The Castaway (1955 story)

The Castaway
Start date:	November 27, 1955
End date:	February 12, 1956
# of strips:	12 (12 weeks)
Writer:	Lee Falk
Artist:	Phil Davis
Preceded by:	"Magnetic Island"
Followed by:	"City in the Deep"

"The Castaway" is the 68th Mandrake Sunday story. The story was written by Lee Falk and drawn by Phil Davis.

Plot Summary

Dr. Lake's special fild was epidemics, germs. His studies convinced him that disease germs - somehow - either came or were sent to Earth from Jupiter. One day he recieved a strange package, containing a note engraved on thin metal with blueprints for a rocketship of unknown design. Then, a year ago Dr. Lake was the first man to fly a rocket. But something happend and the rocket vanished leaving no trace.

Now as our friends sails slowly on The Ocean Wind they discovered a castaway, who claims that he is Dr. Lake. The Castaway told a strange tale about his experiences on the planet Jupiter.

Appearances

Recurring characters

• Mandrake
• Lothar
• Narda

One-time characters

• Dr. Lake, a bacteriologist - and rocketeer
• Jovians, people on Jupiter

Locations

• At sea
• Jupiter, the planet

Vehicles

• S.S. Ocean Wind, Sir Harry's yacht.

Behind the scenes

• The story title is from the strip of November 20, 1955 (Next Week: "The Castaway").

Reprints

This story has been published in the following publications:

Brazil

• "(no title given)", Almanaque de O Globo Juvenil 1957 (1956)

Finland

• "Raketilla jupiteriin", Mustanaamio #4 (1997)

France

• "Le rescapé de la planète Jupiter", Mandrake #58 (1965)
• "Le rescapé de la planète Jupiter", Mandrake #275 (1970)

India

• "The Castaway", The Phantom #13 (2001)

Italy

• "L'evaso dal pianeta Giove", Il Vascello #39 (1960)
• "L'evaso del pianeta Giove", I Classici dell'Avventura #11 (1962)
• "L'evaso dal pianeta Giove", Mandrake #149 (1970)
• "L'evaso dal pianeta Giove", Mandrake - New Comics Now #258 and #274 (1989 and 1991)

New Zealand

• "The Castaway", Mandrake the Magician #151 and Mandrake the Magician #152 (1957)

Norway

• "Med rakett til Jupiter", Fantomet #4 (1997)

Portugal

• "O Viajante do Espaço", Condor Popular Vol. 8 #3 (1956)

Spain

• "El Náufrago", Mandrake el Mago: Sundays pages 1953–1956 (Dolmen Editorial) (2020)

Sweden

• "Med raket till Jupiter", Fantomen #4 (1997)

Turkey

• "Bir Uzay Macerası", Mandrake #100 #101 (1976)
• "Bir Uzay Macerası", Mandrake Albüm #34
• "Bir Uzay Macerası", Mandrake Albüm #102

USA

• "The Castaway", Mandrake the Ultimate #1 (1989)