The Mysterious Chief

The Mysterious Chief
Start date:	September 20th, 1976
End date:	December 11th, 1976
# of strips:	72 (12 weeks)
Writer:	Lee Falk
Artist:	Fred Fredericks
Preceded by:	"Narda and the Sheik"
Followed by:	"The Pacific Circle"

"The Mysterious Chief" is the 165th Mandrake daily story. The story was written by Lee Falk and drawn by Fred Fredericks.

Plot Summary

• Hojo is super-scholar, excels at higher math, fluent in 14 languages and reads 10 more. He is also 10th degree black belt, judo and karate. But why is he working as Mandrake's super-chef? And what does he do all day when he is gone, and where does he go?

Appearances

Recurring characters

• Mandrake
• Lothar
• Narda
• Hojo
• Jed

One-time characters

• Ms. Laurel, Jed's private secetary.

Locations

• New York
  • Xanadu
  • Asian quarter

Organizations

• Inter-Intel

Behind the scenes

• The title for the story is taken from the strip of September 20, 1976 (Beginning: Mysterious Chief).
• Mandrake have guessed that Hojo is the mysterious and secret Chief of Inter-Intel, and Hojo confirms it by inviting Mandrake into his private office behind behind the Chief office at Inter-Intel.
• Lothar asking Mandrake if Hojo is the mysterious and secret Chief of Inter-Intel, but Mandrake did not reply.
• Mystery: Hojo goes on a two week vacation. But he has no vacation from his job as secret Chief and staying in an apartment (?) in the Asian quarter. So, two week vacation from what? His job as Mandrake's chef?

Reprints

This story has been published in the following publications:

Brazil

• "Uma Voz Misteriosa", Almanaque do Mandrake #5 (1980)

Finland

• "Pomo", Mustanaamio #3 (1988)

France

• "Le chef mystérieux", Spécial Mandrake #15 (1978)
• "Le secret de Hojo", Le Journal de Mickey #1783 (1986)
• "Le secret de Hojo", Donald Magazine #86-34 (1986)
• "Le mystère d'Hojo", Janus Stark #133 and #134 (1990)

India

• "The Master Criminal", Indrajal Comics #298 (1978)
• "மர்மத் தலைவன்", Mutu Comics #71 (1977)

Italy

• "La fabbrica degli incubi", Mandrake Selezione #12 (1978)

Portugal

• "O Segredo de Jojo", Mundo de Aventuras #211 (1977)

Spain

• "El Secreto de Jojo", Mandrake - Merlin el Mago #11 (1981)

Sweden

• "Chefen", Fantomen #16 (1987)

Turkey

• "Şefin Sırrı", Mandrake #137 & #138 (1977)
• "Şefin Sırrı", Mandrake Süper Albüm #21
• "Şefin Sırrı", Mandrake Süper Albüm #76

Yugoslavia

• "Veliki šef", Super EKS Almanah #1 (1979)