Official Edgar Rice Burroughs Tribute and Weekly Webzine Site Since 1996 ~ Over 15,000 Webpages in Archive Volume 7381  |
ERB 100-Word Drabbles
MARCH III Edition :: Days 1 - 16
See Days 17 - 31 at ERBzine 7381a
by Robert Allen Lupton
With Collations, Web Page Layout and ERBzine Illustrations and References by Bill Hillman
POLITICALLY CORRECT
March 1: On this day in 1924, Argosy All-Story Weekly published part five of the seven part serialization of “Tarzan and the Ant Men.” The 87,000 word novel was the eleventh book in the series.
The cover illustrated “The Big Game,” a story of greed by Louis Lacy Stevenson, and was drawn by Stockton Mulford, who also illustrated the cover for the first part of “Tarzan and the Ant Men,” and the Argosy All-Story Weekly cover for “The Moon Men.” Additionally, he drew the cover and several interior illustrations for “The Terrible Tenderfoot,” published by Thrilling Adventures Magazine in 1940. His career prospered and he received regular assignments from higher paying magazines, including Liberty, McCall’s, and the Saturday Evening Post.
Today’s drabble is “Politically Correct.”
POLITICALLY CORRECT
“Mighty big name for such a little man. Is he a dwarf?”
“His people are called Minunians and his tribe is the Trohanadalmakusian.”
“Okay, I get it. He’s not a dwarf or midget. He’s a full size Trohandfull whatchamacallit. He’s cute. I think he’s a pixie. No wait, he’s not a pixie, he doesn’t have wings. Not an elf, his ears aren’t pointy. I know, he’s like that guy, Frodo. He’s a hobbit.”
“Please don’t call my friend a hobbit.”
“I will if I want.”
“Fine, but it’s not proper gnomenclature.”
PROTECTIVE CUSTODY
March 2: On this day in 1967, the John Celardo illustrated Tarzan daily story, “Tarzan and the Diamond Smugglers” began. It ran for 53 days and ended on May 3, 1967. The story began with Tarzan riding on a Louisiana style fan driven swamp boat. The driver, a police inspector, and Tarzan encountered Dena Bain, who claims to be zoo curator, and had captured and sedated a gorilla.
Tarzan knew that there were no gorillas in the area and suspected Bain of diamond smuggling. He followed her expedition and discovered that the gorilla was a man in a gorilla suit – smuggling diamonds. Tarzan convinced the authorities and revealed the plot, and kept the smugglers from taking over a ship. Peace reigned in the jungle – at least until the next episode.
The drabble for today is. “Protective Custody,” and was inspired by the works of Edgar Rice Burroughs, John Celardo’s story, and men in gorilla suits everywhere.
PROTECTIVE CUSTODY
“Why do I have to wear the suit?”
“Because the costume fits you, to get the diamonds
out of Africa, and because you act like a gorilla dragging his knuckles
on the ground. And because I said so.”
“You think I’m stupid.”
“You set your own tent on fire. You’ll kill yourself
in the jungle if I don’t keep you safely caged.”
“That’s mean.”
“Remember when I said, how stupid can you be. You
took that as a challenge.”
JUST THE FACTS
March 3: On this day in 1967, the episode, “Jungle Dragnet,” of the Ron Ely Tarzan television show was broadcast. The episode featured child star, Victoria Page Meyerink, in the role of Mandy.
Victoria was Danny Kaye’s co-star on his CBS variety series, “The Danny Kaye Show.” She appeared on several television shows and in the films, “Night of the Grizzly” with Clint Walker and “Speedway” with Elvis Presley.
One of the youngest female film producers in the industry, she produced the film “Young Warriors” at age 22. She was awarded the Montreal World Film Festival Excellence in Producing Award and the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Young Artists Awards. She is a member of the Producers Branch of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and a member of the Academy Awards Executive Committee.
The drabble for today, “Just the Facts,” was inspired by the episode title, “Jungle Dragnet,” based upon the Tarzan novels by Edgar Rice Burroughs.
JUST THE FACTS
She sobbed, “Mandy, my name’s Mandy. Bad men came and tore up everything. They had guns, really big guns. They took all the food and they took my parents. There were a lot of them, a thousand, I think.”
“Slow down, honey. This is the jungle, the African jungle. I work here. I carry a knife. My name’s Tarzan. The story you are about to tell me must be true. Don’t change the names to protect the innocent. Just the facts, Mandy, just the facts.
YOU CAN'T HIDE
March 4: On this day in 1917. A. C. McClurg published the first edition of “The Beasts of Tarzan.” The 70,000 word novel had been serialized in “All-Story Cavalier Weekly in six parts from May 16, 1914 through June 13, 1914.
The novel, dedicated to daughter, Joan Burroughs, had a cover title, title page, and several interior black and white line drawings by J. Allen St. John.
“The Beasts of Tarzan was reprinted by A. L. Burt, Grosset & Dunlap, Ace Books, and Ballantine / Del Rey. It also received a second pulp printing, serialized in “Triple X Magazine” in 1929 /1930.
Robert B. Zeuschner lists 43 editions of the book in “Edgar Rice Burroughs The Bibliography,” and Jim Goodwin lists 22 variants by Ace and Ballantine/Del Rey in his “Edgar Rice Burroughs – The Descriptive Bibliography of the Ace and Ballantine/Del Rey Paperback Books.” Both of these magnificent reference books are available for purchase from Amazon. Joe Lukes’ “Edgar Rice Burroughs Bibliography of “Pre-war” Grosset & Dunlap Editions 1918-1942” identifies 18 variant G and D versions during that time period.
The drabble for today, ‘You Can’t Hide,” was written by an unknown editor at Ballantine Books and it appeared as the blurb on the back of the paperback cover. No blurb accompanied the A. C. McClurg first edition, the inside of the dust wrapper offered four other books for sale, “Happy Valley” by Alice Shaw Monroe, “The Lady of the Island” by Beatrice Grimshaw, “Other Things Being Equal” by Emma Wolf, and “Behind the Screen” by William Allmon.
YOU CAN'T HIDE
TUTAMKEN
March 5: On this day in 1933, the Hal Foster drawn and George Carlin scripted Tarzan Sunday newspaper comic strip story, “The Egyptian Saga I: The Monkey-Man” concluded. The story began on November 5, 1932 and ran for 16 weeks. Yes, Hal Foster illustrated the Sunday Tarzan from 1931 through 1937, before leaving the strip to write and illustrate his own creation, Prince Valiant.”
It is available to read at https://www.erbzine.com/mag43/4396.html. The Hal Foster strips have been collected in Flying Buttress’ “Tarzan In Color,” This particular story is in Volume # 3. Full sized reproductions of all the Hal Foster Pages were reprinted in the Dark Horse three volume set, “Tarzan The Sunday Comics by Hal Foster.” The Dark Horse collection is 15” by 20”. Magnificent. Both sets are regular available on Amazon and EBay, at prices ranging from $50.00 to $120.00 per book. Some of the rarer Burne Hogarth books in the Flying Buttress set regularly sell for several hundred dollars each.
Every one of the hundreds of Tarzan Sunday Pages by Hal Foster is reprinted in ERBzine
The drabble for today is “Tutamken," the name given to the Monkey-man in the Hal Foster Sunday Comic – a name no doubt taken from the headlines a few years before the comic was written. The tomb of King Tut, Tutankhamun, was opened amost exactly ten years before – February 16, 1923.
TUTAMKEN
The man, Tutamken, explained that as a child he was dedicated to Thoth, God of the sacred apes, who were worshiped by his people.
Tarzan said, “I’ve never met another human who lived in both the world of the apes and the world of humans. I confess that I sometimes find it difficult.”
Tutamken nodded. “It is, but I prefer my time with
the apes. Simpler and less intrigue.
“As do I, young man, as do I.”
NO CONFIDENCE
March 6: On this day in 1983, the Gray Morrow Sunday Comic Strip story, “The Most Dangerous Prey,” began. The story ran for eight weeks. Tarzan is the most dangerous prey. The story owes a great deal to the 1924 short story, “The Most Dangerous Game,’ by Richard Connell and the 1932 film of the same name starring Joel McCrea and Fay Wray. The story was adapted for film several times including “The Woman Hunt” in 1972, “Hard Target” in 1993, “Deadly Prey” in 1987, “Surviving the Game,” in 1994, and “The Most Dangerous Game,” in 2017. There were several radio adaptions including a “Suspense” episode staring Orson Welles and Keenan Wynn.
At the end of the Gray Morrow version, the hunter confronts Tarzan, but lacks the courage to take the shot and Tarzan simply walks away.
The drabble for today is “No Confidence,” and it’s based on the Sunday Comic, itself based on the Tarzan novels by Edgar Rice Burroughs.
NO CONFIDENCE
The guide said, “You want him dead, then shoot him yourself.”
Tarzan replied. “You’ll only get one shot. Miss and you die.”
The hunter’s hands shook. He trembled, dropped his weapon, and collapsed.
Tarzan smiled. “He’s afraid.”
Tarzan turned to leave. “All that means that he’s afraid. Everything is simple until people make it complicated.
ONE OF EVERYTHING
March 7: On this day in 1941, J. G. Huckenpöhler was born. I’m told that today is Huck’s “official” birthday. Happy birthday, Huck. Huck, a regular attendee at Burroughs’ conventions has been a tireless compiler of information related to Edgar Rice Burroughs over many years. I confess that his research, published at www.erbzine.com/huck/ has made writing my daily “On this day – drabbles” much easier than it would otherwise be. Frequently, when I try to find something out or check a date, I find out that Huck has written a detailed report on the matter.
His comprehensive list of ALL the American published daily and Sunday Tarzan newspaper comics is all inclusive and excellent information. His “Edgar Rice Burroughs Collectors Pocket Checklist,” among other things, contains a list of over 800 Tarzan pastiches. There have been several editions of the pocket checklist – my inventory shows that I have six different ones. His Gazetteer and Glossary of Barsoom is extensive and well- researched. For God’s sake, the man even wrote an outline of Luthian history based on “The Mad King.” I can’t list everything here, but visit the website listed above.
So Huck, thank you and happy birthday. I hope you and Victoria have an amazing day. Stay safe.
The drabble for today is “One of Everything.” It features John and Pat from New Orleans, and of course, the birthday boy and font of knowledge (no sarcasm intended), Huck, founder and writer of “Professor Porter’s Dime Lecture Series.”
ONE OF EVERYTHING
Huck Huckenpöhler said, “John Lehti and Emil Gershwin drew “Tarzan and the Fires of Kohr” in 1948. Do you have one of those?”
John said, “No, I don’t. I can’t believe you know that.”
Huck answered softly, “I surprised that you don’t.”
TIME RIVER
March 8: On this day in 1970, the Russ Manning written and illustrated Tarzan Sunday comic strip, “Korak and the River of Time” began. The story ran for sixteen weekly episodes and ended on May 31, 1970. A sample panel from the story is attached to this article.
The entire story, and all of the Russ Manning Sunday and daily Tarzan pages may be read at: https://www.erbzine.com/mag17/1760.html
The Manning pages have been collected in book form” https://www.amazon.com/
Korak has been taken by the priests of time, aged and his youth given to the warrior, Rojant, who fights to defend the time priests and the river of time. Tarzan demands that the priests return Korak’s youth. The priests attempt to steal time from Tarzan to make themselves younger, but they didn’t figure on Tarzan’s immortality. Tarzan prevails, Korak’s youth is returned to him, Tarzan calls Tantor, the elephant, and the two ride off into the sunset.
The dabble for today is “Time River,” based on the Manning Sunday pages, which were in turn, inspired by Edgar Rice Burroughs.
TIME RIVER
The priest replied, “What time has taken, can’t be recovered! No man can escape the grasp of time. Time like a river, flows and moves on. ”
Tarzan attacked. “Perhaps, I can’t defeat time, but
I can defeat you.”
He forced the vanquished priests to restore Korak’s
youth. Korak said, ‘Tarzan you defeated time.”
“No, I didn’t. Time’s one of the ultimate warriors. Today, I made a brief eddy in the time river, but time is patient. Patience is time’s greatest ally. Time and patience always win.”
PUBLIC SERVICE
March 9: On this day in 2020, author, researcher, and Edgar Rice Burroughs aficionado, Jim Goodwin, released his book, “Edgar Rice Burroughs: "The Descriptive Bibliography of the Ace and Ballantine / Del Rey Paperback Books.” The book is exactly what the title says it is. It identifies the numerous variants of the Edgar Rice Burroughs novels – as published by Ace Books and by Ballantine /Del Rey books. This was especially significant to me because these books were the books that led the Burroughs Revival of the 1960s and were the books that appeared with covers by Roy Krenkel and Frank Frazetta on the stands during my childhood – Ace Books for 40 cents and Ballantine books for a half dollar.
While the book is available from online distributors, Jim has copies to sell. Friend him on FB, message him, and get a copy. He is currently working on a descriptive bibliography of the A. L. Burt editions published years ago. If you have copies of the A. L. Burt hardbacks, Jim would love to hear from you.
Thanks Jim. I use your book for reference every week.
The drabble for today is “Public Service “ and it features Pat and John from New Orleans. As always, it was inspired by Edgar Rice Burroughs and this time, by Jim Goodwin.
PUBLIC SERVICE
“No, Dad was in my room, He counted thirteen variations of “The Moon Maid” and twelve variations of “Escape on Venus.” He said the duplicates had to go before the floorboards collapsed. Please save these for me?”
“Sure. Is this everything?”
“No, he didn’t find my Tarzan stash. I’ve got fifty variants of “Tarzan of the Apes” He called me a hoarder.”
Pat said, “But it isn’t hoarding if it’s books. It’s preservation.”
SAY SOMETHING NICE
March 10: On this day in 1917, A. C. McClurg published the first edition of “The Son of Tarzan.” The novel inspired a film and was adapted for the newspaper daily comics, said adaption was in turn, used as the basis for a Whitman Big Little Book.
One of my pet peeves about the Tarzan films was the character, “Boy,” well performed by Johnny Sheffield, but whom I considered an affront to Tarzan’s real son, Korak, the Killer.
The first edition dust jacket by J. Allen St. John features the iconic scene of Tantor carrying Korak, still bound to a stake, to safety – an oft recreated illustration by others and a major scene in the film of the same name. Most recently, Edgar Rice Burroughs Inc. released a new edition of the book with a cover illustrating the same scene by Joe Jusko as part of the new Edgar Rice Burroughs Authorized Library. The first 12 Tarzan books in the series are available at
http://edgarriceburroughs.com/erbauthorizedlibrary/
On sale in groups of four for $89.85.
Details about the publication history and several cover illustrations are at: https://www.erbzine.com/mag4/0487.html
The drabble for today is “Say Something Nice,” and it’s inspired by “The Son of Tarzan,” written by Edgar Rice Burroughs.
SAY SOMETHING NICE
Jack killed Paulvitch and disguised Akut as an old woman. The Africa bound ship’s purser said, “Laddie, is this ugly lady your mother?
Akut understood, growled, and bared his teeth. Jack
said, “Please don’t make her angry.”
“A bearded circus lady, is she?”
Akut lifted the purser overhead. Jack said, “Apologize.
Bad things happen when she’s angry.”
The purser doffed his hat. “Sorry, Miss. Fancy a pint
later on the Lido deck.”
SHOW ME THE MONEY
March 11: On this day 86 years ago in 1935, actress Nancy Kovak was born in Flint, Michigan. She starred opposite Mike Henry, playing Sophia Renault in “Tarzan and the Valley of Gold."
Nancy was not only beautiful, winning several beauty contests, but brilliant (IQ 132). She entered the University of Michigan at age 15 and was graduated before her 20th birthday.
During her career she played Medea in Ray Harryhausen’s 1963 “Jason and the Argonauts,” and appeared with Elvis in “Frankie and Johnny. She made several television appearances including “Star Trek (A Little Private War),” “I Spy,” “Batman,” “I Dream of Jeannie,” and “The man from Uncle.”
A excellant photo gallery of Nancy is available online at: https://fanpix.famousfix.com/gallery/nancy-kovack
Today’s drabble, ”Show Me The Money,” is a quoted from an interview with Nancy Kovak written by Olga Curtis. It appeared in, among other places, in The Lubbock Avalanche-Journal on July 23, 1963. The entire article is available at: https://www.newspapers.com/clip/12890177/nancy-kovack/
SHOW ME THE MONEY
FOLLOW THE LEADER
March 12: On this day in 1971, the Russ Manning written and illustrated Tarzan daily comic strip, “Tarzan and the Cult of the Mahar,” began. The story lasted for 122 days and ended on July 31, 1971. The last new daily Tarzan newspaper page ended almost exactly one year later on July 29, 1972.
All the Russ Manning pages are available at no charge to read at www.erbzine.com/manning - here's the link to the first page: https://www.erbzine.com/mag26/2601.html
In the story, a mahar, one of a reptilian species from Pellucidar with the ability to control human minds and feast on human flesh, is alive on the surface of the planet. The creature used its powers to establish a religion where it is worshiped as an all-powerful god, deserving of complete obedience and human sacrifice.
The drabble today is “Follow the Leader,” and it was inspired by the inner world of Pellucidar, created by Edgar Rice Burroughs and the Cult of Mahar by Russ Manning.
FOLLOW THE LEADER
After Tarzan defeated the mahar, Roberts asked, “You
knew its followers would stop fighting?”
“Yes. Stop the shaman, the leader, and the followers
will have no one to follow.”
“How did you know the mahar was the shaman?”
“All its followers were thin and malnourished. The
mahar was fat. It’s my experience, that sacrifices never include the shaman.
He never goes hungry.”
SAY YOUR LIONS
March 13: On this day in 1933, the 131st episode of the Tarzan Radio show played on KNX Los Angeles at 7:15 PM. The fifteen minute episode was the first episode in the adaption of “The Return of Tarzan,” and it ran until episode 286, concluding on Friday, March 9, 1934. James Pierce voiced Tarzan and Joan Burroughs Pierce voiced Jane.
The drabble for today, inspired by old Tarzan radio shows is “Say Your Lions.”
SAY YOUR LIONS
“James, radio lions are easier to fight than movie
lions.”
“How so. The lions I fought were old and docile.”
“Radio lions are recorded growls. Fights are sound
effects. Read your lines like you’re out of breath.”
“Okay, I guess.”
“Live in ten seconds. Joan opens with a scream and
then the first line.”
“First lion, or first line.”
“When in doubt, do the yell. People love that. Three,
two, one, and scream.”
RIGHT, BUT STILL CRAZY
March 14: Pi day and on this day in 1952, the film, “Tarzan’s Savage Fury,” was released by RKO Pictures. The film starred Lex Barker as Tarzan, Dorothy Hart as Jane and featured Tommy Carlton as Joey (apparently it was thought better to name the child, Joey, after a baby kangaroo than to continue calling using the name “Boy.” During production, the film was called “Tarzan, the Hunted.”
The film lasted 81 minutes and was directed by Cyril Endfield, who was blacklisted shortly thereafter by the House Un-American Activities Committee and moved to Britain.
In the film, Tarzan is convinced to help two British agents find and transfer uncut diamonds, but the agents are not what they seem.
The drabble for today, “Right, But Still Crazy,” is inspired by the Tarzan novels of Edgar Rice Burroughs and the film, “Tarzan’s Savage Fury”
RIGHT, BUT STILL CRAZY
“Why would you say that?”
“The witch doctor told me that he saw them hide the
real diamonds and replace them with pieces of quartz.”
“Jane, I told you not to trust the witch doctor. He’s
taken too much of his own medicine. He’s crazy.”
“Tarzan, he’s right. I checked the official diamond
bags and they’re filled with fake stones.”
“Okay, I’ll stop them. Just because he’s right this
time doesn’t mean he isn’t crazy.
TROUBLE IS WHERE YOU FIND IT
March 15: On this day in 1931, The first Tarzan Sunday comic It was "The Perils of Bob and Mary Trevor," drawn by Rex Maxon and written by R.W. Palmer. It ran for 28 weeks and was reprinted in the House of Greystoke Tarzan Folio #1.
The story ran for 28 weeks and can be read at in its entirety at: https://www.erbzine.com/mag8/0819.html
One thing to note about the comic is that there are no ‘speech balloons.’ All descriptions and dialogue appear as prose, written within each panel – per Edgar Rice Burroughs, request. Second, Tarzan is drawn wearing an over the shoulder leopard skin outfit.
The Trevors appear to be young, perhaps 10 to 13 years old. They are constantly in peril. In successive weeks, beginning with week one, Tarzan saves them from a gorilla, a lion, and another gorilla. In weeks four and five, Tarzan saves Mary from an African tribe, and then on to weeks six through nine and the battle with Arab slavers, week ten and the crocodiles, and then week eleven and a rhino. The pirates appear in week twelve and so on, and on, and ... You get the idea.
The drabble for today is “Trouble is Where You Find It.” It was inspired by the Tarzan novels of Edgar Rice Burroughs and the first Tarzan Sunday Newspaper comic story.
TROUBLE IS WHERE YOU FIND IT
When he woke, the two had covered him with a pirate
flag.
“Where did you find this flag?”
Before the children answered, he heard several men
in the bushes. “Arrghh, Captain. There be our flag, matey. Let’s kill them
what’s took it.”
Tarzan climbed to his feet and called Tantor to help him fight the pirates. “I’m exhausted. Do you two just go looking for trouble?”
“Bob said, “No, we just wake up and trouble says, ‘Hi, there. Miss me?”
THIN VINEER
March 16: On this day in 1940, Tarzan daily newspaper comic debuted the first episode of the story, “Tarzeela, the Wild Girl." The story, written by Don Garden and illustrated by Rex Maxon, ran for 258 days.
The entire story can be read at https://www.erbzine.com/mag47/4731.html
The wild girl, whose real name is Alice, coincidence that, was orphaned at raised by a reclusive old African named Sando and his wife. Sando had been a friend of Tarzan and he taught young Alice the jungle secrets he had learned from Tarzan. He named her Tarzeela, Tar (white) and Zeela (gazelle) 0-because of her speed.
Tarzeela, heiress to a fortune in the civilized world, saved a young boy named Tommy Brent, who turned out to be her brother. Unscrupulous men sought to kill or capture them both to keep them from inheriting their birthrights. Tommy wandered off and lived in a cave with lion cubs while Tarzan and Tarzeela, unable to trust each other, searched for the boy separately. Tommy eventually began to live as a jungle animal lives.
The story will eventually resolve itself, but you’ll have to read it – no spoilers here. In spite of what I thought was an unfortunate name, “Tarzeela,” this may be the best of the Maxon / Garden dailies.
The drabble for today, “Thin Veneer” is taken word for word from the panel when Tommy’s hunger overcomes him. Tarzan and the boy’s sister, Tarzeela, would be proud.
THIN VINEER
See
Days 16-31 at ERBzine 7381a
MARCH III ILLUSTRATIONS COLLAGE
Click for full-size promo collage
