Retro Comic Recap: The Further Adventures of Indiana Jones #9

Good afternoon, everyone,

Hope all's well. It's time for me to talk about the ninth issue of The Further Adventures of Indiana Jones. The cover, illustrated by Howard Chaykin and Indiana Jones, depicted Indy barely hanging onto a city rooftop, as a man wielding a spear and shield and dressed in a leopard skin appeared ready to lunge. The tale was titled "The Gold Goddess Chapter 1: Xomec's Raiders." The issue had a cover date of September 1983. 

Who remembers the idol from the beginning of Raiders of the Lost Ark? That very item was the subject of Indy and Sallah's quest in Marrakesh in Northwestern Africa. Sallah was slowly lowering a rope that Jones was descending into a building where the treasure was contained. However, the two friends weren't the only ones after it. 

Indiana saw a body before him as he hit the floor, and looked out to see a pair of robed strangers attempting to make off with the idol. Indy put his whip into action and lashed the business end onto a tall statue, bringing it toppling in front of the nearest door. Jones grabbed the idol once more and tossed it up to his comrade.

As Sallah sang happily, Indy evaded the strangers' gunshots and burst through the door, only to find a truck heading his way. Jones ducked into a dead end and used his whip to snag the top end of a drainpipe that, unfortunately, began to sag toward him.

Just then, Sallah pulled on the whip and helped his friend up. Their foes were now also on the roof, and the colleagues were forced to run across rooftops in an effort to escape. They finally reached the top of the building where Sallah's truck was parked. They had no choice but to leap into the back of the vehicle, which was full of camel straw. As the heroes drove off, their attackers cursed and unmasked. The man called Xomec was told by his female companion that she knew of Jones and that there might just be a way to regain possession of the idol and eliminate their foe.

The scene then shifted to an exclusive club in New York three days later. Marion Ravenwood and Marcus Brody were guests and were wondering about the whereabouts of their associate when the press made a beeline for the elevator. Indy stepped out with the idol, explaining his tardiness was due to his difficulty with bow ties.

Indiana placed the icon in Marcus' hands. There was a special room reserved for it, one whose guard had been knocked unconscious. Brody soon learned who was behind such an act after turning to leave and finding an arrow that was fired at the same door that he'd just entered from.

Xomec and a pair of his tribesmen wanted the idol. He was a descendant of the Chachapoyan warriors and was reclaiming what was theirs. The Hovitos that flanked Xomec were armed with blowguns and an array of poison darts. Marcus willingly handed over the idol after being asked if he wanted the toxin's effects described to him.

On the dance floor, Marion and Indy were catching up until the professor noticed a crowd gathering outside the exhibition room. Xomec took out a revolver and fired a few shots, hitting a couple of men who had gathered. Indy ran to the roof and dropped down so he could carefully make his way to the display room.

Marion saved Jones from being knocked over by a Hovito dart, but Indy insisted on going alone the rest of the way. He ducked as he rounded the corner and used his jacket to catch his opponent off balance. As he fell, the warrior grabbed the jacket, pulling Indy as well. Indiana finally managed to get his balance and held onto the edge for dear life. Xomec arrived shortly thereafter and began stomping on the archaeologist's hand, bringing him ever nearer the pavement several stories below. 

This was an entertaining story by Archie Goodwin and David Michelinie. I liked Sallah's return, and although it probably isn't considered canon, there was a good follow-up to the idol from the first film's whereabouts. I didn't know much about penciler Dan Reed, but inker Danny Bulanadi's work kept the art consistent from beginning to end. 

If you're still asking who the mystery woman in Marrakesh was, that and more will be revealed in the next issue. I'll cover that one in tomorrow's blog post. The tenth issue of this series will show us what happened to Indy as we find out why the idol was so important and just who was behind the plot against Jones' life. 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 #8

Good afternoon, all,

How's your Tuesday going? 

The focus of today's article is the eighth issue of The Further Adventures of Indiana Jones. The cover depicted Indy and Marion Ravenwood pointing their pistols at off-screen attackers, as arrows flew around them and a giant skull appeared in the background. The tale was titled "Africa Screams! Chapter 2: Crystal Death." The issue had a publication date of August 1983.

Jones and Ravenwood had been hiding from a Nazi regiment in a cave in Western Africa when a roar behind them alerted them to the fact that they weren't alone. Indy lit a match to get a closer look and saw a panther staring back at them. He turned the match toward the dry grass on the cave floor and used it to create distance between them and this new threat. 

A German soldier spotted the two Americans, but before he could get a clear shot, the panther lunged at him. Indy and Marion were talking about the rumored Shintay tribe that was supposed to have split off from Atlantis that both factions were looking for when an arrow buzzed past Indiana's head and landed on a tree behind them. It had been fired by an eight-foot-tall man with fair skin. Their attacker had loaded another arrow in his crossbow and was about to fire again when he was felled by a bullet from behind.

The killing shot had been fired by one of the Nazis, whose group had now caught up with the Americans. Among their party was Indy's rival McIver, who examined the corpse and knew that the crystal arrows and ornamentation could fetch a pretty penny. He realized that he must have been looking at a blood relative of the Shintay. 

Colonel Vogel, the leader of the German military group, knew they had to be close to the Shintay colony and the power source that, according to legend, the Atlanteans had owned. He had just ordered Indy and Marion's deaths when the entire group was surrounded by more Shintay warriors. No one understood the words the tall men spoke, but it was quite obvious that they wanted the visitors to follow them.

Before long, the group arrived outside a complex crafted of mud, dirt, and bones. The entrance looked like a human skull (and was somewhat reminiscent of Castle Greyskull from the Masters of the Universe). The captives were brought inside to face the leader named Vyperion.

Vyperion claimed the travelers as his. Indy asked if they were indeed Shintay, to which Vyperion replied that they were descended from that Atlantean offshoot. They were outcasts because they worshipped death while their brothers worshipped life. They were deemed a threat to Atlantis and were shunned, banished, and never allowed to return to their homeland ever again. 

When asked by Marion why Vyperion spoke English like a British butler, the leader pointed to a skull that once belonged to another visitor, a British missionary who had come across their tribe many years before. Vogel then asked about the rumored source of power. Vyperion explained that it came from the crystal orbs that were contained in the room. They had been raised in Atlantean soil and could focus elemental energy from the planet itself. 

The tyrant then provided a demonstration of that power. He pointed to a Nazi soldier who had been tied to a post, the same person who had gunned down their brother. The soldier apologized and pleaded for his release, but that was not to be. Vyperion grabbed the orb nearest him and slightly moved the bone limb that it rested in. The soldier began to writhe in pain. Marion and Indy observed in horror as their foe started burning up from the inside. Afterward, Vyperion ordered his men to imprison their guests to be dealt with the following day. 

As dawn began to break the next morning, the sun's rays brought light to the crystals that were embedded in the roof of the complex. Some of those light rays were concentrated into deadly beams, including one that was nearing the Americans until a German soldier yawned and moved his arm, only to have that appendage burned. His terrified scream woke the rest of the chamber's occupants, who soon found themselves being bombarded by the beams from above.

Indy and Marion stood against the pillar where they had rested until Jones asked for Marion's compact. He used the mirror to reflect one of the rays at the door lock. They hightailed it out of the room and overtook the guard outside as they continued to search for an exit. While Vogel, McIver, and the soldiers made a beeline for the throne room, Indy and Marion continued to descend until they stumbled into an archery range. 

As the heroes were dodging arrows, the villains were gunning down Vyperion. Vogel then grabbed one of the crystals and continued to move it. As he did so, the lights went out in the room, and several of his subordinates started to heat up inside, but Vogel continued his machinations. 

Jones and Ravenwood were making their final stand as McIver was begging his ally to cease his activities. Vogel finally wrenched the crystal free from its mooring. Immediately afterward, the building started to fall apart. Indy and Marion burst through the closest wall before it collapsed behind them.

Vogel realized that he might just have made a mistake, but before he could do anything about it, he was impaled by a large tusk that fell from the ceiling. Indiana and Marion were a safe distance away when they watched the complex disintegrate in a spectacular explosion. Indy pulled a small souvenir he'd taken from his jacket, noting that it would be a fine conversation piece for the museum, and Marion added that she'd have a fine story for the Sunday supplement. Several yards away, McIver crawled out of a pile of rubble. He was thankful to have survived, since he'd have a chance for revenge against Jones someday. 

For a two-part story, I thought that this was a satisfying conclusion. David Michelinie's story and Kerry Gammill and Sam Dela Rosa's artwork kept me hooked throughout. I just wish we had learned a bit more about the backstories of the villains and the Shintay tribe. Maybe if another Indiana Jones title surfaces, that could eventually happen. This is still one of my favorite storylines from this series. I'm glad that McIver survived, although he now reminds me a bit of the triple agent that was featured in the Crystal Skull film. 

That's it from me for today. Tomorrow, I'll cover the ninth issue of this title. A popular character from Raiders of the Lost Ark makes their debut in this series and joins Indy on another foreign adventure. 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 #7

Good afternoon,

I'm starting this week with a summary of the seventh issue of Marvel's Indiana Jones title. The cover showed Indy grabbing Marion Ravenwood's arm to save her from alligators, not knowing that snakes were near the branch his whip was tied around. The story was called "Africa Screams! Chapter 1." The issue had a cover date of July 1983. 

The tale began in a French vineyard, where Indy was holding a gun to his old rival, McIver. Jones admired how the monastery was being used as a front for international artifact thieves. Indiana was there to retrieve the Piute Summoning Stone for the National Museum. He spotted the globe and grabbed a nearby piece of parchment to cover it. Meanwhile, McIver stood against a doorway and pressed a button that silently summoned several gunmen.

Indy ducked in time before his foes started firing. They missed their target, but one of the shots broke the door lock, making it easier for the American professor to escape. He tossed off his robe as he fled and used his old reliable bullwhip to bring a tapestry hanging from a wall down on some of his pursuers. Jones returned fire as he ran up a set of stairs. He continued to run until he ran into a dead end. The only way out was through a fourth-floor window. 

Jones had no choice but to jump, right into a barrel filled with grapes. He got up, punched one of the villains, and hightailed it to a truck to make his getaway. Indy escaped that time, but McIver was sure they'd meet again before long.

Some time later, Indy returned home. He was telling Marcus Brody about his adventure as his friend examined the map that Jones had wrapped the stone in. Brody explained that it might be worth more than a hundred summoning stones. The map supposedly showed the movements of a clan of people around 1600 B.C. known as the Shintay, a group that was rumored to have split off from the legendary Atlantis. 

Brody knew that any artifacts recovered from that tribe would be masterful finds. He encouraged Indy to set a course for Africa. That thought was echoed by Marion, who entered the house by picking the lock with a bobby pin. She thought that the Times would pay well for an exclusive and eventually convinced the two associates to let her join Jones on the adventure.

Marion and Indy arrived in a small village in Cameroon, Western Africa, several days later. It was the last civilized outpost before entering the Congo. They headed for the trading post to acquire supplies. Indiana inquired with the shopkeeper and learned that a Dutch expedition had come through a few days before in search of a rare orchid for medical research and had hired every able body available. Indy thought that was too much to just be a coincidence and decided that they would continue on alone. 

The duo constructed a raft and floated down a tributary of the Sankuru River until their peace was broken up by an attack from an angry hippopotamus. They were surprised, knowing how docile this kind of animal usually was. Indy prevented the hippo from making a meal out of them, but when they turned around, the Americans saw crocodiles entering the water and heading their way.

Jones tossed his bullwhip at the nearest tree and kept it from the crocodile's reach. However, what he didn't see was a large boa constrictor that had wrapped itself around that very branch. Anyone who saw the Raiders of the Lost Ark knows how Jones is deathly afraid of snakes, and he sat there in shock as Marion grabbed Indy's revolver and fired at the animal. Her shots took out the constrictor, as well as the branch that the whip was attached to.

Indy came to in time to examine their predicament and swung them away, right into a pit of quicksand. As the pair started to sink, with the whip now out of reach, Doctor Curt Vogel of the Dutch pharmaceutical expedition threw a rope their way. While one of his porters helped them get to solid ground, his suspiciously German-sounding soldiers shot the crocodiles to eliminate that threat.

Vogel scolded the gunmen for using violent force before inviting his guests to join them at their camp. The trio enjoyed a hearty dinner that evening, but Indy and Marion were still a bit wary. Traveling with such heavy weapons and using the same route as theirs was a bit much. Jones opted to fish things out on his own. He crept into one tent and found a crate of ammunition marked with the Nazi swastika.

He'd just learned that fact when he was alerted to the sound of Vogel's voice from behind him, except that his host was now dressed in a Nazi colonel's military uniform. Vogel then brought out his partner, who was none other than McIver. The Scot explained that he'd planned the trip using a copy of the map Indy had made off with and that his German counterparts had financed the excursion. 

Vogel was about to execute the intruder when Jones kicked a lamp into one of the open ammunition crates. The resulting discharges allowed Indy to exit the tent. He soon caught up with Marion, and the duo ran for the mountains. They tried to stay as quiet as possible while staying out of sight of the Nazis, but a loud growl from neither of them indicated that they weren't alone. 

I was familiar with penciler Kerry Gammil's work from the seventieth issue of Star Wars and a few Marvel Team-Up stories, and I felt that his artwork really fit in with Sam Dela Rosa's inks and David Michelinie's plot. I just wish that Gammill had stayed on beyond this storyline. This was another issue full of action and well-placed humor. 

This story concludes next issue, which I'll discuss in more detail tomorrow. We'll find out just who was in the hiding place with Indy and Marion, and whether or not the Shintay actually existed. We'll also see just what the Nazis were planning to do if and when they found the rumored tribe. 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 #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.