The Mission

The Mission
Start date:	April 3, 1972
End date:	July 1, 1972
# of strips:	78 (13 weeks)
Writer:	Lee Falk
Artist:	Fred Fredericks
Preceded by:	"The Rogues"
Followed by:	"Trail of the Pusher"

"The Mission" is the 150th Mandrake daily story. The story was written by Lee Falk and drawn by Fred Fredericks.

Plot Summary

A strange couple from the future visit Mandrake, claiming Mandrake is their ancestor 200 generations away. The timetravelers from year 6972 asking Mandrake for help to pursuing a criminal from their future time. The killer is armed with an incredibly deadly anti-matter weapon.

In the end it turns out that it's all a game for time travelers, a "mad killer game".

Appearances

Recurring characters

• Mandrake
• Lothar
• Narda
• Jed

One-time characters

• Drake, from Nu Yk.
• Ard, sister of Drake.

Locations

• New York City
  • Xanadu
  • S.S. Division, the Silly Stuff Division
  • Pamet park

Organizations

• Inter-Intel

Behind the scenes

Title

• The story title is taken from the strip of April 3, 1972 (Beginning: "The Mission").

Real Life References

• Pamet Park, refering to Lee Falk's summer house near Truro at Cape Cod.

Reprints

This story has been published in the following publications:

Australia

• "The Mission from Time Warp 6978", Mandrake the Magician Album Edition (1978)

Brazil

• "O Homem Que Veio do Futuro", Mandrake #198 (1972)
• "Vovô Mandrake", Almanaque do Mandrake #12 (1983)

Finland

• "Tehtävä", Mustanaamio #15 and #16 (1986)

France

• "Les traqueurs", Le Journal de Mickey #1723 to #1724 (1985)
• "Les traqueurs", Donald Magazine #85-28 & #85-29 (1985)

India

• "Floating Couple", Indrajal Comics #187 (1973)
• "The Mission" Comic World #63

Indonesia

• "Menguber Pembunuh Gila", Mandrake (1974)
• "Permainan Berbahaya", Mandrake The Magician 2 (Marabunta / Nostalgia) (2022)

Italy

• "L'assassino venuto dal futoro", I Quaderni del Fumetto #19 (1975)
• "I discendenti alieni", Superfumetti in Film #10 (1978)

Portugal

• "O Mistério do Chefe Desconhecido", Mundo de Aventuras #1251 (1973)

Spain

• "Misión imposible", Supercomics Garbo #2 (1976)

Sweden

• "Uppdraget", Fantomen #24 (1985)

Turkey

• "Zaman Gezğinleri", Mandrake #18 #19 (1974)
• "Zaman Gezğinleri", Mandrake Albüm #6 #7
• "Zaman Gezğinleri", Mandrake Albüm #218
• "Zaman Gezğinleri", Mandrake #19 #20
• "Zaman Gezğinleri", Mandrake Süper Albüm #5
• "Zaman Gezğinleri", Mandrake Süper Albüm #40 #41
• "Zaman Gezğinleri", Mandrake Süper Albüm #17

USA

• "The Mission", The Menomonee Falls Gazette #18 – #30 (1972)

Yugoslavia

• "Ubice iz budućeg vremena", Super EKS Almanah #15 (1981)
• "Ubice iz budućeg vremena", Mandrak magazin #12 (1990)