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.
This week, Korak guides a female pilot to the forbidden city of Thobos. Posing as a botanist with a fake letter of introduction from a family friend, the pilot is actually a jewel thief. Coincidentally, priests from the rival city of Ashair steal Thobos' iconic diamond immediately before the pilot attempts to do so. The pilot is blamed for the theft, and Korak looks like a fool for trusting her. Korak goes to Ashair, finds and steals the diamond from the priests, and smuggles it back to Thobos. Korak leaves with his honor intact, along with a now-bald pilot.
Korak looks like a fool for trusting the female pilot who was posing as a botanist with a fake letter of introduction. However, he demonstrates his strength, speed, courage, and cunning by locating the jewel, stealing it, and smuggling back to Thobos.
Spiegle's artwork is excellent. Viewers have plenty of opportunity to admire Korak's lean, athletic physique on every page.
Favorite scene: page 12, panel e
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:
This week's adventures can also be found at the following link(s):
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