First and Only Weekly Online Fanzine Devoted to the Life & Works of Edgar Rice Burroughs
Since 1996 ~ Over 15,000 Web Pages in Archive
Volume 2898
ERB ECLECTICA
ERB-Date: 2009.12
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Houdini, Tarzan, and the Perfect Man:
The White Male Body and the Challenge of Modernity in America
by John F. Kasson
Hill and Wang, July 2002 ~ ISBN: 978-0-8090-5547-0, ISBN10: 0-8090-5547-3
TRADE REVIEWS"Images of male muscular development and bodily perfection have both a distinguished lineage and a troubled history in Western culture..."
From Publishers Weekly
"Me Tarzan, You Jane. Me White, Me Better"
That was the subtext not only of Edgar Rice Burroughs's novel Tarzan of the Apes, but also of magician and escape artist Harry Houdini's career, as well as that of vaudeville star and bodybuilder Eugene Sandow, according to this illuminating and engrossing cultural study of modern masculinity. Exploring how public presentations of the white male body, particularly in popular culture, reinforced both gender and racial superiority in the formative years of this century, Kasson (professor of American studies at the University of North Carolina) deftly weds these three major figures into a single narrative. Sandow embodied pure male form and strength in response to women gaining more social power, Kasson says, while Houdini represented the survival of the threatened male body in an age when the state was imposing more control over the individual. Meanwhile, the fictional Ape Man symbolized the inherent mastery of whiteness in an increasingly complex racialized world. Drawing on a wide range of sources including vaudeville programs and photos, newspaper reports, personal letters and autobiographies, as well as medical texts, historical accounts and cultural theory Kasson manages to weave in other (mostly forgotten, but historically important) figures such as Julian Eltinge, the world's most noted female impersonator, and spiritualist Mina Crandon, who was exposed as a fraud by Houdini. Witty and well written, this is a top-notch work of cultural history that can be read with great enjoyment by general readers and social historians alike.From Library Journal
Here is an unusual and thought-provoking look at the evolving concept of manhood from the late 19th century through the World War I era, when social, technological, business, and urban changes reshaped many traditional perceptions. Kasson (Rudeness and Civility: Manners in Nineteenth-Century Urban America) presents a well-researched study focusing upon three figures who underscored the male image in the public eye albeit a dominant, white-male image that remained throughout ensuing decades. Eugene Sandow, a bodybuilder and vaudevillian known as the Perfect Man, set a standard for physical perfection. Harry Houdini performed death-defying magic that emphasized triumph over physical circumstances at a time when technology seemed to threaten individuality. Through his novels, Edgar Rice Burroughs created ideal heroes, particularly in his "Tarzan" series, who imposed control and values upon wild and dangerous surroundings. Using these popular figures as a basis for discussion, Kasson examines a rich variety of trends, customs, values, and philosophies, offering unique commentary on issues pertaining to manliness in modern society. Numerous illustrations enhance this fluidly written text. For academic libraries and large sociology and history collections. Carol J. Binkowski, Bloomfield, NJ
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ERB's Remarkable Summer of '93: Houdini Inspiration | Sandow in Midway Ape Man: Kith & Kin: Gorilla Hunters | Sailor Among Apes Men Like Gods |
I just returned from Guam and wanted you to have these pictures I took of Tarzan Falls near Talofofo, Guam, USA. This is one of about five different cascading falls on this river (we'd call it a stream). The trail is quite rugged, but we took a "short cut" through the jungle and it was 20 miles, not 14. In the fields going down to the river and the Falls, there are wild orchids, some of which are over 6' tall. Included is a link with a map. ~ Jim Karr
JIM KARR VISITS GUAM'S TARZAN FALLS
Michael Chabon Discusses the John Carter Film Project
Newsarama Interview ~ December 2, 2009Chabon: John Carter of Mars ~ I was brought in by the director, Andrew Stanton, to do a revision of the script that he wrote with Mark Andrews. Andrew and I had met a few times over the years, and he had heard I was a big fan of the ERB Mars books, and that I had written an original screenplay many years ago (The Martian Agent) that was in development for a while at Fox/ILM.
So he asked me to take a whack at it. That was a huge thrill. I was impressed by the way he and Mark had found ways to honor the source material, be true to the romance and the spirit and the wild invention, not to mention the characters' natures, while constructing a tight (yet still faithful) film narrative out of a pretty loose and rangy pulp-serial seat-of-the-pants plot. I just tried to do the things that Andrew thought the script still needed.
ERB WEB WATCH
"Paradise has changed – it's got crowded"
FT.com ~ December 5, 2009
This book, Across Darkest Africa by David Livingstone, is important. In the early 1980s I was rainforest adviser on the film Greystoke: the legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes. I came across the production co-ordinator. Her name was Laura and now she is my wife. This book was used in the film – Tarzan picks it up and looks at it.
ERBzine Ref:
See our description of Livingsone's book in our Personal Library of ERB.
ERB Watch On eBay
PELLUCIDAR Edgar Rice Burroughs 1923 Leather signed ERB
Ackerman Provenance, From Author's Personal Library?
AT THE EARTH'S CORE WITH DAVID INNES, EDGAR RICE BURROUGHS, FOREST J. ACKERMAN, AND I
"This is the 1923 Grosset & Dunlap edition of PELLUCIDAR by Edgar Rice Burroughs, the first edition to feature the illustrations by J. Allen St. John. I acquired this several years ago from Uncle Forry, Forrest J. Ackerman, Mr. Sci-Fi himself, back when he was downsizing the Garage Mahal. I thought I'd just be receiving an old copy this title, but I think I scored one of Edgar's very own copies -- a handed-along bit of overstock from the personal library of the creator of Tarzan himself!"I'm offering in this auction everything that Forry sent to me. As you can see in the photos this includes not only the book itself, but a laced and tooled leather jacket with "ERB," the author's famous initials, embossed on the front in an art deco style/font. Furthermore, although there is no additional writing within, it appears that someone tore an 'ex libris' bookplate from the front free end paper revealing scattered 'fr a gme nts' of writing sufficiently resembling that of Burroughs and his signature to minimally provoke a sense of wonder (as in, "I wonder what was on the bookplate?") In any case, I can guarantee only the Ackerman provenance, but seriously, from where and whom else would someone of 4SJ's stature have acquired this? Besides being universlly known as Mr. Science Fiction, Forrest has been widely acknowledged as the biggest fan of Burroughs' ever, and was also a longtime close personal friend -- indeed, he was reported to be the last man to have seen Edgar alive. Of course I'll also be including the "Thanxamillion" note, which was sent to me by Ackerman along with the book and jacket."
Rush Job from Asylum
to capitalize on the upcoming Stanton (John Carter of Mars) and Cameron (Avatar) film projectsThe Asylum trailer for PRINCESS OF MARS
http://www.theasylum.cc/video/POM_Trailer_112309.mov
From The Asylum Web site
ERBzine Ref: No. 3034
TRACI LORDS: THE ASYLUM'S PRINCESS OF MARS
The Asylum Story ~ PM Photos ~ Film Refs by Den Valdron
Den Valdron's
Review of Asylum's Princess of Mars
www.erbzine.com/mag30/3034.htmlA fight is looming in the African jungles as George of the Jungle was caught in bed with Jane. The dim witted vine swinger was discovered doing the horizontal mambo with Tarzan's wife by Cheetah and an Ape named Ape (who met for their weekly game of checkers). As Cheetah has a big mouth, Tookey Tookey bird was the next to hear. He relayed the information all over the jungle and into the nearest villages.
George of the Jungle Caught in Bed With Tarzan's Wife Jane
Written by Jalapenoman
The Spoof ~ December 3, 2009
Big happenings in mighty jungleTarzan of the Apes was not pleased with the news. "Me no happy," said Tarzan. "Me no like hear Jane go bangy bangy in treehouse with George. George no me friend no more. Me feed George to crocodiles or lions." Ursula, wife of George, also didn't take the news well. "George and Jane! That upright, snooty English bitch! I'll send Elephant Shep over to stomp out that fat ass of hers. George Jr. and I are going back to San Francisco first thing in the morning!"
Speaking for the guilty parties, George of the Jungle issued the following statement to the press: "George love Ursula and George Jr. very much, but Ursula frigid with little boobies. George like big Jane boobies and Jane like Big, Strong George loin-cloth snake. She say Tarzan only have little worm and it no work no more. Jane want more than only Boy, and she say Tarzan no give her none no more. George also like Jane scream a lot, but Ursula just lay there like dead crocodile." "George also like when Jane put loin cloth snake in mouth and swallow. Ursula gag and say gross and make George feel bad." Any new information into this celebrity drama will be provided by Tookey Tookey.
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All-Gory Pulp Parody: The Ratnaz Files |
THE DRAG-NET (1936) Rod La Roque, Betty Compson, Marian Nixon. A deputy DA finds himself up against a tough crime boss. TARZAN AND THE GREEN GODDESS (1936) Herman Brix, Ula Holt. Tarzan fights a tribe that worships a strange god.
DVD Available featuring four films from
BURROUGHS-TARZAN PICTURES
Drag Net ~ Tarzan and The Green Goddess ~ Tundra ~ Phantom Of Santa Fe
Format: DVD-R from 16mm
TUNDRA (1936) Del Cambre, William Merrill, Earl Dwire. Sprawling film about a doctor's plane going down over the Alaskan wilds.
PHANTOM OF SANTA FE (1936) Norman Kerry, Frank Mayo. Bandits sack a Santa Fe mission and priceless items are stolen.
Price: $14.99 ~ From Amazon
ERBzine Ref: See more on the feature films from Burroughs-Tarzan Pictures:
Edgar Rice Burroughs: Film Producter
Robot Chefs Run a Restaurant
Live Science ~ August 6, 2009
The FuA-Men - Fully Automated raMen restaurant in Nagoya, Japan features a chef and assistant - both fully autonomous robots. The robots perform all of the cooking tasks needed to make eighty bowls per day, serving the customers who come to their small shop. . . .
Science fiction fans have been hungry for news of robotic chefs running restaurants ever since Edgar Rice Burroughs wrote about automated restaurants in his 1912 novel A Princess of Mars.
ERBzine Ref:
ERB The Prophet: Predictions and Images of Future Innovations and Inventions
Interesting Facts on Africa II
On the Buzz.com ~ August 6, 2009
The novel Tarzan of the Apes, set in Africa and published by American author Edgar Rice Burroughs in 1912, created such a compelling image of Africa and the book's title character that a New Orleans newspaper writer only half-jokingly suggested that if Tarzan were to run for president in 1929, he would receive as many votes as incumbent president Herbert Hoover.
ERBzine Ref:
Tarzan for President
http://panthanpress.com/
Jeff Long's New ERB Website
The Voice of the Chicago Muckers
Featuring Podcasts, Videos, Blog, Forum, Store, and more.
ERBzine Refs:
Jeff Long's Panthan Press Features in ERBzine
Jeff Long's Novel: A Princess of Jasoom
The Mangani Clade
By Mike Keesey
As I've mentioned earlier, the formal nomenclature for apes (including humans) is a huge mess. One person's "hominin" is another's "hominid" and my "hominine" might be your "homininan". And in this situation I honestly think the vernacular terms (adjusted in some cases to include humans) serve us better:
* apes: gibbons, great apes
* gibbons (or lesser apes): Hoolock, Hylobates, Nomascus, Symphalangus
* great apes: African apes, Pongo
* African apes: Gorilla, Homo, PanThere, that covers all the major crown groups—with one important exception. There is no vernacular term I know of for the Homo-Pan clade. We are left with having to use unwieldy hyphenates like "the human-chimpanzee clade" or silly portmanteaux like "chuman" (which refer more to the last common ancestor or theoretical hybrids than to the clade as a whole). There is one possible vernacular term I've seen for this clade, and it comes from an unexpected source.
Tarzan is one of the most popular and enduring fictional creations of the 20th century. Everyone knows he was raised by apes—but what kind of apes? In various films they are depicted as gorilla-like (e.g., Disney's Tarzan) or chimpanzee-like (e.g., Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes). What were they in the novels? Tarzan of the Apes - Edgar Rice Burroughs
The author, Edgar Rice Burroughs, never attempted to identify them scientifically. In the novels they have a primitive, guttural language, and they call themselves mangani. They are not gorillas, because they have another word for those (bolgani). Chimpanzees are never mentioned in the novels.
Interestingly, the mangani also use the word mangani for humans. For example, black people are gomangani and white people are tarmangani. So, in their own self-taxonomy, there is a group that includes themselves and humans, but excludes gorillas. Sound familiar?
The mangani can't be chimpanzees, because they are much larger (although less massive than gorillas). Like chimpanzees, they are fairly arboreal, but, unlike them, they do not use tools (apart from logs as drums, perhaps), do speak a language, and do not hunt cooperatively. Still, considering that chimpanzee behavior in the wild was virtually unknown when Burroughs was writing, and that chimpanzees were not thought to be closer to humans than to gorillas, perhaps he can be given some leeway here, since his prescience is otherwise impressive. (Especially given the recent discovery of a possible population of giant chimpanzees in the Bili Forest of the Congo.)
I'd love to learn of a good vernacular term for the human-chimpanzee crown clade, but until such a time as I do (or the formal nomenclature becomes actually useable), I like the idea of referring to humans, common chimpanzees, bonobos, Ardipithecus, "Lucy", Australopithecus, Floresian "hobbits", Homo erectus, Neandertals, etc. as "mangani".
ERBzine Refs:
ERB's Original Dictionary Presented in the
OFFICIAL GUIDE of the TARZAN CLANS OF AMERICA
The Mangani Dictionary
Investigating Mangani
John Carter of Mars (Library of Wonder):
A Princess of Mars, The Gods of Mars, The Warlord of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs,
Thomas Yeates (Illustrator), Michael Ashley (Introduction)
$12.98 Online price ~ $11.68 Member price
BARNES & NOBLE ONLINE REVIEWS
ERB'S CLASSIC TRILOGY GETS FIRST CLASS TREATMENT
Many readers might be familiar with the basic story line of Edgar Rice Burroughs' classic Martian tales. Familiar with John Carter of Mars, his Martian Princess Dejah Thoris and his fierce six limbed green Martian warrior ally Tars Tarkas. What might not be as familiar is the complex story arc that sweeps through these first three volumes--with concepts and conflicts of war, peace and the survival of a people. Of the inventiveness of Burroughs' Barsoom with its many racial, multi species population, and the ever changing political and religious interests that ultimately lead to a great war and the salvation of an entire planet from the tyranny of a false god. The first three novels in one volume provide a chance to read and absorb the story as one continuous tale. This volume is very handsome, well crafted and put together, with amazing illustrations by Thomas Yeates. The colorful endpapers and volume breaks, pageIT'S ABOUT TIME!...maybe
Ever since Del Rey began their excellent series of Robert E. Howard collections, I've been waiting and hoping that they or someone similar would do the same for Burroughs' classic, hugely influential works. (How influential? Well, for example, Star Wars fans might be surprised to learn that the "Martian" words "Jed" and "Sith" are used throughout the Mars series of novels.) The problem with collecting Burroughs in this day and age, however, is that many of his novels have fallen into public domain, which basically means that anyone with access to a high speed copier can print their own editions. Still, I have always felt that a well-designed edition of public domain works is still infinitely more marketable than a cheap knockoff from an on-demand printer, and this volume, with its magnificent (and exclusive) illustrations by Thomas Yeates, proves my point (at least insofar as they were able to sell it to ME immediately). The question now, though, is whether Fall River will continue with the rest of the series. As I alluded above, there are a number of publishers who have printed A PRINCESS OF MARS or the trilogy that this edition collects, only to let the rest of the series fall by the wayside. Just as I felt that these books merited a quality package, I also feel that the series as a whole will be much more marketable, both to its oldest fans and to new readers, if the ENTIRE series is made available. Apart from the short-lived Leonaur publications from a couple of years ago (which apparently suffered from numerous character-recognition-derived glitches), I don't believe this has yet been tried. Given the quality of this book, I believe it's crucial for Burroughs fans to pester the living daylights out of Fall River until they agree to complete the series. (And a companion edition reprinting the entire Pellucidar series wouldn't be too shabby an idea either!)Great Stories, Great Art
Burroughs Done Right!
This is how EVERY Edgar Rice Burroughs novel should be reprinted -- lavishly illustrated by an artist who draws evocative, detailed pictures that reflect not only the story but the imagination of the artist. Thomas Yeates is the perfect illustrator for Burroughs, and we can only hope that B&N retains his talents for future ERB reprints. With Pixar's John Carter of Mars film slated for 2012, the rest of the Barsoom canon needs to be reprinted in this format ASAP! My only further request would be a dustjacket to protect the illustrated covers. This is the perfect edition to introduce new readers to Burroughs, the Grandfather of American Science Fiction, or for longtime Burroughs fans to get reacquainted with his stories.What a great reprint of these books!
The first three John Carter novels were some of the best planetary romance novels ever written. So good that movies are now in the works for these books. What makes these first three novels better than what has been done in the past is the accompanying artwork of Thomas Yeates. His 60 illustrations are just incredible and makes this book worthy of the price alone. This is a book for anyone who has ever admired Edgar Rice Burroughs or would like to read some of his best novels. Get this book. Hopefully, if this book is successful, we will get to see Yeates illustrate the reprinting of the next three books in the Mars series. And even beyond that, how about Barnes and Nobles repinting the Tarzan books starting withe the first with Yeates doing the interior artwork as well.
ERBzine Refs:
Thomas Yeates Art Galleries
Thomas Yeates' John Carter of Mars Project at B&N
Frederick Austerlitz Astaire (aka) Fred Astaire, George Gershwin. Hector Boiardi (aka) Chef Boyardee, Irving Berlin, James Francis Cagney, Louis Armstrong, Robert Frost, Alphonse Capone (aka) Al Capone, Cecil Blount DeMille, Charles Spencer Chaplin (aka) Charlie Chaplin, Douglas Elton Fairbanks, Thomas Stearns Eliot (aka) T. S. Eliot, Tyrus R. Cobb, Walter Percy Chrysler, William Claude Fields (aka) W. C. Fields, William Harrison Dempsey (aka) Jack Dempsey, and more.
ERB: The War Years
Registration Cards from the Great War of Notable People
click
ERBzine Ref:
ERB: The War Years
The 10 Greatest Eternally Young Heroes (Who Aren't Vampires)
We Come From The Future site io9.com
Everywhere you look nowadays, there are young, fresh-faced vampires.
But they're not the only heroes out there who stay eternally young.
Some of our favorite science-fiction heroes are blessed (cursed?) with Alphaville's reward.
Here are the 10 greatest forever-young heroes. . . . (clip). . . John Carter of Mars, from the novels by Edgar Rice Burroughs.
Even before he gets whisked off to Mars, aka Barsoom, he's mysteriously gifted with eternal youth.
And no matter how many times they try to kill him, he always comes back.
(Although sometimes, he comes back on Earth instead of Barsoom.)
ERBzine Refs:
ERB Mars Guide
FRAZETTA PAINTING FETCHES $1,000,000
After hanging in the Frazetta Museum in East Stroudsburg for ten years, the painting used for the cover of Conan the Conqueror is now in the hands of a private collector.All it cost the unnamed buyer was a reported one million dollars.
According to the Spectrum Fantastic Art website, the previous record for a Frazetta painting sold at auction was two hundred and fifty-one thousand dollars.
That sum was paid for the painting used as the cover of Edgar Rice Burroughs' Escape on Venus.
Now, just a little over a year later, "Conqueror" has sold for nearly four times that.
Preliminary Original Art (1969). No artist has ever drawn or painted more charismatic apes than Frazetta. This gem-like study was done in preparation for the cover of Edmond Hamilton's Captain Future novel, Outlaw World (Popular Library, 1969). Frazetta later titled his finished painting "White Apes." Frank Frazetta Outlaw World (White Apes) Paperback Cover
ERBzine Refs:
The ERB Art of Frank Frazetta
DENNY MILLER SPOTLIGHTED BY PRESIDENT'S CHALLENGE
President's Challenge: November Fitness is Fun MagazinePC All-Americans:
This section highlights President's Challenge participants who have benefited from the program.Staying in the swing of things
It's been nearly 50 years since his appearance as the first blond Tarzan in the 1959 MGM film "Tarzan, the Ape Man", but 75-year-old Denny Miller is still doing something right because his loincloth still fits.
Miller, the 12th of 22 men to play the role of Tarzan, enjoys fitness activities as part of his daily routine. Most often he can be found swimming, lifting free weights, walking orplaying basketball, among other activities. "Variety is a goal here," he said.
Variety doesn't only play into what activities Miller participates in, but why he participates in them. "I have used different motivations to exercise for over half a century," Miller said. "As a youth my motivations were to improve my strength, agility, balance and endurance."
Now, Miller looks to four other motivations to keep him staying fit - fear, guilt, greed and pride. "Pride is a special motivator," he said. "The child-like feeling of 'I can do it myself, I'm strong ... enough to do it myself!' I am showing that my level of fitness is my personal declaration of independence."
Miller is sure to add in other elements to his workout to make it even more enjoyable. "If I don't make fitness fun, my routine seems to be harder," he said. "I usually play music as I work out. It gives me rhythm to follow with the repetitions for my exercises. When I do aerobic workouts, I wear headphones for the music and add soothing videos to watch."
Through his motivations, Miller has been using the President's Challenge for many years. He said he finds President Barack Obama "easy to follow because he is such a good role model."
So, what is Miller's future goal with the President's Challenge? It's simple. He wants to use it.
"That is my goal ... to use the President's Challenge to motivate me to be the best that I can," Miller said. "Life is a team sport. At 75, I feel I'm in the fourth quarter of my life. I will stay fit so I can come off the bench and help the team for as long as I can.
ERBzine Refs:
Denny Miller Tribute
Tarzan, The Ape Man (1959)During its nearly 70 year publishing history, Argosy magazine ran biographical and autobiographical columns and photos of its contributors. This book collects these articles and photographs along with biographical articles about publisher Frank A. Munsey, as well as other statistical information documenting the influence of the first and longest running pulp magazine.
THE MEN WHO MADE THE ARGOSY edited by Tom Roberts and Gene Christie
ERBzine Refs:
Illustrated Bibliography of ERB Pulp MagazinesI see you have a couple of cover art used by Dragon Books from the late 60s
A NOTE FROM ERB ARTIST PAUL PRIVITERA
http://www.erbzine.com/mag21/2101.html
I had this collection in 1969 at the age of 16, they were my first Introduction to Burroughs and all his magic worlds.
I am enclosing the cover to Tarzan of the Apes which I consider to be the best of them.
Apparently painted by a Vicar from Surry.Regards Paul Privitera
ERBzine Refs:
The ERB Art of Paul Privitera: Part I | Part II
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Joe Kubert: Reprints & Reviews |
TARZAN REUNION
Tarzan Through the Years
The Return of the Film Tarzans
Art by John and Marie Severin
Marie Severin - Courtesy The Blog At The End Of Time
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ERB Comics Encyclopedia |
Tarzan.com |
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DantonBurroughs.com |
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JohnCarterOfMars.ca |
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Pellucidar.org |
John Carter Film |
ERB, Inc. Corporate Site |
ERB Centennial |
tarzana.ca |
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