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Video Comic Review (VCR) Golden Age VOODA #21 (1955) complete issue E:46

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• published: 22 Jul 2016
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Thank you for viewing what I believe is a very rare treat. A complete look through my original vintage Golden Age artistic masterpiece by artist MATT BAKER (1921-1959): "Jungle Princess, VOODA" #21. (KEEP READING OR WATCH THE VIDEO FOR MORE DETAILS) Vooda #21 (June, 1955) published by AJAX/Farrell. Cover art by Matthew “Matt” Baker (1921-1959). Baker is credited as being the first black (African-American) artist to break through successfully in the comic book industry. He is mostly known for his work on Phantom Lady, especially one of the first iconic ‘bondage’ covers, and Sheena, Queen of the Jungle Golden Age comics. The character Vooda is a beautiful jungle princess situated on a fictitious South Pacific island. This character first appeared as “Alani the South Sea Girl” in SEVEN SEAS COMIC #1 from 1946. (In the video I mistakenly refer to this comic as south sea comics, and the embedded issue is #6). Later stories, using the same character, refer to her as “El’nee” before becoming “Vooda”. A public domain reprint was distributed February, 2014 in paperback form for $12.99 retail. (1) In the lead story (7 pages) Vooda takes a starring film role away from a bitter Hollywood actress. The exclamation “AIEE!” appears here, and at least five additional times throughout this comic. An unusual expression from the ages. (2) KIMBO, BOY of the JUNGLE (5 pages) takes on TALGEE who prefers the crossbow over a more modern rifle. Another lesson and proof of “good outliving evil”. (3) KOKO the KONGO KID by Kim Kelly (1 page story) takes a look at a challenging reflection. The only online reference to artist named KIM KELLY found indicated cover work for Golden Age FLASH GORDON COMICS. Nothing further at this time. Please provide a comment if you know more about this artist. (4) UNCLE OTTO by Heck (1 page story) “How to Kill Bugs”. The only online reference of artist named HECK, is that of the late artist DONALD “DON” (1929-1995), including mention of him working for HARVEY COMICS publisher in the late 1940’s. This information originally led me to believe that it was possible that this comic short was early work by him. *** UPDATE FOLLOWS *** However, my research – post video production - discovered something even greater! Recently discovered printing plates of early comic strips “UNCLE OTTO and HARRY KARRY, it turns out, represent the earliest known sequential artwork of Will Eisner — and until now, outside of their titles and a very small smattering of strips salvaged from the few local newspapers that intermittently published them, their contents were almost completely unknown.” WOW! Will Eisner!?! This information is from Locust Moon Comics (W. Philadelphia, PA). Please provide a comment if you know more about this artist. (5) Mostly WRITTEN story titled “The Ape Trail” (2 page story; author unknown) is an adventure of character Nikki-Tikki who encounters a magic house where apes (actually, chimpanzees) behave like men. It appears that Dr. Felipe Silvera had trained them well, but the mystery is revealed that he was actually transplanting human brains into the chimps! The insane doctor was ultimately dispatched with a poison blow dart by our hero. (6) CONGO CHAMP (5 pages) is a retired heavyweight boxer, ZAAN who is offered $1,000 per fight by promotors, which he agrees to in order to help his father with the family business. After winning the first fight, the promotors order ZAAN to take a dive and lose the next fight, but he refuses. When he realizes they tricked him into signing the original contract, he beats them both up. They retaliate by kidnapping his father. Originally, the story reminded me of Battlin’ Jack Murdock the ill-fated father of Marvel’s DAREDEVIL character, and had me thinking it might possibly be an inspiration for the blind hero years later, but that is much more than a boxer’s reach! Despite trying to force the boxers hand (love these boxing references, right?) we read that once again – good prevails in the end, and the lesson learned is that any reward “acquired by honest means, (is) the only true reward for any man!” (7) VOODA returns for an encore in “The Trek of Danger” (7 pages) when she is duped by the cunningly beautiful GUNEE, who sends her to the far edges of the jungle on a deceptive mission. While our hero is away, GUNEE tricks the jungle tribes and commissioner’s office that Vooda succumbed to an unknown illness and is dead. She paints and dresses a lifelike statue to appear as the hero’s likeness lying in state prior to her burial. GUNEE then collects gold tribute during the funeral, and when Vooda finally catches on and returns, all the deceived originally believe that she is a ghost, and indeed dead. Fortunately, Vooda manages to defeat her evil nemesis and all order is restored, and gold returned. THE ABOVE NOTES WERE COMPILED AND WRITTEN BY STEVEN WATSON AFTER READING ALL ORIGINAL CONTENT. © 2016.