The Cobra (Daily story 1934): Difference between revisions

From MandrakeWiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search
mNo edit summary
 
(25 intermediate revisions by 2 users not shown)
Line 11: Line 11:
|}}
|}}
'''"The Cobra"''' is the 1st Mandrake [[daily story]].  
'''"The Cobra"''' is the 1st Mandrake [[daily story]].  
The story was written by [[Lee Falk]] and drawn by [[Phil Davis]].
The story was written by [[Lee Falk]] and drawn by [[Phil Davis]].  
 
According to an anecdote<ref>(Astor, David ''Fifty years of Magic and a Masked Man'', Editor & Publisher, 1986-12-20, p 26)</ref> by Lee Falk the first few weeks were only printed in two US newspapers: [[The New York Evening Journal]] and a newspaper from Little Rock in Arkansas ''(The Arkansas Gazette ?)''.
== Plot Summary ==
== Plot Summary ==
Mandrake chases the Cobra, a mysterious and powerful black magician. He is the fanatical leader of a powerful secret society of faceless slaves that seeks to control the world.
Mandrake chases the Cobra, a mysterious and powerful black magician. He is the fanatical leader of a powerful secret society of faceless slaves that seeks to control the world.
Line 23: Line 23:
*[[Luciphor|The Cobra]]
*[[Luciphor|The Cobra]]
'''One-time characters'''
'''One-time characters'''
*Inspector Ralph Sheldon of the U.S. Secret Service.
*Ralph Sheldon, inspector in the U.S. Secret Service
*Barbara Sheldon, daughter of Ralph Sheldon.
*Barbara Sheldon, daughter of Ralph Sheldon.
*Assistant Tommy Lord of the U.S. Secret Service
*Tommy Lord, Ralph Sheldon's assistant
*Ambassador VanderGriff
*Mr. VanderGriff, ambassador of ?
*Mee-Kee, VanderGriff's Servant.
*Mee-Kee, VanderGriff's servant
*Monsieur Gordini Talon
*Gordini Talon, one of The Cobras men <small>(turned into a rat by Mandrake)</small>
*Captain Merriweather
*Captain Merriweather, onboard the ship
*Lieutenant Rogers
*Lieutenant Rogers, onboard the ship
*Dr Heath
*Dr Heath, onboard the ship
 
*Prince Saud of Tejei, son of the late Emir Ibn-Rehr
*Prince Saud, son of Emir Ibn-Rehr
*Kâri, High Priest of the Sun <small>''(4 800 B.C.)''</small>
*Kâri, High Priest of the Sun (4 800 B.C.)


*Viscount Largy, chairman of the Council of Nations.
*Viscount Largy, chairman of the Council of Nations.
*General Stuldiloff, commander of a half million troops.
*General Stuldiloff, commander of a half million troops.


</div><div style="float:right; width:50%;">
</div><div style="float:right; width:45%;">
'''Locations'''
'''Locations'''
*''Tejei'' agless and mysterios walled city, key to the orient. It was one of the only privately owned cities in the world.
*U.S.A.
*''Kilgar Pass'', the old castle - home of the Cobra.
**New York City <small>(?)</small>
***Home of VanderGriff
*Three oceans <small>(according to Mandrake)</small>
**Atlantic Ocean
***Mediterranean Sea <small>(?)</small>
*The Orient <small>(Egypt ?)</small>
**Tejei, agless and mysterios walled privately owned city, key to the orient.
**The Great Desert <small>(Sahara ?)</small>
***Kilgar Pass
****The old castle, home of the Cobra.
</div><br clear="all">
</div><br clear="all">


==Behind the scenes==
==Behind the scenes==
===Title===
*The title for the story is lifted from the plot.
*The title for the story is lifted from the plot.
===Artist(s)===
*In interviews after 1972 Lee Falk says that he himself did all the art work for the two first weeks of this story. It is difficult to find evidence that this is correct, so one has to assume that this statement probably is intended to be an anecdote.
===Swiping===
Looking at some panels one can see that elements are swiped, a few from the "Secret Agent X-9" strip by Dashiell Hammett and Alex Raymond.
<gallery>
Image:md-001-davis_raymond-X9-10.jpg|Sample
</gallery>
===Censorship===
*Most reprints are [[Spotlight on Mandrake the Magician - Censorship|censored]] due using the print from [[L'Avventuroso|''L'Avventuroso'' #15 - #43 from 1935]] as source for the reprint.
*Most reprints are [[Spotlight on Mandrake the Magician - Censorship|censored]] due using the print from [[L'Avventuroso|''L'Avventuroso'' #15 - #43 from 1935]] as source for the reprint.
*In interviews after 1972 Lee Falk says that he himself did all the art work for the two first weeks of this story. It is difficult to find evidence that this is correct, so one has to assume that this statement probably is intended to be an anecdote.


== Sweeping  ==
==References==
The scene in the strip of June 30 is borrowed from a Secret Agent X-9 strip by Dashiell Hammett and Alex Raymond.
<references />


== Signifiant covers ==
<gallery>
<gallery>
Image:md-001-davis_raymond-X9-01.jpg|Sample
Mandrakecolecao01.jpg|[[Image:mini_brazil.gif]] Brazil
Celeg01.png|[[Image:mini_france.gif]] France
Spécial-Mandrake 32.jpg|[[Image:mini_france.gif]] France
Spécial-Mandrake 33.jpg|[[Image:mini_france.gif]] France
Collana Albi grandi avventure-01-a.jpg|[[Image:mini_italy.gif]] Italy
Mistero (nuova serie) 4.jpg|[[Image:mini_italy.gif]] Italy
Mistero (nuova serie) 5.jpg|[[Image:mini_italy.gif]] Italy
Mistero (nuova serie) 6.jpg|[[Image:mini_italy.gif]] Italy
Mistero-Raccolta-10.jpg|[[Image:mini_italy.gif]] Italy
Il Vascello-02-21.jpg|[[Image:mini_italy.gif]] Italy
Il Vascello-02-22.jpg|[[Image:mini_italy.gif]] Italy
Collana Mandrake csitw-01.jpg|[[Image:mini_italy.gif]] Italy
Collana Mandrake csitw-02.jpg|[[Image:mini_italy.gif]] Italy
Ncn-mandrake-115.jpg|[[Image:mini_italy.gif]] Italy
Comart01.jpg|[[Image:mini_italy.gif]] Italy
Club-dei-Trenta-012.jpg|[[Image:mini_italy.gif]] Italy
Mandrake esteve 1.jpg|[[Image:mini_spain.gif]] Spain
1001ozel-205.jpg|[[Image:mini_turkey.gif]] Turkey
Titan-dailies-01-f.jpg|[[Image:mini_uk.gif]] United Kingdom
</gallery>
</gallery>


Line 73: Line 109:
*"L'homme du mystère", [[Mandrake roi de la magie (CELEG) 1|''Mandrake roi de la magie'' #1]] (1965)
*"L'homme du mystère", [[Mandrake roi de la magie (CELEG) 1|''Mandrake roi de la magie'' #1]] (1965)
*"L'homme du mystère", [[Spécial Mandrake (Mondes Mystérieux) 32|''Spécial Mandrake'' #32]] & [[Spécial Mandrake (Mondes Mystérieux) 33| #33]] (1966)
*"L'homme du mystère", [[Spécial Mandrake (Mondes Mystérieux) 32|''Spécial Mandrake'' #32]] & [[Spécial Mandrake (Mondes Mystérieux) 33| #33]] (1966)
*"Le Cobra", [[Mandrake le Magicien Vol. 1 (Futuropolis)|''Mandrake le Magicien'' Vol. 1]] (1981)
*"Le Cobra", [[Futuropolis Copyright - Mandrake le Magicien Vol. 1|''Mandrake le Magicien'' Vol. 1]] (1981)


=== [[Image:mini_french_polynesia.png|border]] French Polynesia===
=== [[Image:mini_french_polynesia.png|border]] French Polynesia===
*"Mandrake l’uomo del mistero" and "Mandrake contro il Cobra", [[Mandrake 1 (Comics Stars in the World)|''Mandrake'' #1]]" and " [[Mandrake 2 (Comics Stars in the World)|''Mandrake'' #2]]" (Comics Stars in the World 1976) <small>note: Italian text.</small>
*"Mandrake l’uomo del mistero" & "Mandrake contro il Cobra", [[Mandrake 1 (Comics Stars in the World)|''Mandrake'' #1]]" and " [[Mandrake 2 (Comics Stars in the World)| #2]]" (1976) <small>note: Italian text.</small>


=== [[Image:mini_italy.gif]] Italy ===
=== [[Image:mini_italy.gif]] Italy ===
*"Mandrake - L'uomo del mistero", [[L'Avventuroso|''L'Avventuroso'' #15 - #43]] (1935)
*"Mandrake - L'uomo del mistero", [[L'Avventuroso|''L'Avventuroso'' #15 - #43]] (1935)
*"Mandrake - L'uomo del mistero", [[Collana Albi grandi avventure (1)|''Collana Albi grandi avventure - Mandrake'' #1]] (1935)
*"Mandrake - L'uomo del mistero", [[Collana Albi grandi avventure (1)|''Collana Albi grandi avventure - Mandrake'' #1]] (1935)
*"Mandrake - L'uomo del mistero", [[Collana Albi grandi avventure (1) (1945)|''Collana Albi grandi avventure - Mandrake'' #1]] (1945)
*"Mandrake - L'uomo del mistero", [[Collana Albi grandi avventure (1) (1945)|''Collana Albi grandi avventure - Mandrake'' #1]] (1945) <small>(note: starting with the strip of September 9, 1934)</small>
*"Mandrake - L'uomo del mistero", [[Ristampe di grande successo 1|''Ristampe di grande successo - Mandrake'' #1]] (1949)
*"Mandrake - L'uomo del mistero", [[Ristampe di grande successo 1 - Collana Albi grandi avventure 1|''Ristampe di grande successo #4]] (1949)
*"Mandrake contro il Cobra" & "La ciurma dei sicari" & "La morte volante", [[Mistero! 4 (nuova serie)|''Mistero!'' #4]], [[Mistero! 5 (nuova serie)| #5]] and [[Mistero! 6 (nuova serie)| #6]] (1948) <small>Note: Only strips to 10 September 1936.</small>
*"Mandrake contro il Cobra" & "La ciurma dei sicari" & "La morte volante", [[Mistero! 4 (nuova serie)|''Mistero!'' #4]], [[Mistero! 5 (nuova serie)| #5]] and [[Mistero! 6 (nuova serie)| #6]] (1948) <small>Note: Only strips to 10 September 1936.</small>
*"Mandrake contro il Cobra", [[Mistero Raccolta 10|''Mistero Raccolta'' #10]] (1949)
*"Mandrake contro il Cobra", [[Mistero Raccolta 10|''Mistero Raccolta'' #10]] (1949)
*"Il Cobra si manifesta" & "Gli uomini senza volto", [[Il Vascello 21 (second series)|''Il Vascello'' #21]] and [[Il Vascello 22 (second series)| #22]] (1960)
*"Il Cobra si manifesta" & "Gli uomini senza volto", [[Il Vascello 21 (second series)|''Il Vascello'' #21]] and [[Il Vascello 22 (second series)| #22]] (1960)
*"Contro il Cobra", [[Il Vascello 43 Supplemento (second series)|''Il Vascello'' #43 supplemento]] (1961)
*"Il Cobra si manifesta", [[Il Vascello 43 Supplemento (second series)|''Il Vascello'' #43 supplemento]] (1961)
*"L'uomo del mistero", [[Super Albo 150 - Mandrake (Fratelli Spada)|''Super Albo'' #150]] [[Super Albo 152 - Mandrake (Fratelli Spada)| #152]] (1965)
*"L'uomo del mistero", [[Super Albo 150 - Mandrake (Fratelli Spada)|''Super Albo'' #150]] [[Super Albo 152 - Mandrake (Fratelli Spada)| #152]] (1965)
*"L'uomo del mistero", [[Eureka Pocket 2|''Eureka Pocket'' #2]] (1969)
*"L'uomo del mistero", [[Eureka Pocket 2|''Eureka Pocket'' #2]] (1969)
*"L'uomo del mistero", [[Mandrake (Fratelli Spada Cartonato)|''Mandrake'']] (1972) (part only)
*"L'uomo del mistero", [[Mandrake (Fratelli Spada Cartonato)|''Mandrake'']] (1974) (part only)
*"Mandrake - L'uomo del mistero", [[Collana Albi grandi avventure (1) (1945)|''Collana Albi grandi avventure - Mandrake'' #1]] (1975 <small>reprint</small>)
*"Mandrake - L'uomo del mistero", [[Collana Albi grandi avventure (1) (1945)|''Collana Albi grandi avventure - Mandrake'' #1]] (1975 <small>reprint</small>)
*"Mandrake - L’uomo del mistero" & "Mandrake contro il Cobra", [[Mandrake 1 (Comics Stars in the World)|''Mandrake'' #1]]" and " [[Mandrake 2 (Comics Stars in the World)| #2]]" (1976)
*"Mandrake - L’uomo del mistero" & "Mandrake contro il Cobra", [[Mandrake 1 (Comics Stars in the World)|''Mandrake'' #1]]" and " [[Mandrake 2 (Comics Stars in the World)| #2]]" (1976)
Line 99: Line 135:


=== [[Image:mini_norway.gif]] Norway ===
=== [[Image:mini_norway.gif]] Norway ===
*"Mystikkens mann", [[Fantomet 10/1988|''Fantomet'' #10/1988]] and [[Fantomet 11/1988|''Fantomet'' #11/1988]] (1988)
*"Mystikkens mann", [[Fantomet 10/1988|''Fantomet'' #10]] and [[Fantomet 11/1988| #11]] (1988)
*"Kobraen", [[Mandrake 1934-1964 (Klassikerserien)|''Klassikerserien'']] (2003)
*"Kobraen", [[Mandrake 1934-1964 (Klassikerserien)|''Klassikerserien'']] (2003)


=== [[Image:mini_portugal.gif]] Portugal ===
=== [[Image:mini_portugal.gif]] Portugal ===
*"O caso do embaixador", [[Jornal do Cuto 98|''Jornal do Cuto'' #98]] (1973) <small>Incomplete: ends July 7, 1934</small>
*"O Caso do Embaixador", [[Jornal do Cuto 98|''Jornal do Cuto'' #98]] (1973) <small>Incomplete: ends July 7, 1934</small>


=== [[Image:mini_spainunderfranco.gif]] [[Image:mini_spain.gif]] Spain ===
=== [[Image:mini_spainunderfranco.gif]] [[Image:mini_spain.gif]] Spain ===
*"Contra el Cobra", [[Mandrake 1 (Grandes clasicos de los Comics del Pasado)|''Mandrake'' #1]] (1981)
*"Contra el Cobra", [[Grandes Clásicos de los Comics del Pasado 8 - Mandrake 1|''Grandes Clásicos de los Comics del Pasado'' #8 - ''Mandrake'' #1]] (1981)
*"La Cobra", [[Mandrake el Mago: Daily strips 1934-1936 (Dolmen Editorial)]] (2022)


=== [[Image:mini_turkey.gif]] Turkey ===
=== [[Image:mini_turkey.gif]] Turkey ===
Line 112: Line 149:
*"Esrarengiz Adam", [[1001 Roman|''1001 Roman'' #197 - 246]] (1943-1944)
*"Esrarengiz Adam", [[1001 Roman|''1001 Roman'' #197 - 246]] (1943-1944)
*"Kobra'ya Karşı", [[1001 Özel 205|''1001 Özel'' #205]] (1956) <small>Note: Traced editions from 1001 Roman #197 - 246.</small>
*"Kobra'ya Karşı", [[1001 Özel 205|''1001 Özel'' #205]] (1956) <small>Note: Traced editions from 1001 Roman #197 - 246.</small>
=== [[Image:mini_uk.gif]] United Kingdom ===
*"The Cobra", ''[[Mandrake the Magician - The Dailies Volume 1: The Cobra]]'' (2016)


=== [[Image:mini_usa.gif]] USA ===
=== [[Image:mini_usa.gif]] USA ===
*"The Cobra", [[Comics Revue 281-282|''Comics Revue'' #281-282]] &ndash; [[Comics Revue 289-290|#289-290]] (2009/2010)
*"The Cobra", [[Comics Revue 281-282|''Comics Revue'' #281-282]] &ndash; [[Comics Revue 303-304|#303-304]] (2009/2011)
*"The Cobra", [[Volume One: the complete newspaper dailies 1934-1936]] (2024)


[[Category:Daily stories|Cobra, The]]
[[Category:Daily stories|Cobra, The]]

Latest revision as of 16:12, 7 October 2024

The Cobra
Md-1934-06-11.png
Start date: June 11th, 1934
End date: November 24th, 1934
# of strips: 144 (24 weeks)
Writer: Lee Falk
Artist: Phil Davis
Preceded by: none
Followed by: "The Hawk (Mandrake Meets Narda)"

"The Cobra" is the 1st Mandrake daily story. The story was written by Lee Falk and drawn by Phil Davis. According to an anecdote[1] by Lee Falk the first few weeks were only printed in two US newspapers: The New York Evening Journal and a newspaper from Little Rock in Arkansas (The Arkansas Gazette ?).

Plot Summary

Mandrake chases the Cobra, a mysterious and powerful black magician. He is the fanatical leader of a powerful secret society of faceless slaves that seeks to control the world.

Appearances

Recurring characters

One-time characters

  • Ralph Sheldon, inspector in the U.S. Secret Service
  • Barbara Sheldon, daughter of Ralph Sheldon.
  • Tommy Lord, Ralph Sheldon's assistant
  • Mr. VanderGriff, ambassador of ?
  • Mee-Kee, VanderGriff's servant
  • Gordini Talon, one of The Cobras men (turned into a rat by Mandrake)
  • Captain Merriweather, onboard the ship
  • Lieutenant Rogers, onboard the ship
  • Dr Heath, onboard the ship
  • Prince Saud of Tejei, son of the late Emir Ibn-Rehr
  • Kâri, High Priest of the Sun (4 800 B.C.)
  • Viscount Largy, chairman of the Council of Nations.
  • General Stuldiloff, commander of a half million troops.

Locations

  • U.S.A.
    • New York City (?)
      • Home of VanderGriff
  • Three oceans (according to Mandrake)
    • Atlantic Ocean
      • Mediterranean Sea (?)
  • The Orient (Egypt ?)
    • Tejei, agless and mysterios walled privately owned city, key to the orient.
    • The Great Desert (Sahara ?)
      • Kilgar Pass
        • The old castle, home of the Cobra.


Behind the scenes

Title

  • The title for the story is lifted from the plot.

Artist(s)

  • In interviews after 1972 Lee Falk says that he himself did all the art work for the two first weeks of this story. It is difficult to find evidence that this is correct, so one has to assume that this statement probably is intended to be an anecdote.

Swiping

Looking at some panels one can see that elements are swiped, a few from the "Secret Agent X-9" strip by Dashiell Hammett and Alex Raymond.

  • Sample

Censorship

References

  1. ↑ (Astor, David Fifty years of Magic and a Masked Man, Editor & Publisher, 1986-12-20, p 26)

Signifiant covers

  • Mini brazil.gif Brazil

  • Mini france.gif France

  • Mini france.gif France

  • Mini france.gif France

  • Mini italy.gif Italy

  • Mini italy.gif Italy

  • Mini italy.gif Italy

  • Mini italy.gif Italy

  • Mini italy.gif Italy

  • Mini italy.gif Italy

  • Mini italy.gif Italy

  • Mini italy.gif Italy

  • Mini italy.gif Italy

  • Mini italy.gif Italy

  • Mini italy.gif Italy

  • Mini italy.gif Italy

  • Mini spain.gif Spain

  • Mini turkey.gif Turkey

  • Mini uk.gif United Kingdom

Reprints

This story has been published in the following publications:

Mini australia.gif Australia

Mini argentina.gif Argentina

Mini brazil.gif Brazil

Mini france.gif France

Mini french polynesia.png French Polynesia

  • "Mandrake l’uomo del mistero" & "Mandrake contro il Cobra", Mandrake #1" and " #2" (1976) note: Italian text.

Mini italy.gif Italy

Mini norway.gif Norway

Mini portugal.gif Portugal

Mini spainunderfranco.gif Mini spain.gif Spain

Mini turkey.gif Turkey

Mini uk.gif United Kingdom

Mini usa.gif USA

Retrieved from "http://www.mandrakewiki.org/index.php?title=The_Cobra_(Daily_story_1934)&oldid=79930"