The Western

The Western
Start date:	March 4, 1957
End date:	May 18, 1957
# of strips:	66 (11 weeks)
Writer:	Lee Falk
Artist:	Phil Davis
Preceded by:	"The Chess Kings"
Followed by:	"The Penthouse Mystery"

"The Western" is the 91st Mandrake daily story. The story was written by Lee Falk and drawn by Phil Davis.

Plot Summary

Mr. Banks is going to make a movie, "Western Love", but he has received anonymous threatening letters. When the movie is about to be filmed a series of accidents turns up.

Appearances

Recurring characters

• Mandrake
• Lothar
• The Police Chief

One-time characters

• Mr. Banks, a producer.
• Tyler aka Todd, an actor and stand-in for Tom Rex.
• Ed, a guard.
• John, a guard / actor.
• Tom Rex, a movie star.
• Gloria Dane, a movie star.

Locations

• New York
• The desert, location of "Western Love"
  • Phony Town, a movie western town.

Behind the scenes

• The title for this story is taken from the strip of March 4, 1957 (Beginning: The Western).

Reprints

This story has been published in the following publications:

Australia

• "The Western", Mandrake Annual Xmas 1958 (1958)

Brazil

• "Filmando no Oeste", Mandrake #28 (1957)
• "O Filme", Mandrake #295 (1980)

Finland

• "Filmausryhmä pulassa", Mustanaamio #16 and #17 (1979)
• "Filmausryhmä pulassa", Sarjakirja #114 (1986)

France

• "Vol au Far–West", Les héros du mystère #13 (1968)
• "Vol au Far–West", Les héros du mystère Album #5 (1968)
• "Le western", Mandrake le Magicien (Collection Clair de lune) Volume 2 - 1953 à 1957 (2012)

Greece

• (title unknown), ΒΕΛΟΣ #51 (1969)

Italy

• "Una rapina nel West", Il Vascello #23 (1960)
• "Una rapina nel West", I Classici dell'Avventura #13 (1961)
• "Una rapina nel West", I Classici dell'Avventura #37 (1963)
• "Una rapina nel West", Mandrake #106 and #107 (1969)
• "Una rapina nel West", Mandrake - New Comics Now #346 (1995)

Norway

• "Filminnspilling med forviklinger", Fantomet #20 (1979)
• "Filminnspilling med forviklinger", Serie-pocket #119 (1986)

Spain

• "Magia en el oeste", Merlin el Mago Moderno #2 (1958)
• "Magia en el oeste", Merlin el Mago Moderno - Album de Lujo #1 (1958)
• "Magia en el Oeste", Mandrake #19 (1997)

Sweden

• "Filminspelning med förhinder", Fantomen #1 (1979)

United Kingdom

• "The Western", Mandrake the Magician #2 (1960 or 1959)

Yugoslavia

• "Мандрак спашава филм" ("romanized as "Mandrak spašava film"), Politikin Zabavnik #923 (1969)