The Spaceman Mystery

The Spaceman Mystery
Start date:	August 3, 1959
End date:	October 10, 1959
# of strips:	60 (10 weeks)
Writer:	Lee Falk
Artist:	Phil Davis
Preceded by:	"The Strange Fisherman"
Followed by:	"Shirlana"

"The Spaceman Mystery" is the 103rd Mandrake daily story. The story was written by Lee Falk and drawn by Phil Davis.

Plot Summary

General Bridge invites Mandrake to see the rocket and testing center, but the center is plagued with accidents in their spaceman tests. Mandrake joins as a volunteer would-be spaceman in an attempt to reveal the mysterious Mr. X. Who trying to knock off the spaceman program.

Appearances

Recurring characters

• Mandrake
• Lothar, one picture only.

One-time characters

• General Bridge, old friend of Mandrake.
• Grimes, a test pilot and volunteer would-be spaceman.
• Bill, a volunteer would-be spaceman.
• Pete, a volunteer would-be spaceman.
• Smith, a volunteer would-be spaceman.
• Captain Jones, a volunteer would-be spaceman.

Locations

• New York
  • Rocket and testing center

Vehicles

• X-27, a test plane

Behind the scenes

• The title for this story is taken from the strip of August 3, 1959 (Beginning tomorrow: The Space-Man Mystery).
• Mandrake is a licensed pilot!

Reprints

This story has been published in the following publications:

Argentina

• "no title", Mandrake el Mago #11 (1960)
• "no title", El Espectro #111 (1969)

Brazil

• "no title", Mandrake #44 (1960)
• "Missão Espacial", Mandrake #301 (1981)
• "Missão Espacial", Mandrake Coleção #30 (1992)

Finland

• "Avaruusmiehen mysteeri", Taika-Jim Viidakkonoita (2012)

France

• "Sabotage dans l'espace" & "Le saut de la mort", Mandrake #217 and #218 (1969)
• "Le mystère des hommes de l'espace", Spécial Mandrake #5 (1974)
• "no title given", Mandrake le Magicien (Collection Clair de lune) Volume 3 - 1957 à 1961 (2012)

Italy

• "Sabotaggio spaziale", Il Vascello #55 (1961)
• "Sabotaggio spaziale", I Classici dell'Avventura #9 & I Classici dell'Avventura #11 (1962)
• "Sabotaggio spaziale", Mandrake - New Comics Now #46 (1981)

Spain

• "El Hombre del Espacio", Serie Amarilla #2 (1959)
• "El enigma de los astronautas", Mandrake el mago Cobra: El regreso del mal (2005)

United Kingdom

• "The Space Man Mystery", Mandrake the Magician #14 (1961)

Yugoslavia

• "Tajna raketne baze", Denis #183 (1979)