Cave Girl--Story #2

Cave Girl #11 (1953) contained the title character's origin story and three more tales about the distaff Tarzan. A few weeks ago, we looked at the first story in this issue (and also explained why the first issue is #11). This time, we'll take a look at the second story. 

I had thought that first story was a little unfocused, featuring a major plot devise that should have been left for a seperate story. But as we turn the page to the next story, we discover that Gardner Fox (writer) and Bob Powell (artist) are much more focused and straightforward.

We pick up right were the first story left off, with jungle guide Luke Hardin now teaming up with Cave Girl. He talks her into returning to the city with him. Powell's art really shines here, giving us several hilarious moments in which Cave Girl reacts violently to automobiles and table fans.

Hardin, in the meantime, identifies Cave Girl as a missing heiress, which worries the family lawyer because he's been embezzling money for years on the theory that the entire family was dead.

The lawyer hires some thugs to do away with Cave Girl. But never bring a mere trio of thugs to a Cave Girl fight. She kills one in her hotel room and lures the other two into the jungle. They don't come back out of the jungle. 

There's a bit of a glitch in the story in that Cave Girl clearly kills all three of them, but they are still able to talk and rat out the lawyer. Oh, well--maybe it was a dying confession. 

Anyway, strange technology and murderous thugs don't sit well with Cave Girl, who heads back to her jungle. Hardin, though, hasn't given up on her yet, as we'll find out in a couple of weeks.

Fox's script is solid and clever, but it is really Powell's vibrant art that truly brings the essentially silly character of Cave Girl to life.

You can read the story online HERE. 

Next week, we'll return to Project Pegasus.