#edgarriceburroughs - Every Day With Edgar Rice Burroughs - August 31, 2025

 I missed a few days with family issues, but I'm resuming these posts as of today.

August 31, 2025 and on this day ninety years ago in 1935, the Rex Maxon illustrated and Don Garden scripted Tarzan daily story arc, “Tarzan and the Fire Gods,” concluded, The story features female pilot, Lady Beth Barclay who is forced to parachute from her airplane. She landed safely in the company of the Niarchus tribe, who’d fled from Alexander the Great many years before. She is initially greeted as a goddess, but the tribe’s leader, also named Niarchus, plans to sacrifice her in a column of fire. (Thanks to H. Rider Haggard for She) Meanwhile the obligatory poacher enters the story, determined to pillage and kill his way across Africa. Dr. Jones, a noted geologist and friend of Tarzan, also arrived in the area. Mayhem ensued.

Read the entire story at:

https://www.erbzine.com/mag37/3784.html

The 162 daily comic pages consisted of two panels each, with illustrations above prose. Some of the oft-maligned Maxon’s best work.

The 100-word drabble, “A Warm Welcome, for today was inspired by the comic arc and by fire gods everywhere.

Lady Beth, a downed aviator, and Tarzan fled the Niarchus tribe. Beth said, “Those people are crazy. They worship fire gods that they’ve never seen.”

Tarzan said, “Keep running. In my experience, the best gods are unseen. That way the priests have more power.”

“A giant pillar of fire is in their temple. It never goes out. The priests make regular sacrifices by burning people in the fire.”

“So the priests control the population by threatening to cast them into a fiery hell.”

“They do.”

“What a novel idea. I’m shocked other religions haven’t adopted that premise. Oh, wait. They have.”

#edgarriceburroughs - Every Day With Edgar Rice Burroughs - August 24, 2025

 August 24, 2025 and on this day seventy-two years ago in 1973, the Bob Lubbers illustrated and Dick Van Buren scripted Tarzan daily story arc, “Tarzan and the Octopus God,” began. The story ran for sixty-two daily episodes. It was followed by “Tarzan and the Insect Men.”

The tale features the evil Captain Cross, good natives, bad natives, Tarzan, and of course, a gigantic octopus, a creature which, god or no, helps Tarzan find justice for the deserving. Interestingly, Lubbers enjoyed drawing ‘good girl art” and was pleased when Dick Van Buren included an exotic woman in a story line, but there is not a single woman, exotic or otherwise, in a single panel of ‘Tarzan and the Octopus God’ unless of course, the octopus is female.

You can read the complete story at: https://www.erbzine.com/mag53/5339.html

The 100-word drabble for today, “Big Time,” is taken from Bob Lubbers comments about illustrating the Tarzan comic strip. He’d signed a three-year contract and illustrated the strip for a few months longer than that. His entire comments are available in a biography available at: https://www.erbzine.com/mag48/4855.html

The dream of a lifetime come true…the big time. . I dug in full bore, charged with inspiration. Seven-day weeks were not uncommon, but only nine to five. Dick Van Buren got the scripts to me on time and we were rolling. When he wrote exotic females into the scripts, it was fun to reprise some of the fun of those Fiction House cover girls. modified slightly. The stories could never be truly topical, but played in an amorphous, Burroughsian time period. Plenty of action, interplay with jungle animals, colorful backgrounds and as many exotic girls as Dick’s scripts allowed.

#edgarriceburroughs - Every Day With Edgar Rice Burroughs - August 23, 2025

 August 23, 2025 and on this day eighty-four years ago in 1941, Actress Shelia Wells, who played Kathy Haines in episode #2, The Ultimate Weapon, of the Ron Ely Tarzan television series, was born

During her short career, thirty total film credits, she appeared on episodes of “My Three Sons,” “Dr. Kildare,” “The Green Hornet,” “The Wild Wild West,” “Mary Tyler Moore,” “Bonanza,” “Hawaii Five-O,” and the classic film, “The Blues Brothers.”

In the Tarzan episode, Kathy laving her husband, Peter, but Tarzan intervenes, prompting game warden, Hoby Wallington, played by former Tarzan, Jock Mahoney, to say, ““Tarzan, you must be the only marriage counselor who lives in a tree.”

You can read a detailed analysis of the episode at: https://www.erbzine.com/mag74/7421.html#2

The drabble for today, “Talk to the Trees,” was inspired by the episode. Several of the lines have been slightly modified from lines Shelia actually said on screen.

Kathy, played by Shelia Wells, said, “Tarzan, you’ve blocked my riverboat. I’m leaving my husband. Get out of the way.”

“You should give him another chance. He’s been under a lot of stress.”

“You’re not married to that idiot. I don’t need another man giving me advice about things he knows nothing about.”

“I’m sure the two of you can talk it out.”

“Wonderful. A marriage counselor who lives in a tree with a monkey. You been smoking those vines?”

“Kathy, what kind of problems are you having.”

“Both kinds. One where I kill him and one where I don’t.”

#edgarriceburroughs - Every Day With Edgar Rice Burroughs - August 22, 2025

 August 22, 2025 and on this day 103 years ago in 1924, Edgar Rice Burroughs and his sons began a ten-day fishing expedition in the Sierra Mountains. the DOODAD was created on this trip. The Doodad is the symbol, the colophon, on the spine of books published by Edgar Rice Burroughs Incorporated and the name Burroughs gave his personal airplane.

Burroughs described the trip in the unpublished memoir, “Notes on Trip to Mono Creek and Porpoise Lake." Ed sketched the doodad out in the sand on a riverbank. This symbol was to become the famous colophon which appears on most of the ERB books. Each family member, however, had his own special variant of the doodad: Ed's circle was to the right of the "spear," Hulbert's circle was below, and Jack's was to the left.

Information about the DOODAD is available at: https://www.erbzine.com/mag3/0335.html

The drabble for today, “Spine Tingling Adventure, “ was inspired by the creation of the Doodad.

“Honey,” asked Emma Burroughs. “Did you and the boys catch any fish?”

“We didn’t catch enough to bring home. The most exciting thing is that the boys and I designed a symbol. We call it the doodad.”

Emma looked at the sketch. “Interesting, but what’s it for?”

“It will be the colophon on the spine of the books that will be published by my publishing company.”

“Dear, I know you’ve formed a corporation last year , but you don’t have a publishing company.”

“Not yet. The doodad is too good to waste, so I suppose I’ll have to start one.”

#edgarriceburroughs - Every Day With Edgar Rice Burroughs - August 21, 2025 -

 August 21, 2025 and on this day eighty-one years ago in 1944, the Rex Maxon written and illustrated Tarzan daily story arc, “The Ivory Hunter,” began. It ran for 44 days. This was not the first time Maxon, who drew the strip for over 18 years had a story line that focused on poachers and it wouldn’t be the last. Do the math Three hundred dailies a year, so about 5400 pages.

The story opens with Tarzan recovering in the arms of Ann Strang, the daughter of one of the ivory hunters. She informs Tarzan that if he doesn’t hunt and kill elephants, he will be killed and she will be beaten. Tarzan makes other plans.

The 100-word drabble for today, “Dane-geld.” Thanks to Rudyard Kipling for his poetic explanation of the result of capitulation to threats eventually works.

“Tarzan,” said Ann. “The ivory hunters will kill you if you don’t find and kill elephants for them. They’ll beat me for not convincing you.”

“Saying yes to open ended threats never satisfies the people making them. If I kill ten elephants, they’ll want twenty. If I kill one hundred, they’ll want two hundred.”

“You’ll die and I’ll be beaten.”

“It it’s within their power. Sooner or later, I’ll have to say no more. Then they’ll try to kill me.”

“You mean that doesn’t make any difference what you do.”

“Ann, it makes a world of difference to the elephants.”

#edgarriceburroughs - Every Day With Edgar Rice Burroughs - August 20, 2025

 August 20, 2025 and twenty-five years ago on this day in 2000, the Gray Morrow illustrated and Mark Kneece scripted Sunday comic story arc, The Contest, began. The story ran for fifteen weeks and it can be read in its entirety at: https://www.erbzine.com/mag34/3487.html.

ERBzine doesn’t hide anything behind a paywall.

The story begins as a Romeo and Juliet type of tale, but quickly changes into a planned race to the only peach tree in the jungle. The winner’s family get to use the water hole the two family’s have been fighting over. Tarzan follows the race and makes sure that ‘Juliet’ wins. Love prevails, the families stop fighting, and they share the water hole.

The story arc is beautifully illustrated and the script shows Tarzan at his best, including a wry sense of humor.

The drabble for today, “Water, Water, Everywhere,” was inspired, by “The Contest,” a tale of conflict, love, and reconciliation. Where I live in New Mexico, water rights are very important. Conflicts over water have led to murders, shootouts, lawsuits, and treachery. The saying is “Whiskey is for drinking and water is for fighting.”

Oola and Tashigo, would be lovers from feuding families, were chosen for a race to decide which family would have the rights to a long disputed waterhole.

During the contest, Oola tripped Tashigo, and reached the pear tree first. She won.

Tashigo complained, “Not fair. You tripped me.”

“All’s fair in love and water rights.”

“So, my family goes thirsty?”

“Men are so stupid. We marry and there’s only one family. Duh!”

“That will work. I can’t believe your family fought so long over one waterhole.

“Same waterhole that your family fought about. Nothing makes water more important than not having enough.”

#edgarriceburroughs - Every Day With Edgar Rice Burroughs - August 19, 2025

 August 19, 2025 and twenty-five years ago on this day in 2000, Lee Sholem, who directed two Tarzan films, “Tarzan’s Magic Fountain,” and “Tarzan and the Slave Girl,” died. Lee Tabor Sholem was nicknamed ""Roll 'Em" Sholem" and he is identified more than anyone else in the industry with speed and efficiency. He directed more than 1300 productions, including both feature films and TV episodes, without ever going over schedule. His achievements over a 40-year career have, as yet, been unsurpassed in Hollywood history.

Sholem's first film was “Tarzan's Magic Fountain” in 1949 and his last film was “Doomsday Machine” in 1972.

Details about the two films are located at:

https://www.erbzine.com/mag6/0629.html

https://www.erbzine.com/mag19/1950.html

The drabble for today is “Tight Schedule,” and it is inspired by Mr. Sholem’s performance.

On the set of “Tarzan’s Magic Fountain,” Lex Barker said, “Hey, Lee. I’m tired. Let’s call it a day. I need to rest.”

“You can rest when you’re dead. The script runs 240 pages and we’ve got 60 days. That’s four pages minimum per day. We’ve only shot three. Back on the vine, Tarzan.”

“We can make it up tomorrow.”

“Time lost can’t be made up.”

“What’s the big deal if we’re behind schedule?”

“Time is money. There are two kinds of directors, the ones who finish on time and in budget and the one’s who don’t have a job.”