Good afternoon, everyone,
Hope all's well. Today's topic is the nineteenth issue of Marvel's series The Further Adventures of Indiana Jones. The cover, illustrated by Bret Blevins, showed Indy holding onto what I assume is his bullwhip with the shadow of a winged creature underneath him. The story was called "Dragon by the Tail!" The issue had a cover date of July 1984.
The tale began in an airplane flying above the mountains of Nepal. Jones was preparing to parachute down into the icy conditions. He found a cave that would serve as shelter from the snow and wind a short while later and began reading a letter from a Japanese colleague that piqued his interest.
His friend thanked Indiana for saving him two years before, noting that his missive served as payment for that debt. He explained how his party had found the descendants of prehistoric cave dwellers in the northwestern portion of Mount Dhubri. Their modern weapons scared off the attackers, and when the group pressed on, they were astonished to find stone carvings that formed a sort of temple or barrier around what appeared to be a dragon encased in ice. The archaeologists agreed not to disturb their discovery and chose to leave.
News of their discovery eventually reached military leaders in their home country. There was some discussion about whether or not what had been found was real. If the creature could be revived, it might be used as a weapon against the country's enemies. The professor would not bring the militia to the site, but now informed Indy that the general's men were en route to the Himalayas, guided by others from the professor's group.
Indy considered the debt paid in full, and the next morning, he set out to investigate. Jones was amazed to see the monster had already been dug out and was being carted off via sled, still encased in ice. Indiana took out a guard and grabbed his grenades, hoping to set off an explosion that would send the mountain above them toppling down to interfere with their activities.
However, Jones was spotted by another soldier and fired upon. He suffered a flesh wound and had to use his whip to latch onto a peak to prevent a violent collision with the ground. By the time the soldiers arrived, Indy lay down and made it look like he'd been grievously injured. The men were convinced that their secret was safe and moved on.
Indy watched the Japanese military fly away with their prize in a zeppelin, and soon came across several of the prehistoric locals that his friend had mentioned in his letter. They had observed Jones' actions and determined that he was an ally. His shoulder wound was tended to, and Indiana was given an incantation that would, when spoken, make the dragon return to his worshippers. It was written in a pre-Indic language that Indiana was confident that he could translate.
Several weeks later, Indy arrived at the home of Professor Kobayashi in Japan. He was greeted by a woman who knew his name and moved to attack. Jones disarmed the female, who explained that she'd failed, adding that her father refused to help his nation's military. Feeling like he betrayed his country, Kobayashi decided to take his own life.
The professor didn't blame Indiana, but his daughter did. Jones talked about her father's devotion to peace and that he was trying to warn his friend. His debt to the American professor made it easier for Indy to do the right thing. He wanted to know as much about the dragon as possible. Indy knew that Kobayashi would have helped him, and his daughter eventually realized that. She led Indiana to a local temple that was large enough to be used as a military base. It could also contain the information that Jones sought.
He thanked the woman, who opted to wait outside for Jones. The first two men that Indy encountered told him that foreigners were forbidden to enter the facility. Indy apologized for his lack of knowledge, claiming to be a tourist. Neither man believed him, and a fight soon broke out.
Indiana took out each opponent individually. His pouch fell down an incline, and Jones went after it, figuring that the incantation it contained might be the only way to stop the beast. More soldiers arrived before Indy could accomplish that task. He used his whip once more to climb up to a safe hiding place as the guards rushed past.
After the soldiers departed, Jones jumped back down and found a door that led him to what he sought. The creature was still encased in a glass cylinder, as scientists were operating equipment around it. Indy learned that the military men had moved from ice to sleep gas to keep the dragon dormant. He was spotted by a soldier right before Indiana ran to one of the valves. Jones tugged on it to try to reduce the gas's flow.
Moments later, the creature awoke. It broke out of its prison and engaged in a battle between itself and its captors. Jones used his whip to draw the monster's attention as he ran toward his pouch that had the ancient inscription inside. The dragon's fiery breath caused some damage, and Indy was forced to grab the parchment and leave the pouch behind.
The dragon soon spread its wings and burst through the temple, with Indy attached via bullwhip. It reached the village before Indiana could climb onto its back, but Jones finally managed to get a secure spot and read the chant. When he finished, the dragon changed direction and started to fade from sight.
Indiana leaped before the creature vanished. Those who had seen it guessed that it might have been a part of the city's festival. None of them knew that the dragon had actually returned to its resting place in the Himalayas. It resumed its lengthy slumber as worshippers gave thanks and Indy returned to Kobayashi's daughter. She thanked him for his efforts and hoped that they'd meet again someday. As the American professor sailed away, he thought that war between their countries seemed likely, but at least without the dragon, it wouldn't happen as quickly.
Longtime Marvel readers may have thought that the dragon in this issue was the same or similar to Fin Fang Foom. There were definitely similarities, but unless those rumors are ever confirmed, this tale will probably be seen as non-canon. As filler issues go, this was an interesting yarn, one that would probably fit in with stories like the plot of the Crystal Skull movie.
Well, that's all that I have for you today. Tomorrow, I'll discuss the twentieth issue of this title. The regular storyline will resume, as Indiana and Marion Ravenwood dig a little deeper into the fake Arnhem calendar ring and meet the National Museum's new curator. We'll also see the return of another popular villain. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another.
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