A13-IJC
Indrajal Comics 138
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COMIC DETAILS
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Comic Description:
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Indrajal Comics 138 Universal
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Grade:
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5.0
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Page Quality:
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WHITE
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Certification #:
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1237016002
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Owner:
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13
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SET DETAILS
Owner's Description
INDRAJAL COMICS # 138 CGC 5.0-A KEY ISSUE
It is VERY TOUGH to find INDRAJAL COMICS with WHITE PAGES and WITHOUT BINDER PUNCH HOLES. This book is a rare exception. Most Indrajal Comics in INDIA were placed in binders and bear three punch holes.
THE STORY OF THE FIRST MEETING OF MANDRAKE AND LOTHAR.
JULY 1971
MANDRAKE THE MAGICIAN-THE TRAIL OF DEATH
This is a beautiful copy of a rare issue. It has WHITE PAGES which is UNUSUAL for Indrajal Comics.
This book is HISTORICAL as it was the FIRST INDRAJAL COMICS ISSUE IN THE WORLD TO BE EVER CERTIFIED BY CGC along with INDRAJAL COMICS # 182. Both these books will go down in COMICS HISTORY to be the FIRST EVER to be certified by CGC. I added these books to my collection on JANUARY 26th, 2018 which happens to be the REPUBLIC DAY OF INDIA.
THE TRAIL OF DEATH
Even though this book is titled " The Trail of Death" the story is titled " THE FAMOUS FRIENDSHIP." This book contains an amazing story.
The story starts out at MANDRAKE'S XANADA where the beautiful NARDA is taking a dive into MANDRAKE'S private pool in a swimsuit. Lounging on chairs by the pool are MANDRAKE and JED. After watching NARDA take a perfect dive into the pool, LOTHAR also wants to follow in her tracks and dives into the pool perfectly. NARDA is amazed at how perfect he is. MANDRAKE explains that LOTHAR is the finest athlete that he has ever seen and once dared to enter "THE OLYMPIC DECATHLON TRIALS." He has never even heard of most of the events but just by observing others he performed those events and had broken THREE world records on that day. Another time he wandered into a football game and pulverized the other team. After a hundred-yard punt which had never been seen before or since that time, he won
" THE ALL-STAR PRO GAME." Once in a crowd a man shoved him and then cursed him. LOTHAR struck the man once and knocked him cold. That man happened to be the heavyweight champion of the world. LOTHAR tried playing baseball once and he hit the ball so hard that it was flat as a pancake after that and broke the bat too. A week before a karate expert had come to XANADU to give them lessons and LOTHAR cracked a WALL with one karate chop. The karate expert refused give him his lesson saying that it would be safer to teach a "BULLDOZER." JED and NARDA ask LOTHAR about his amazing feats and he just blows it off as exaggeration by MANDRAKE.
MANDRAKE then tells LOTHAR that its time for his ANNUAL VISIT with "VISITORS FROM THE JUNGLE" and asks him what his answer will be to them this time. NARDA is puzzled and wants to know what MANDRAKE means. Meanwhile at the gates of XANADU a convertible with FOUR individuals and a driver appears requesting entry. They are granted access and drive on the FANTASTIC DRIVEWAY OF XANADU. They are amazed and reach the top of XANADU. NARDA wants to know who these people are and MANDRAKE informs her that each year chiefs of "THE TWELVE NATIONS" come to ask LOTHAR to return as he is their king. The people ask LOTHAR to return and he tells then that he has given up the throne but they refuse to accept his decision. They tell him that he is the "TRUE KING" and that they are creating a new nation with no kings but a PRESIDENT and want LOTHAR to be the "FIRST PRESIDENT." He informs them that he will think about it and let them know. JED is curious about why LOTHAR is here if he is king. MANDRAKE and LOTHAR decide to tell him the story of their friendship. MANDRAKE tells LOTHAR that he was trying to remember and LOTHAR reminds him that it was "THE MAD DOG FELLA" and JED asks how "MAD DOG DILL" was involved? MANDRAKE takes him to "MANDRAKE'S ROGUES' GALLERY" and explains that "MAD DOG DILL" was Public Enemy Number one at that time. MANDRAKE explains that "MAD DOG DILL" was a cold blooded killer who destroyed everything in his path. He had shocked the nation by his bank massacre. He was captured by the police but incredibly 24 hours before his execution time he broke out of the death house. He was the first and last to escape from that escape proof prison. He takes children as hostages and using them as a shield he had escaped. MANDRAKE used his magic to recapture him but he escapes agin killing MANDRAKE'S policeman friend "TOM." This lead to a Nationwide Search. Dill leaves a deadly trail which was not hard to follow and MANDRAKE follows him from the Southwest to the Northern Woods. MAD DOG DILL hijacks a "TRANSOCEAN PLANE" and lands in the deepest part of AFRICA. Two weeks later MANDRAKE reaches AFRICA and heads to a trading post to rent a car. He is worried that in this part of the world there is NO GOVERNMENT or AUTHORITY. He was wrong as this was in the "12 NATIONS" governed by a "KING," the father of mighty "PRINCE LOTHAR." Once MANDRAKE reaches the trading post he finds out that MAD DOG DILL has stolen the only car within 500 miles. The man at the trading post agrees to give MANDRAKE a horse and he follows MAD DOG DILL'S trail who continues to shoot and kill all people including the natives in his path. Word of this criminal from across the sea comes to "THE GREAT COURT OF THE 12 NATIONS" and PRINCE LOTHAR is summoned. His father the king explains to PRINCE LOTHAR that he must find this dangerous killer with " BLACK HAIR AND BALCK MOUSTACHE." While narrating this story MANDRAKE Reminds JED that he also has a lack moustache. JED is impatient to hear the story and NARDA reminds him that MANDRAKE cannot be rushed from a shower room. NARDA then emerges wearing a "BIKINI" and tells JED that MANDRAKE likes to tell a story in his own words even if it takes all night. MANDRAKE pushes NARDA playfully into the pool. MANDRAKE then continues his story.
PRINCE LOTHAR is sent out with a group of his warriors to find the "FOREIGNER WITH A BLACK MOUSTACHE RIDING A HORSE" and they spot MANDRAKE on the horse and think that he is the criminal. They set a trap for MANDRAKE. It was an ancient trap they used for mounted men. First-DOWN with the horse, then UP with the man using jungle vines. MANDRAKE is upside down when he FIRST meets LOTHAR. LOTHAR had a knife in his hands to cut the ropes but MANDRAKE makes the knife burn red hot and hypnotically makes the entire party float upside down. He then creates the image of a fiery dragon and that still does not stop LOTHAR, then a wall of fire is created but undaunted LOTHAR leaped through it and finally MANDRAKE turns into a 50 foot giant and hold LOTHAR in this palm but LOTHAR keeps fighting and calls him a "KILLER." MANDRAKE starts laughing. He explains to LOTHAR that there has been an misunderstanding and that he is also seeking MAD DOG DILL. LOTHAR apologizes and introduces himself to MANDRAKE and they agree to hunt for the "EVIL MAN" together. The reach a body of water and find the ferry boatman dead. LOTHAR explains that the evil one has taken the boat to "ZODUM." He explains that "ZODUM" is a city of sin, "THE MOST EVIL CITY ON EARTH." This city was founded by pirates in the 17th century as a smugglers haven and killers hideout. Whoever was strong enough to take over ZODUM became ruler. The present ruler is "KING ZOON" and he hears gunshots and asks his goons about it. He is told that men with machine guns have arrived. It turns out that MAD DOG DILL and KING ZOON are old friends. MANDRAKE and LOTHAR reach ZODUM via a canoe and their arrival is reported to KING ZOON. MAD DOG DILL wants to shoot PRINCE LOTHAR but KING ZOON does not want to take a risk. He sends a beautiful and enchanting girl named "TAMUR" dressed seductively in a veil to talk with PRINCE LOTHAR. She tells PRINCE LOTHAR that she knows the whereabouts of the foreigner with a black mustache and asks him to follow her. PRINCE LOTHAR is lead into KING ZOON'S trap. After fighting over 10 men PRINCE LOTHAR is flat on the ground. MAD DOG DILL has a sword and is just about to kill PRINCE LOTHAR when the beautiful girl "TAMUR" screams "BEWARE WIZARD-GENIE." MANDRAKE had followed her in invisible mode. He gestures hypnotically, MAD DOG DILL and ZOON seem to sink into the solid stone floor as in quicksand. Then, MANDRAKE turns into a FIFTY FOOT GIANT filling the palace, one great hand seems to cover PRINCE LOTHAR and the other fist appears to tear the castle apart. Terrified the thugs run away. Suddenly, the spell is broken and all returns to normal. MANDRAKE captures MAD DOG DILL and KING ZOON at gun point.
Later at the court of 12 nations the king thanks MANDRAKE for saving PRINCE LOTHAR'S life. The king says that DILL and ZOON will be punished but MANDRAKE insists on taking them with him. This upsets LOTHAR'S father who is not used to hearing the word "NO." PRINCE LOTHAR intervenes and asks his father to trust MANDRAKE and he agrees. MANDRAKE AND LOTHAR say goodbye to each other but PRINCE LOTHAR could not forget the excitement of MANDRAKE'S life, his magic and his life seemed dull and boring. PRINCE LOTHAR suddenly makes up his mind to leave with MANDRAKE. They explain to JED that that's how they met and that they have been together ever since. NARDA says "THANKS TO MAD DOG DILL."
HENRY'S PAGE: Henry's uncle is shown having a headache. He reaches for the pill box in the cabinet which is empty. He tells Henry to "TROT DOWN TO THE STORE AND GET UNKY A BOTTLE OF HEADACHE TABLETS" and gives him cash. Henry runs to the drugstore and finds "Headache pills for all occasions" in "Many convenient sizes." He buys a small bottle and is walking home when he sees a sign that says "MEN WORKING." He sees man kneeling down holding a large bolt and another man with a large hammer who is just about to hit the bolt. He quickly runs back to the drugstore and buys a "LARGE" bottle of headache pills and runs to the men and waits for the man to be hit on the head.
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