Tarzan, Jungle King of Popular Culture

Book excerpt: From his first appearance in 1912, Tarzan became a multimedia franchise whose cultural influence extended well beyond mere entertainment. The original 20th century superhero, the Lord of the Apes was the inspiration behind such early archetypes as The Shadow and Doc Savage, themselves the basis for heroes like Batman and Superman. Long before Comic-Cons and Trekkies, the first Tarzan fan club was formed in America in 1916, pioneering the fandom movement that pervades modern pop culture. This book examines Tarzan in his various media representations--hunter, warrior, secret agent, fighter of communists and Nazis--and in his numerous story arcs, including crossover adventures featuring historical characters like Arthur Conan Doyle and Nikola Tesla.