Jungle Jim
Jungle Jim is an American newspaper comic strip first published January 7, 1934, by writer Don Moore and artist Alex Raymond, that starred the titular jungle adventurer. Unlike the protagonists of Tarzan, Ka-Zar, Kaanga, and comics series based on jungles themes, "Jungle Jim" Bradley was based in Southeastern Asia rather than Africa, and was a hunter rather than a wild man in a leotard.
Other characters included the large, strong native Kolu (who acted servile towards his white comrade Jim, similarly to Lothar in Mandrake the Magician) and Lille DeVrille, who appeared two years after the strip's debut.
The comic's early years generally featured stories revolving around pirates, slave traders, and other common jungle antagonists. As World War II approached America in the 1940s, Jungle Jim, like many American comics, developed a wartime theme, with Jim now fighting the Japanese.
During this time also, artist Raymond enlisted as a Marine. Successors included John Mayo (creator of Future Eye), Paul Norris (creator of DC Comics' Aquaman), and Don Moore. The strip ended in 1954.
Comic books
From the end of the 1930s and into the 1940s, the comic strip was reprinted in comic books by publisher Ace Comics. There was also 11 original Jungle Jim comic books produced by Standard Comics from 1949 to 1951, as well as a 20-issue Dell Comics series from 1953-1959, continued by Charlton Comics for another seven issues from 1969-1970.
Other media
- A weekly Jungle Jim radio show premiered November 2, 1935.
- A 12-part movie serial by Universal Pictures, starring Grant Withers, followed in 1937.
- Columbia Pictures produced a series of Jungle Jim B-movies, starring Johnny Weismuller, from 1948 to 1951.
- A single-season television series ran from 1955-1956.
See also
References
- Don Markstein's Toonopedia: Jungle Jim
- Strickler, Dave. Syndicated Comic Strips and Artists, 1924-1995: The Complete Index. Cambria, CA: Comics Access, 1995. ISBN 0-9700077-0-1.
- A database and cover gallery of Jungle Jim comic books