The Jungle Queens

THE JUNGLE QUEENS

The Jungle Girl phenomenon pre-dates Tarzan and Jane. W. H. Hudson's novel Green Mansions (1904) features Rima the Jungle Girl. The oldest comics are from 1937 to the present. I've been wanting to count all the jungle queens that have ever appeared in the comics. Just to be clear, first off I took out the cave girls (living in prehistoric realms) which I consider a different type of jungle queen. (Two exceptions: Cave Girl and Thun'da which start as prehistoric comics but became jungle adventures.) Arranged by date. ? indicates a questionable date.

1. Sheena, Queen of the Jungle

(Fiction House) Wags #1 (1937) (1938 in US), Jumbo Comics #1-167 (Sept. 1938 - April 1953), 3D Sheena (1953), Sheena, Queen of the Jungle #1-18 (Spring 1942-Winter 1952-3), Marvel Movie Adapatation (December 1984/February 1985), London Night Studios #0-2 (February-August 1998)

Sheena has had more incarnation than any other Jungle Queen. She is truly THE quintessential Queen of the Jungle.

2. Ann Mason - Kaanga's mate

(Fiction House) Jungle Comics #1 - #160 (January 1940 - October 1953) Ka'a'nga Jungle King #1-20 (Spring 1949-Summer 1954)

She begins dressed in a Nyoka-style shirt and pants but by issue #8 she is sporting a leopard skin dress. Caved to peer pressure.

3. Camilla, Wild Girl of the Congo/Jessie

(Fiction House) Jungle Comics #1- #151 (January 1940-September 1952?)

One of the back-up girls for the heavy-hitters, she was the first Jungle Girl to wear zebra. Fashion-setter. Her name was changed to Jessie in reprints.

4. Fantomah, Mystery Woman of the Jungle

(Fiction House) Jungle Comics #2 ( #51 (February 1940-March 1944)

Fantomah holds the record as the first comic superheroine (female character with super powers).

5. Marga the Panther Woman

(Fox) Science Comics #1-8 (February-September? 1940) Weird Comics #8-20 (November 1940-January 1942)

Man, that girl can swing an animal!

6. Blanda

(Hillman) Miracle Comics #1-4 (February-April 1940)

Ouch! That's bad.

7. Zara of the Jungle

(Marvel) Mystic Comics #2-3 (April-June 1940)

Marvel didn't have many but here's an obscure one.

8. Kazanda

Kazanda Again (Australian comic: Kazanda, Wild Girl of the Forbidden Kingdom) (February 1944) Ranger Comics #23-#31 (June 1945?-October 1946)

Originally an Australian character, she became a back-up in Ranger Comics.

9. Jun-Gal

(Rural Home) Blazing Comics #1-6 (June 1944-April 1945)

With a name like that you should be able to kick Hitler's ass.

10. Princess Taj

(Fiction House) Jungle Comics #57 (September 1944)

One-shot elephant-rider.

11. Tiger Girl/Princess Vishnu

(Fiction House) Fight Comics #34-#81 (October 1944-July 1952)

Fight Comics began a semi-superhero mag but in 1947 Princess Vishnu took over until the third last issue.

12. Kara Jungle Princess

(Nedor Comics) Exciting Comics #39-#49 (December 1944-July 1946)

Kara was replaced by Judy of the Jungle. Go figure.

13. Jano , mate of Voodah

(McCombs) Crown Comics #3-#19 (Fall 1945- July 1949)

Actual African jungle girl and guy. But, hey, why aren't they ever on the

cover?

14. Nyoka the Jungle Girl

(Fawcett) Nyoka the Jungle Girl #1-#77 (Winter 1945-June 1953)

Long-running series with a TV show to support it. No fur bikini.

15. South Sea Girl

(Leader Enterprises) Seven Seas Comics #1-7 (April 1946-1947)

Her name was changed to Vooda in the reprints.

16. Princess Pantha

(AC Comics) Thrilling Comics #56-#74 (October1946- 1949)

Alan Moore would revive the Princess for his Tom Strong series in 2001.

17. Judy of the Jungle

(Nedor Comics) Exciting Comics #55 (May 1947)- Exciting Comics #69 (September 1949)

Artwork by Alex Schomberg and Frank Frazetta.

18. Tygra of the Flame People (Lynn Thomas)

(Nedor) Startling Comics #45-#53 (May 1947-September 1948)

She wears tiger fur even though she's in Africa. That's making a statement.

19. Tanee, Jo-Jo's Mate

(Fox) Jo-Jo Jungle King #7-29 (July 1947-July 1949)

Jo-Jo's main gal-pal. They weren't exclusive though. Stories reprinted with Jo-Jo changed to Bombo.

20. Gwenna , Jungle Jo's Mate

(Fox) Jo-Jo, Congo King #7 (July 1947)

A single issue for this gal. Love is cruel.

21. Safra, Jo-Jo's Mate

(Fox) Jo-Jo, Congo King #8 (August 1947)

Ditto.

22. Jane Porter

(Dell) Tarzan #1-131 (January-February 1948-July-August 1962)

131 issues and she was on all of 1. That says something. Other than Rima, the oldest gal on this page. Really the first Jungle Girl of mass media.

23. Safari Cary

(Fox) Dagar, Desert Hawk #14-23 (February 1948-April 1949)

More in the Nyoka style.

24. Tangi

(Fox) Dagar, Desert Hawk #15-22 (March 1948?-March 1949?)

Back-up feature only.

25. Pantera Bionda

(Ingam) Pantera Biondi #1(April 1948)-#108 (June 1950)

Inspired by American Jungle Girls, Gian Giacomo Dalmasso created Pantera in 1948.

26. Tawana

(St. John) Abbott & Costello Comics #2 (April 1948)

Nice spoof of the genre.

27. Rulah, Jungle Goddess

(Fox ) Rulah Jungle Goddess #1-27 (August 1948-June 1949)

28. Tegra/Zegra Jungle Empress

(Fox) Tegra Jungle Empress #1 (August 1948) Zegra Jungle Empress #2-5 (October 1948-April 1949)

Started off a red-head named Tegra (because she was really a converted Rulah) then went blond and changed her name to Zegra.

29. Numa

(Fox) Rulah Jungle Goddess #18 (September 1948)

One-shot back-up chick.

30. Wana, mate of Zago

(Fox) Zago, Jungle Prince #1-4 (September 1948-March 1949)

Married lady of the jungle.

31. Phara, Living Goddess

(Fox) Zegra Jungle Empress #2 (October 1948)

Probably the shortest career as a Jungle Girl...2 pages.

32. Juanda

(Fox) Jo-Jo Congo King#21 (November 1948)

One-shot gal. Hard to stand out from the crowd.

33. Jessie, mate of Ka'a'nga

(Fiction House) Ka'a'nga Comics #1-20 (Spring 1949-Summer 1954)

34. Zira, mate of Yarmak

(Young's Merchandizing) Yarmak Comics #1-32 (November 1949-June 1952)

An obscure Australian comic.

35. Jungle Lil

(Fox/Star Comics) Feature Stories #3 (1950), Jungle Lil (April 1950) Variety Comics (August 1950) Spook #22 (1953)

36. Lura, Jungle Jo's Mate

(Fox) Jungle Jo #1-4 (March 1950-August 1950?)

Another incarnation of Jo-jo.

37. Dorothy Lamour, Jungle Princess

(Fox) Dorothy Lamour, Jungle Princess (June-August 1950)

A film product promotion.

38. Taanda, White Princess of the Jungle/Tarinda

(Avon) White Princess of the Jungle #1-5 (July 1951-November 1952)

They just don't write titles like that anymore. They changed her name with Issue #5.

39. Saari, the Jungle Goddess

(PL Publishing) Saari #1 (November 1951)

Obscure and forgettable.

40. Rima, the Jungle Girl

(Gilberton/DC) Classics Illustrated #90 Green Mansions (December 1951) Rima the Jungle Girl April-May 1974-April-May 1975

Two adaptations of the novel Green Mansions with the first Jungle Girl

41. Pha , Thun'Da's mate

(Magazine Enterprises) Thun'da #1-6 (January 1952-1953)

Created by Frank Frazetta. Frank left the book when the caveman angle was dropped.

42. Cave Girl (Carol)

(Magazine Enterprises) A-1 Comics #56- #137 (July 1952?-June 1955?)

Created by Garner F. Fox. Originally a prehistoric Lost World strip it eventually devolved into a standard jungle scenario.

43. Taranga

(Star) Terrors of the Jungle #4 (April 1953)

44. Zenta, mate of Bantor

(Star) Terrors of the Jungle #6 (September 1953)

One shot couple of Bantor and Zenta.

45. Lorna the Jungle Girl

(Atlas) Lorna the Jungle Girl (March 1954-August 1957)

Marvel's first try at a Jungle Princess.

46. Luana, Torga's Mate

(Star Publications) Terrors of the Jungle #9 (June 1954?)

One-shot story. Nothing to do with the movie Luana.

47. Jann of the Jungle

(Atlas) Jungle Tales #1 (September 1954) - Jann of the Jungle #17 (June 1957)

Starting off in Jungle Tales, Jann quickly became of the star and the comic changed names.

48. Leopard Girl (Gwen)

(Atlas Comics) Jungle Action #1-6 (October 1954-August #1955)

Not reprinted when Jungle Action returned in the 1970s.

49. Vooda, Jungle Princess

(Ajax) Vooda #20-22 (April-August 1955)

Was originally South Sea Girl but changed to Vooda for reprints.

50. Ranee, Princess of the Jungle

(Dell) Jungle Jim #13-19 (July-September 1957-January-March 1959)

51. Shirl, The Jungle Girl

(Harvey) Harvey Hits #1 (September 1957)

Wally Wood parody.

52. Ursula

(ABC/Gold Key) America's Best TV Comics (1967) George of the Jungle #1-2 (February-October 1969)

Based on the Jay Ward cartoon. The only Jungle Gal who wears high heels.

53. Girl Phantom

(King) Mandrake the Magician #4 (March 1967) Phantom #20 (1966) Phantom #6a (January 1973)

54. Tiger Girl/Lily

(Gold Key) Tiger Girl #1 (September 1968)

More of a superhero than a jungle girl.

55. Shanna the She-Devil

(Marvel) Shanna, the She-Devil #1-5 (December 1972-August 1973) Shanna the She-Devil #1-7 (April-October 2005) Shanna: Survival of the Fittest #1-4 (October 2007-January 2008)

56. Khina de la Jungla

(CIMOC) Cimoc Extra #9 (1981)

Naughtiness in the Jungle by Saudelli

57. Lana of Lost Land

(Heroic Fantasy Publications) Heroic Fantasy #2-3 (February-September 1985) Bad fanzine stuff.

58. Kyra

(EP Productions) Kyra #1-5 (1985- Winter 1987) Graphic Novel (May 1988)

Body-Builder Jungle Queen.

59. Tara of the Jungle

(AC) Jungle Girls #1-16 (1989-1993)

Meant as an homage but comes off as something much tackier.

60. Fana the Jungle Girl

(Burcham Studios) Fana the Jungle Girl#1 (1990)

61. The Tiger Woman

(Millennium/Caliber) The Tiger Woman (September 1994-April 1995) The Quest of the Tiger Woman (April 1995) The Tiger Woman: A New Beginning (January 1998) The Tiger Woman: The Last Place on Earth (2000)