Korak in Sunday Tarzans (1/13/1974)

 

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.

Korak in Sunday Tarzans (1/13/1974)

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, a tall, mysterious stranger asks Korak to guide him to Tarzan.  Interpreting his refusal as laziness, the stranger continues to press Korak, causing the son of Tarzan to lash back at his tormenter.  The youthful jungle hero fights the stranger and gradually gains the upper hand, until a young lady intervenes.  Korak then learns that the stranger wanted Tarzan to guide him and the  lady to the Igotha village, which has recently been attacking and oppressing its neighbors.  Agreeing to guide the stranger and the lady on their journey, the group is ambushed by the Igotha in the river.  The young lady is captured.  Korak and the tall stranger take to the trees in an effort to rescue the captured young lady without being detected.  The lady turns out to be an Igotha princess, daughter of the missing chief.  Korak and the tall stranger ambush a trader and disguise themselves in order to gain access to the new chief's village, to which the Igotha princess is led.

This week, Korak and the tall stranger find that the ambushed trader was actually the new chief's spy.

 

Korak continues the leading role in this adventure.  Showing some stealth skills, the son of Tarzan is hiding with the bound and gagged, ambushed trader in the camel pack while the tall stranger, disguised as the ambushed trader, follows the Igotha princess to the chief's village.

Manning's artwork is wonderful.  Unfortunately, there are no shots of our young, athletic, shirtless hero Korak, who is hidden in the camel pack.

Previous blog:  

Korak in Sunday Tarzans (1/6/1974)

Next blog:  Korak in Sunday Tarzans (1/20/1974)

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/mag21/2130.html

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

https://www.erbzine.com/manning/tz2236.jpg