Korak in British Tarzans (10/8/1977) - conclusion

 

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.

 

The British Tarzan weekly started in 1977.  This week's artist is the wonderful Dan Spiegle.  

 

Korak continues to have a lean, athletic physique, broad shoulders and thin waist, almost no clothing except for a leather loincloth over his mid-section, a cute, boyish face, and full, thick, dark hair.  However, under Spiegle, Korak tended to have a shorter, more compact, gymnast's build.

 

He continues to be a strong, athletic, teen-aged jungle boy.  However, his smaller size makes him even more vulnerable to defeat to larger, more mature opponents.

He continues to be an intelligent, enthusiastic teen-aged boy with good natural instincts and a good heart. His youthful inexperience makes him vulnerable to dirty fighting techniques or seduction. His youthful enthusiasm may also lead him into trouble over good but dangerous causes or to otherwise confront dangerous opponents to prove himself.

Last week, when his friend was accused of murder, Korak infiltrated a gang of young thieves in order to find what happened.

This week, Korak learns that the young thieves ambush and steal from passengers as they depart from a passenger ship.  Preventing one such ambush, Korak learns that wanted overseas criminals are arriving to benefit from the services of an experienced plastic surgeon who would then give them a different face.  Korak steals the doctor's files and turns them over to the court.  Korak's friend is freed when the real murderers are caught trying to deposit their victim's money elsewhere.

 

Korak further demonstrates his commitment to his friend by following the overseas criminal to the plastic surgeon and stealing the doctor's file to prove his innocence.  He also demonstrates some speed, stealth, and intelligence by following the criminal undetected and entering the doctor's office and identifying ahis files before being discovered.  However, Korak also demonstrates weakness by carelessly getting caught by the doctor's henchman, being unable to defeat him, and needing to be saved by a nearby friendly lion.  

Spiegle's artwork is excellent.  Unfortunately, at the beginning, while infiltrating the gang of young thieves, Korak spends too much time in a vest, obscuring his lean, athletic physique.  Fortunately, he spends much of this week shirtless in the jungle following the overseas criminal to the plastic surgeon.  Unfortunately, Korak's encounter with the doctor's henchman was too brief and ended in an unsatisfying manner.  The henchman was about to defeat Korak, leaving the young jungle hero at his and the doctor's mercy.

Favorite scene: page 4, panel e

 

Previous British Tarzan blog:  

Korak in British Tarzans (10/1/1977) - new

Previous blog:  Korak in Sunday Tarzans (10/2/1977)

Next blog:  Korak in British Tarzans (10/8/1977) - new

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 my Korak in British Tarzans blog at the following link:

https://britishtarzanskorak.blogspot.com/

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