Tarzan: The Complete Russ Manning Newspaper Strips, Volume 1 1967-1969 by Russ ManningMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Tarzan: The Complete Russ Manning Newspaper Strips, Volume 1 1967-1969 collects two black and white storylines: Jad-Ben-Otho and Tarzan and the Renegade, and three color stories: Tarzan Returns to the Land of the Ant Men, Tarzan and the Return of Dagga Ramba, and Korak and the Elephant Girls.
I read a Russ Manning Tarzan collection a few months ago but this is the real shit right here. In the first story, Tarzan winds up in Pal-Ul-Don and Korak goes looking for him. In the second story, Tarzan returns to the Pal-Ul-Don to find Korak. The color stories see Tarzan going to the land of ant men, fighting a cult worshiping ancient Egyptian Gods, and the final one sees Korak getting ensnared by supernatural redheads.
The stories draw from the Tarzans novels wherever possible so the undercurrent of racism is there. Still, they're great adventure tales full of lost lands, fallen cities, dinosaurs, ape men, and all the other staples of jungle adventure. I was never a fan of newspaper adventure comics as a kid but these have a relentless pace. Tarzan and Korack go from the frying pan to the fire repeatedly. Also, Tarzan takes so many bumps to the head he has to have CTE.
The art is the star of the show for me. Russ Manning has a clean line, minimalist style influenced by Alex Toth and others from that school, meaning it's right in my wheelhouse these days. Slick, no wasted lines, equally adept at jungle men, apes, dinosaurs, ruins, or just standing around. The style looks easy but it takes a lot of confidence and know-how.
As of now, I am all in on the Tarzan newspaper strips, particularly the ones by Russ Manning. 4.5 out of 5 stars.
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