ERBzine 8029: Drabbles Jan 1-15 2025

DON'T MESS WITH TEXAS

January 1: On this day in 1902, Actor Everett Brown, Tarzan and His Mate, Tarzan Escapes, Tarzan the Fearless, Tarzan’s Secret Treasure, was born in Smith County, Texas.

Born in Texas, Brown appeared in about 40 Hollywood films between 1927 and 1953. His roles were small most of the time and most of his film appearances were uncredited. He often portrayed natives or slaves, including the "Big Sam", the kind-hearted slave field foreman of Tara, in Gone with the Wind (1939). He also played a supporting role in Congo Maisie (1940) with Ann Sothern and the Native in an Ape costume in King Kong (1933). Brown retired from film business in 1940, only to return in 1949 to make four films before he died in 1953. He is buried in Evergreen Cemetery, Los Angeles. He also appeared a few Jungle Jim films. His final film was “White Witch Doctor” with Susan Hayword and Robert Mitchum in 1952,

He was a big man with a pleasant personality, gentle giant.

For details on his Tarzan movies, visit, https://www.erbzine.com/movies

The 100 word fictional drabble for today is “Don’t Mess With Texas. Inspired by Everett Brown and his career.

DON'T MESS WITH TEXAS

The extras on the set of “White Witch Doctor,” were discussing striking. The director started to intervene, but Everett Brown, who was cast as King Bakuba said, “I got no time for foolishness or for folks messing with my paycheck. I got this.”

Fifteen minutes later, everyone was in costume and ready for the next take except for the strike ringleader, who was nowhere to be seen.

Susan Hayworth said, “Impressive. How’d you do that?”

“I asked nicely. A little gentle persuasion, if you will. Here people say, “Don’t mess with Texas. In Texas, people say don’t mess with Everett.”

JUNGLE REVOLUTION

January 2: On this day in 1977, the Russ Manning Sunday Tarzan story arc, Tarzan and the Jungle Revolution, began. The story ran for 33 weeks and ended on August 21, 1977. All of the Russ Manning Sunday comic pages and many more by other artists are posted on ERBzine. Start at: https://www.erbzine.com/mag22/2292.html Read ALL the Russ Manning strips at: https://www.ERBzine.com/manning

Manning opened the story arc with a scene that revealed a strong sense of humor. Tarzan comes to the aid of a native and they are both BEEset with bees and cover themselves with mud to escape the insect warriors. The art and story are excellent. The scene on March 20th, would seem to be the inspiration for the character, Leon Rom, played by Christoph Waltz, and the page is almost the script for Rom’s attempted seduction of Jane Porter in “The Legend of Tarzan.” Nice work, Mr. Manning.

The drabble for today is 109 words long, but I’m gonna stay with that. Jungle Revolution a bit of doggerel verse inspired by the story arc and by a little band from somewhere around Liverpool.

JUNGLE REVOLUTION

You want a jungle revolution
Well, you know
We all want a change of foliage
You tell me that it’s evolution
Well you know
That’s why lion’s don’t rule the world

Don’t you know the lion sleeps at night?
At night.
You say the apes got a great solution
Well, you know
You ask chimps for a contribution
Well you know
They’re just vine swinging by hand

But if you want help from animals who hate
I have to say, brother, you’ll have to wait
Jungle animals just trying to survive
Way to busy to hear your jive.
You want a jungle revolution

You’re the problem, not the solution.

THE PRESENCE OF GREATNESS

January 3: On this day in 2022, “The Man Who Met Tarzan” by Philip Jose Farmer, Christopher Paul Carey, and Win Scott Eckert was published by Meteor House. The limited edition hardcover is sold out, but the paperback is available at: https://meteorhousepress.com/the-man-who-met-tarzan/

In addition to articles by the three contributors listed above, the book contains several articles by author Philip Jose Farmer. More about Tarzan Alive at: https://www.erbzine.com/mag15/1501.html

The drabble for today, “The Presence of Greatness,” is excerpted from the introduction to Farmer’s book, “Tarzan, Alive,” and was included in the front matter of the book, “The Man Who Met Tarzan.”

THE PRESENCE OF GREATNESS

I got the feeling I was in the presence of an immortal, though I knew he could bleed and die even as I, that he was eighty years old then but looked only about thirty-five seemed unbelievable now that I’m no longer in his presence. Of course, he didn’t produce any proof that he was born in 1888, and I didn’t ask him for it. It is possible, I suppose, that I was the victim of a hoax. All I can say is that anyone who met him would not believe that he was anything other than what he claimed.

TURNAROUND TIME

January 4: On this day in 1922, All-Story Weekly bought The Chessmen of Mars for $3500. That might not seem like much, but $3500 in 1922 was equal to $65,000 today. Not bad for magazine rights. ERB also sold the story to A. C. McClurg. A good novel is the gift that keeps on giving.

Details about this fascinating novel: https://www.erbzine.com/mag4/0426.html

All-Story published the first installment on February 18, 1922. I wish the folks I sell stories to had that fast a turnaround, although in all fairness, when I buy and publish stories, I don’t work that fast either.

The drabble for today is “Turnaround Time,” inspired by the purchase and publication of “The Chessmen of Mars.”

TURNAROUND TIME

The All-Story editor said to the linotype operator. “Burroughs cashed the check of The Chessmen of Mars. You’re on the clock. I want the first installment out in less than a month.”

“Sir, I don’t even have the manuscript yet.”

A large stack of typewritten pages slammed down with serious desktop impact. “You do now. I want people on this 24-7.”

“I’m sure it’s a great story. I love his stuff. But what’s the rush?”

“Cash flow is king. The faster we publish, the faster we recover the advance. Hurry. Time is money and I can hear the clock ticking.”

LIKE THE CREATOR INTENDED

January 5: On this day in 1929, artist Russ Manning was born in Van Nuys, California. In 1953 he went to work for Western Publishing and illustrated stories for the wide variety of comics published by Western for Dell Comics, and later for Western's own Gold Key Comics line. His first notable work was on Brothers of the Spear, a backup feature, created by Gaylord Du Bois, in the Tarzan comic book. He also drew a few Tarzan stories. He created Gold Key's Magnus, Robot Fighter and The Aliens (which ran in the back of the former) in 1963 and drew the first 21 issues, through 1968.

I won’t list all of his contributions to the world of Edgar Rice Burroughs, but here’s a partial list.

1965-1969 Illustrated Gold Key’s Tarzan comic books. Illustrated the Korak stories for the first eleven issues of Gold Key’s Korak comic book.

1967- 1972 Illustrated the daily Tarzan newspaper comic strip

1968 – 1979 Illustrated the Sunday Tarzan newspaper comic strip

His Sunday and daily strips have been reprinted in book form, published by Dark Horse Comics. He also created four original Tarzan graphic novels for European publication.

Every single Russ Manning newspaper strip is available at https://www.erbzine.com/manning, along with a reprint of an newspaper article by Cheryl Adams about Manning. Start at: https://www.erbzine.com/mag8/0837.html

The drabble for today, “Like the Creator Intended,” is an excerpt from Cheryl’s article. It contained quotations attributed to Russ Manning.

LIKE THE CREATOR INTENDED

"Nowadays adventure-strips are written by one man, drawn by another, inked in by a third and colored by a syndicate. I know where each story will end up, but week to week I don't know what people will say and what accidents will happen."

There was one stipulation, "I was to make the strip as much like the original Tarzan novels as possible. In forty years the strip had wandered far from the Jungle Lord that Edgar Rice Burroughs had given us, but I write and draw the strip the way I believe Edgar Rice Burroughs wrote the original stories."

REHIRE THAT FOSTER GUY

January 7: On this day in 1929, the first Tarzan daily comic strip, Tarzan of the Apes by Hal Foster / R. W. Palmer, began. For those of you who care about such things, that means, that story arc is now in the public domain, along with Popeye the Sailor and Tintin. Don’t push that too far, some characters, Tarzan included, are registered trademarks. That means we won’t see Tarzan fighting Popeye the Slayerman anytime soon. Thank goodness. Read all strips of this first Tarzan of the Apes adaptation in ERBzine at: https://www.erbzine.com/mag23/2390.html

The entire story arc and thousands more Tarzan daily newspaper comic strips are available at: https://www.erbzine.com/mag22/2293.html

The drabble for today, “Rehire that Foster Guy,” is excerpted from an article published by the Lambiek Comiclopedia ” https://www.lambiek.net/artists/f/foster_hal.htm

REHIRE THAT FOSTER GUY
The first 'Tarzan' comic strip Foster was a direct adaptation of the original 1912 Burroughs 1912 novel, 'Tarzan of the Apes'. In the early days, there were little differences between Burroughs' and Foster's Tarzan. The 'Tarzan' comics were presented in the text comic format, with descriptive texts underneath or next to the images. Speech balloons were totally absent. On 5/27/2029, Foster passed the pencil to Rex Maxon. However, Burroughs preferred Foster's rendition over Maxon's. By 1931, Foster agreed to return, but only on the condition that he could focus on the weekly Sunday pages, while Maxon continued the dailies.

MIND ACROSS THE VOID

January 8: Oon this day in 1938, “Argosy Weekly’ published the first of six installments of “Carson of Venus.” Ralph Belarski illustrated the cover of the first installment and an artist identified as “C. Brigham” drew one black and white drawing for each installment.Burroughs dedicated the novel to his second wife, Florence Gilbert Burroughs.

Publishing details, several illustrations, and an eText edition for Carson of Venus, the third novel in Edgar Rice Burroughs’ Venus series are available at: https://www.erbzine.com/mag7/0750.html

The 100 word drabble, Mind Across the Void,” for today is an excerpt from the foreword to the novel and it was written by Edgar Rice Burroughs.

MIND ACROSS THE VOID

Many good things have come out of India. I’m concerned with but one--the power which old Chand Kabi taught Carson Napier to transmit his thoughts and visualizations to another’s mind across distances which separate the planets. It’s to this power we owe the fact that he’s been able to record, through me, the story of his adventures upon the planet Venus.

Months passed. I feared Napier had crashed his new ship, and then I began to have messages from him again which I’ll record for the benefit of posterity as nearly in his own words as I can recall.

LEARNED BEHAVIOR

January 9: On this day in 1943, the Rex Maxon illustrated and Don Garden scripted Tarzan daily comic story arc, War in the Jungle, concluded. Maxon illustrated the strip for almost 18 years and Don Garden wrote the stories for over ten years. The story arc ran for 138 days. People once had a thing called an attention span. Enjoy ALL the Rex Maxon Tarzan Strips at: https://www.ERBzine.com/maxon

Read the entire story arc and hundreds more at: https://www.erbzine.com/mag54/5401.html

The story was published during WW2 and featured surprise, Nazis, as the bad guys. Tarzan has some help from Zeela, the Jungle Girl, a creation who appeared only in the comic strip.

The drabble for today is “Learned Behavior,” and it was inspired by the comic strip.

LEARNED BEHAVIOR

Tarzan killed several German soldiers. Zeela, the Jungle Girl said, “You killed them all. You didn’t even talk to them first.”

“I didn’t. There is no point. I speak, but the Nazis never listen.”

“You speak German?”

“I do. I speak several languages, including Mangani. I can speak to monkeys and apes,”

‘Do you kill monkeys without talking to them?”

“I don’t. Tarzan can have a discussion with a monkey. Monkeys can learn new things. Reasoning with a Nazi is like talking to a tree stump. No matter what you say, the stump never moves and doesn’t change its behavior.”

OFF THE CUFF

January 10: On this day in 1942, Edgar Rice Burroughs’s Laugh It Off” column mentions that belts and cuffs are eliminated from new civilian clothing to conserve material: 1942.

All of Ed’s 1942 Laugh It Off columns may be read in their entirety at: https://www.erbzine.com/mag17/1754.html

Today’s 100 word drabble, “Off the Cuff,” was written by Edgar Rice Burroughs and it is excerpted from his “Laugh It Off” column.

OFF THE CUFF
To conserve material, the clothing designers have decreed no more cuffs nor belts for trousers.

We can struggle along well enough without cuffs, although they came in handy as collectors of dust and germs and occasionally cigarette ashes when all the ash trays in the room have been preempted by the ladies. The well-dressed man started wearing cuffs years ago because it rains so much in London.

But belts! That is a different matter. Having taken four inches off my midriff in the past few months, I have difficulty in keeping my pants on at all, even with a belt.

FOR THE MONEY

January 11: On this day in 1886, Samuel George Cahan, pulp artist for interior of The Resurrection of Jimber-Jaw,” Argosy Weekly, was born in Kovno, Russia, now Lithuania. The family immigrated to New York City's Lower East Side in 1888. His father sold newspapers on street corners. To say that they were poor would be a colossal understatement.

<> In 1898, at the age of twelve, the barefoot Samuel kneeled outside Mouquin's Restaurant sketching the Sinking of the Maine in chalk on the sidewalk. The editor of The New York World was impressed enough to hire the twelve-year old as an apprentice newspaper artist.He became a valued staff artist at The World, specializing as a court room artist, a quick-sketch artist.

In 1917, Samuel Cahan drew a posed portrait of Woodrow Wilson that became the official image of his presidential campaign.

The New York World closed in 1931 and Cahan worked briefly for The New York Times.

During the 1930s his drawings appeared as chapter headings in the pulp magazine Argosy. He did interior illustrations for Tarzan and the City of Gold, The Resurrection of Jimber-Jaw, and Pirates of Venus.

The drabble for today is, “For the Money,” inspired by the life of Samuel Cahan.

FOR THE MONEY

Young Samuel Cahan came home with a roast turkey with all the trimmings and gave it to his mother.

‘Sammy, did you steal this?”

“No, I drew it.”

“This isn’t a drawing.”

“No, I drew a Thanksgiving dinner on the Katz Deli windows. Eight people bought turkey dinners before I finished. Mr. Katz gave me a full dinner as payment.”

“You got paid for drawing a picture.”

“I did, who knew that was a thing.”

“I didn’t either. Next week, go to Macy’s. Draw a Christmas Tree with presents.”

“Mom, will that work.”

“Maybe, maybe not, but it can’t hurt.”

ON SET

January 12: On this day in 1940, Actress Maude Turner Gordon, “The Oakdale Affair,” died in Los Angeles, California. Born in Franklin, Indiana, Gordon was the daughter of Alexander and Nancy (Wright) Turner. She was educated in the schools in Franklin. More about the film in ERBzine: https://www.erbzine.com/mag7/0765a.html

<> In the early 1900s, Gordon performed in repertory theatre with the Neill Stock Company in California. She appeared in a number of Broadway productions from 1908 to 1925 including: Glorious Betsy, The American Maid, A Full House, Elsie, and Big Boy. She appeared onstage in Mrs. Holmes, Detective, which was produced by her own company. She appeared in 81 films during her career.

In “The Oakdale Affair,” based on Edgar Rice Burroughs’ story of the same name, she played Mrs. Prim, wife to John Prim played by Eric Mayne, and mother to Gail Prim, played by Evelyn Greeley. Alas, no copy of the film is known to exist.

The drabble for today is, “On Set,” a fictional conversation between Maude Turner Gordon and Evelyn Greeley on the set of “The Oakdale Affair.”

ON SET

“Mrs. Gordon, do you like making pictures better than being on stage?”

“There’re different.”

“For example?”

“You have to memorize the play to be on stage and there are no do-overs. For the pictures, you only have to memorize one scene, but we film several scenes a day.”

“Yes. We have do-overs if it didn’t go well.”

“Not always. There’s a bear in this film and of course, this is one of your first efforts.”

“I don’t understand.”

He said, “Maude, be perfect every take. The first time the bear or Evelyn gets it right, that’s the take we’re using.”

IN THE JUNGLE

<>January 13: On this day in 1923, Argosy All-Story Weekly published Tarzan and the Golden Lion part six of seven. Only the first installment featured “Golden Lion” on the cover. This issue’s cover by Modest Stein illustrated the first installment of the novel, “Jungle Test” by Kenneth Perkins, an obscure writer by today’s standards, but he wrote hundreds of stories for the pulps. Kenneth Taylor Perkins was an American author of Western, mystery, adventure, and horror stories. From 1920 until his death in 1951, Perkins wrote plays, novels, radio and television scripts, and scores of short stories. In addition to publishing under his real name, Perkins used several pseudonyms, with stories appearing by Randolph Hale, King Phillips, Kim Knight, Charles Dustin, and J.O. Quinliven. Perkins had a masters degree in English and taught at the college level.

As for “Tarzan and the Golden Lion,” the book has been in print almost always since its first appearance and the iconic first edition dust jacket illustration by J. Allen St, John has become a symbol for Tarzan recognized worldwide.

For the publishing history and several illustrations: https://www.erbzine.com/mag4/0495.html

The fictional drabble for today, “In the Jungle,” was inspired by the novel and the publication of the sixth installment in Argosy All-Story Weekly.”

IN THE JUNGLE

Joan Burroughs said, “Dad, the new Argosy came this morning. It’s got a Golden Lion installment. The cover is for another jungle story, Jungle Test, by some guy named Perkins.”

“Kenneth Perkins. He mostly writes cowboy shoot ‘em ups. Easy plots. Bad guys do bad things. Good guy shows up. Bad guys die. Good Guy gets girl.”

<>“Familiar plot, western or not. Is he any good?”

“I’ve never read him, but he publishes most of his books under other names.”

‘Is that because he’s ashamed of them?”

“He teaches college English. Maybe the University prefers Jane Eyre to Tom Mix.

BRAVE WORDS

January 14: On this day in 1929, ERB signed a film contract with Walter Shumway and Jack Nelson for a film to be called Tarzan the Fearless. Sol Lessor bought the rights. The film serial starred Buster Crabbe and Jacqueline Wells. Buster Crabbe became the king of the cliffhangers, starring in TARZAN THE FEARLESS (Principal, 1933) ~ FLASH GORDON (Universal, 1936) ~ FLASH GORDON'S TRIP TO MARS (Universal, 1938) ~ RED BARRY (Universal, 1938) ~ BUCK ROGERS (Universal, 1939) ~ FLASH GORDON CONQUERS THE UNIVERSE (Universal, 1940) ~ THE SEA HOUND (Columbia, 1947) ~ PIRATES OF THE HIGH SEAS (Columbia, 1950) ~ KING OF THE CONGO (Columbia, 1952).

On television, he became “Captain Gallant of the Foreign Legion.” As a young boy, I can remember really disliking this series. I revisited a couple episodes this week and my eight-year-old judgement was reinforced.

However, I had the opportunity to met Buster Crabbe twice, once having breakfast with him at a convention in Fort Worth, Texas. He was charming, gallant, and no doubt fearless.

Details about the film serial: https://www.erbzine.com/mag5/0595.html

The fiction drabble for today is “Brave Words,” inspired by “Tarzan the Fearless” and Buster Crabbe’s film career.

BRAVE WORDS

Buster Crabbe approached Sol Lessor before filming started for “Tarzan the Fearless.” “Mr. Lessor, I’ve a suggestion about this picture.”

“Thanks, but no thanks. Writers write. Directors direct and actors act.”

‘I understand, but I think you should change the name from “Tarzan the Fearless” to Tarzan the Gallant.”

“Oh, hell no. People hear fearless and they picture lions and tigers and bears. They hear gallant the picture a well-dressed man about town. This is a jungle movie.”

“I like the word gallant.”

“Then use it yourself someday. I like the word bloodthirsty, but I’m not gonna change the title.”

OVER UNDER SIDEWAYS DOWN

January 15: On this day in 1976, Hayakawa published “The Tarzan Twins” in Japan. The cover illustration is by Motoichiro Takebe, who illustrated about 50 novels by Edgar Rice Burroughs for the Japanese market. Occasionally some of these editions appear in the US market and a scattering are currently available on EBay. There are some collections of his illustrations also for sale on that website priced from $50.00 and up - shipping running about $25.00. I’m passing on them. I have the Mars books and 14 of the Tarzan books. As far as adding the rest to my collection, like my old friend John Guidry said, “When it’s time for you to find them, you will.” Of course, his second rule about such things was, “Once you find a copy and buy it, you’ll find a second copy in better condition for a lower price.”

Check out the Motoichiro covers at: https://www.erbzine.com/mag58/5842.html

<> The drabble for today. “Over Under Sideways Down” is a fictional conversation about the Japanese editions between my old friends from New Orleans, Pat and John. Credit to the Yardbirds for the title. Fun song with a killer guitar intro by Jeff Beck.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4DdAs0PddQ

OVER UNDER SIDEWAYS DOWN
Pat opened a package covered with foreign postage. ‘Look, John. This is “The Tarzan Twins – Japanese edition. It was published by Hayakawa Publishing and it has a cover by the great Motoichiro Takebe.”

John inspected the book. ‘It’s not printed correctly. The cover’s on the back of the book and it’s upside down.”

“No, John, Japanese books read from right to left, not left to right. They also read from top to bottom instead of side to side.”

“Backwards and upside down! There’s no way I can read that.”

“And it’s printed in Japanese.”

“Yeah, that might be a problem.”