Sheena’s Legacy and Marvel’s Lorna, the Jungle Queen, at Auction

The historical past of jungle woman comics has seen many characters rise to fame, however Lorna, the Jungle Queen was Marvel’s underappreciated first entry into the style.  Created by author Don Rico and artist Werner Roth and that includes covers by the likes of Bill Everett, Carl Burgos, Al Williamson, Sol Brodsky, Al Hartley and extra, Marvel’s Lorna tried to proceed the legacy of Sheena at a dangerous time for such characters.  But Lorna managed to outlive the introduction of the Comics Code regardless of some challenges, and loved a strong 26-issue run from 1954 – 1957.  There are a number of problems with Lorna the Jungle Queen and Lorna the Jungle Girl up for public sale in the 2023 April 16-18 Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday Comic Books Select Auction #122316 at Heritage Auctions.

Jungle journey comics had been nonetheless comparatively standard in the early Fifties; nonetheless, the style appeared to have misplaced its queen when the iconic, long-running collection Jumbo Comics, that includes Sheena, Queen of the Jungle, ended at Fiction House in January 1953. That writer’s Sheena, Queen of the Jungle title had ended the prior November. It would seem that Marvel sensed a gap and shortly stepped up and launched Lorna, the Jungle Queen, with the first subject launched simply two months after the finish of Jumbo Comics. It is probably going that Fiction House pressured Marvel to vary the Lorna, the Jungle Queen title, as Sheena returned for the one-shot 3-D Sheena, Jungle Queen #1 in the similar month that Lorna, the Jungle Queen #5 was revealed. The subsequent subject continued the collection with the title Lorna, the Jungle Girl.

Lorna was the creation of author Don Rico and artist Werner Roth, and she was actually a typical jungle woman in the Sheena mould. The character had been raised by her father in the African jungle, till sooner or later the man was killed by an attacking lion. Lorna honed her combating expertise with the assist of native tribesmen, who additionally gave her a useful chimpanzee companion named Mikki.  When a bunch of headhunters attacked the pleasant tribe, Lorna was capable of defeat their chief, and was declared jungle queen.  Issue #2 launched information and hunter Greg Knight, who grew to become Lorna’s romantic curiosity.

The collection was well-drawn all through its run.  When Werner Roth left the title, Jay Scott Pike grew to become considered one of its main artists for the the rest of the collection.  Pike labored on an enormous vary of fabric and creations at Marvel throughout the Fifties, and ultimately moved on to DC Comics in the Nineteen Sixties, the place he centered on romance titles and created the character Dolphin.  Covers by the likes of Bill Everett, Carl Burgos, and Al Williamson set the tone for the collection.

Unsurprisingly, Lorna didn’t make the transition to the Comics Code period with out attracting the consideration of would-be censors.  At the finish of 1954, Lorna grew to become considered one of the topics of a gathering between Buffalo News Co. executives and officers of that metropolis, and the title ended up on the American Legion’s record of objectionable comedian books in early 1955, regardless of Comics Code approval.

Lorna was sufficient of a hit that Marvel expanded its presence in the jungle journey style, which got here to incorporate Jann of the Jungle, and Leopard Girl in Jungle Action throughout that interval.  There are a number of problems with Lorna the Jungle Queen and Lorna the Jungle Girl up for public sale in the 2023 April 16-18 Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday Comic Books Select Auction #122316 at Heritage Auctions. For these interested by collaborating in the bidding course of, visiting the Heritage Auctions’ FAQ web page will present steering on account registration, putting bids, and different pertinent data. Don’t miss the likelihood so as to add these unimaginable Lorna points to your assortment and create a brand new story in the ongoing legacy of jungle journey comics.

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