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.
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