American Update: Mighty Marvel Firsts: Lives and Loves of a She-Devil! Complete 5-issue Shanna series from 1972
*Marvel: In the early 70s, with Women’s Lib being a hot topic, Stan Lee brainstormed some titles aimed at women. Jungle girls had, in the 1950s, scored big with a female readership, so Marvel attempted to buy the rights to the Fiction House character Sheena, Queen of the Jungle, but when that failed, Marvel simply created their own taste-alike version. Raised in Africa, statuesque redhead Shanna O’Hara had had a tragic life, beginning when her father accidentally shot her mother when the latter’s pet leopard went on the rampage. Should’ve gone to Specsavers, Pop. Educated back in the USA, Shanna became a veterinarian and eco-activist, but became increasingly disillusioned with the cruelty of western man, whereupon she returned to Africa to defend wildlife while wearing a few strips of leopard fur which barely covered her ya-yas. Despite her ludicrous origin, Shanna went on to become a major character, primarily through her association with Ka-Zar, and has evolved into a level-headed pragmatist whose intelligence and common sense belie her stripperific outfit. The entire five-issue run is now available in high grades, with gorgeous Steranko covers on the first two and the villainous debuts of Mandrill and Nekra, respectively, in #4 & #5. #1 VF+ £37 is shown; the rest may be found in our catalogue. SORRY, PICTURED ITEM NOW SOLD