Retro Comic Recap: The Further Adventures of Indiana Jones #6

Good afternoon, folks,

Hope everyone's been having a nice, relaxing holiday weekend. I'm closing out the day by recapping the sixth issue of The Further Adventures of Indiana Jones. The cover, illustrated by the issue's artists, Howard Chaykin and Terry Austin, depicted Indy jumping from one boat driven by a woman to another, and grabbing the hand of the pilot of the other boat, who was firing a pistol wildly with that same appendage. The tale was titled "Club Nightmare!" The issue had a cover date of June 1983. 

The story started just outside the Raven's Nest, a new nightclub in New York that was preparing for its grand opening. Its proprietor, Marion Ravenwood, was stepping toward the entrance when she was nearly run over by a car that seemed hellbent on ending the young lady's life. Only Indiana's timely intervention saved his friend from a gruesome fate.

Marion thanked Indy for the rescue and had a good idea of who was behind such an act. The pair was greeted by a local antiquities dealer named Jamal, who had provided some of the decorations in return for Indy's help in settling matters with authorities in regard to a few items in Jamal's shop that were found to be illegal. The two friends let Jamal resume his work before retreating to the manager's office. Both of them settled into more formal attire before returning to the concert area.

Marion was certain that the crime lord Emil Marko was behind her near fatality. He'd expressed interest in partial ownership of the club, which she feared would be used as a front for gambling activities. A short while later, Marion took to the mic to introduce the featured artist of the evening, while several onlookers observed how a tall column was about to fall right on the emcee.

Indy was one of those observers, and he acted quickly by tossing a sandbag attached to a rope around the heavy pillar, so that it would fall away from his friend. As a result, that night's performance was cancelled. Marion offered rain checks and complimentary drinks to patrons when they reopened in a few days. She spied Marko and insinuated that he had a hand in the affair. Marko said nothing to incriminate himself. Although Indy didn't much care for Emil, they had no evidence as of yet linking him to any wrongdoing. 

Before Indy and Marion departed for the night, Jones stopped to take a closer look at the pillar that had fallen. He noticed some rather unexpected fragments, one of which he pocketed before calling it a night. A few days later, Jones and Ravenwood enjoyed an inexpensive lunch of hot dogs while riding in the back of a horse-drawn carriage. Marion was still seething about the opening night disaster, but neither of them knew that more trouble lay in store very soon.

A shadowed figure fired a dart, which struck the horse and set the animal off in a frenzy. The carriage seemed to be out of control. Jones used the coach whip to lash onto a nearby tree branch. He pulled himself and Marion up just before the carriage collided with the icy waters a few meters away. Marion was now more convinced than ever that Marko had to be behind the attempts on their lives.

Later that evening, Marion paid a social call to Marko, while Indy leapt over a wall and took care of the guard dogs waiting inside the perimeter. As Jones went to peruse the crime lord's files, Marion admired her rival's collection of rare music. Indy read through a few files before a guard entered the room. He left through a window after trading shots with the guard. The noise of gunfire forced Marion to threaten one of Marko's precious recordings before tossing the record and fleeing on foot.

Ravenwood ran to their boat, and the duo sped off. On the way, both of them compared notes. Marion said that Marko had given up on ownership of the club, stating that it wasn't worth the trouble. Indy added that the files he'd read indicated that Emil had ordered gambling equipment but had cancelled that order several days before. 

Their boat came out of a narrow passage and was soon fired upon by the driver of another similar vessel. Indiana fired a few shots before giving Marion the wheel and jumping to their attacker's craft. He tossed his foe overboard and steered carefully to return to Marion and caught her just before their original boat exploded against rocks near the shoreline. 

Indy now knew that Marko wasn't behind the violence. He held up a strange-looking knife, which seemed to confirm his suspicions. The friends returned to the club, and Indy spied a box of blasting caps. He rushed to the stage and found Jamal placing explosives. He ordered him to stop and turn around slowly. 

Jamal explained that his business had been faltering and that he agreed to take care of some unregistered artifacts. He couldn't accomplish that at his physical store because of the police scrutiny, so he'd had those items shipped in some of the decorations for the club. Jamal knew of the rumors about Marko's interest in the nightclub and used that to his advantage in setting up disruptions. He'd hoped that he could recover the controversial items and destroy all evidence in another incident that Marko would be blamed for.

The angered businessman then struck Indy, still determined to go through with his plan. In the scuffle, a lit candle started a fire. Indy eventually knocked his foe unconscious by striking Jamal with a stick of TNT to the back of his head, and grabbed Marion before everything went up in flames. 

Sirens sang loudly, and the fire department would soon be there. Marion lamented the fact that she'd forgotten to take out an insurance policy, to which Indy replied that it was a good thing, as her business partner, that they'd just have to use the policy he took out on the club. He remembered from Nepal what happened to some of her business ventures, and prepared accordingly. Marion thanked him once more, noting that he was quite a guy.

This was a fun single-issue story. I was familiar with Chaykin's art from the first seven issues of the original Star Wars title, and Austin inked his pencil work very well. I enjoyed the humor that was interspersed and the clues that led away from the crimes being committed by the obvious suspect, Marko. This was Marion's first appearance in this series, and she would be featured intermittently throughout the rest of the title's run. 

That's all from me for today. Tomorrow, I'll tackle the seventh issue of this series. Kerry Gammill and Sam Dela Rosa take their turn on the art chores for the first of a two-part storyline that sends Indy and Marion to western Africa in search of another artifact for the university museum. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: The Further Adventures of Indiana Jones #5

Good morning, everyone,

Happy Mother's Day! 

I'm starting the day by summarizing the fifth issue of the first Indiana Jones comic book series. The cover, "featuring the hero of Raiders of the Lost Ark," showed Indy observing a strange phantom that emanated from a crystal wielded by an enemy, with his associate watching from behind. The issue had a cover date of May 1983.

The tale began on London Bridge in 1936, as the commandeered car containing Indiana and British Professor Karen Mays was about to plunge into the river below. It was hanging on by the rear bumper, which was gradually starting to give. Jones opened the front passenger door and tossed his whip at the bridge. With Mays grasping his torso firmly, Indy lunged outside, mere moments before the car fell.

Jones carefully climbed up, only to see the German named Hauptman pointing his pistol at the pair. Indy decided to drop rather than face this threat. His foes were stunned until they observed the professors drifting away on a garbage scow that was sailing by. Hauptman opted against firing on his prey, fearing the possible retaliation from onlookers. 

Some time later, in a flat occupied by Karen's mother, mother and daughter talked about the American archaeologist and how he brought a shine to the younger woman's eyes. Indiana emerged from his shower refreshed and thankful for his host's hospitality. The trio talked about their plans to bring the crystal cylinder back to Stonehenge by midnight, unaware that their every word was being picked up by Hauptman and his crew.

The professors boarded a train at London's central railroad station, not knowing that a familiar face was already on that same train. Some time later in a dining car, Indy and Karen's conversation was interrupted by the arrival of Jones' former pilot, Smitty, aka Schmidt. The villain held the two at gunpoint and escorted them into an empty sleeping compartment, where he demanded the crystal cylinder.

Indy pulled the emergency brake, only to realize that his foe had cut the cord earlier. Jones then took the plastic handle that had snapped off in his hand and threw it at Schmidt. before engaging the Nazi in a fight that allowed Mays to escape. 

Indiana was eventually able to exit the window, but was followed by Smitty soon thereafter. Indy finally handed the shaving kit over to Schmidt right before the train entered a tunnel. The German realized that obstacle far too late, and that was the last of him.

Karen stood by a car rail anxiously waiting for Indy, who dropped down from above. He pulled the cylinder from his jacket pocket, stating that he'd pocketed it before handing the shaving kit over to Smitty. The train was later stopped by authorities who looked remarkably non-British. As the "officers" began their rounds, Jones took one of them out and borrowed a motorcycle with a sidecar, evading Hauptman and his forces once more.

The duo stopped short of a rickety-looking wooden bridge. Indy chose to gun the motor before speeding across the bridge. Several planks fell to the waters far below after they crossed successfully. However, the cycle was now out of gas after one of the Nazi bullets clipped its fuel tank. 

Jones and Mays continued to proceed further on foot until they landed in quicksand. Indy tossed his whip to a nearby tree, right before he was forced to surrender the cylinder to Hauptman and his men. The villain cut the whip, leaving our heroes helpless.

Mays pulled out a service revolver from her bag, which she'd been issued but had never used before. Jones took it and fired at the branch. Nothing happened until he threw the empty pistol at the branch, which then fell and allowed them to escape.

The weary adventurers then walked slowly toward Stonehenge. As they neared the historic monument, they noticed a pair of guards who had been knocked out. Indy and Karen looked up and were astonished by the faces of bizarre creatures floating in the sky above them. 

Indy was mesmerized by the sight for some time, until reason got the better of him. While Mays fought off one of the German soldiers, Indiana lunged for Hauptman, knocking the cylinder from his grasp. The crystal cylinder spun around for a time before crashing to the ground and breaking into many pieces. 

Without the cylinder, the apparitions ceased, and the portal behind them collapsed. Indy and Karen were able to convince an astounded bobby to apprehend the Nazi. The professors knew they did the right thing that evening, but Jones still wondered if what they'd given the world made up for what they'd taken from it. 

This was another enjoyable issue. I felt that it wrapped up the storyline rather well, although I would have liked to have known more about the mysterious beings that predated man who had placed the cylinder at the site of the monument centuries ago. A follow-up story would be rather interesting, in my opinion. The artwork from Ron Frenz and Danny Bulanadi was steady, and writer David Michelinie took the characters just as seriously as he did the ones in the Star Wars title that he'd moved from.

That's all I have for this morning. Later today, I'll cover the sixth issue of this series. Howard Chaykin and Terry Austin join Michelinie to craft a yarn involving Indy and a popular character from Raiders of the Lost Ark. Find out then what kind of trouble the archaeologist gets into. Until then, have a great day and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: The Further Adventures of Indiana Jones #4

Good afternoon all,

Hope everyone's been having a great weekend. The topic of this article is the fourth issue of Marvel's ongoing Indiana Jones comic book. The cover showed Indy and a female companion running from a train behind them, right into a trio of gun barrels pointed at them in the foreground. The tale was titled "Gateway to Infinity!" The issue had a publication date of April 1983.

The story started somewhere over the Atlantic Ocean, as Indy was informed by the pilot of the plane that they were both riding in was having a technical malfunction with its landing gear. Jones went to the rear of the vessel per Smitty's suggestion, not knowing that the door would lock shut behind him or that his pilot's last name was really Schmidt. Jones felt the plane going into a nosedive and looked out the nearest window to see that Smitty had abandoned the craft.

Thinking quickly, Indiana rummaged through the luggage and grabbed a large blanket before using his pistol to open the side door. He jumped out of the opening and thought that he would float down gently until he looked up and saw a large hole sliced in the middle of the blanket. He tossed it aside and went into a headfirst dive toward the icy waters below. 

Indy resurfaced a few moments later and donned his fedora just before he saw a British naval ship and swung his arms wildly to draw its attention. Some time later, Jones was conferring with local officials in a government building. The men who'd rescued him were telling Indy about a crystal cylinder that had recently been discovered inside one of the blocks at Stonehenge that had been knocked over in a storm.

The cylinder had a series of symbols carved into it in a language that none of their experts had ever seen before. They figured that it was important, and that the Nazis would also be interested in if they weren't already. Jones agreed to help them after meeting their expert on foreign languages, Professor Karen Mays.

None of them knew that their conversations were being listened to by German spies from afar. The Nazi soldiers were about to move in, right after admonishing their colleague Schmidt for his recent failure. Karen and Indy went to dinner at a local restaurant, but Indy suspected foul play as soon as he spied a fly in his soup that had been fried to a crisp.

The Nazis' plans to poison the American archaeologist were spoiled thanks to "verdamnt British sanitation standards." The duo left the restaurant soon after and settled for dining on fish and chips procured from a street vendor. They walked back to the government building and spent several long hours dedicated to deciphering the strange symbols. 

After several long days and nights, Jones and Mays were finally able to make some sense of the markings. What they'd learned was that the writings were made by beings who fled to another realm many centuries ago and were planning on returning when things were safe or when needed. The stars had to be in precise alignment at that time, and the cylinder had to be placed exactly in the middle of the Stonehenge monument then. Such a discovery was important from a historical standpoint, but it could also be quite dangerous.

Indiana preferred sharing what they learned in person, knowing now that the Nazis were very likely interested. Neither of them was aware just yet that their conversations were still being monitored by the proponents of the Third Reich. At a hotel forty-five minutes later, Indy and Karen prepared to depart for Stonehenge, since the stars were supposed to be in the required alignment at midnight. A sneeze from behind them alerted the heroes to the presence of a trio of armed men who emerged from the fireplace screen behind them.

Jones fired his pistol at one of the gunmen before knocking the table at them. They then jumped out of the window and landed on the awning below. The professors hailed a taxi and fled briefly until being caught in a traffic jam. They opted to leave on foot and were assisted by the taxi driver, who slammed his front passenger side door at the lead Nazi.

This gave Jones and Mays enough time to escape into the subway station. However, the Nazis were soon hot on their trail. They evaded an oncoming train and slipped past their foes for several minutes before their leader, Hauptman, was alerted to an open ventilation grid in the ceiling that led to the sidewalk above. 

Indy spotted a hotel valet and took the opportunity to "borrow" a customer's car. He forgot that drivers use the left side of the road in England, and that mistake proved to be costly. While trying to dodge cars coming at him from the opposite direction, Indy crashed the stolen vehicle into a wall. They were hanging on by the rear bumper until it started to slowly give way. 

This was another one of those issues that Indy fans just had to read and wait patiently until the next issue arrived to find out what happened next. I was familiar with writer David Michelinie from his run on the Star Wars title, and I liked his injections of humor in this fast-paced yarn. I also enjoyed Ron Frenz and Danny Bulanadi's artwork. One of the reasons why this title had a premature end was its frequent changes of creative teams, but the late Bulanadi was a rare constant who would go on to ink several issues during its run. It was printed a couple of years after Raiders of the Lost Ark was in theaters, so I wasn't surprised to learn that the primary foes were Nazis. They would feature prominently in many of Indiana's comic book exploits. I was also interested in the mythology that surrounds Stonehenge, and would still like to visit that site someday. 

I'll kick off tomorrow with a discussion of the fifth issue of The Further Adventures of Indiana Jones. That issue wraps up this storyline. We'll find out if Indy and Karen were able to avoid a fall into the cold waters, and just what secrets the unearthly crystal cylinder had in store. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: The Further Adventures of Indiana Jones #3

Good morning,

Hope all's well. I'm starting today by recapping the third issue of what is commonly known as TFAOIJ. The cover to this issue showed Indiana Jones driving a Jeep that was hauling a cannon on a trailer while being fired at from behind. The story was called "The Devil's Cradle." The issue had a cover date of March 1983.

The tale began not long after the events in the second issue. Indy was still parachuting slowly down to the ground when he heard the sounds of gunshots nearby. He landed a fair distance away from the action, and after untangling himself, Jones saw that a group of locals were about to lynch a young man. He decided he couldn't let that happen and used his bullwhip to disarm the lead man.

Indy held the accusers at gunpoint before fleeing with the lad. He realized that he'd forgotten to gather the firearms, and soon ventured further away with the young man. They passed an overturned Army truck, which the lad explained had to happen so that his grandfather could continue to produce an elixir that was supposed to extend a person's life. Indiana found that to be rather doubtful, and was still pondering that possibility when they ran into Colonel Bulldog Hannigan. 

He was none too pleased about the overturned truck, and his soldiers opened fire on the pair. Indy and the lad escaped once more, but ran into the same group from before as they were crossing a bridge. Jones decided to take out the bridge, and he and his new companion held on tightly as the structure gave way. They helped each other up the cliff face, evading gunfire as they pressed on.

Before long, they reached the mountain known as the Devil's Cradle. Inside, they found the young lad's grandfather, Prospero. He used the waters inside the cave to concoct his elixir. It was a process that he'd repeated several times over at different locations. Prospero knew that they would eventually have to move on before too long and pointed out the rock atop the mountain that could fall and trap them inside at any moment.

Prospero talked about using explosives to bring the cradle-shaped rock down upon the soldiers' base, an act that Indy simply couldn't allow. The two tussled, and Jones was amazed by the older man's vitality. Indy lost the fight, and when he awoke, Jones found himself tied to the rock on the mountain. Prospero lit the fuse before the two of them departed.

Indy had accidentally swallowed some of the elixir during the fight and thought that maybe it could have helped. He swung his arms together and snapped the rope. Jones then jumped down to where the dynamite had been stored. Upon further examination, he noticed that the rope had been cut, probably by the lad whom he'd saved. He then tossed one of the barrels down one side of the mountain, where it detonated upon landing.

Jones took a nap until sunrise, when he found himself staring down the barrels of rifles pointed at him by Hannigan's men. The Colonel knocked him out with the butt of his pistol and had him placed in a cell. Later that morning, Prospero and his grandson recovered the remaining TNT. He chastised the youth for sparing his savior and noted that the Devil's Cradle still had to come down.

Indy had a conversation with the Colonel while he was in his cell. He was accused of a crime he hadn't committed. When the Colonel left, Jones took the opportunity to slide his belt free and use it to snag the keys hanging on the opposite wall. He grabbed his gear after freeing himself and was careful to avoid detection by the Colonel or his men. 

Jones borrowed a nearby Jeep that was hauling a cannon, and it was fired at a few times before leaving the base. A few miles away, Indy stopped to get a closer look at the mountain. He used a pair of binoculars to watch Prospero and his grandson return the dynamite to the mountain and light the fuse before retreating. He then went to the cannon and aimed it before firing a salvo that hit the mountain. The resulting blast sent the cradle-shaped rock down the far side of the mountain. 

When Indy arrived at the base of the mountain, he saw that the cave entrance had now been blocked by the rocks that had slid down as a result of the explosion. He didn't see any traces of Prospero or the youth, but found a couple of locals who were about to turn Indy in for the reward that the Army offered. Jones offered one man his binoculars, which he flung at his foe's face. The other opponent aimed his rifle at Indy, only to have his aim averted by Prospero's hand. The old man grabbed the weapon and threatened its owner.

Indiana was relieved and surprised by his rescue. Prospero said that they should be friends, because the spring inside the cave was no longer accessible, giving them no further reasons to argue. They moved on. Prospero noted that he'd been around for four centuries and was confident that they would survive and find another spring. 

Even though it was lacking in details at times, I still felt that this was an interesting standalone issue. I liked the art by pencilers Richard Howell and the late Gene Day, and inks by Danny Bulanadi and Mel Candido. My only complaint was that this was the only appearance in this series for Prospero and his grandson. I still wonder what happened to them, and if they continued to live on. 

That's it for this issue. Next time, I'll tackle the fourth issue of the first Indiana Jones comic book title. David Michelinie teams up with Bulanadi and penciler Ron Frenz for the first part of a two-issue story that begins the quest for a legendary treasure at a very well-known historic European location. Tune in then to find out more. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: The Further Adventures of Indiana Jones #2

Happy Friday, everyone!

I'm closing out the work week with a recap of the second issue of Marvel's ongoing Indiana Jones title. The cover, illustrated by John Byrne and Terry Austin, showed Edith Dunne and Indy tied together to a chain that was being slowly lowered into a pit of molten gold, with several tribesmen preparing for their captives' eventual demise. If you look closely inside the right-hand side of the opened pit, you can see both artists' signatures. The story was called "22-Karat Doom!" The issue had a publication date of February 1983.

The story started right where the first issue left off. Indiana and Edith were tied together and attached to a chain that was about to drop them into a pit of liquid gold. The act was being observed by several natives. It appeared that the heroes were about to end up alongside the other idols that surrounded the inner walls of the temple.

Just when things seemed dire, the building was shaken by the sounds of explosions outside. A few members of the tribe left to investigate and learned that outlanders had detonated rounds of dynamite and were now waiting to pick them off with their guns. As the temple began to crumble, Indy and Edith swung back and forth until Jones was able to kick the lever that would drop the chain. The pair landed safely outside the pit and began to free themselves. As they did so, Edith mentioned that she was glad that it was Indiana's office where her brother had Charles had met his demise.

Things were quiet for a while, so the adventurers assumed the coast was clear. However, when they exited the temple, they found Solomon Black and his men waiting for them. The villain ordered one of his guards to shoot the Americans, which he was about to comply with until the guard was felled by a poison dart that had just struck his neck.

Indy grabbed the guard's pistol and fired at the natives before herding the group toward the beach. He led Edith to safety and brought part of a flimsy hut down to create some distance between them and their attackers. Before long, Indiana and Black's soldiers were able to eliminate the threat.

That didn't mean that Jones and Dunne were out of the woods just yet. They still had Black and his henchmen to deal with. Indiana reasoned that Black could kill them, but mentioned that without him, they would never know about the second set of icons, because he was one of less than a dozen people in the world who could successfully transcribe the inscriptions. 

Black's tone changed significantly upon hearing that tidbit. He allowed Indy and Edith to board their ship along with the remaining icons that his crew carefully boxed up, one by one. A couple of hours later, Edith asked Jones about the transcription. Indy admitted that he'd bluffed and that there was no second set of inscriptions. He'd mentioned earlier, while they were being held captive, that the inscriptions he'd read were nonsense about waking the dead and getting revenge on the wicked. 

Indiana hoped to access the ship's radio room so that he could send a distress signal. Edith had something that might help him accomplish that goal. She went to the room's closet and soon donned a dress that made her look absolutely stunning. She then caught the interest of the guard outside their quarters long enough for Indy to knock him out. 

Jones made his way to the ship's radio and overtook the operator. He was able to transmit a rough message in Morse Code before being fired at from behind. Moments later, Edith was pointing the pistol that was purloined from the guard they'd just taken out and waved it in front of several crewmembers, demanding to see Black. Unfortunately, without her glasses, Edith's vision was compromised, and she was overpowered by a soldier from behind right after Jones was taken prisoner.

Black was obviously incensed and ordered that the two Americans be brought to the deck, where they would walk the plank. Solomon was willing to take the risk of finding another person who could interpret the inscriptions. Jones was nearing the ship's edge when he spied a torpedo nearing a collision course with their ship. He quickly realized that his message must have been picked up by a German U-boat, and that Germany and Czechoslovakia weren't exactly friendly at the time.

Indy grabbed Edith and ran off the plank just before the missile struck. The ship went down, and Jones and Edith clung to one of the crated icons as they floated toward the German submarine. A while later, they secured passage aboard the vessel, and after a month, the duo was finally nearing New York.

Some time later, Edith was barking orders as the icon was being loaded onto an airplane at Idlewild Airport. She was taking credit for the discovery, as well as the glory. Jones decided to tag along. During the trip, Indy mustered up the courage to ask Edith how she thought she could get away with her brother Charlie's murder.

Edith was appalled by the accusation, but Indy explained how he'd figured everything out. He started by saying that he never told her that her brother had been killed in his office. Indiana had also figured out that it was Edith who had shot at him in the radio room on Black's ship, but because she wasn't wearing her glasses, she couldn't see what she was aiming at clearly.

Jones wondered who had taken out her sister. He got his answer from the pilot, Jerry, who entered the compartment. He was Edith's boyfriend and was obviously involved for the rewards. The ship was on autopilot, and Edith demanded that Indy be executed. Jerry offered a bullet in Jones' body, or the opportunity for him to step outside without a parachute.

Indy offered a third option. He remarked that he'd had a month to interpret the inscription he read in the temple back in Africa, and how it talked about vengeance on the wicked. He felt the two people in front of him now fit that category. Jones spoke the words before the icon. Moments later, the crate opened, and the person encased in gold stepped out. His hide was impervious to bullets, and Jones stepped aside while his foes stood there in terror.

Indiana donned a parachute and set the plane's controls so that it would fly over the Atlantic Ocean. He then stepped outside, just before the icon was about to grab Edith. As Jones tumbled toward the ground, he pulled the parachute's cord, mentioning how he would never forget Edith Dunne, and that he'd pray for her if he were the praying type.

I was very pleased with this storyline from Byrne, Austin, and writer/editor Dennis "Denny" O'Neil. Sadly, it was the only time that this trio would collaborate on this title, but it definitely got the series started on the right foot. It's too bad that there was never a return to that island or a follow-up to this story. I've been thinking for years about what might have happened to Edith and Jerry, and whatever became of the other idols that were presumably destroyed by the German missile. There hasn't even been an Indiana Jones comic book since 2010, so maybe it's time to revisit this tale and others like it before too long. 

Well, that's all I have to say for now. I'll kick off the weekend by summarizing the third issue of this series. We'll find out where Indy landed, and meet a few new characters there. We'll also see what Jones does when he encounters a new threat and how he tries to reason with those who are in a position to do something about it. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: The Further Adventures of Indiana Jones #1

Happy Thursday, all,

It's time for me to begin my series chronicling the first regular Indiana Jones comic book series. The cover of the first issue, illustrated by Terry Austin, showed Indy in the foreground, and four other characters in the background that would be revealed in the storyline. The issue had a cover date of January 1983.

It all began in Doctor Jones' classroom, as the professor was using his bullwhip to knock a cigarette from his young student's lips, much to the surprise of Marcus Brody. Indy completed the task successfully, which qualified as an extra credit assignment for Miss Greeley, moving her A to an A+. Jones admitted to Brody later that he'd needed a little practice and was willing to face the repercussions if he'd missed.

As the colleagues walked the halls, Brody was reminded that an old student of Indiana's had come to visit. They arrived at Indy's office to find Charlie Dunne waiting for them. The former student and pupil greeted each other warmly. Dunne explained that he wanted to share the news that he and his sister had discovered the location of the legendary Ikons of Ikammanen. He was about to share more details when Charlie suddenly fell forward to the desk in front of him, with a knife lodged firmly in his back.

Dunne had just been murdered, and his assailant, who'd tossed the weapon through the open window that Charlie had been standing in front of, had escaped. Jones opened Dunne's satchel and brought out a map of a portion of the African coast that had areas circled in red. There was also a photograph of a temple and an address for Charlie's sister Edith.

Indy asked Marcus to call the authorities and inform them about what had just happened. He took his fedora and whip and announced that he was on a leave of absence, effective immediately. Jones was about to send a wire to Edith and then go home to pack.

The second part of the tale, titled "Interested Parties," started more than a day later. It took Jones a couple of days to travel, but he finally reached his destination. Edith was waiting for him, wearing an outfit that definitely made her look out of place. She guided him to the hotel room that she'd reserved and talked about the idols, even though Indy was concerned about speaking of them in public, since they were rumored to be made of solid gold.

They entered Indy's room, only to find that it had already been ransacked. Seconds later, a pair of robed men wielding knives entered the doorway. During the scuffle, one of them threw Edith out the window. Indiana defeated his opponents in time to see one of their associates carrying her away, screaming in his arms. Indy used his bullwhip to launch himself down to the busy streets below.

Indy followed the stranger until he ducked inside an alley. When Indy turned the corner, no one else was there. A doorway shut behind him, and a trapdoor swung open beneath him. Jones fell a dozen feet onto a deserted mattress. He lit a match, finding only rats nearby. Jones soon came across a locked door and used his pistol to open it. On the other side sat a man who had been waiting for him.

That's where chapter 3, entitled 'Dealing in the Dark," began. Indiana was in an underground lair. A man named Solomon Black sat opposite him, with a pair of masked guards beside him, one of which was holding Edith. Black admitted that his men had been following Edith, which explained why she was able to survive. Indy assumed that Black was only after the icons because of the gold, a point that the villain stressed by ordering his soldier to put his knife to Edith's throat. 

Realizing that he couldn't save her in time, Jones agreed to Black's conditions. The next morning, they set sail aboard a Czechoslovakian ship. The captain laid out a map before Indy, Edith, and Black and showed them their target, which was an unlisted island in the middle of the ocean. A few days later, they came across another similar vessel that had been beached. 

Black instructed Indy to take two of his men on a dinghy toward the island. He and Dunne would remain where they were. However, Jones was able to persuade Black to let him bring Edith along.

The smaller boat took its time approaching the island. They were just about to bring it to shore when one of Black's men was assaulted by waves of deadly arrows. Indy had a theory, which he tested by tossing a bag onto the beach sand. Another barrage of arrows followed, indicating that the area had been booby-trapped.

The other guard insisted that Jones lead the way, which he did by crawling forward until they'd eluded the trap. Indy led them as they climbed higher and farther until they crested the summit a half hour later. What they saw before them was something that Indiana hoped would be remembered by history.

Chapter 4, called "The Ikons of Ikammanen," began with Jones and Dunne staring at the temple we saw in the photo from the first part of this story. It stood in the center of the buildings that surrounded it. Indy and Edith climbed down, not recognizing any of the architecture around them. 

As the duo walked inside the temple, they learned that the icons were indeed real. Several of them were affixed to the walls opposite them. Edith mentioned that the inscriptions on the wall were supposed to say how to bring the icons to life. There was a chain of gold hanging from the ceiling that was several thousand years younger than the building itself. 

Edith noticed that the altar stone was warm and examined the tortured faces of the icons. Indiana went to get a closer look at one of them. He tried to pull a statue loose and managed to do so, but when he pulled it up, he saw bones falling from the bottom. Indy knew then that they weren't looking at statues, and was about to warn Edith when he was struck from behind by a chain link attached to a rope that was tossed at the back of his head.

When he awoke, Jones found he and Edith tied together to the chain they'd seen. Several natives adorned in tribal garb were chanting. As the chain lowered, the pit opened, revealing a pool of molten gold. It appeared that the two adventurers were about to become the latest additions to the icons that stared at them painfully.

This storyline was written by Denny O'Neil and John Byrne and illustrated by the well-renowned team of Byrne and Austin. I still have the copy of this issue that I first bought when I was eleven years old, and it's one of my favorite comics of all time. It had a natural flow from the events that occurred in the Raiders of the Lost Ark movie, and was an intriguing whodunit. I remember begging for my allowance when the next issue came out, so I could read what happened next.

The continuation of that epic will be the focus of my next blog article. In the second issue of The Further Adventures of Indiana Jones, we'll learn what happened to Indy and Edith. We'll also learn why there was such an interest in this particular site, and dig deeper into the role that Edith played in this expedition. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another.  

Retro Comic Recap: Raiders of the Lost Ark #3

Hi everyone,

Today's topic is the final issue of Marvel's adaptation of the Raiders of the Lost Ark movie. The cover to this issue showed Indiana Jones and Marion Ravenwood tied to a post together, as Belloq prepared to open the Ark and unleash its contents, with several Nazi soldiers looking on. The issue had a cover date of November 1981.

Things got started with Narion falling into the Well of Souls after having been tossed down there by Toht. Indy grabbed her before she could reach the ground. Belloq, Toht, and their associates then slid the stone slab back to its original position, trapping the heroes inside. 

Marion and Indiana held torches to keep the snakes writhing about at bay. Indy climbed one of the tall statues and was able to eventually swing it so that it came crashing down into one of the walls. It didn't take the adventurers very long to escape afterward. They emerged near a makeshift Nazi airbase. 

As the Americans plotted their escape, their presence didn't go entirely unnoticed. A pair of guards spotted them, and the larger one engaged in a brief fight before falling to the floor, firing his pistol as he did so at the airplane and subsequently setting off an explosion. 

A short while later, Indiana grabbed Sallah and whisked him inside the tent where he and Marion had been hiding out. Sallah was overjoyed to see his friends and informed them that their enemies were taking the Ark to Cairo by truck. Indy knew he had to follow them, even though he didn't have a plan just yet.

Jones rode on horseback until he was able to catch up with the lead truck. He got close enough to the moving vehicle to open the passenger door and wrestled the driver from his post. He was able to drive the truck and its precious cargo back to the village that Sallah and his family occupied. A bit of tidying, including sweeping away tire tracks, and the occupants of Belloq's car could not tell what had happened to the stolen vehicle.

Later that night, Indiana and Marion secured passage aboard a ship run by Sallah's friend, Captain Katanga. He was willing to take them and the Ark to their next destination. The couple finally had some time to reconnect, until Indy noticed the engines had stopped. He ran to find Katanga and saw the German U-boat that had forced such action.

Indiana escaped the troops and saw a pair of them taking Marion away rather forcefully. Indy remained in hiding as the Captain lied to the invaders about killing the archaeologist. Jones waited until Marion and the Ark had been carted off to pursue his foes. He swam to the U-boat and lashed his whip to the periscope to keep it there until they reached a hidden base. 

Belloq ordered the Ark to be brought on land. Indiana watched the procession until it stopped at their destination. The Frenchman changed into a religious outfit and oversaw the ceremony. Indy was interrupted by a threat to blow up the treasure and everything near it with the bazooka that he'd stolen. 

What Jones didn't know was that a pair of soldiers had crept up behind him, and the American was now staring at the barrels of several pistols pointed at him. He and Marion were tied up together as the ceremony continued. Marion was tempted to look at what lay in store until Indiana commanded her to close her eyes.

Everyone else in attendance watched as the contents of the ancient vessel burst forth into the air. The Ark was the repository of the original Ten Commandments once given to Moses. It was also God's reply to evil men, as Belloq and his comrades soon discovered. It would be the last thing that they would ever see. 

A short while later, it was all over. Marion and Indy freed themselves before examining what was left behind. They returned the Ark to America and met with the Army brass in Washington, D.C. Indiana stressed the importance of researching such a powerful entity, and was told that top men would take care of it. Indy was still disgusted by the government response as he and Marion departed. While they decided what to do next, a lowly worker was carting the crated artifact into a spacious warehouse, where it would take up space alongside many other similarly sized boxes. 

Even though there were a few things from the film that were not included in this adaptation, and Indy's threat to destroy the Ark was shown out of chronological order, this was still an age-appropriate, satisfying conclusion to this miniseries. I was used to writer Walt Simonson's artwork on the Star Wars title, and this was my first exposure to his writing abilities. I felt that he took the source material seriously and made his best efforts, as did penciler John Buscema and inker Klaus Janson.

Like many other fans, I was eager to read about more exploits of Indiana Jones and company. As it turned out, we didn't have to wait very long. Next time, I'll discuss the first issue of the ongoing series The Further Adventures of Indiana Jones. It was a fun beginning of a two-part story, co-plotted by John Byrne. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another.