Hojo and 8

Hojo and 8
Start date:	December 15th, 1980
End date:	March 14th, 1981
# of strips:	79 (13 weeks)
Writer:	Lee Falk
Artist:	Fred Fredericks
Preceded by:	"Aleena the Enchantress"
Followed by:	"Mandrake's Family"

"Hojo and 8" is the 175th Mandrake daily story. The story was written by Lee Falk and drawn by Fred Fredericks.

Plot Summary

An ambassador is kidnapped on a city street and, lost at the scene a cuff link with the symbole "8". Out on the street Mandrake gives the cuff link to Hojo, but they are being observed by a ferret of 8. Octon are not aware that Hojo is also the mysterious Chief of Inter-Intel, but orders the 6th arm of 8 to abduct Hojo, to ask him out on why he received the cuff link.

Appearances

Recurring characters

• Mandrake
• Narda, at Xanadu only.
• Lothar
• Karma, at Xanadu only.
• Hojo
• Jed
• The Police Chief
• Octon, voice only.

One-time characters

• Ferret of 8, who cases the scene.
• Hunter of 8, who commits the crime.
• X of 8, the executioners or killers of 8.
• The council of 8.

Locations

• New York
• Xanadu

Organizations

• 8
• Inter-Intel

Behind the scenes

Title

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

Mandrake Lore

• Hojo is Mandrake's super-chef and major domo. He is super-scholar, fluent in 10 languages and reads 12 more. He is also 10th degree black belt, judo and karate. At Inter-Intel he is known only as a janitor.
• Mandrake tells Lothar that Hojo is the mysterious and secret Chief of Inter-Intel.

Easter Eggs

• 39013 on a license plate.

• 
  5 Jan, 1980

Reprints

This story has been published in the following publications:

Brazil

• "O Rapto do Embaixador", Almanaque do Mandrake #9 (1981)

Finland

• "Hojo kidnapattu", Mustanaamio #24 (1988)

India

• "The Sinister World of 8", Indrajal Comics #411 (1982)
• "The Octon" Diamond Comics Digest - Mandrake #7 (1992)
• "The Octon" Diamond Comics Digest - Mandrake #54 (1997)

Italy

• "Il capo segreto dell’Inter-Intel", Mandrake - New Comics Now #68 (1982)

Norway

• "Hojo kidnappet", Fantomet #22 (1990)

Spain

• "Terrorismo y los 8", Mandrake #25 (1997)

Turkey

• "Dehşet Çetesi", Mandrake Albüm #162 & #163
• "Dehşet Çetesi", Mandrake Süper Albüm #70

Yugoslavia

• "Sve tajne podzemlja", Super EKS Almanah #52 (1984)

Sweden

• "Hojo kidnappad", Fantomen #9 (1988)