The First Black Hero in Marvel Publishing History "Waku: Prince of the Bantu" in Atlas Comics, Including First Ever Appearance, 1954-55

Marvel Comics Jungle Tales

First Edition

[African American Comics] The first Black hero in Marvel Comics publishing history in Jungle Tales nos. 1, 5, and 7. These issues date from a 1954-1955 run in which Atlas Comics, the label that developed into Marvel Comics, featuring one of the earliest Black lead features in American mainstream comics, Waku: Prince of the Bantu. Marvel has identified Waku as the first regular Black lead character in its publishing history, and these issues give the character cover billing and stories including “Fire Spirit,” “Blood Brother to the Lions!,” and “Trial by Fire!” alongside recurring Jann of the Jungle features such as “Rampage!,” “Jungle Fangs!,” and “Swamp Fever!”. Jungle Tales ran for seven issues from September 1954 to September 1955, with numbering then continuing as Jann of the Jungle no. 8.
Jungle Tales. New York: Classic Syndicate, Inc. for Atlas Comics, 1954-1955. Group of 3 issues: vol. 1, no. 1 (September 1954); vol. 1, no. 5 (May 1955); vol. 1, no. 7 (September 1955). Each issue retains its original pictorial wrappers with full-color covers and newsprint interiors; contents across the group include Waku, Prince of the Bantu, Jann of the Jungle, Cliff Mason, White Hunter, and The Unknown Jungle.
[1] Jungle Tales. Vol. 1, no. 1. New York: Classic Syndicate, Inc., September 1954. First issue of the series, with a red cover introducing the title and cover panels for Cliff Mason, Jann of the Jungle, Waku, Prince of the Bantu, and The Unknown Jungle. The Waku feature is titled “Fire Spirit.” His story opens with the death of Chief Kaba, whose final command binds his son to the jungle’s fire spirit and forces Waku into exile rather than immediate succession. Waku kills the wild bull marauding the village, learns that the hunter Mabu has profited by sending white hunters after elephant herds, and returns when Kaba’s spirit releases him from his vow, ending with Waku restored as leader of the Bantu beside Lalei.
[2] Jungle Tales. Vol. 1, no. 5. New York: Classic Syndicate, Inc., May 1955. Yellow cover with five-panel layout and the Comics Code Authority seal, naming Jann of the Jungle, Cliff Mason, White Hunter, Waku, Prince of the Bantu, and The Unknown Jungle. The Waku feature “Blood Brother to the Lions!” begins with h is defeat of Naru for leadership, but the dispute continues when Kom drives Waku into the jungle and Lalei follows him into danger. Waku enters a lion enclosure to save Naru, fights through fire, gorilla attack, and jungle beasts, and returns on the backs of lions, prompting Naru to yield leadership and call him “blood brother to all things of the jungle.”

[3] Jungle Tales. Vol. 1, no. 7. New York: Classic Syndicate, Inc., September 1955. Final issue of the title before continuation as Jann of the Jungle no. 8, with a yellow cover again foregrounding the anthology’s principal features. The Waku story “Trial by Fire!” centers on Kojii’s challenge to his rule: Kojii seizes Lalei, demands that Waku surrender the Bantu throne, and draws him into the mountain sanctuary of the monkey people. Waku escapes captivity, survives the monkey assault, defeats Kojii in the trial by fire, and the story closes with Lalei and the great bird carrying the Bantu out of the flames while Kojii acknowledges that Waku remains the true ruler.
These issues preserve a short-lived title in which a Black hero, regarded by some as a direct predecessor to the later Marvel superhero Black Panther, carried a recurring feature and cover representation in a mainstream American comic. Front and back wrappers on vol. 1, no. 1 fully detached; some light toning and edge wear consistent with age and handling across the group, otherwise good. Overall fair to good condition. A three-issue group of Jungle Tales featuring the earliest appearance of Waku, Prince of the Bantu, the first Black hero in Marvel’s publishing history.

Item #23240

Price: $950.00