The Swordfish

The Swordfish
Start date:	September 29th, 1940
End date:	October 6th, 1940
# of strips:	2 (2 weeks)
Writer:	Lee Falk
Artist:	Phil Davis
Preceded by:	"The Flame Pearls Pt.3: The Three Cows"
Followed by:	"The Flame Pearls Pt.4: The Amazons"

"The Swordfish" is the 16th Mandrake filler page, the 1st in between the 16th and 17th Sunday story. The story was written by Lee Falk and drawn by Phil Davis. This two pages is a strange sequence in history more like an additional independent event at the end of the previous story. First row ending the previous story, next row planning trip to Amoz Island. Then the swordfish attack and Lothar fights it on the last row and almost the whole next page, ending with a picture for the next story (Next Week: - The Amazons).

Plot Summary

Mandrake is on a scientific expedition to the South Pacific, looking for flame colored pearls. Heading the Amoz island a giant swordfish suddenly attack the Argos barge.

Appearances

Recurring characters

• Mandrake
• Lothar

One-time characters

• Colonel Barton
• June, daughter of Colonel Barton.

Locations

• South Pacific.
• Amoz Island

Vehicles

• S.S.Argos, Colonel Barton's yacht.

Behind the scenes

• The main title for this story is taken from the strip of April 14th, 1940 (Next Week: "The Flame Pearls"), while the sub title is lifted from the plot.
• The "Flame Pearls" story is a retelling of an ancient Greek myth; "Jason and the Golden Fleece".

Reprints

This story has been published in the following publications:

Finland

• "Tulihelmien mysteeri (III); Amatsonien saari", Mustanaamio #11 (1992)

France

• "La reine des Amazones", Mandrake #328 (1971)

Italy

• "La regina delle amazoni", Mandrake #2 (1971)

Norway

• "Ildperlene III, Amasonenes øy", Fantomet #7 (1992)

Spain

• "El Navio Fantasma", Merlin el Mago Moderno #16 (194?)

Sweden

• "Eldpärlorna", Allers Familj-Journal
• "Mysteriet med eldpärlorna del 3: Amazonernas ö", Fantomen #7 (1992)

USA

• King Comics (1941)