoe. Tarzan uses vines to make a harness. He has the great pachyderm pull Muviro’s canoe overland back to the Waziri Village. He hopes that the boys have learned a lesson. End.

The second story is a new story and basically a Boy and Dombie adventure. Tarzan enters to save the boys and Muviro’s new war canoe. The canoe is the primary object of the story and is given special treatment with the color and decorations on its sides. Boy and Dombie once again get into trouble because of their curiosity. Both boys wear silly floppy hats in the first part of the adventure. The use of the floppy hat is becoming a regular occurrence by Marsh. It is something this writer wishes he would drop from his repertoire. The colorist forgets that Dombie’s hat was blue and colors it green in one panel. But Marsh also forgets that Dombie has a tie-like piece on his necklace because it appears and is left out in different panels. Marsh is becoming comfortable with the characters and they are consistently drawn from issue to issue. It is a good story but more of a Boy/Dombie tale than a Tarzan tale. Both stories in this issue start with a set up by characters other than Tarzan. Tarzan enters the stories much later. The artist has a Tarzan insert in the first panel of each story, thus reminding us that Tarzan will be an integral part of the tale.

“Brothers of the Spear” -- 61st -- 6 pages

Splash Page -- “The Wart Hog” - wart hog and Boy - 1 page - color

Inside Back Cover: New subscription offer - $1.20 for one year and Official Dell Comic Club ball point pen - with Tarzan illustration - Dell’s Pledge to Parents - color

Back Cover: New advertisement Schwinn Phantom bicycle - color

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DELL #86 November 1956 ~ 36 pp. 10 cents

READ IT HERE
Art interior:  Jesse Marsh - 1st story  ~ Russ Manning - 2nd story
Writer: Unknown (Gaylord Du Bois - unconfirmed)
Cover: 7th Gordon Scott photo cover

Inside Front Cover:  New subscription offers - $1.20 for one year plus a “KE” puzzle game - 
illustration of Tarzan and Dell’s Pledge to Parents - color

1st story “Tarzan and The Mutineers” - 15pp.
Type -- Rescue White Man and Woman - Lost City (ruins, not identified) - Tuaregs - Jad-bal-ja

Riding on Bara, Tarzan is accompanied by Jad-bal-ja. They hear hyenas in a dead city. The hyenas approach Cabot and Laura Sutton who are tied to pillars. Tarzan and the golden lion kill the hyenas. The Suttons explain that their bearers deserted them when they heard a strange noise in the city. They left them there as a sacrifice to the evil spirits. Cabot further explains that they are archeologist and spotted the ruins of the city from the air. Tarzan identifies the strange noise as two metal tubes clanging together in the wind. He finds a safe place for them to stay while he hunts for the bearers.

Tarzan and Jad track the bearers. Tarzan enters their camp at night. He tells them to return to the Suttons. A bearer points his rifle at the ape-man. Tarzan signals Jad with a growl. Jad roars. The bearer is distracted and fires into the air. Tarzan makes his escape with Jad. He believes that the superstitious bearers will be no help.

He travels to the Waziri Village where M’tongo greets him. Tarzan asks Muviro and the Waziri to help out the Suttons. Muviro agrees to the proposal. They ride antelopes to the dead city. The Suttons and their supplies are gone. At night outside of the city, Tarzan and Muviro observe a Tuareg camel caravan entering a seamless tower. At the tower they cannot find the door to the tower. Tarzan asks M’tongo for a rope. He climbs the seamless tower and throws the rope down to Muviro. He pulls the chief to the top. All the Waziri are likewise raised to the top. Jad-bal-ja is pulled up in a rope cradle.

They descend into the cavern below inside the tower. They spy the Tuaregs. Tarzan sends the Waziri to find another passageway into the room. Muviro captures a Tuareg sentry and finds another opening to the room. Tarzan and Jad confront the Tuaregs. The Suttons say they have been treated well. A Tuareg pulls his pistol. Tarzan tells them to look behind them. Upon seeing the Waziri, the Tuaregs realize they are outnumbered and drop their weapons. Cabot explains that the Tuaregs are mining placer gold from an underground stream. The Suttons promise the Tuaregs that they will keep their secret. Cabot and Laura leave with Tarzan and the Waziri. Cabot plans to return someday to study the ruins. End.

The featured story is a new story that has great potential but has a weak ending. In previous stories, Dell #42.2, 64.2, and A#4.3, the Tuaregs have been a viscous and fierce tribe. In this story they are passive. They capture Cabot and Laura Sutton but treat them humanly. At the end of the story they throw down their weapon instead of fighting the Waziri. Plus they believe the Suttons will keep their word about keeping the tower and the gold a secret. The Dell Pledge to Parents has taken the power out of this story. The title, “The Mutineers,” suggest that they are the main plot of the story. The mutineers play a minor role. The title should have referred to the seamless tower or the Tuaregs. The archeologists are depicted, as one would expect. However, this time it is a man and a woman. They are drawn as middle aged and not very attractive. The plot is quite involved and has great potential. The colorist has finally figured out the proper way to color night scenes. A couple of the perspective panels from above the top of the tower are notable pieces. The story is left opened ended so that they can return to this place and characters. If they do, hopefully the Tuaregs will also return to their brutal demeanor.

“A Strange Night” -- 77th text story -- 1 page - one illustration

2nd story “Tarzan and The Policeman from Nairobi”- 9pp.
Type -- Save White Man - Save Boy - Save Jane - (Boy and Dombie Adventure)

While hunting on ostriches Boy and Dombie spy a riderless horse being pursued and killed by numa. At the edge of donga they see sabor dragging a human. Boy shoots an arrow at the lioness. Sabor drops her prey and chases the ostrich. Boy leaps into a tree and taunts the lioness. She gives up her pursuit of the ostrich and attempts to climb the tree. Dombie rides for Tarzan’s help. Boy keeps sabor at bay with arrows. Numa joins his mate and climbs the tree. Tarzan kills the male with an arrow. Sabor runs off. They examine the wounded policeman from Nairobi. Mr. Wardle, the policeman, tells his tale of how he was tracking a criminal when he was ambushed and wounded. He was continuing the pursuit when the lions attacked him. Tarzan calls for Bara. The ape-man and Mr. Wardle ride elands back to the tree house. The boys ride their ostriches.

A young ape cries a warning to Jane as the criminal climbs the rope ladder to the tree house. Jane releases the lever that drops the ladder and the criminal to the ground. Tarzan rides up. The murder/robber fires a pistol at him. Tarzan disarms him with a knife throw. Tarzan captures him and places him in a cage. Two young apes tease the prisoner. Jane and Boy entertain Mr. Wardle while Tarzan brings Muviro and the Waziri to escort the policeman and his prisoner across the desert. As they leave on horses and the Waziri on foot, the policeman promises to visit them someday. End.

The second story is a new story and better than the featured story. Although it has all the impressions of a Boy/Dombie story, Tarzan plays a major role by saving a number of people from harm’s way. The quick release lever to drop the rope ladder from the tree house is an ingenious addition to the safety of Tarzan’s home. From the manner in which it is drawn, it could not possibly work, but the idea is good. This gives Jane a chance to be heroic for a change. She is usually a passive character with nothing to do but worry and fret. Here she proves to be a worthy mate for Tarzan. The artist is probably Russ Manning. It is definitely not Jesse Marsh. Although Manning attempts to keep the look of the Marsh characters, the different style and techniques are obvious. Not just that fact that he has taken all of the decorative bracelets off of Boy, but in the shape of the heads and the look in the eyes. Manning’s panels are more dramatic in composition than Marsh‘s. Manning thrives on perspective changes and unusual viewpoints. Marsh uses them sparingly. Manning gives the Waziri more elaborate costumes. A downfall is that his young apes look more like young chimpanzees. Manning tends to have pictures break out of their borders and overlap into nearby panels. Marsh does this rarely. Manning usually ends is tale with the caption “The End” at the bottom of the last panel. Marsh never uses this. It is not merely the drawings that rate this story better than the first one. It is the better tale that makes the difference.

“Brothers of the Spear” -- 62nd -- 6 pages

New Advertisement *-- A.C. Gilbert Company - American Flyer train - 1 page - in color

Inside Back Cover: New advertisement - View Master, featuring the Mickey Mouse Club - color

Back Cover: New advertisement - Trix cereal.

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DELL #87 December 1956 ~ 36 pp. 10 cents

READ IT HERE
Art interior: Jesse Marsh 
Writer:  Unknown (Gaylord Du Bois - unconfirmed)
Cover: 8th Gordon Scott photo cover

Inside Front Cover: Advertisement for Trix cereal (same as in Dell #85) - color

1st story “Tarzan in The Messenger from Jorah”- 15 pp.
Type -- Rescues Jorah and His Men - Restores Order - White Apes - Saves Jalima - (Dyal)

At the edge of the Great Swamp Tarzan senses a white woman and a gorilla. The Bolgani pulls Jalima, Jorah’s sister, off her dyal named Kuni. Tarzan shoots the gorilla in the knee with a blunt arrow. The Bolgani drops his prize and attacks the ape-man. They fall out of the tree and crash to the ground. Tarzan knocks out the gorilla with one blow. Tarzan and Jalima recognize each other. The young girl explains that she was seeking the Jungle Lord’s help because Jorah and ten others have been captured by the White Apes in a fight over garden land. They take a shortcut through the swamp.

Tarzan leaves Jalima to travel to the Valley of the Gryfs to find a gryf to use as a mount. He finds one, subdues it, and returns to Jalima. The girl leads him to the new cave home of the White Apes, which is on the side of a cliff. Tarzan promises to free the captives and sends Jalima home.

Tarzan tethers the gryf by hanging a stick in front of its eyes from its nose horn. He gathers sap from a vine and distills it in a bamboo still to produce a tear gas-like material. He fashions a plunger squirt gun from bamboo to deliver the gas. Tarzan rides the gryf to the top of the mountain and descends into the caves of the apes. He slips by the sleeping apes and awakens Jorah. Together they attempt to wake the other dyals riders without noise. One of the dyal riders awakens with a cry. The apes are alerted and prepare to stop the escape. Tarzan sprays them with the tear-gas material. He leads the prisoners out of the cave and has them descend. Tarzan throws a gourd of the tear gas material at the pursuing apes. Apes from other caves take up the pursuit. Tarzan sees the gryf making its away home. Tarzan has Jorah and his men mount the gryf behind him. They use the gryf to drive the apes back into their caves. Tarzan says that he will return to the apes tomorrow and talk about peace. Jorah explains that the apes have increased in population and have exhausted their food supplies.

The next day Tarzan calls out to the apes. He talks the gund of the apes into coming with him to show them where food can be grown. The gund follows Tarzan to a swamp area. Tarzan uses a gryf as a plow to create ditches to drain the swamp. He sends the zu-tarmangani to bring his tribe to plant shoots. Jalima rides up and tells Tarzan that Jorah and his people are ready. The dyal riders quickly plant kabula, the favorite food of the apes. The apes return. Tarzan tells them that the dyal riders planted this for them. Peace is made between the apes and the humans. Tarzan tells them not to forget. End.

The featured story is a new story that has the return of Jorah, last seen in Dell #65.1. This is really a great story. It has all the elements one could wish for in a Tarzan story. Tarzan rescued Jorah once before in Dell #60.1 from the Men of Monga. But it was in Dell #65.1 in which Tarzan united Jorah’s people with the White Apes to oust the cave bears from the area. Evidently the apes and humans could not get along because they are fighting over garden land and taking captives. Tarzan ingeniously solves the problem and creates peace between the apes and dyal riders. Early in the Dell stories Jorah’s people were known as the people of Cor-o-don. This term has not been used in many, many stories dealing with this tribe. The writer seems to be settled in on the name - dyal riders. Jorah had a sister named Ro-mee-lah, who Tarzan rescued from the Men of Monga back in Dell #39.1. Jalima is a new sister whose golden hair is completely foreign to the dyal rider genes. Jorah and all his people have always been shown as dark haired people. For that matter, Jorah and the dyal riders have always been a race of hefty, stocky people and the males were shown with a large amount of chest hairs. In this story Jorah and his dyal riders are a slim, slight people and the males are devoid of chest hair. I guess it is the right of the writers and artists to change the history of their creations, but it becomes a thorn in the side of this writer. Tarzan’s tethering of the gryf is a stroke of genius. The distilling of a tear gas-like material is inventive. The delivery of material via a plunger squirt gun is similar to the squirt gun the ape-man made in Dell #50.3 for delivering the Mark of Evil, zorilla and civet musk, onto the members of the Secret Society. It is a great story. One wishes that consistency from issue to issue would be better.

“The Copper Necklace Offering” -- 78th text story -- 1 page - one illustration

2nd story “Tarzan and The Snow Men of Gourambi”- 9 pp.
Type -- Rescue White Men - Lost Race (Snow Men) - (Airplane Wreck)

Tarzan and Captain Peter Van Dulst of the Dutch navy search a mountain range (Gourambi Mountains) in a twin-engine airplane for the Hauser expedition and/or the search plane that crashed. Tarzan hears the faint radio message from Hans Hauser near the Gourambi Peak. They land near the injured man. Hans explains that he reached the peak but his companions were gone when he returned to camp. He found tracks of men with their great toe set back. The Captain compares the tracks to the Abominable Snow Man. Hans says he grabbed the radio and descended. He fell off a ledge and broken his leg. Tarzan and the Captain carry him to the plane. Tarzan sends them home while he remains to investigate the Snow Men. The ape-man takes a flyer’s suit with him.

Tarzan scales the mountain. At the higher elevation he dons the flyer suit. He observes a tar-Sheetah attacking a Snow Man. They topple over a cliff to their death. Examining the body of the Snow Man, Tarzan concludes that the creature is more ape than man. He backtracks the Snow Man to discover the downed search plane, which the Snow Men attempt to push into a crevasse. He follows the tracks to a cave. He senses Snow Men and humans. He surprises a Snow Man who is pounding on a rock with a pick. A brief fight ends with Tarzan knocking out the Snow Man. He hears a human under a pile of rocks. He discovers Fritz Braun, the pilot of the search plane, and the remains of the Hauser expedition. Fritz, who has a broken ankle, tells the story of his capture.

Captain Dulst returns in his plane with Jane and Boy. They spy Tarzan carrying a man out of a cave. They land. A group of Snow Men chase after the ape-man. Tarzan makes it to the plane in the nick of time. The plane throws snow at the creatures as it takes off. Tarzan is relieved that they came in time. Boy believes that the Snow Men would not have had a chance against Tarzan. End.

The second story is another great new story. The ending is a bit weak with Tarzan being whisked away in the nick of time by Captain Dulst’s plane. A confrontation with the Snow Men would have been a desirable ending. The abrupt conclusion is probably because the writer had only nine pages with which to work. One wonders why the writer calls the mountain range a little-known range yet names the Gourambi Peak. The Gourambi Mountains were used in Dell A#5.2 with the giant Vikings and in Dell #81.1 with the lost city of Mokar. Why not just call it the Gourambi Mountains? New characters are introduced with Dutch ancestry. The Snow Men are interesting new creatures. The comparison to the Abominable Snow Man is good. These creatures need to be explored further as the writer barely scratched the surface of their potential. The inclusion of Jane and Boy on the plane with Captain Dulst is totally unnecessary. They are merely eye candy and serve no purpose. The story is strong enough without them.

“Brothers of the Spear” -- 63rd -- 5 1/2 pages - 1/2 page is Official statement of ownership, management, and circulation

New Advertisement -- Gilbert Company - erector, chemistry, and microscope sets - 1 page - in color

Inside Back Cover: New advertisement - Daisy air rifles, BB shot, and super smokers rifles - color

Back Cover: New advertisement - Schwinn Mark II Jaguar bicycle - color

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DELL #88 January 1957 ~ 36 pp. 10 cents

READ IT HERE
Art interior: Jesse Marsh
Writer: Unknown (Gaylord Du Bois - unconfirmed)
Cover: 9th Gordon Scott photo cover

Inside Front Cover: New advertisement for Kool-Aid in color

1st story “Tarzan and The Guarded Treasure”- 15 pp.
Type -- Shiftas - Buto

Tarzan finds a rock outcropping shelter for Buto and their buffalo mounts from a dust storm. Lieutenant Barnes and his detachment of askaris on camels seek the same shelter. The wild buffaloes run off. The Lieutenant explains that they are stationed at the British outpost at Fort Gumburu. Tarzan senses a band of Shiftas approaching. The Shiftas attack and drive off the camels. The Lieutenant realizes that the Shiftas also got away with the payroll. He and is men will start for thefort. Tarzan and Buto search for their mounts.

They trail the Shiftas on their buffaloes. They leave their mounts and proceed on foot. They observe Habib, the chief of the Shiftas, command the guards Abu and Hassan to rein in two black panthers that are guarding the entrance to the Shiftas’ Treasure Room. After depositing the loot from the British payroll, the Shiftas head for their camp.

Tarzan and Buto wait for the guards and the panthers to fall asleep. Tarzan signals to Buto that he is ready with a cry of a night bird. Buto drops down and rattles the chain of a panther. The guards wake up. Buto subdues a guard, as does Tarzan. They rein in the panthers and enter the cave. Tarzan discovers the trap door in the floor of the cave as well as the trigger that opens it. Tarzan uses a match from his match safe to light their way down the inclined ladder. A torch is lit to revel the bounties of the cave. Tarzan compares it to Aladdin’s Cave as the gold, silver, and gems fill the area. They also find weapons. They place the rifles and machine gun in a hole far from the cave and place a rock on top of it. They return to the treasure and decide that they need pack animals to carry the booty.

They go to the Shifta camp. They subdue and tie up the lone sentry. Tarzan enters the camp and gathers the horses. The sentry manages to fire his weapon with his toes. Tarzan leads the horses out of camp. Buto attempts to mount a horse but falls to the ground. The Shiftas are alerted. Buto plans to use a rifle as a club against the bandits. He holds up the sentry as a shield. Tarzan charges in on a horse and picks up his huge friend. The Shiftas shoot wildly at them. They make it back to the Treasure Room. Buto carries all of the loot out in a sack. They take off again just as the Shiftas arrive on the camels. They easily outdistance them. They bring the loot to the Major in command of Fort Gumburu. Tarzan also informs the Major that they salted a hole with some gold in the hopes that the Shiftas would explore it long enough so that the Major’s men can capture them. End.

The featured story is a new story that marks the return of the Shiftas. The band of cutthroats has appeared in nine stories previous to this tale. They are almost exclusively depicted as slavers. This band are robbers and thieves. They use the dust storm to pick the British detachment clean of their camels and payroll. Tarzan and Buto stand by helplessly. The Shiftas have a separate treasure area that is cleverly protected by black panthers and a secret entrance to the cave. This is reminiscent of the black panther used in Dell FC 161.1 that was chained to the wall in a tunnel under Tohr. Tarzan and Buto carry off the weapons and hide them in a hole. This is a consistent action of the Dell Tarzan. When the comic Tarzan comes across a large cache of weapons he hides them, buries them, or drops them in a lake. The bounty of the treasure room is made out to be phenomenal. Tarzan compares it to Aladdin’s Cave. Yet, Buto manages to carry the entire collection in one sack, and one horse is used to carry it. The pictures are the usual Marsh fare with the third page being reduced to four panels allowing the artist to make two dramatic panels. The salting of the hole to trap the Shiftas seems like an afterthought and a weak conclusion to the robber band that was unnecessary to a fun story.

“Only Another Memory” -- 79th text story -- 1 page - one illustration

2nd story “Tarzan and The Search” - 9 pp.
Type -- Rescue Boy - Terribs - Golden Men - (Argus/Agulia) - Stork Men

Tarzan flies Argus to Lutor in his search for Boy. King Loban and Princess Loma tell him that Boy left yesterday. Tarzan declines their offer of the Lutorian fleet to help in the search. He continues over the Great Swamp on Argus. They spy Aguila. They fly close to the great eagle. Tarzan retrieves a bark note attached to Aguila’s leg. It is from Boy. He tells how he stopped to fish and was captured by the Terribs. He called Aguila down and tied this note to its leg. Tarzan realizes that the eagles are getting tried so they head for the village of the Stork Men.

They land and meet with the chief of the Stork Men. The chief regrets that they cannot help because they won’t leave their area. Tarzan asks for and receives two giant otters, water skis, a paddle, and a sail. Tarzan uses the skis to search on the water. The two otters, Keela and Rungo, follow him. At the lake Tarzan unfurls the sail. The strong breeze propels him across the lake. From shore Terribs throw spears at the passing ape-man. Tarzan spies the Golden Men on their skis entering the waterway. He decides to follow them.

A Terribs scout sees the Golden Men and signals the Terribs Village with a shrill birdcall. The Golden Men see the empty village and suspect a trap. They convert their paddles into blowguns. Mounted on their Gorobars, the Terribs surface from their underwater tunnels. A battle ensues. Tarzan and the giant otters attack from the rear. The otters go for the throats of the Gorobars. The Terribs retreat to their tunnels. The Golden Men recognize Tarzan and wonder if he is retaliating against the Terribs for slain kinsmen as they are. Tarzan tells them about Boy’s capture. They paddle ashore to the deserted village and find Boy locked in a hut. Boy promises not to go into the swamp alone again. They head for home. End.

The second story marks the return of a number of familiar characters. King Loban and Princess Loma have minor parts. The Princess is similar to past appearances. The King once again has dark hair. When last seen in Dell #71.1 the King’s hair was white. We get a better look at the city of Lutor. With each visit Lutor becomes more and more elaborate. Lutor’s palace gardens are most impressive. The Stork Men also have a minor role. It is curious that the Stork Men who are adverse to travel yet they are able to supply Tarzan with water skis and a paddle that have been used exclusively by the Golden Men. The two otters look the same; however, they have a new set of names. Thus far this is the third set of giant otters encountered in the Dells and the third set of names connected with them. The Stork Men Village is more impressive as the costumes of the Stork Men themselves. The reflection of the stilted house in the water is a particularly nice visual. The Golden Men were first seen in Dell #77.2. They have not changed much. They are tall and skinny with very golden skin. They wear silly, colorful conical hats. In the previous story the Golden Men were extremely protective of their secret village. In this story the Golden Men are evidently at constant war with the Terribs. The Terribs are back to their evil ways and look the same as they always have. They remain the best villains of the ape-man. This was fun to see the writer combine so many old characters into one story.

“Brothers of the Spear” -- 64th -- 6 pages

Splash Page -- “The Thipdars of Pal-ul-don” - pterodactyls - 1/2 page - in color
plus a 1/2 page new advertisement for Smith Brothers Cough Drops - color

Inside Back Cover: New subscription offer - $1.20 one-year plus plastic card case - all additional subscriptions are one dollar - with a guarantee at a three-year price - color

Back Cover: New advertisement Daisy Manufacturing Company - BB shot, air rifles, and super smoke rifles - color

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DELL #89 February 1957 36 pp. 10 cents

READ IT HERE
Art interior: Jesse Marsh
Writer: Unknown (Gaylord Du Bois - unconfirmed)
Cover: 10th Gordon Scott photo cover

Inside Front Cover: Splash page - “the cheetah” - Tarzan and cheetah - black and white

1st story “Tarzan and The Smoking Valley”- 15 pp.
Type -- Rescue White Man - Lost City (Castra)

Tarzan hunts with Jad-bal-ja. They observe a hunter shoot a wildebeest for food for the safari. Tarzan greets Sir Ronald Crabtree who he met once in London. Sir Ronald tells Lord Greystoke that he spotted twin lakes and a Roman galley on the lake. He wants to investigate. Boy interrupts with a message from Muviro. He implores Tarzan to negotiate a truce between the Waziri and the Masai over grazing ground. He fears there is going to be a war. Tarzan leaves immediately after warning Sir Ronald not to go to Castra. Sir Ronald believes that his modern weapons can handle any situation.

After solving the Waziri/Masai dispute, Tarzan returns with the apes, Thorak and Chakat to find the tracks of Sir Ronald’s party heading for Castra. He catches up to the camp to learn from the bearers that Sir Ronald descended alone into the valley a day ago. Tarzan instructs the bearers to wait three days for his return. Tarzan and he apes descend into the valley.

Natives, returning from selling Sir Ronald to Castra, spy Tarzan and his companions climbing down the mountain. They lay in ambush. Tarzan and the apes sense the gomangani and sneak up behind them. They subdue them and tie them up. They take the natives’ canoe, which has a toga in it. A galley passes them without paying them much attention. At Castra Tarzan dons the toga. They scale the walls of the city. He leaves the apes in some trees. The Jungle Lord learns from a passing citizen that Sir Ronald is being questioned at the palace. He and the apes proceed to the palace.

Sir Ronald expounds on the glories of civilization to the Imperator and his audience. The Emperor thinks him mad and sentences him to the arena. Suddenly, a volcano emerges from the ground, shaking the buildings apart. Tarzan grabs Sir Ronald and carries him off. They make it to the canoe. The volcano devastates the city. The citizens make it to the ships and depart. Tarzan, Sir Ronald, and the apes make it to the far shore. Tarzan speculates that the people of Castra will take up residence in the forest near the natives because their enemies in Castrum Mare hold the only other part of the valley that is habitable. They make it back to the safari. The volcano destroys Castra. Sir Ronald wonders how this will end. End.

The featured story is a new story that lays waste to Castra Sanguinarius with a volcano. The city is called Castra in this story. In Dell #35 the writer destroyed Cathne and Athne with a volcano. The writers reestablish the twin cities in Pal-ul-don, thus making the Burroughs cities their own. Is this the ultimate plan here as well? The destruction of Castra should follow some good battles with their sister city, Castrum Mare or cause them to relocate some place else. The volcano is a major player in many of the Dell Tarzan stories. In Dell #37.1, a volcano destroyed the mysterious giants and their village. The Cat Men of Crater Lake had their home destroyed by a volcano in Dell #38.1. Jorah’s people left their homeland in Dell #39.1 because of volcanic ash. They do eventually return to the area. Volcanoes are in many other stories but the history of destroying cities is worth the retelling. This is the second time Tarzan uses a toga disguise in Castra. It is a good story with one minor item in question. As they scale the walls of Castra Tarzan tells the apes to “tand ramba.” This translates as not lie down or stand up. The writer must have meant to write “tand panda,’ which means no noise or silence. Also it should be noted that one of the names for the apes is Throk. Throk is the name that Burroughs used in The Eternal Lover for one of the lake dwellers of his Neocene Africa. It should be interesting to see what the writers decide to do with the survivors of Castra.

“At the Mid-Day Pause” -- 80th text story -- 1 page - one illustration

2nd story “Tarzan and The Pigmy (sp) Problem” - 9 pp.
Type -- Rescue Boy - Pygmies - Poachers

Tarzan and Boy are fishing. Boy catches a fish. Gulak, the great ape, brings his tribe to Tarzan and shows him the pygmy poison arrow that killed Thorchak. Tarzan and Boy go to the Pygmy Village. Tarzan confronts the chief, Neesi, about the arrow. Neesi claims that it is so poorly made that it could not have come from his people. Boy meets his friend Kalifu. Realizing that the grownups will argue for hours, the boys decide to explore. After hours of disagreement, Tarzan threatens Neesi with evicting his people from the area if any more apes are harmed. Boy returns at sunset with honey smeared all over his face. Tarzan is short with him because they will be late for supper.

At the tree house Jane is upset that Boy is not eating his supper. Tarzan explains that he stuffed himself with honey. Jane is angry and sends him to fletch arrows. In the morning, Boy does not come to breakfast. N’kima eats Boy’s breakfast and tells Tarzan and Jane that Boy ran away to live with the pygmies. Jane is worried that she was too hard on Boy. Tarzan is philosophical and says that he will return when the newness of the situation has rubbed off. Jane talks Tarzan into going to get him.

Boy hunts with the pygmies. Neesi lies in wait for the Bagongo poachers to leave their kill so they can have the meat. Boy realizes that the pygmies are in league with poachers. The Bagongo kill only one elephant in fear that Tarzan will catch them. The poachers capture Boy. The pygmies desert him. The Bagongo think that they can use Boy to keep Tarzan at bay. Tarzan and the apes pounce on the poachers from the trees. They disarm them and tie them up. Boy tells Tarzan about the arrangement between the poachers and the pygmies. Tarzan has the apes carry the Bagongo through the trees to the Dum-Dum. The ritual of the Dum-Dum terrifies the frightened poachers. In the morning, the apes are gone. The Bagongo leave the area, grateful that they are alive. End.

The second story, “Tarzan and The Pigmy (sp.) Problem,” is new story that is dissatisfying. The misspelling of pygmy in the title is the least of the problems. The story revolves around the killing of an ape with a poison arrow and the arrangement between the pygmies and the poachers. The poachers get the bejeezsus scared out of them and are duly punishment for their crimes. But the pygmies get away with everything. They kill one of Tarzan’s friends. Tarzan argues with them for hours, unsuccessfully. They are league with the poachers. Tarzan tells Boy that he knows that they have an agreement with the Bagongo. And still Tarzan does nothing. The apes ask for Tarzan’s help. He does little but threaten the pygmies with eviction if more apes are harmed. The Tarzan of this story is weak and indecisive. Jane is also wimpy in that she believes her mild punishment of Boy is the reason he ran away from home. She whines to Tarzan to bring him home. Boy is just being a boy. The only problem with him is in the colorist painted the honey smear on his face black. It looks like a beard and mustache on him. At first glance, one thinks that someone drew on the comic as children often do in books and magazines. The only strength of character in this story is N’kima who remains true to his personality and the great apes. The Dum-Dum is a wonderful scene.

“Brothers of the Spear” -- 65th -- 6 pages

Splash Page -- “Strange Partners” - honey guide bird and honey badger or ratel - 1/2 page - in color.
The other 1/2 of page is a new advertisement for Smith Brothers Cough Drops - color

Inside Back Cover*: Subscription offer - $1.20 for one year plus “KE” puzzle game - illustration of Tarzan - Dell’s Pledge to Parents - black and white

Back Cover: Advertisement for Colonial Studio Inc. - greeting card sales offer - color

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DELL #90 March 1957 ~ 36 pp. 10 cents

READ IT HERE
Art interior: Jesse Marsh
Writer: Unknown (Gaylord Du Bois - unconfirmed)
Cover: 11th Gordon Scott photo cover

Inside Front Cover: Splash page - Tarzan flying Argus - black and white

1st story “Tarzan’s Risk”- 15 pp.
Type -- Poachers - Animals Save Tarzan - Tantor

A mad bull elephant charges Tarzan and knocks over a tree, pinning him to the ground. Tarzan plays dead. The elephant buries the ape-man with tree branches and leaves. Tarzan realizes that a poison arrow has wounded the bull. He calms the brother of Tantor and places healing leaves on the wound.

Tarzan tracks the poachers and enters the N’gongwe camp at night. He throws their bow and arrows into their campfire and warns them not poach. When he turns to leave, an N’gongwe throws a rock and knocks him unconscious. They tie him to a log footbridge, which leopards are known to frequent. They wrap him neck to ankle in vines on the log. They build a platform in a nearby tree to watch. Tarzan calls to the elephant. Sheetah cautiously approaches the bridge. The trumpeting of the elephant causes the leopard to leap over Tarzan and run off. The elephant grabs one of the poachers out of the tree and throws him. The N’gongwe flee for their lives.

Tarzan has the elephant with the broken tusk pick up the log and carry him to a Baobab tree. Tarzan asks for water. The bull fills its trunk from a hollow in the tree and sprays the Jungle Lord with water. Tarzan tells the elephant that there is nothing else he can do for him. The elephant leaves. The ape-man senses a pack of wild dogs that includes a pup that he helped raise. (Dell #84.2) Tarzan calls to Noki, the pup. He must scream at the pack to keep them at bay. Noki helps Tarzan repel the pack. The pack leaves. Tarzan manages to convince Noki to chew at his bindings. Noki does and Tarzan frees himself. They say their good-byes.

Tarzan watches the N’gongwe buy poison outside of the stockade, which surrounds their village. The poachers hang the bamboo containers of poison in a tree. Tarzan slips into the village and replaces the poison with a harmless gummy liquid that he made.

Tarzan finds Tantor and has his herd attack the village. They crash through the stockade. Their arrows with gummy liquid on them have no effect on the great pachyderms. Tarzan has the herd flatten the village. Tarzan is pleased that no one was hurt. He believes that the N’gongwe will move someplace else. End.

The featured story is a good story, but it goes out of its way to make sure that no one is killed. When the former mad bull throws the N’gongwe from the tree, the narration states that he was stunned. Tarzan carefully instructs Tantor and his herd not to kill the poachers as they trample the village flat. This is the seventh straight story in which Tarzan purposefully avoids killing. The only thing that was killed in recent issues was a fish by Boy. Tarzan certainly takes a beating in this story. He is pinned under a tree by an elephant for the second time, the first being in Dell #78.2. He is knocked unconscious for the twenty-fifth time. He is bound neck to ankles on the log footbridge. He is wrapped like a mummy. It is comic to see him bound such. The use of poison arrows by the N’gongwe possibly relieves the pygmies from Dell # 89.2 from responsibility for killing the ape Thorchak. It could have been an N’gongwe arrow. Tarzan certain does seem to be having his problems with poachers in his territory. This is the second straight story dealing with poachers. It is actually quite a nice little tale. It brings in the wild dog pups that Tarzan help raise in Dell #84.2. Hopefully the readers have read that issue. Whenever Marsh uses a larger panel that takes the place of his normal panels he creates interesting images.

“Lesson for a Cub” -- 81st text story -- 1 page - one illustration

2nd story “Tarzan Voice of Conscience”- 9 pp.
Type -- Save Boy and Dombie - Boy and Dombie Adventure

Tarzan praises Boy’s craftsmanship on the bird egg necklace he is making. He also scolds him for taking life needlessly. Tarzan scares a civet cat away from a bird’s nest. Tarzan uses it as an object lesson. Boy promises not to take any more eggs.

Dombie tries to talk Boy into climbing a tree to get at a nest. Boy honors his promise to Tarzan. Dombie says that they will take baby birds as pets not eggs. Boy thinks that this is wrong also. Dombie talks Boy into letting him stand on his shoulders so he can get a bird for himself. The parent bird attacks Dombie. He falls and sprains his ankle. Boy makes him a crutch from a tree limb. Darkness falls and they realize that they cannot make it across the crocodile invested water in the dark. Boy makes a small campfire. Crocodiles surround them. The fire keeps the crocs at bay. Their fire is dwindling.

Tarzan and Muviro search for the missing boys. They spy the campfire and the crocodiles surrounding the boys. Tarzan states that crocodiles don’t eat while they are migrating. Boy and Dombie know their fire is going out. Boy commiserates about the bird’s nest. His conscience is bothering him. They are frightened when a croc tells boy that his conscience is right. Tarzan rides in from the darkness on top of a croc. They step over and on the crocs to carry the boys to safety. Tarzan tells them that the crocs were attracted to the warmth of their fire. Boy says that he and Dombie learned their lesson. End.

The second story is a new story that carries the Dell’s Pledge to the Parents to the maximum limit. Tarzan scolds Boy for using bird eggs in a necklace. (Next he will be scolding him for fishing.) This writer would rate this story as average for that reason plus Tarzan’s incredible statements and actions around the crocodiles. Crocodiles may or may not migrate from one stream to another. If they do, it seems likely that they do because food is scarce. If food were scarce, they would surely eat anything along the way. If it were true that they don’t eat anything while migrating, they probably would take offense at some creature standing on their backs and take a swipe at them. Tarzan and Muviro walk incredibly through and on top of the crocs. Tarzan even steps in a croc’s mouth. This reviewer found this story just too hard to swallow.

“Brothers of the Spear” -- 66th -- 6 pages

Splash Page -- “Rhino’s Cousin” - Hyrax with Tarzan - 1/2 page - in color

1/2 page Advertisement for Smith Brothers Wild Cherry Cough Drops - color

Inside Back Cover: Subscription offer - $1.20 for one year plus lucky rabbit’s foot key chain - Tarzan illustration - Dell’s Pledge to Parents - black and white

Back Cover: Advertisement - Trix fruit flavor cereal - color

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