The Treasure Hunt

The Treasure Hunt
Start date:	September 5th, 1937
End date:	March 20th, 1938
# of strips:	29 (29 weeks)
Writer:	Lee Falk
Artist:	Phil Davis
Preceded by:	"Prince Paulo the Tyrant"
Followed by:	"The Lunar Trip"

"The Treasure Hunt" is the 7th Mandrake Sunday story. The story was written by Lee Falk and drawn by Phil Davis.

Plot Summary

Betty's late uncle left his fortune in a locked vault. His heirs have to go on a world-hunt to find the five numbers that form the combination of the lock.

Appearances

Recurring characters

• Mandrake
• Lothar

One-time characters

• Roger, a wealthy and great world traveler.
• Betty Gray, niece of Roger.
• Augusta, niece of Roger.
• Karl, brother of Augusta.
• Pete, step-brother of Augusta.
• Captain Krag, hired by Augusta.
• Gawaali, chief of headhunters at Cerebi.
• Togooya, demon god of Cerebi.

Locations

• Egypt
  • Kairo
  • Cheops pyramid.
• Italy
  • Venice
• Indonesia
  • Cerebi, home of headhunters.
• South Seas
  • Tahore
• US ?

Behind the scenes

• At the deepwoods.org index the title for this story is "The Treasure Hunt", which is lifted from the plot.
• In Venice, a gondolier singing: "Oh, Ho, de St. Luigi Blues" - Reference to St. Louis (November 7, 1937)

Reprints

This story has been published in the following publications:

Canada

• "The 5-Numbers Treasure Hunt", Feature Book #55 (1949)

France

• "La chasse aux trésors", Robinson #98 to Robinson #126 (1938)
• "La course au trésor", Collection merveilleuse #11 (1940)
• "La course au trésor", Aventures et Mystère #119 (1950)
• "La chasse au trésor", L'âge d'or Mandrake #2 (1980)

Italy

• "Mandrake alla caccia del tesoro", L'Audace (1938)
• "Mandrake alla caccia del tesoro", Contastorie (1945/46)
• "La caccia al tesoro", "L'idolo parlante dell'isola Cerebi" and "La lotta in fondo al mare", Albo avventuroso - Mandrake #23, #24 and #25 (1948)
• "Caccia al tesoro", Il Vascello #57 (1961)
• "Caccia al tesoro", I Classici dell'Avventura #41 (1963)
• "Mandrake alla caccia al tesoro", L'epoca d'oro di Mandrake #2 (1980)

Norway

• "The Treasure Hunt", Mandrake the Magician (2005) Note: English text !!

Poland

• "??", Świat Przygód #113-141 (1937-1938)

Spain

• "no given title", Aventurero #149 - #166 (1938)
• "La Clave del Tesoro Oculto", Merlin el Mago Moderno La clave del tesoro oculto (1942)
• "A la Caza del Tesoro", Mandrake #3 (1999)

Sweden

• "Det dölda testamentet", Allers Familj-Journal

Turkey

• "Gizli Anahtar", 1001 Özel #6 (1950)

USA

• "(no title)", King Comics #27, King Comics #28, King Comics #29, King Comics #30, King Comics #31, King Comics #32, King Comics #33 and King Comics #34 (1938/1939)
• "The 5-Numbers Treasure Hunt", Feature Book #55 (1948)

Yugoslavia

• "Ostrvo ljudoždera", Biblioteka Nostalgija #8 (1988) note: the story starts January 1, 1937