Rulah, Jungle Goddess
| Rulah, Jungle Goddess | |
|---|---|
 Rulah on the cover of Zoot #7, June 1947. Art by Jack Kamen. | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Fox Feature Syndicate |
| First appearance | Zoot Comics #7 (June 1947) |
| Created by | Matt Baker (artist) |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | (originally) Jane Dogdge (after Rulah, Jungle Goddess" #20) Joan Grayson |
| Species | Human |
| Abilities | Normal human strength |
Rulah, Jungle Goddess was a fictional character that appeared in comic books published by Fox Feature Syndicate. She first appeared in the Zoot Comics #7 (June 1947). The artist generally credited with creating Rulah is Matt Baker, although Jack Kamen and Graham Ingels were also associated with her.
Character background
Rulah was Fox Feature's response to Sheena, Queen of the Jungle. Her real name was given variously as either Jane Dodge (Zoot #7) or Joan Grayson (Rulah, Jungle Goddess #20). In the latter version, Rulah is a young aviatrix on a solo flight over Africa when her plane loses control and crashes. She replaces her clothes (which were destroyed in the crash) with a bikini made from the skin of a dead giraffe and she always goes barefoot. Soon afterwards, Rulah saves a local tribe from an evil woman; the grateful tribespeople declare her queen. Rulah decides to remain in the jungle as its projector. Rulah is often accompanied by her pet panther Saber. Her boyfriend, Tim Pointer, is introduced in issue #20.
Publication history
Rulah appeared in each issue of Zoot Comics after issue #7. By issue #20, Zoot was retitled Rulah, Jungle Goddess. Rulah also appeared in All Top Comics, alongside Dagar, the Desert Hawk and the Blue Beetle. Rulah's last appearance in her own title was issue #27 (June 1949); the comic became a romance title and was renamed I Loved. All Top was canceled in July 1949.
After the demise of Fox Feature Syndicate, some of Rulah adventures were reprinted without permission by Star Comics (no relation to the Marvel Comics imprint), and I. W. Publications, under the Super Comics and Skywald Comics lines. The last original story featuring Rulah is 'Clash of Gods', written by Enrico Teodorani and drawn by Antonio Conversano, published in 2004 by AC Comics in Femforce # 129.
Controversy
Rulah is noteworthy for being referenced four times in Dr. Fredric Wertham's Seduction of the Innocent.[1]
Notes
- ^ http://members.aol.com/originalart/seductionlist.htm Seduction of the Innocent checklist