The 1940s
From the start of the Golden Age of Comics, the jungle heroine has already a place within the other genres. Sheena the Jungle Queen first appeared in British magazine Wag #46 then in the United States in Jumbo Comics #1 as one of the 25 stories included, all in the year 1938. Her design does line up with some of Hudson’s, like the style of her hair. Sheena marks the first and lasting of the heroines, and designs of the character become more mirrors of her than of Hudson’s.
By the 1940s, the Golden Age of comics has already begun and with it the first serialization of the jungle heroine into its own comic book, Camilla. Right from the start, it has similarities with Hudson’s idea of the jungle girl, with the dress and the way her hair is designed like Sheena. She too has an animal at her commend. In the First 2 years of publications, Camilla had 3 different credited writers from 2 C. A. Winter, Ted Carter, and Victor Ibsen. The narrative formula does not change in the 151 appearances in Jungle Comics. She rules a lost empire and protects it from external enemies or subjects who seek to steal her throne.
From 1942 to 1945, Camilla continues to appear in Jungle Comics from issue #27 to #67. From 1942, the archetype of the jungle heroine starts to pick up steam on the market. Sheena also continues to appear in Jumbo Comics, however, new characters start to spawn. Nyoka the Jungle Girl debuts in 1942 in Fawcett Comics and 2 years after, Tiger Girl debuts in Fight Comic #32. The Unique aspect of Nyoka is her design as she did not have to usual tiger-striped bikini that most jungle heroines had. Many of her narratives also deal with fighting off the indigenous people of the land, rather than fighting alongside with them. Tiger Girl, on the other hand, played more into what is already established from the jungle heroine. She has the typical attire and even commands an animal, as her name suggests.
1945 to 1950 is where the jungle heroine starts to flood the market. In 5 years, 3 new jungle heroines get introduced with Rulah, Zegra, Jo-Jo, Zoot, and Slave Girl with the existing heroines are still being published. These new additions have no difference between each other or what has already been produced. The quality of the stories is a lot weaker than what has already been established as these 3 new series only last 2 years before they are cycled out. This series also seems to follow the trend of what is popular in its narrative too, even though the setting in the jungle. To add on to all the new titles being created, the credited writers for the jungle theme up to this point and well into the 1960s are all males. This could just be a reflection on the gender roles of this time and in particular this field of work. It is odd to see that there was no increase in females during the war times, and would not have a presence until the early 1970s.
Works Cited
Eisner, Will & Jerry Iger. “Sheena Queen of the Jungle.” Jumbo Comics #1, Fiction House, 1938.
Kamen, Jack. “Rulah.” Rulah Jungle Goddess #17, Fox Feature Syndicate, 1948.
Larsen, Howard. “Malu, The Slave Girl.” Slave Girl Comics #1, Avon Periodicals, 1949.
Lax, Jo. “Zegra.” Zegra, Jungle Empress #2, Fox Feature Syndicate, 1949.
Winter, C. A. “Camilla.” Jungle Comics #1. Fiction House, 1940.
Webb, Robert. “Tiger Girl.” Fight Comics #32, Fiction House, 1944.
Whiteman, Bert. “Nyoka the Jungle Girl.” Jungle Girl #1, Fawcett Publications, 1942.