Volume Four, Number Nine

There have been a heck of a lot of short-run comics series since the 1930s. Some of them really stand out in the minds of comics fans-"Brother Power, The Geek", the original run of "The New Gods", "It, The Colossus" and, believe it or not, "Night Nurse" just to name a few-while others quickly faded from the minds of everyone...and for darn good reasons, too. DELL's 1960s "Dracula", "Frankenstein" and "Werewolf" immediately come to mind.

For me there is one comic series that came out in the 1970s that I loved at the time and love to this day. It is/was "Rima The Jungle Girl".

Published by DC Comics it was written by Robert Kanigher with art by the very talented Filipino Nestor Redondo and ran for seven issues from May 1974 to May 1975 (cover dates).

Now I am embarrassed to admit this today but at the time "Rima The Jungle Girl" came out I was first attracted to it as the title character had the same colour hair as Sharon Thompson, my first serious public school crush from many years earlier.

There was of course much more the comic than that and I realized it very quickly as I began reading the first issue. "Rima The Jungle Girl" was actually a comic book adaptation of the 1904 novel by W.H. Hudson called "Green Mansions: Romance of The Tropical Forest". Hudson was an Argentine-British writer and ecologist who not only wrote a whole bunch of really great books doing his career but did a lot of important ecological work in South America. CBC Radio-1 did an excellent overview of his exploits a couple of years back on its IDEAS program.

Hudson based Rima on a South American legend about a lost tribe of white people who lived in the mountains. The novel itself is an accurate portrayal for the most part of South America and it also has some excellent ecological messages in a time when such things were not in vogue.

The DC comic was not the first adaptation of Hudson's novel. CLASSICS ILLUSTRATED did one in 1951-which was reprinted numerous times before the company went out of business-and Rima herself has appeared in AMERICA'S BEST COMICS' "League of Extraordinary Gentlemen" Vol. 2 No. 3.

Rima has also appeared in three episodes of THE ALL NEW ADVENTURES OF THE SUPER FRIENDS (the 1977-1978 season) plus in 1959 MGM made a movie very loosely based on Hudson's novel called THE GREEN MANSIONS (starring Audrey Hepburn as Rima).

"Rima The Jungle Girl" still stands out in my mind to this very day as one of the better short-lived comics titles. I'd recommend if you see it in the comics bargain bin to pick up all seven issues. But read the book first. You won't regret it.

Take care and be safe.

Volume Three, Number Thirty

I'm back! That's right; after a much longer than planned hiatus E-Dispatches from the Great White North has finally returned. One of these days I'll sit down and tell you all about what kept me away for so long but in the meantime let's return to...

EVERYTHING'S SUPERHEROES!

A

HISTORICAL OVERVIEW

OF

THE

MLJ MAGAZINES/ARCHIE COMIC PUBLICATIONS

SUPERHERO LINES!

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Part Eighteen

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The second "Red Circle Comics Group" to hit the comics shops was "The Fly". Rather than revive the Mighty Comics Group version of the character-which in many folks' eyes was a poor man's version of Ant-Man/Giant-Man-the powers that be at Archie Comic Publications decided to bring back the earlier version minus the size changing abilities. The first issue of "The Fly" was cover-dated May 1983 and the comic lasted for nine issues (with the final issue cover-dated October 1984). While the artwork was wonderfully rendered by the legendary Steve Ditko and was an excellent example of his Randian Objectivist Libertarian philosophy the fist eight issues of "The Fly" were a disorganized mess and had little to do with either the early 1960s version of The Fly or the character that was appearing in "The Mighty Crusaders". The ninth issue was a vast improvement-though Ditko's artwork and point of view were definitely missed-for those readers who were fans of comics continuity however the writing was already on the wall and the attempt to revitalize the title was too little, too late.

The third title to appear under the Red Circle imprint was completely opposite in its approach to continuity than was "The Fly". "Lancelot Strong, The Shield" (#1 June 1983) began strong with close tie-ins with the Red Circle universe generally and the version of the character who was a member of The Mighty Crusaders. Issue number two was equally strong but with the third issue-there was a major change in the whole concept. Not only was the title changed to "Shield-Steel Sterling" (with the latter, which was the backup feature in the previous two issues, now sharing the title billing) but Lance Strong was killed off leaving the whole mag in the hands of Steel Sterling. This drastic change was enacted by long time comics writer Robert Kanigher who for the remaining four issues (now titled "Steel Sterling" beginning with issue number four) wrong the most convoluted, heavy-handed tales to appear under the Red Circle imprint. Kanigher's approach to Steel Sterling was actually not a surprise to those who had followed his career. While he wrote excellent comics stories in the 1940s and 1950s plus created some great characters over the years-most notably The Metal Men-by the 1970s Kanigher seemed to be going through the motions as a comics writer telling predictable, contrived stories that paled in comparison to what he had done before. By the time he got his hands on "Steel Sterling" in the early 1980s he work can only be summed up as a disgusting mess so when "Steel Sterling" the title died after issue number seven (July 1984) even the most die-hard fans of the original "Man of Steel" were not saddened by the comic's departure.

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NEXT: More disappointments from Red Circle Comics Group!