Narda
| Princess Narda | |
| |
| First appearance: | "The Hawk" |
|---|---|
| Created by: | Lee Falk and Phil Davis |
Narda is a character from the Mandrake the Magician comic strip that first appeared in "The Hawk".
She is Princess of the European nation Cockaigne (today ruled by her brother Segrid). Although she and Mandrake were infatuated with one another from first sight, they didn't marry until 1997, when it was an extravagant triple wedding ceremony—at Mandrake's home of Xanadu, Narda's home country Cockaigne and Mandrake's father Theron's "College of Magic" in the Himalayas.
Fictional Character Biography
The Phil Davis Era
Princess Narda acted under duress to protect her brother, Price Segrid. And when Mandrake appeared[1] in Alexandria, she perceived him as a threat and attempted to kill him several times. Her latest attempt was to date Mandrake to make him fall for her, so she could strike when he least expected it. But her plan proved to be a dud, as she was the one falling for him.
A little later they met[2] again in Beran, in northern Arabia, where Narda's crown jewels had been stolen by the Clay Camel, a notorious thief. Mandrake was already on the trail of the master of disguise and promised Narda that he would return the stolen goods. When he returned with the crown jewels, Narda rewarded him with a kiss - their first. She tried to discreetly tell Mandrake that she had feelings for him, but he didn't take the hint and their paths parted again.
The Princess and her brother were[3] back in Egypt when Narda was kidnapped and in desperation, Prince Segrid sent a telegram to Mandrake, urging for help. Narda ended up in a slave market before Mandrake finally found her. Narda hinted at a kiss but their paths ended somewhat unsettled, although Mandrake said they would meet again.
And they did when[4] the Princess of romantic and faraway Cockaigne, which she rules with her brother, needed Mandrake's help to get back a diamond necklace. It was an engagement gift from Avery the Duke of Hectares, an engagement she wants to break off by returning the necklace. This time, both Narda and Mandrake expressed their feelings for each other, and were about to get married in a hurry, without taking into account what her parents might think about the matter. But complications led to their separation in an unresolved situation, unsure if they would ever see each other again. Both tried[5] to gain control of their feelings for each other, and Mandrake began dating Dot Rich while Narda resumed her engagement to Avery.
Narda had no feelings for Avery and tried[6] to withdraw from the upcoming wedding, but Avery pressured her to appear at the altar dressed in a wedding dress. Disguised as the groom's best man, Mandrake managed to kidnap her just before the wedding was to take place. Mandrake and Narda fled to the airport determined to marry on board the plane, but high above the clouds, Narda was contacted by Segrid. Their father was seriously ill and he urged her to return to Cockaigne. Narda and Mandrake decided to postpone the wedding until further notice, and Narda returned to her father.
The Fred Fredericks Era
Family
Narda is the daughter of King Karl and Queen Isabel of Cockaigne. Queen Isabel died when the children were young and her father remarried Elsa, a girl from the people. When Karl died a few years later Narda's older brother Segrid became the king of Cockaigne.
Narda has an aunt living in US, Janet who is her mother's sister.
Natalie the duchess of Kort is Narda's cousin. Natalia married King Ferrand of Ferna, and she has one step son, Prince Randolph.
Notable appearances
Narda has appeared in a majority of the stories featuring Mandrake after her first appearance. Some of the stories where Narda has featured most prominently are:
| Year | Daily/Sundays | Title | Artist | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1938 | Daily | "Mandrake in Love" | Davis | Narda breaks her engagement with Avery the Duke of Hectares. |
| 1939 | Daily | "Mandrake in Cockaigne" | Davis | |
| 1947 | Daily | "HRH Cuddles" | Davis | Narda renounces her succession to the throne. Segrid is crowned King of Cockaigne. |
| 1948 | Sunday | "The Prince Who Never Smiled" | Davis | Natalie, the Duchess of Kort |
| 1950 | Sunday | "Curse of the Kavrun Emerald" | Davis | Sophia, Grand Duchess of Cockaigne |
| 1955 | Daily | "Michael" | Davis | Prince Michael |
| 1970 | Daily | "The Clay Camel (plus Women's Lib!)" | Fredericks | |
| 1997 | Daily | "Mandrake's Wedding at Cockaigne" | Fredericks | Narda's father was Darius 14 |
Story References
- ↑ 1934, the daily story no. 2: "The Hawk"
- ↑ 1935, the daily story no. 4: "Saki, the Clay Camel"
- ↑ 1936, the daily story no. 7: "The Slave Traders of Tygandi"
- ↑ 1938, the daily story no. 15: "Mandrake in Love"
- ↑ 1939, the daily story no. 17: "The Deep South"
- ↑ 1939, the daily story no. 18: "Mandrake in Cockaigne"
Behind the scenes
- Lee Falk told he was writing copy for a St. Louis advertising agency, and came across one from the National Association of Retail Druggists (acronym: NARD), and simply added an 'a' to the end which made the name Narda.
- Strangely the letters in Mandrake contain an anagram of Narda.
| Characters | |
|---|---|
| Supporting |
Mandrake the Magician • Chief Bradley • Hojo • Jed • Karma • Lothar • Magnon • Narda • Theron |
| Villains |
Aleena • Derek • Luciphor aka The Cobra • The Mole • The Octon • Saki aka The Clay Camel |