Edgar Rice Burroughs' Tarzan #11
In "The Sable Lion," young Mabu grapples with the weight of his father's absence as he journeys through the jungle, finding an old spearhead that becomes more than just a relic. Written by Gaylord Du Bois and illustrated by Jesse Marsh, this 1949 Dell comic captures a quiet moment of courage and connection, where a boy’s bond with his makeshift weapon hints at something deeper. The story unfolds with a gentle rhythm, underscored by Morris Gollub’s evocative cover art.
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The memory of his village playmates' jeers about his missing father haunt 10-year old Mabu as he walks the trail. Stumbling on a half-buried rusty old spearhead, he restores it, singing to it as he works, hides it, goes home. His mom can tell something's up, but she minds her business. Next day, Mabu makes a finished spear, goes hunting, with a spear-thrust saves from a lion Hamasai, his dad, who was laid up in the bush crippled for weeks with a broken leg, and who calls Mabu a brave man for his deed, says they will hunt together when the leg heals. Later, Mabu again sings to his spear.
Plot details indexed by the Grand Comics Database (CC BY-SA).