Tarzan - Edgar Rice Burroughs

Tarzan was the son of a British Lord and Lady who were marooned on the West coast of Africa by mutineers. When Tarzan was one year old, his mother died of natural causes, and his father was killed by Kerchak, leader of the ape tribe into which Tarzan was adopted. Tarzan’s tribe of apes is known as the Mangani, Great Apes of a species unknown to science. Kala is his ape mother. Tarzan (White-skin) is his ape name; his English name is John Clayton, Lord Greystoke. 

বাংলায় 'টারজান' এসেছিলো শ্রী সুধীন্দ্রনাথ রাহা, ওরফে 'সব্যসাচী'-র হাত ধরে (শুকতারা পত্রিকা)

As a young adult, Tarzan meets a young American woman, Jane Porter, who along with her father and others of their party is marooned at exactly the same spot on the African coast where Tarzan’s parents were twenty years earlier. When she returns to America, he leaves the jungle in search of her, his one true love. In later books, Tarzan and Jane marry and he lives with her for a time in England. They have one son, Jack, who takes the ape name Korak (“the Killer”). Tarzan is contemptuous of the hypocrisy of civilization, and he and Jane return to Africa, making their home on an extensive estate that becomes a base for Tarzan’s later adventures.

Edgar Rice Burroughs 
(September, 1875 – March, 1950)

In Tarzan, Burroughs created an extreme example of a hero figure largely unalloyed with character flaws or faults. He is described as being Caucasian, extremely athletic, tall, handsome, and tanned, with grey eyes and black hair. Emotionally, he is courageous, loyal and steady. He is intelligent and learns new languages easily. He is presented as behaving ethically, at least by Burroughs’ definitions, in most situations, except when seeking vengeance under the motivation of grief, as when his ape mother Kala is killed in Tarzan of the Apes, or when he believes Jane has been murdered in Tarzan the Untamed. He is deeply in love with his wife and totally devoted to her; in numerous situations where other women express their attraction to him, Tarzan politely but firmly declines their attentions. When presented with a situation where a weaker individual or party is being preyed upon by a stronger foe, Tarzan invariably takes the side of the weaker party. In dealing with other men Tarzan is firm and forceful. With male friends he is reserved but deeply loyal and generous. As a host he is likewise generous and gracious. As a leader he commands devoted loyalty.

Russell George Manning
 (January, 1929 - December, 1981)

In 1967 Russ Manning was selected by the Edgar Rice Burroughs estate to take over the Tarzan newspaper strip and bring it back to the original Burroughs vision. With assists by William Stout, Mike Royer, and Dave Stevens, Manning created 26 original Sunday story-lines and 7 daily stories. In addition to seeing Tarzan as the noble (and articulate) half-man/half-ape warrior, Manning and writer Gaylord DuBois not only depicted Jane and Korak (Tarzan and Jane's natural son) as faithfully as possible , they also kept the early 20th century time period setting (going as far as World War One) AND they introduced or reintroduced such characters and concepts as La, the high priestess of the forbidden city of Opar, and  the prehistoric-like land of Pal-Ul-Don. 

The Russ Manning Years, which reprints material from 1965-67. show that while DuBois' scripts are well-written and fast-paced, Manning's art is the best thing these adaptations have going for them.   



Read here few of the Edgar Rice Burroughs’ most beloved Tarzan comics in color...

1. Tarzan 

13. Tarzan 

14. Tarzan