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.
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| Korak in Sunday Tarzans (9/10/1972) |
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.
Previous to this week's adventures, Korak find that the Waziri are threatened by a young, idealistic family who wish to find a place to farm. Agreeing to find another place, the family are helped by Korak and his friend Muviro the Waziri. Camping next to the Dismal Gorges, Korak, Muviro, and the young family are attacked by a pride of lions, who take the daughter with them. Korak follows the attacking lions and their prize into the Dismal Gorges, where he encounters a hidden fortress, which he infiltrates. However, finding that Muviro and the young parents have been captured, Korak is exposed as an outsider in his attempt to rescue them. Korak, Muviro, and the young father are thrown into a hole with a den of lions, where they encounter an old man who has survived by claiming and defending his position on a ledge beyond their reach. While the lions are still full from their previous feeding, the old man tells Korak, Muviro, and the young father of how the inhabitants of the fortress were driven mad by the threat of war by the evil ones and how they sacrifice women and children to a bloodthirsty idol. The four of them then escape the den of lions by standing on each other's shoulders and reaching the door through which they were thrown. Then, swinging in to rescue the young mother and her daughter before they are sacrificed, Korak discovers that the city's bloodthirsty idol was merely the alter-ego for a group of frightened little men.
This week, discovering how the frightened little men use the city's bloodthirsty idol to defend themselves by driving the inhabitants of the fortress mad by the threat of war, Korak rescues Muviro, the young father, and the old man, who have been captured, by ordering them to be sacrificed too.
Korak remains in the leading role in his own adventure. After discovering the truth of the frightened little men behind the city's bloodthirsty idol, the son of Tarzan cleverly uses this knowledge to rescue the rest of the group.
Manning's artwork is wonderful. Korak continues his usual fan service by giving viewers a wonderful view of his young, athletic, shirtless body as he welcomes Muviro, the young father, and the old man to the next world after they are sacrificed by the madmen.
Previous blog:
Korak in Sunday Tarzans (9/3/1972)
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:
This week's adventures can also be found at the following link(s):
