Tarzan: The Joe Kubert Years, Vol. 3

Edgar Rice Burroughs' Tarzan: Comics #Kubert 3

by Joe Kubert

Writing, drawing and editing a monthly Tarzan comic-book series in the 1970s, Joe Kubert was able to illustrate the adventures of his childhood hero and produce some of the most inspiring pages of his career. Dark Horse Books is proud to present this final collection in a series of Joe Kubert's complete Tarzan comics. Joe Kubert's Tarzan Volume Three features an incredible, four-part adaptation of Edgar Rice Burroughs' 1934 adventure novel, Tarzan and the Lion Man. Tarzan attempts to protect two beautiful actresses and a Hollywood production crew from the many dangers lurking in Africa's jungles... and from a deranged geneticist who calls himself "God." This volume also includes six pages of Kubert's original Tarzan notes and thumbnails from the early 1970s, the Tarzan stories "Moon Beast," "The Magic Herb," and "Ice Jungle," and a Korak, Son of Tarzan, tale, "Leap into Death," which was inked by Russ Heath.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Graphic Novels Comics

216 pages, Hardcover

First published July 19, 2006

About the author

Joe Kubert was a Jewish-American comic book artist who went on to found the Joe Kubert School of Cartoon and Graphic Art. He is best known for his work on the DC Comics characters Sgt. Rock and Hawkman. His sons, Andy Kubert and Adam Kubert, have themselves become successful comic-book artists.

Kubert's other creations include the comic books Tor, Son of Sinbad, and Viking Prince, and, with writer Robin Moore, the comic strip Tales of the Green Beret.

Kubert was inducted into the Harvey Awards' Jack Kirby Hall of Fame in 1997, and Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame in 1998.

Reviews

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tarzan: The Joe Kubert Years, Vol. 3 collects Tarzan #225 and #227-235. Joe Kubert writes and draws most of them apart from a story written by Robert Kanigher and inked by Russ Heath.

All good things must come to an end. DC sure didn't hold the Tarzan license for very long. As with the previous volumes, Kubert's Tarzan is a dirty, gritty savage that would break your neck without hesitation. In this volume, he pits his skill against crocodiles, dinosaurs, jungle cats and canines, and great apes. Tarzan always comes out on top!

This volume adapts The Lion Man, which is hokey as hell but Kubert's art makes the story look great. There are also original tales such as the Moon Beast, The Magic Herb, Ice Jungle, Trial By Blood, and others. I actually didn't like Russ Heath's inks on top of Kubert's pencils on the Korack story. After seeing how gritty Kubert's Tarzan was, Health's inks on Korak made him look too clean.

As always, Kubert's jungle feels like a rough place and his animals look pretty authentic. I thought Russ Manning's dinosaurs looked better, though.

Tarzan: The Joe Kubert Years, Vol. 3 is a somewhat sad farewell to an all too short tenure of a master. Four out of five stars. (less)

[Todd Glaeser · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I imagine Tarzan, it is the Joe Kubert version I picture. The "Lion Man" adaption was the highlight of this volume and I wish the page count of the time would have been longer - to allow Kubert more space to develop his stories more completely.

[Brandon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Joe Kubert's tenure on Tarzan comes to a close with some of his wackiest adventures yet. It's not silly and comedic, but... lizard people, English-speaking apes and ape-speaking humans, "Ice Jungle" adventures, sea monsters... this has it all. It's not as grounded and dramatic as the first two volumes, but it's still a fun ride and Kubert's art is the big star.

[Hamza · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one, just like the first two volumes, gets four stars. I considered giving it three, but Kubert's writing and artwork are still top-notch for the era. I guess I'm just not a big Tarzan fan, like I said before. I don't regret buying these volumes, and I'm glad I read them instead of the full Burroughs novels, but they're not exactly my favorite books.

[Ajesh George · Rating 5 out of 5]

The highlight of this volume is Joe Kubert’s stunning adaptation of Tarzan and the Lion Man — a wonderfully told story that captures both the adventure and heart of Burroughs’ world. My only wish is that the adaptation had a few more pages to let the novel breathe fully.

[Chez Nash · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've always enjoyed ERB's Tarzan books the comic was excellent I would like to read more.

[David Critchfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kubert is my favorite Tarzan comic artist.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

The art remains beautiful and immersive, as always. And by now I'm used to the anthology approach to jumping around Tarzan's timeline for stories. My one complaint is with the adaptation of Tarzan and the Lion Man. It's not a novel I've read, so the comics' abridgment was frustrating at times (especially around Tarzan's unexplained motivation for impersonating another character for most of the story). Still, there's always going to be a high baseline for my enjoyment of these stories.

[Bubba · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tarzan defeats the moon beast, wrestles with yeti like snow apes in the "ice jungle," is mistaken for the Lion Man, discovers a race of lizard people and their magic herb, and Tarzan's son Korak fights off a passel of bird-men. Who knew all this stuff was in Africa! Too bad we live in the boring 21st century.

[Bitey · Rating 2 out of 5]

Gave up at the bird men. Tried to read until I got to the two kidnapped movies stars and couldn't force myself to go any further. Most men I know will tell me these comics are GREAAAAT- so I'm gonna chalk this down to a stupid boy thing. -_-;;

[Mhorg · Rating 5 out of 5]

The final volume

The late, great Joe Kubert left behind a great legacy of art and this his Tarzan work for DC comics, is among his best. Just read it, if not already, you'll be a convert. Insert the cry of the great ape here.

[Ralph Carlson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tarzan comics by Joe Kubert, what's not to like.