Number 1499: Swinging out of 2013 with Tarzan

We’re celebrating the end of the year with yet another story of Tarzan in yet another lost city of the jungle.

Cathne is the City of Gold. When Tarzan says he hasn’t been there in 20 years he isn’t quite telling the truth*...the novel, Tarzan and the City of Gold, by Edgar Rice Burroughs, was originally published in Argosy in 1932. Our comic book adventure was published in Dell’s Tarzan #21 in 1951.

Tarzan, who rescues a girl, “Princess” Elaine, in the jungle, ends up with her in Cathne. He goes to tell her dad she is okay and recovering from a broken arm, only to leave her to the evil intentions of lusty Lord Tomos. Tomos has her clapped in a cell with a slave who is ordered to teach her the language, and promises, “I shall see you, Princess...very often!” Whoops. What do you think Lord Tomos has in mind for Elaine? You can almost hear his evil cackle, and see him twirling his mustache. If he had a mustache, that is.

Everything works out fine, thanks to Tarzan, Tantor and some ape buddies. Story by Gaylord Dubois and art by Jesse Marsh.

Happy New Year, and thanks for making this year a good one for Pappy's Golden Age. I’ll see you again on January 1.

*Maybe Tarzan forgot he re-visited the City of Gold again in Tarzan the Magnificent, published in 1939. Tarzan’s jungle is wall-to-wall lost cities and civilizations, even dinosaurs. No wonder he has trouble remembering.