After the Tarzan comic license ended at Marvel, Malibu Comics (when they were an independent company) got the license in 1992 and produced three mini-series.
First was a five-issue miniseries titled Tarzan the Warrior, written by Mark Wheatley and art by Neil Vokes. Next was a three-issue miniserues titled Tarzan: Love, Lies and the Lost City. Finally there was a seven-issue miniseries titled Tarzan: The Beckoning, with story and art by Thomas Yeates. It was reprinted in trade paperback by Dark Horse Comics in 2016.
In the early 1990s, a Swedish company called Semic Press approached ERB Inc. to create a series of new Tarzan comics. This was an ambitious project that sadly didn’t see everything come to fruition. You can read all about what was planned in the latest Burroughs Bulletin #103 (New Series) from the Burroughs Bibliophiles (which I’ll be posting on soon).
But the three series from Malibu, as well as some Tarzan comics from Dark Horse Comics, came from this effort. I wish the rest of what was published at Malibu would also be collected. And some of the rest wasn’t fully seen in the U.S. More on some of it soon, but until then I recommend you check out that issue of the Bulletin.
We’ll focus here on Tarzan: The Beckoning. As noted, story and art is by Thomas Yeates, who has recently been involved with the Once and Future Tarzan, also from Dark Horse. Henning Kure, who developed the whole plan from Semic, was also involved in the writing.
The story is actually set in modern times (well, the 1990s), and starts with Tarzan in California, doing what he can there to fight the ivory trade, while Jane does the same in her way. Unfortunately, he has two problems. One is he has stepped on someone’s toes, who has the money to send someone to eliminate him. And two, he is receiving strange visions, which overcome him at times, that lead him back to Africa. Perhaps to his demise?
The man sent to eliminate him is “Punchy” Mullargan, who doesn’t know he’s being sent after Tarzan. He actually idolizes Tarzan, or his image of Tarzan. His father, “One-Punch” Mullargan, had met Tarzan and became his friend. Or did he? (I’m not sure if he’s from an Edgar Rice Burroughs story or a creation for this one). And the man, Seshun-ur (or is it Loc, the African trickster god?), is the witch-doctor who granted Tarzan his immortality.
Of course, Jane soon comes to Africa as well, but falls under the spell of Seshun-ur who has been sending the strange visions to Tarzan. To get either of them under his control that would allow him to enter a lost world at the heart of Africa. At the same time, Mullargan is leading an attack on the Waziri, as well as Tarzan. But it thankfully fails. And Tarzan learns where Jane is and goes after her.
In this lost world, Tarzan and Jane are reunited, but maybe not in the way you expect. Mullargan is also there along with Seshun-ur. What will be the final resolution?
Overall, this was a pretty good story. We get a lot of the traditional Tarzan elements I like: bad guys to defeat, a new lost world to discover, danger and excitement. Jane shows herself as also being a competent outdoors woman. And the resolution is well done, with redemption for another.
I’ll hope to post on some of the other Tarzan comics from Dark Horse soon.
