Korak in Sunday Tarzans (2/16/1969)

 

Korak is the Honorable Jack Clayton, son of English Lord John Clayton, Viscount Greystoke, also known as Tarzan, lord of the jungle.  He is the hero of a 1915/6 magazine serial and 1917 novel by American writer Edgar Rice Burroughs and a 1920 silent movie serial, as well as a character in several other Tarzan stories from 1914 to 1924.  He experienced a revival in 1964 as the star of his own comic book series and as a major character in various Tarzan comic books, pages, and strips from 1966 to 1978.

As depicted in the comic books, pages, and strips, Korak has a lean, athletic physique, broad shoulders and thin waist, almost no clothing, a cute, boyish face, and full, thick hair.  He is also an intelligent, enthusiastic teen-aged boy with excellent natural instincts and a good heart.

Korak strives to emulate his legendary father but lacks his strength, maturity and experience.  Therefore, he is both more likely to enter into dangerous situations and more vulnerable to being defeated.

As the star of his own comic book series in 1964, Korak is a capable, young hero.  His adventures were somewhat similar to those of his father Tarzan, but independent from them.  

In 1966, ABC released the TV series Batman, featuring the frequently imperiled youthful sidekick Robin the Boy Wonder.  As a fan of seeing cute, young sidekicks in trouble, I watched every episode.

Russ Manning took over the Sunday Tarzan pages in 1968.  His Korak tended to have a tall, lean, swimmer's build.  While the son of Tarzan continued to have somewhat autonomous adventures, the slender, handsome youth seemed to be getting into trouble more frequently and more easily.  Moreover, in the Sunday Tarzan pages, Korak tended to suffer from more frequent comparisons to his legendary father. 

Previous to this week's adventures, while searching for his father at the edge of the jungle, Korak follows a herd of elephants into a hidden cleft where he discovers a mystery involving a glowing, red wig.  Later, after encountering a tribe of ivory poachers and a trapped elephant, the son of Tarzan resolves to rescue the animal despite being badly outnumbered.  However, the glowing, red wig mysteriously reappears.

While the glowing, red wig scares away most of the ivory poachers, Korak frees the trapped elephant.  The glow disappears.  However, distracted by his curiosity over the red wig, our young hero is ambushed and knocked unconscious by the remaining poachers.

Korak continues his hero role this week.  After demonstrating his noble concern for the animals of the jungle, as well as his speed and bravery by rescuing a trapped elephant, the son of Tarzan makes another careless mistake placing him at the mercy of a known enemy.  In his boyish curiosity to discover the mystery of the glowing red wig, our young hero fails to anticipate the presence of ivory poachers who were not scared away from the scene.  He is ambushed and knocked unconscious, rendering him vulnerable to the same ivory poachers whose prize he helped to escape.  Unfortunately for Korak, these enemies are unlikely to spare the boy.

Fortunately, Manning's wonderful artwork contains several action shots of Korak.  This week, our young hero's lean, athletic, shirtless body is beautifully depicted as he tries to restrain his lion friend, as he rescues the elephant, as he is tackled and hit in the head by the ivory poachers, and as he lies on the ground unconscious and vulnerable at the feet of his enemies. 

Favorite scene:  Panel G

Previous page:  Korak in Sunday Tarzan (2/9/1969)

Next page:  Korak in Sunday Tarzan (2/23/1969)

This blog is intended to raise interest in and appreciation of the Edgar Rice Burroughs character Korak.  To see this story in context, you may find it in Hillman's ERBzine at the following link:

https://www.erbzine.com/mag17/1762.html

This week's adventures can also be found at the following link(s):

https://www.erbzine.com/manning/690216v8.jpg