Saki (The Clay Camel)

Saki aka The Clay Camel
First appearance:	Saki, the Clay Camel"
Created by:	Lee Falk and Phil Davis

"The Clay Camel" is a character from the Mandrake the Magician comic strip that first appeared in "Saki, the Clay Camel".

Among Mandrake's archenemy the Clay Camel is the one most similar to himself. They both have their starting point from the stage. Mandrake uses illusion as a magician in his fight against crime and to escape a predicament. While the Clay Camel uses illusion as a master of quick perfect disguise in his crimes and to escape a predicament.

Fictional Character Biography

The Phil Davis Era

Saki

Arriving by train in Berain, in northern Arabia, Mandrake was attempted to be arrested by Inspector Duffy, believing that Mandrake was Saki. After clearing up the misunderstanding, Duffy explains that Saki is a notorious thief, the greatest in Arabia and probably in the whole world.

He was a master of disguise and constantly changed his disguise so that no one knew what he really looked like. Saki was also known as "The Clay Camel" because he always left a small camel made of clay at the crime scene. After an exhilarating game of cat and mouse in which the Clay Camel kept changing its appearance, Mandrake finally managed to overcome him and the Clay Camel ended up behind bars.

Saki

Mandrake and Lothar have travelled further and are near Shropshire on the west coast of England and once again Saki crosses their path. It turns out that the Clay Camel has escaped from prison and gone to England and used his skills of disguise to commit a series of thefts. After an exhilarating chase, where Saki keeps changing his appearance rapidly, Mandrake manages to overpower him. The Clay Camel is handed over to Inspector Duffy, who was also on his trail.

The Brass Monkey

The Police Chief had a new case he couldn't figure out and asks Mandrake for help. Lately, the police had been receiving notes warning that famous jewels were going to be stolen on a certain date and time. The notes were signed with a drawing of a monkey and at the crime scenes a small brass figure of a monkey was left.

Mandrake soon discovered that he was once again facing a lightning-fast master of disguise and no one could be sure who was who. Mandrake caught up with the Brass Monkey and she revealed that she had learned all her tricks from her father, the Clay Camel. Her father had died after contracting pneumonia in the cold prison. She blamed Mandrake and was out for revenge, but the Brass Monkey failed in her attempt to kill Mandrake and ended up behind bars.

The Clay Camel

The newspapers made a story about Narda being present at a charity ball, and that she was to wear her crown jewels. Soon after, she found a note stuck under the door: Will steal your jewles at the ball tonight. No hard feelings. Your old friend - signed with a drawing of a camel. Narda didn't recognize the signature, so Mandrake told her it was the calling card of the Clay Camel, the world's cleverest thief and a master of quick, perfect disguises.

Soon Mandrake and the Clay Camel found themselves in thrilling cat and mouse hunt. Where the Clay Camel trid to steal the crown jewels while Mandrake tried to catch him. At the end the Clay Camel again ended up behind bars.

Notable appearances

Title	Writer	Artist	Comments
"The Clay Camel (plus Women's Lib!)"	Falk	Fredericks	Prisoner 39013
"Return of the Clay Camel...and Others"	Falk	Fredericks
"Clay Camel and the Ganglords"	Falk	Fredericks	real name Oswald !
"Return of the Clay Camel"	Fredericks	Fredericks