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. 

Retro Comic Recap: Raiders of the Last Ark #2

Happy Tuesday, everyone,

Hope all is well. It's time for me to discuss the second issue of Marvel's Raiders of the Lost Ark movie adaptation. The cover to the middle part of this Marvel Movie Special showed Indiana Jones descending a rope toward the bottom of the Well of Souls, with his friends watching from above and dozens of snakes awaiting him below. The issue had a cover date of October 1981.

The story began right where the previous issue left off. Marion Ravenwood was being held by a henchman hired by the German named Toht, who was about to interrogate the owner of the tavern in Nepal as to the whereabouts of the headpiece that would be placed on the Staff of Ra. However, before any evil could be carried out, the familiar strands of a bullwhip wrapped around the poker in Toht's hand and flung it toward a curtain.

Indy reappeared, with his whip in one hand and pistol in the other, ordering the villains to step away from Marion slowly. Toht and his gang scattered right before the first shots rang out. Indiana returned fire, and his shots rang true, taking out one foe immediately. Marion dove under the bar as the man who'd been keeping her captive set his sights on the American archaeologist. 

While the heroes were fending for themselves, Toht found the medallion in a small blaze. He reached out for it, not realizing how hot the metal icon was. He dropped it in pain before ordering Jones' execution.

Indiana was able to defeat the gunman as Toht ran outside to douse his burned hand in the cold snow. Marion fled with Indy right after she retrieved the medallion. She lost her bar and the money Indy had paid her for the bauble, but he'd gained a partner in her. 

The next day, the couple flew to Cairo, where they soon met with Jones' old friend Sallah. Sallah was well aware of the Germans' activities, noting that Belloq was aiding in those efforts. Indy learned that there was an associate of Sallah's who might be able to help them translate the symbols carved on the medallion. Sallah expressed concern about the dangers that the Ark of the Covenant might pose. 

Indy and Marion walked together down city streets the following morning. They ran into a few unsavory characters and were eventually forced to separate during the fracas that ensued. Marion hid in a basket and cried out Jones' name before he saw the basket being loaded into a truck. Indy fired at the truck's driver, causing him to crash his vehicle, which exploded spectacularly moments later. It appeared that Marion had perished in the explosion as well. 

A distraught Jones later rode with Sallah to the home of Imam. The wise old man was able to translate the markings on the medallion. He said that the staff should be six kadam high (about 72 inches), and noted that the back of the medallion said to take back one kadam to honor the Hebrew god that the Ark belonged to. Sallah remarked that the medallion he had seen Belloq use only had markings on one side of it, which meant that he and the Germans were digging in the wrong location. 

The next day, the two friends drove out to the site where the Nazis had begun their search some time before. In disguise, they made their way slowly to the map room of Tanis. Sallah lowered a rope down for Indy. As Jones was getting his bearings and trying to figure out where to position his staff and medallion, Sallah was interrupted by a Nazi who assumed he was part of the hired help. 

Sallah grudgingly assisted his enemies, which postponed his return to help Indy. Jones found the correct location to dig in and called for Sallah. He had to wait a while, but was soon assisted. Sallah explained his tardiness, and the arrival of more Nazis forced the duo to part temporarily. 

Indiana ducked into a nearby tent, where he was surprised to see Marion tied up and sitting on a chair. He deduced that their foes must have switched baskets and gave his love a fierce kiss before being forced to leave her bound and gagged. Indy explained that if he freed her, the Nazis would scour the grounds for the two of them, and that was something he simply couldn't risk then. 

Jones promised to return for Marion before setting off to find Sallah. The two longtime colleagues ventured further into the desert and located the correct spot to start digging. Meanwhile, Belloq and his allies were conversing about their progress. The Fuhrer wished they had accomplished more by then, but Belloq was confident that they would succeed. During the conversation, Toht entered. As he saluted Hitler, we could see the medallion inscription burned into the palm that had touched the medallion back in Nepal.

After several hours, the outline of a stone block was finally cleared. Indy, Sallah, and their crew moved the heavy stone aside and finally peered down into the Well of Souls, and a box on the floor that had to contain the Ark. Indiana tossed a torch down to reveal a multitude of snakes that slithered about the surface. Indy was deathly afraid of snakes, but still gathered enough courage to rappel down toward the floor. A few well-placed torches and the canister of gasoline he'd brought down with him helped to clear a path that was safe enough to traverse across.

Back in the camp, Belloq removed Marion's gag and expressed his regret for her captivity. Belloq offered her food and a new dress, which she accepted. While the Frenchman was admiring Marion, Indiana, and Sallah were marveling at the Ark of the Covenant that they'd just brought up out of its container. They loaded it into a crate and had it hauled up to their associates. 

Indy was the last one left in the Well of Souls and asked for the rope, which fell at his feet. He looked up to see Belloq holding his companions at gunpoint. Once again, his rival had taken something from him that he'd found. Toht did not want their foe to be left there all alone and threw Marion down into the pit, much to Belloq's frustration. Indy stood there for moments as she fell several stories in the final panel of this issue.

Once again, there were a few minor details from the movie that writer Walt Simonson omitted, like the swordsman in the city melee that Indy shot and the monkey that Marion had briefly adopted, but they didn't detract from the overall story. John Buscema and Klaus Janson worked very well together in this collaborative effort, and I found myself reading it eagerly, wondering what would happen next with each page that I turned. 

Tune in tomorrow to find out how things turned out for Indy, Marion, and Sallah. We'll see what Belloq, Toht, and the Nazis did with the Ark, and how the heroes attempted to thwart the evil plans. We'll also learn where the historic treasure made its final resting place. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: Raiders of the Lost Ark #1

Good morning, peeps,

May the Fourth be with you! I'm done covering Star Wars titles for a while, but I decided to kick off this week by recapping another series that was co-created by George Lucas. It begins with a discussion of the first issue of Marvel's three-part adaptation of the 1981 film, Raiders of the Lost Ark. This "Marvel Movie Special" was also collected in a single volume Super Special. The cover for this particular issue showed the German mercenary Toht giving a salute, where we can see part of a medallion's inscriptions burned into his palm, and Indy running from Hovitos warriors. The issue had a cover date of September 1981.

In Peru in the year 1936, an American archaeologist and his crew approached the remains of an old temple. Jones' colleagues, Barranca and Satipo, talked amongst themselves along the way until they finally found the building that was once used by Chacopoyan warriors. Some of the crew were frightened by what they saw, including the indication that the Hovitos warriors were indeed nearby. 

While Indy was reviewing the map just before they were about to enter, Satipo noticed something that froze him where he stood. Jones turned around and swung his trusty bullwhip in time to disarm Barranca, moments before his former ally ran off. It was up to Indy and Satipo to venture inside. Jones took the lead, wondering what had ever happened to his rival Forrestal.

It turned out that he didn't have to wonder very long, for as they neared one passageway, Indy tossed a stick inside, and a series of spikes sprang out, carrying the body of Forrestal on them. Jones correctly deduced that his now former opponent must have broken the light beam, which in turn triggered the spike mechanism. He and Satipo crawled across slowly, careful not to break the beam. 

They soon found themselves in a narrow hall, with a large stone missing. The gap was wide enough that they couldn't jump across. Indiana tossed his whip up to a beam above the break in the path, which allowed he and Satipo to cross safely. Before long, they saw the idol they'd been searching for mere feet in front of them. 

However, Indy knew that it couldn't be that simple. He used the butt end of their torch to tap the tiles that stood between them and the idol. He learned that the light tiles were okay, and that pressing on the dark tiles caused poison darts to shoot from holes littered across each wall. He made his way nimbly across them until he could leap up to the pedestal. 

Jones eyed the golden icon for several moments before pulling a pouch from his bag. He knelt before the pedestal, filling the small bag with sand. Indy hoped that the weight would be the same, as he substituted the icon for the bag. 

Things were fine, but only for a short while. The pedestal eventually began to descend, and the chamber started collapsing. Indy crossed the tiles carefully and reached the hall with the large gap. Satipo offered him the whip if Jones would throw over the idol.

Indy realized he had no other choice and obliged. Satipo grabbed the treasure and ran off. Jones made a running leap and barely caught the edge of the other side of the floor. He had finally pulled himself up when he heard an agonizing scream. Indiana ran forward, making sure not to trip the light beam, and found that Satipo had forgotten that trap. He pulled the idol from the dead man's hands and continued on. Indy had to outrace a giant boulder before he could finally exit the tomb.

Jones had no sooner landed on his face when he heard a familiar voice next to him. It belonged to another rival, a Frenchman named Belloq. Indy surrendered the idol and his pistol to Belloq, who raised the icon before the Hovitos. Jones took advantage of their inattentiveness to run through the woods and would live to see another day.

Some time later, back at the university where Jones taught, Indy was describing his recent adventure with Marcus Brody and expressed his interest in returning when Brody informed him that several members of Army intelligence were there to speak with him. Major Eaton and Colonel Musgrove had arrived to speak with Jones about his experience. They already knew about some of his history, including the fact that he'd studied under Abner Ravenwood.

Jones admitted that, adding that they parted on difficult terms. He then learned that the Army was engaged in a race against the Nazis in attempting to discover the Ark of the Covenant, the legendary vessel that was rumored to contain the pieces of the tablets of Moses, the original Ten Commandments. A communique intercepted by the Nazis indicated that the Germans had found Tanis, a place where the Ark had supposedly been hidden within the Well of Souls. That section had long since been covered by sandstorms and was presumably lost to time.

Abner had dedicated most of his career to finding the Ark and had located a few pieces, including the headpiece for the staff of Ra, which was supposedly a key component to finding the Well of Souls' location. Indy agreed to join the search after being promised that the Ark would become property of the university's museum.

In a small watering hole in the Himalayas, a big, burly man known as Red was engaged in a drinking competition with the tavern's proprietor. It was a contest that he lost. The owner, Marion, was cheered on by her patrons just before she shooed them out for the evening. Marion was ready to close up until she saw someone sitting in a booth.

She ordered him to leave until she saw that it was Jones. Marion swung at him before yelling at him to leave. Indy explained that he was looking for Abner, but was informed that he'd arrived two years too late. Abner was never found after an avalanche buried the site he had been working at. Marion then worked at the very bar before the previous owner left one day, screaming as he was taken away.

Marion still bore a grudge against Indiana for hurting her years earlier. He knew what he did was wrong, and that he'd never meant to hurt her. Jones described the piece he was looking for, which Marion said she might know where it was located. Indy gave her $5,000 in cash before being told to return the next day. He walked away, not knowing that the headpiece was on a chain around Marion's neck.

As she thought about what she could do with the cash, Marion was alerted to an unfamiliar voice behind her. She informed her guests that the bar was closed, to which the stranger dressed in a black overcoat informed her that they were not thirsty. The man named Toht said that he was after the same item that Jones was. He was prepared to offer more money, but was not about to wait for it any longer. His men grabbed Marion by the arms as he walked toward the fire. Toht took a poker, dipped it into the fire, and came closer to Marion with each passing step, so that he could show his captive what he was accustomed to. 

The final page of content was a breakdown of the movie's crew and production staff. This adaptation was written by Star Wars artist Walt Simonson and illustrated by John Buscema and Klaus Janson. There were a few minor details, like Barrana's death by Hovito poison darts and the seaplane scene that showed Indy's disdain for snakes, but I know it's nearly impossible to fit everything from a two-hour-plus movie into a three-issue limited series. I had the Marvel Super Special adaptation as a child that I'd ordered from a school book fair and read it until the cover came off, so I'm glad that I acquired this miniseries a few years back. I loved the storyline and admired "Big" John's artwork. Janson's inking was a bit spotty at times. Sometimes, it complemented the pencil work perfectly. In other panels, it was rather rough. All in all, this adaptation was rather faithful to the original movie script and honored the themes and character roles. 

Tomorrow, I'll tackle the middle part of this adaptation. We'll find out what happened to Marion and where Jones ended up afterward. We'll also learn how the Nazis neared Tanis and if the Ark actually existed. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another.