volume 6 1936-1937

série: Tarzan Sunday Pages
dessinateur / scénariste: Foster+Hogarth
éditeur: Flying Buttress EO 1994
genre: Aventure
classement: biblio1
date: 1993
format: cartonné avec jaquette
état: TBE
valeur: 30 €
critère: **
remarques: sixth volume edited by NBM/Flying Buttress
(NBM being America's first publisher of graphic novels since 1976,
located at New York with imprints such as Flying Buttress Classics
Library, Amerotica, Eurotica and ComicsLit) under the supervision
of Bill Blackbeard out of a sery of 18 volumes,
all being accurate reproduction of the Sunday Pages
in their full colour and in full size, each volume has about 52 pages,

n.b. the sources of these Sunday pages are mainly
from the Los Angeles Times and from the Milwaukee Journal
edited by UFS (United Features Syndicate)


volume 6 1936-1937 with dust jacket from
20.9.1936 (289) to 2.5.1937 (321) = 33 pages drawn by Hal Foster,
(the page 2-5-1937 being the last page drawn by Foster)
9.5.1937 (322) to 12.9.1937 (340) = 19 pages drawn by Hogarth
total 52 pages based on the novel of Edgar Rice Burroughs

Tarzan fights the evil empire Flint is building by exploiting natives
to work in a rich gold mine, this volume sees the torch gloriously
pass from Hal Foster's hands to the no less able ones
of Burne Hogarth, with an introduction by James Van Hise
who had the chance to interview Hal Foster,
the volume includes following episodes (number of pages):
- Tarzan in the City of Gold part two:
52 pages drawn by Foster and Hogarth

1/ introduction by James Van Hise "a visit with Hal Foster"
- Van Hise mentions Russ Manning' article (1963) stating that
the Tarzan of Foster is better than the one of Hogarth
because much closer to the idea of the ape-man of Burroughs

- according to Foster, the most graphic form of
communication and actuality is the story told
in pictures (cartoons) in which
one can also follow the changing times
"however no matter now pretty the picture is,
if there is no story or meaning in it,
there will be no interest" Foster dixit

- a trademark of Foster's comic strip art
was his approach of putting the text beneath
the art and avoiding the traditional use
of word in balloons

- during the visite (1971) Foster was then 78 years old
and enjoyed his retirement in his new home in Tampa/Florida
- Foster was recommended by Joseph Neebe, the man
who wanted to adapt books and plays into comic strip form
- Foster enjoyed reading historical novels and
after 6 years of drawing the ape-man, he agreed
to let Hogarth continue the story although he was
a fervent admirer of Alex Raymond

>> illustration of page 10-2-46 with Prince Valiant in colour
(in the days of king Arthur) >> see enclosure

- Hogarth took Tarzan over on 9.5.1937
and it was a flawless transition

n.b. the story of how Foster decided to make his last weeks
on Tarzan so good that the syndicate would find it impossible
to replace him with as good an artist but Hogarth proves
to be good, even very good


2/ the story
Tarzan is planning to overthrow the tyranny of Flint and Gorrey in Taanor,
but he is captured and sent to the gold mines with his friends,
he rebels again, Flint orders to entomb them in the mine,
but Tarzan and his fellow prisoners manage to get out

Tarzan organizes now a guerilla warfare against Flint
(he is the main enemy now of Tarzan, Gorrey is carried on second plan)
>> p. 290 during an sudden attack, why did Tarzan not shoot Flint directly?
(he could have done it) but it would have been the end of the story

Flint sends an airforce to submit the rebels but Tarzan succeeds
in seizing an aeroplane and counter-attacks,
Tarzan become the eagle of the skies
>> p. 304-308 the air battle (death from the skies)

finally Tarzan achieves in forming a strong army
and to invest the city of gold. Flint, tyran and coward,
uses old king Dalkon to threaten Tarzan but despite
this last attempt, Flint and Gorrey are defeated
>> p. 316 Tarzan's biggest mistake:
he allows Flint and Gorrey to go away unharmed

princess Nakonia becomes queen of the golden realm while Flint
hires now a modern army to recapture the city of gold,
tanks and airplanes attack the city
>> 29.7.37 as chief of the Taanor army,
Tarzan wears now a long sword
>> p. 318 4-11-37 powerful engines of modern warfare
against Tarzan's primitive forces

first Tarzan succeeds in destroying the airplanes with nets of rope
trailed by air balloons but against the mechanized column,
he must find some other means
>> p. 320/321 similarity with the Italian invasion by Mussolini
of the Ethiopian nation (1935-1936)

for this purpose, Tarzan seeks alliance with
the great gorillas of Bohgdu,
with the lion-friends of Lathor and last but not least
with the elephants of Tantor;
now with all his warriors, his beasts together
with the elemental forces of the jungle such as the big rains
with mud hindering the progress of the machines,
Tarzan is confident to defeat the enemy (the "civilized" foes)
>> p. 332 Tarzan and the gorillas
n.b. the apes of Foster are better drawn than those of Hogarth
(see volume 5 26-1-36 and volume 6 13-6-37)
but Tarzan is better drawn by Hogarth
>> p. 337 Tarzan and the lions
>> p. 339 Tarzan and the elephants
= Tarzan's army of soldiers and animal-soldiers = the jungle's army
>> p. 336 Tarzan and the small lions (Hogarth's false perspective?)
>> p. 337 Tarzan is now king of the kings of beasts

>> the story develops a good action with an interesting topic
as this second long-featured episode goes on, the art is quite good
and the transition between Foster and Hogarth is practically realized
without a major difference although the style of Hogarth will
become more dynamic with best exemple shown on page 329 last case,
whereas case in page 336 is still to improve
>> p. 322 to 324 the influence of Foster is still pronounced
but on the following pages the own style of Hogarth begins to develop

n.b. this album is entirely devoted to the story of the city of gold
(the edition Hachette in France with text below the illustrations
has reproduced this story in 2 albums:
Tarzan and the lion 1937 and Tarzan and the elephants 1938
but these two albums leave out many strips,
especially the one of the air battle)


Enclosures
- front and back cover of the album
- last page of Hal Foster (2.5.1937)
- first page of Hogarth (9.5.1937)
- the blood of Tarzan (Hogarth)
- Prince Valiant's page 10.2.46 in colour
couvertures:
Copyright 2008 - 2024 G. Rudolf