Nyoka the Jungle Girl #3
☆ Be the first to review + Add to your collection — Join freeNyoka the Jungle Girl #3 (September 1946) is the first comic book appearance of Pistol Packin' Patty, a wisecracking, sharpshooting supporting character who embodied the era's appetite for capable, comedy-forward women alongside its action heroines. The issue also demonstrates how squarely Fawcett's Nyoka line was aimed at a broad, mixed-age readership: a four-part main adventure about a peace-bringing plant sits alongside humor strips and filler features, making this a representative artifact of the anthology format that dominated mid-Golden Age publishing. As part of a series grounded in the 1942 Republic serial Perils of Nyoka, the comic extended one of cinema's earliest recurring female-led action franchises into print, reinforcing Nyoka Gordon's status as one of the few female characters to headline her own Golden Age title for a sustained run. The issue's survival in original art — portions from the George Frese estate are documented — gives it unusual scholarly value for researchers studying mid-tier Fawcett production.
Part II of Nyoka's jungle adventure finds her returning to camp where wild elephants are stampeding toward her companions' tent. Nyoka acts quickly, using a burning branch to drive the animals away and save the men. The story then shifts to a humorous subplot involving a sharpshooter named Wal who boasts about his marksmanship but is repeatedly outshot by Nyoka, who demonstrates superior skill with a pistol. The narrative concludes with Captain Duff's expedition discovering wild big cats—a lion and leopard—that initially battle but then become friendly, before the captain resolves to rename his mission "The Great Nyoka's Expedition" in recognition of her heroic contributions.
Nyoka investigates a mysterious bullet wound to her dress after a failed assassination attempt during a scientific meeting, uncovering a conspiracy to silence her claims about a legendary "Peace Plant" hidden in the jungle. With her father, Dr. Gordon, and friend Larry Grayson, she joins Captain Puff on an expedition to find the plant, unaware that a dangerous rival, Herr Schleim, is also hunting it. As the group ventures deeper into the jungle, they face their first peril when a herd of elephants is set loose—possibly by their unseen enemy—threatening their camp.
In a lighthearted Western-style tale, Nyoka, posing as the sharpshooting "Pistol Packin' Patty," proves her marksmanship to land a job as a cowgirl, impressing the foreman with her skill—though her antics leave a few hats and hats flying. The story captures her quick wit and fearless attitude as she navigates the frontier with humor and flair, all while keeping her identity a secret.
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Fawcett Publications built its Nyoka comic line directly on the success of Republic Pictures' two serials — the 1941 Jungle Girl and the 1942 Perils of Nyoka — with all licensing flowing from the second serial, which established the Nyoka Gordon surname used throughout the comics. The self-titled series launched at issue #2 (Winter 1945), continuing the numbering from the one-shot Jungle Girl #1 (November 1942), meaning issue #3 was only the second entry in the renamed run. Art credits for the issue, established through Jerry Bails' Who's Who and confirmed by surviving original art from the George Frese estate, point to George Frese, W. Jourdain, and Howard Boughner as the creative team — a rotating stable typical of Fawcett's workmanlike but reliable production pipeline of the period.
Trivia · 8 facts
- Published September 1946 by Fawcett Publications; 32 pages, full color.
- First comic book appearance of Pistol Packin' Patty, a comedy-action supporting character, in the story 'Pistol Packin' Patty Looks for a Job!'
- Main lead story is a four-part serial, 'The Peace Plant!', in which Nyoka Gordon escorts explorer Captain Puff in search of a plant he claims can end human violence.
- Art and story credits attributed to George Frese, W. Jourdain, and Howard Boughner, with credits derived from Jerry Bails' Who's Who and corroborated by surviving estate original art.
- Original art pages for parts two and three of the lead story are documented as surviving from the George Frese estate.
- The series numbering originated with Jungle Girl #1 (November 1942); the self-titled Nyoka the Jungle Girl series began at #2 (Winter 1945), making this only the second issue under that banner.
- Nyoka Gordon as a character was licensed from Republic Pictures' 1942 serial Perils of Nyoka, starring Kay Aldridge — the Fawcett comic run continued through 1953.
- The issue's contents — and the entire Fawcett run — have entered the public domain and have been reprinted by publishers including Golden Age Reprints and Retro Comic Reprints.
Cast · 2 characters
Full credits
Reprints
Reprinted in Mon Journal #26 (1947), Nyoka the Jungle Girl #44
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