When you search the word “Tara” in comic databases you usually get Tara on the Dark Continent, a Jungle Girl from the 1970s and 80s. I just happened to be looking through a copy of Wonder Comics and found another Tara, one far more interesting than another gal in leopard print.
For the last five issues of Wonder Comics (#15-20, December 1947-October 1948) and a single episode in Thrilling Comics #71 (April 1949), Tara and her two companions, Robin and Malo, fought injustice and for the people of the planets. Obviously based on Robin Hood, the blond with her band of merry men travels the galaxy in the ship, The Space Rover. The formula is not new, not even in 1947. (Canadian cartoons would recycle it as Rocket Robin Hood in 1966-69.)
Wonder Comics and Thrilling Comics were part of the Ned Pines Pulp chain that published Thrilling Wonder Stories, Startling Stories and Exciting Stories. Thus comics with all the same adjectives. The characters from both magazines were often of a type but not identical. Tara never appeared in any Pulp but her many sisters did.
Unlike many early comics, “Tara” has the added advantage of a single artist, Gene Fawcette who drew all of the episodes. His style handles monsters and humans well as the second story demonstrates with octopoid baddies. He would also work on “Princess Pantha”, “Dennis the Menace”, and “Supermouse” as well as Horror comics. After the first installment “Tara” was popular enough to become the lead comic as well as the cover icon. Alex Schomberg did all the covers under the name “Xela”. The writer of the series is not known.
Tara’s story begins in Wonder Comics #15, with “the Outlaw of the Universe”, when she and her father are about to give up space-faring for Earth. Tara was born and raised in space. Pirates board the ship and her father is killed. Tara is locked up with other prisoners in the brig. This includes Robin and his pal, Malo (who has a passing resemblance to OMAC.) The crew escape and capture the terrible pirate, Captain Atto, and take him to earth to face justice. (They do this by using a whip that becomes Malo’s weapon of choice.) The Martian ambassador pulls diplomatic immunity to save Atto. The only way Tara and Robin can win is to start a war between the worlds. Robin punches Atto out and the gang become fugitives to save the Earth.
In “The Fabulous Jewel of Morn”, Tara and her band need a hideout because they are now outlaws. They go to the Phantom Haven on Venus. Haneesh, the ruler of the haven, demands the crew steal the Jewel of Morn to join the Brotherhood of Space and have a home on Venus. Tara does not like to steal but agrees. She and the crew go to Kharlsen’s castle where the jewel is kept. Kharlsen kidnaps Tara but invites the men to come to him that evening. He does this because the causeway to his castle is a trap, a shifting platform with razor-sharp edges. Robin doesn’t fall for it, but arrives by airo-whirlpool, flying in instead. He and Tara best Kharlsen and take the jewel.
“The Eight Hands of Tenslith” has a plague break out on Earth. The plague can be cured with Ranadium Weed but it only grows on Aquam, a planet with no land. The floating city of Vlanda is where Tara and her men go to get Ranadium Weed. Unfortunately the truce between the city dwellers and the ocean dwellers is broken by Tenslith, king of the octopus-like sea creatures. Tara and Robin decide to dive for the weed despite hostilities. In a strange twist, the undersea ones attack Vlanda from the air, not the water, coming in a fleet of ships. Tara defeats them with Ranadium nets, which knock the ships out of the sky. With this defeat, Tenslith is deposed and peace is restored. Earth is saved.
“The Key of the Cuchin Van” has Daro Dallas, president of Mars planning to conquer the solar system. To do this he wants to use the ancient weapon found in a ruin on Titan. Tara gets the coin that will open that vault and speeds off to beat Dallas to the treasure. The president sees her leave and follows. Tara and her two allies get there first but Dallas’s men attack with jet packs and capture them. Like all villains everywhere Dallas doesn’t kill them outright but locks them up to starve to death. Using his whip, Malo breaks a jar that gives them shards to cut their bonds. Tara radioactivates another coin to open the vault. Free, they pursue Dallas, board his ship and take the device. The government of Earth receives the weapon, knowing Tara is out there, protecting people everywhere.
“The Secret Bride of Bharbon” has Tara, Robin and Malo on Xeros for repairs. There they witness an old man, Tarman, trying to kill the tyrant Bharbon. The ruler spares the man when his attempt fails, for Bharbon is to marry his daughter, Myrene. The outlaws rescue Tarman from a pond of killer fish and spend the night in his house. Unfortunately, Tarman is assassinated and the three swear to keep Myrene from marrying Bharbon. Posing as merchants they gain access to the throne room and capture the tyrant. A guard thwarts them and they are thrown into the dungeon. Myrene visits them and hatches a plan. As a wedding present she asks Bharbon to let her kill Tara and her men. Instead of stabbing them with a sword, she frees them and Robin duels with Bharbon. The tyrant loses and the people of Xeros are freed.
“Tara and the Gold Robbers” was written by Charles S. Strong, an adventure writer, explorer and news correspondent. He wrote Mountie stories under the pen name Charles Stoddard. This Northern theme surfaces here in a tale interstellar piracy. Tara, Robin and Malo go to one of Venus’s tributaries to collect the gold tribute. Gonda and his gold robbers come to take the gold. Tara pulls a trick on him by flooding the hold and placing the escape shuttles inside. She has Malo lead the robbers on a merry chase, shaking the ship in the process. When the three robber ships finally take the Space Rover, they allow the three to leave in the shuttles. The robbers find the hold filled with worthless dirt. All the gold has been sluiced out, into the shuttles. Gonda’s reputation takes a hit and he loses his livelihood. Wow, talk about about telling a Northern, even in space!
“The Death That Grew” starts with Tara and her friends watching the dancer Leetha, recently come to Phantom Haven. But bad news ruins their evening. Haneesh has contracted the Spore Death, a virus from the tyrant scientists of Mars. Dr. Vard informs them the only cure is in the Science Citadel on the red planet. Tara and her two friends go to Mars. An ally of Vard’s, a shopkeeper named Botol disguises Tara and Robin. They get jobs in the citadel until they identify the woman in charge of the serums. Robin pretends to offer her a fortune for the vial. Tara knocks her out and ties her up. Taking their serum the couple’s disguises melt off when exposed to infra-red rays. Tara finds the council of scientists plotting to destroy Phantom Haven and the name of a spy. The two flee when guards come. Robin effects their escape when he throws a vial of spore death into the meeting chamber. They return home to unmask the spy, Leetha, who the scientists had immunized then planted in the haven. She kills herself with poison.
“Satellites of the Moon Spiders” appeared in Thrilling Comics #71 (April 1949), most likely done for the issue of Wonder Comics #21 that was never published. Haneesh, ruler of the Phantom Haven, has a cowardly nephew, Timo, that Tara takes under her wing. Robin tries to butch him up by having him come out on the Space Rover‘s hull to fix a plate. Timo’s cowardice messes that up. This causes the crew to land on Hyperion, home of the ruthless Jacal the Red while transporting a fortune in jewels. Timo is lured away by a friendly man in a feathered cap. This proves to be Jacal, who ransoms him for the jewels. The trio come unarmed, except for Malo’s whip, defeat Jacal and face off against his giant spiders. It is Timo who kills the spider and saves Robin, no longer a coward.
All the comics mentioned in this piece are available at DCM, The Digital Comic Museum, free of charge.
