Rulah, Jungle Goddess
Encyclopedia
Rulah, Jungle Goddess is a fictional character
, a jungle girl, in comic books published by Fox Feature Syndicate
. She first appeared in 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.
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
. 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 protector. Rulah is often accompanied by her pet panther
Saber. Her boyfriend, Tim Pointer, is introduced in issue #20.
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.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
, a jungle girl, in comic books published by Fox Feature Syndicate
Fox Feature Syndicate
Fox Feature Syndicate was a comic book publisher from early in the period known to fans and historians as the Golden Age of Comic Books. Founded by entrepreneur Victor S...
. She first appeared in Zoot Comics #7 (June 1947). The artist generally credited with creating Rulah is Matt Baker, although Jack Kamen
Jack Kamen
Jack Kamen was an illustrator from Brooklyn, New York. His first professional job was as an assistant to a sculptor working for the Texas Centennial. He studied sculpture with Agop Agopoff and was a student of Harvey Dunn, George Brandt Bridgman and William C. McNulty...
and Graham Ingels
Graham Ingels
Graham Ingels was a comic book and magazine illustrator best known for his work in EC Comics during the 1950s, notably on The Haunt of Fear and Tales from the Crypt, horror titles written and edited by Al Feldstein, and The Vault of Horror, written and edited by Feldstein and Johnny Craig...
were also associated with her.
Character background
Rulah's real name was given variously as either Jane Dodge or Joan Grayson. In the latter version, Rulah is a young aviatrix on a solo flight over AfricaAfrica
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
when her plane loses control and crashes. She replaces her clothes (which were destroyed in the crash) with a bikini
Bikini
The bikini is typically a women's two-piece swimsuit. One part of the attire covers the breasts and the other part covers the crotch and part of or the entire buttocks, leaving an uncovered area between the two. Merriam–Webster describes the bikini as "a woman's scanty two-piece bathing suit" or "a...
made from the skin of a dead giraffe
Giraffe
The giraffe is an African even-toed ungulate mammal, the tallest of all extant land-living animal species, and the largest ruminant...
. 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 protector. Rulah is often accompanied by her pet panther
Leopard
The leopard , Panthera pardus, is a member of the Felidae family and the smallest of the four "big cats" in the genus Panthera, the other three being the tiger, lion, and jaguar. The leopard was once distributed across eastern and southern Asia and Africa, from Siberia to South Africa, but its...
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 HawkDagar, the Desert Hawk
Dagar, the Desert Hawk was a fictional character that appeared in comic books published by Fox Feature Syndicate. Dagar first appeared in All Great Comics #13 , with pencils by Edmond Good....
and the Blue Beetle
Blue Beetle
Blue Beetle is the name of three fictional superheroes that appear in American comic books published by a variety of companies since 1939.-Publication history:...
. 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
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
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
AC Comics
AC Comics is a comic book publishing company started by Bill Black.AC Comics specializes in reprints of Golden Age comics from now-defunct companies whose properties lapsed into public domain and were not reprinted elsewhere...
in Femforce
Femforce
Femforce is a comic book published by AC Comics that began publication in 1985, detailing the adventures of the titular team: the "Federal Emergency Missions Force" or "Femforce", some of them original creations, while others originated in the 1940s and 50s, lapsing into public domain by the time...
# 129.
External links
- Rulah, Jungle Goddess at the Grand Comics Database
- Rulah, Jungle Goddess at Comics Art Gallery
- Rulah, Jungle Goddess at Don Markstein's ToonopediaDon Markstein's ToonopediaDon Markstein's Toonopedia was a web encyclopedia of print cartoons, comic strips and animation. Don D...
- The Rise of Rulah, Metahuman Press