Number 1434: Tarzan and the Ant Men, part 2

We have returned with the second part of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ Tarzan and the Ant Men, first published in serial form in 1924, and as a Gold Key two-issue comic book in 1968. Go back to yesterday’s posting for part one.

As I mentioned yesterday in my introduction to part one, The Grand Comics Database credits Mike Royer with helping Manning on #175, based on an identification of the inks by Alberto Bacattini.

The fantastic painted covers on both issues are by George Wilson.

As I read that last panel, Tarzan promising to tell everyone the story of his adventure, I can just imagine Jane’s reaction. “You expect me to believe you’ve been gone for weeks and you were shrunk down to 18 inches? You think I buy a cockamamie story like that? You’ve been with La, haven’t you, you cheating bastard! You go sleep in a tree!”

Something like that, anyway. You have to admit, it is not a likely story to tell one’s wife to cover one’s absence, is it?

Number 1433: Tarzan and the Ant Men, part 1

Edgar Rice Burroughs’ Tarzan and the Ant Men was first published in serial form in 1924, and is the tenth novel starring Tarzan.

Dick Lupoff, author of Master of Adventure: The Worlds of Edgar Rice Burroughs, “places Tarzan and the Ant Men in his list of essential Burroughs novels,” according to Wikipedia.

Forty-four years after it appeared in book form, scripter Gaylord DuBois and artist Russ Manning adapted it for Gold Key issues of Tarzan #'s 174 and 175 (1968). The Grand Comics Database credits Mike Royer with helping Manning on #175, based on an identification of the inks by Alberto Bacattini.

This is part one. Tomorrow, part two. Grab a vine and swing on by to read it.

On August 27, 2012 I presented the DuBois/Manning adaptation of Tarzan of the Apes to honor the jungle lord’s 100th birthday. You can read it by clicking the thumbnail:

Number 1217: Happy 100th birthday, Tarzan

According to Alistair Boddy-Evans of About.com, it was 100 years ago today, August 27, 1912, that Tarzan of the Apes made his first appearance when the October, 1912 issue of All-Story Magazine went on sale. It was an immediate success, and success continued to follow author Edgar Rice Burroughs.

In 1965, after Jesse Marsh left the Gold Key Tarzan for health reasons (and died the next year, at age 59), Russ Manning* took over the comic book. Manning’s first issue was a typical story that Marsh would have illustrated, but with the next issue, number 155, Gold Key began adapting Tarzan novels. The first was (naturally) Tarzan of the Apes. I've scanned my copy, bought off the stands in 1965. I've been a Manning fan since I first saw his work. (Later he took over the Tarzan comic strip, which is a whole other thing.)

Next to Sherlock Holmes, Tarzan is one of the most recognizable literary characters in the world. I expect that Tarzan will be known in the 22nd century and beyond. This issue of Gold Key’s Tarzan is an important issue, and I'm glad to present it to you on the 100th anniversary of Tarzan's introduction to the world.

Script adaptation of the original novel by Gaylord Du Bois.**

From Edgar Rice Burroughs’ Tarzan #155, December, 1965:

*The Grand Comics Database also gives Mike Royer credit for assisting Manning on pencils and inks.

**I've seen Gaylord Du Bois' name spelled Dubois and DuBois. Apparently he spelled it both as it is on his birth certificate, Du Bois, or DuBois.