Talk:Tarzan

Public domain

Shouldn't there be some information about the Tarzan character now being public domain? There is actually a note in the article stating that "the Werper novels were never authorized by ERB, Inc" - it might actually be interesting that such an authorization is not legally necessary today, and that books could be freely printed, distributed and sold, due to the current "public domain" status of the character...

see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Public_domain_characters

Dinofant 05:04, 23 October 2007 (UTC)

There is this paragraph in the lead of the article itself:

Even though the copyright on Tarzan of the Apes has expired in the United States of America, the name Tarzan is still protected as a trademark of Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc. Also, the work remains under copyright in some other countries where copyright terms are longer.

If correct, Tarzan is listed in that category for expiration of copyright on the original works, but not on the trademark of the character itself ... as a guess.

D. Brodale 05:10, 23 October 2007 (UTC)

For that matter, copyright has only expired on the first eight books. The remainder are still under copyright. BPK 14:16, 23 October 2007 (UTC)

The Werper novels violated trademark, not copyright, but at the time they were first printed, all of the Tarzan novels were still covered by copyright. Rick Norwood 15:26, 23 October 2007 (UTC)

Actually, they probably violated copyright too. Much of their text was reputedly plagiarized from the original Burroughs novels. BPK (talk) 14:08, 21 November 2007 (UTC)

Someone has added a "fact" flag to the assertion that Tarzan is trademarked, and then added the remark "seriously". I don't know what this person wants. Look at any professional product with the name Tarzan on it, and you will see a capital R with a circle around it, which means that the name "Tarzan" is a trademark. What more proof does he need? Rick Norwood (talk) 22:34, 23 May 2008 (UTC)

• Rick, I seriously think you are correct, but since the serious editor seriously asked for a serious citation, I have seriously posted a link to said serious trademark registries. Seriously yours, Serious Rhosis Sir Rhosis (talk) 22:51, 23 May 2008 (UTC)

So once again we have a high liver to thank. Rick Norwood (talk) 01:47, 24 May 2008 (UTC)

Importance of Tarzan

I have not rated the article because I have worked on the article, but whoever rated Tarzan as of "low" importance clearly knows nothing of comic book history. I read articles in fanzines, and even in professional magazines, that are clearly written by a person for whom comic books = superheroes, and who consider, for example, Bouncing Boy as more important than Donald Duck, Mickey Mouse, or Tarzan. We need someone who is impartial, but who has read some comic books that are not superhero comic books, to rate this article. Rick Norwood (talk) 12:26, 26 May 2008 (UTC)

• The reason Tarzan is significant within comics is because of the creators, not particularly the character, and an article which discusses the character as it appears across many different media is not of the greatest interest to the comics WikiProject, where we are more interested in articles which solely focus on how topics relate to comics. The comics relevant material in this article comprises roughly 10% of the article; I therefore submit this of low importance to the comics WikiProject in terms of focussing our efforts. I welcome other opinions as a consensus view is built. Hiding T 12:45, 26 May 2008 (UTC)

Your explanation is plausable, but does not explain why Tarzan (comics) is also rated as of low importance. Rick Norwood (talk) 13:56, 26 May 2008 (UTC)

==WikiProject Comics B-Class Assesment further details please contact the Comics WikiProject

1980s video game

This was also released on the ZX Spectrum. 86.131.91.163 (talk) 22:20, 8 November 2008 (UTC)

C-Class rated for Comics Project

As this B-Class article has yet to receive a review, it has been rated as C-Class. If you disagree and would like to request an assesment, please visit Wikipedia:WikiProject_Comics/Assessment#Requesting_an_assessment and list the article. Hiding T 14:36, 24 February 2009 (UTC)

Trivia :- "Hezza"

Michael Heseltine`s nickname "Hezza" has no connection with his other nickname of "Tarzan". "Hezza" comes from the British habit of putting "zza" onto the first syllable of either a surname, as in footballer Paul Gascoine being called "Gazza", or a first name as in anyone called Barry being called "Bazza" or Terry known as "Tezza".94.197.175.82 (talk) 17:49, 21 May 2009 (UTC)

I agree. I'll change it, it's a ridiculous statement. Centrepull (talk) 16:20, 16 June 2009 (UTC)

Influence - Critical Reception section needs considerable remix

The article neglects discussion of the influence of this series of books, films etc. The strong imagery of Tarzan played a significant part in the perception of sub-Saharan Africa in the West in the twentieth century. The extensive, popular appearance of the Tarzan character across all kinds of media adds weight to this. Issues concerned include

• Portrayal of sub-Saharan Africa as homogeneous
• Portrayal as exclusively rural
• Almost complete lack of portrayal of any civilisation
• Portrayal of the local peoples as exclusively primitive and savage

There are many easily accessible academic citations to support these opinions and a relevant 'Influence' section could include mention of them.

I'm looking for authoritative citations of the statement that Edgar Rice Burroughs never visited Africa in his lifetime - I have also read that he never visited Africa until after he had written the early Tarzan books. His WKP entry claims the former. It is significant, given the equatorial African setting of the Tarzan books, and Tarzan's status as a cultural icon. It seems evident that ERB obtained his portrayal of Africa from the writings of the African explorers of the time such as J. W. Buell's Heroes of the Dark Continent [1] H.M. Stanley's 'In Darkest Africa' [2] Edward J. Glave's 'In Savage Africa' and Lionel Decle's 'Three Years in Savage Africa' [3]. These volumes are all from ERB's personal library, as archived by Danton Burroughs in Tarzana, California. There's more, but the slant is evident.

The paragraph discussing racism is very poorly written, inaccurate, and not NPOV. The Tarzan books and movies were being criticised as racist before the 1970s, as early as the 1950s, and probably earlier. The example of the description of the local peoples ('blacks' in the article!), is actually positive, compared with a more representative example of an objectionable description that could have been used. Pertinent example from Chapter 9 of Tarzan of the Apes:

their great protruding lips added still further to the low and bestial brutishness of their appearance

[4]

The issue of racism in the novels has little to do with whether or not ERB portrayed the local inhabitants as 'individuals with good and bad traits' in some of the books, nor whether stereotyping was 'the custom in popular fiction of the time'. The section goes on to state that 'Burroughs opinions reflected common attitudes of the time, which in a 21st-century context would be considered racist and sexist'. These are further apologia. While true, they were good old racist and sexist attitudes in the 20th century and considered as such - even if this racism and sexism was only widely recognised in the second half of the 2oth century. The section needs sorting out. Centrepull (talk) 04:08, 17 June 2009 (UTC)

This section on critical reception seems to focus almost exclusively on racism and sexism. Surely there must be other angles that can be discussed that academics have analyzed! Besides, I find it hard to believe that a white child raised by apes and brought up outside civilization would not form opinions about other groups (who are often hostile) that differ from latter-day civilized norms. The guy probably didn't have a diversity adviser telling him not to say certain things. What is remarkable about Tarzan is just how well-adjusted he really is. But that's just my own apologia. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 86.28.188.108 (talk) 10:13, 3 July 2010 (UTC)

Tarzan's character in ERB's books and in film

Since there is a section describing the character of Tarzan in ERB's books, and it is noted that there are Tarzan films, the article should mention somewhere the fact that the character in the Tarzan films (except the film Greystoke) is utterly different from the character in the Tarzan books. Tom129.93.17.213 (talk) 22:16, 22 September 2009 (UTC)

I agree. Just remember ex. Bo Derek and "Tarzan" in Africa with an orangutan... --RicHard-59 (talk) 19:14, 2 October 2009 (UTC)

Ebooks

Is there a need to list all possible places one can download free Tarzan ebooks, when Project Gutenberg and Gutenberg Australia have all possible ERB ebooks available? HolyEbooks have three...--RicHard-59 (talk) 19:14, 2 October 2009 (UTC)

Swinging from vines?

Although it's been a while since I last read a Tarzan boon, as best I recall, in none of them did ERB describe Tarzan's mode of travel through the trees as swinging from vines, which I believe is an artifact of the movies as much as the "Me Tarzan, you Jane" mode of dialogue. ERB was somewhat vague in his description of Tarzan going through the trees, but such description as he did provide seemed to indicate the Apeman used branches and not vines. Wschart (talk) 00:38, 19 October 2009 (UTC)

• In later books, Burroughs, on a couple occasions, did have Tarzan swing on vines. No cite right off, but I do recall being surprised that he did so. Sir Rhosis (talk) 12:42, 19 October 2009 (UTC)

Israeli "brochures" - or comics?

The "Unauthorised Works" section tells of the Israeli Tarzan adventures of the 1960s. It refers to these as "brochures" e.g. "a thriving industry of locally-produced Tarzan adventures published weekly in 24-page brochures."

Pretty sure that "brochures" is the wrong word here, I'm guessing a mistranslation. paxman (talk) 12:58, 8 April 2010 (UTC)

citations

"The aristocracy (except the House of Greystoke) and royalty are invariably effete.[16]" With a citation to one book? Unless that book says they are alway effete, this does not qualify as a legitimate citation for the statement. Am I wrong? 07:23, 3 December 2010 (UTC) —Preceding unsigned comment added by 75.191.151.75 (talk)

Lex Barker

The actor Lex Barker http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lex_Barker is not listed as one of the actors who played Tarzan — Preceding unsigned comment added by 70.240.201.107 (talk) 16:18, 2 July 2011 (UTC)

• This page doesn't mention every actor to play the role, just a few highlihgts; see the "Tarzan in film and other non-print media" page for a full listing of Tarzan actors. Sir Rhosis (talk) 09:46, 3 July 2011 (UTC)

You forgot to mention one Tarzan TV series

Wolf Larson starred as Tarzan Lydie Denier as Jane. (1991-1992) — Preceding unsigned comment added by 115.87.189.182 (talk) 13:44, 23 September 2011 (UTC)

• It is mentioned briefly in this general article and also at the "Tarzan in other media" article. Sir Rhosis (talk) 05:10, 24 September 2011 (UTC)

pace be upon you — Preceding unsigned comment added by 83.229.48.222 (talk) 05:32, 9 November 2011 (UTC)