Gregory N Daugherty Randolph-Macon College The Greatest Story

Gregory N. Daugherty Randolph-Macon College The Greatest Story Ever Drawn cleopatra in american comics

University of Arkansas Eta Sigma Phi Lecture

Three Ages of Cleo-Comics • 1943 -1960 – “Accurate” Graphic Histories • Plus dogs, cats, bats and mice. • 1961 -1970 – 15 Cleopatra inspired story lines – All can be linked to 1963 Taylor/Burton Epic • 1971 - present – Cleopatra becomes more sexual, powerful, often black and a little creepy.

Phase One: Pre-Lizpatra • Picture News in Color and Action Vol 1, No. 4, April 1946 • Graphic News Reel • Three page summary of 1946 movie Caesar and Cleopatra

Antony and Cleopatra Ideal Comics No. 1, July 1948 A forerunner of the Classics Comic graphic novel approach, but freely adapted from a popular history, perhaps Weigall.

Lovelorn No. 3 1949 • 3 page summary • Focus on romance • Image and story influenced by Claudette Colbert’s film Cleopatra.

Early Time Travel Stories • Detective Comics DC No. 167 1951 • Batman and Robin in • “Bodyguards to Cleopatra” • Travel by hypnotism • Dark skinned Cleo? • No Romans or Greeks • Pharaonic Egypt

• Strange Adventures DC No. 60 “Across the Ages” • Time Conductor has to bring Cleopatra, Napoleon and Columbus to 2155 but is delayed in 1955 • Cleo redoes the makeup on her wax museum likeness.

House of Secrets No. 3 1957 • Another “Wax” Cleopatra appears to come to life. • All a scheme to fleece a crooked fortune teller. • Cleo is a paragon of beauty

And now for something different • HA HA Comics 19521954 • American Comics Group • An early example of a long series of cats named Cleopatra

The last gasp of innocence • Schoolgirl’s Picture Library No. 66 1959 • “Companion to Cleopatra” • British • Charmion becomes Cleopatra’s loyal companion • Egyptian themes

Phase Two: Lizpatra Looms

• Adventure Comics No. 291 1961 • Lana Lang poses as Cleopatra and then • Time Travel !!!! • Lizpatra already generating buzz • Icon of beauty • Real Cleo cameo • In 1963 five comics will feature Cleopatra references

Archie’s Girls #88 April and Laugh #148 July 1963 with Liz’ Hairdo

• Tales of Suspense No. 44 August 1963 • Early Marvel Comic • Ends with a premiere of a Cleopatra movie • Reverse time travel as an evil Pharoah takes Ironman back to help him depose the rightful queen, who just happens to have violet eyes to die for.

• Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen No. 71 Sept 1963 • Pseudo Time Travel • Crooks use recent movie set for “Queen of the Nile” • Jimmy plugs Liz & spots the anachronisms. Can you?

• Forbidden Worlds presents Herbie No. 116 Nov 1963 • “Herbie goes to the Devil” • The Fat Fury becomes Liz Baylor’s co-star • But nothing comes between Herbie Popnecker and his lollipops

Rip Hunter Time Master No. 19 Apr. 1964 “Cleopatra’s Deadly Trap” • Assumes the reader knows of Caesar’s role in Cleopatra’s life • She is a beautiful, but treacherous schemer • Backlash to the bad press on the movie?

Rip Hunter Time Master No. 21 August 1964 “The Beauty Contest of the Ages” • Rip gathers contestants for a movie promo stunt for Liz Traymore, the star. • Cleo comes from 31 BC and the arms of Marc Antony. • She is a manipulative, demanding, petulant flirt.

Strange Tales No. 124 September 1964 “The Lady from Nowhere” • Dr Strange breaks an ancient spell to send Cleopatra back to Marc Antony. • Assumes the reader knows the fate that awaits her.

Lois Lane No. 14 1965 “The Day Superman Proposed” • 2 frame cameo used to prove he loves LL more than the greatest beauties • Images of her beauty, the Barge and Marc Antony have become iconic.

Wonder Woman No. 161 April 1966 “The Curse of Cleopatra” • Rival film tries to use WW to wreck the other identical movie. • Sly reference to money woes of Lizpatra

Jerry Lewis No. 94 1966 “A Boy’s Best Friend is his Mummy” • Cleopatra is the punch line of a few bad jokes. • Too familiar to omit even in a mummy parody

Classics Illustrated No. 161 1967 H. Rider Haggard One of the World’s Greatest Authors? • 1887 Pulp Novel • Cleopatra is a cruel vain and vindictive villain • Reaction to Lizpatra?

Superboy No. 160 Oct 1969 • Mad Scientist resurrects Cleopatra’s mummy to seduce and then destroy Superboy and Lana Lang

Asterix and Cleopatra 1970 French Version 1965 • Lizpatra now a joke • Recurring references to Pascal’s comment on her nose. • Cartoon and Film versions released

The 1963 film completely dominated the image of Cleopatra in American popular culture but also reduced it to a bad joke.

Phase Three: The Dark Side Vampirella No. 36 1974 • Cleopatra is dark, sexual, dangerous and violent.

The Superman Family No. 171, 1975 “Cleopatra Queen of America” • Cleo’s scepter gives girl power to control everyone around her • Channeling Cleo makes her mad for power and able to manipulate all.

Phantom, No. 964 1990 “Cleopatra’s Asp” • Ancestor of the Phantom recovers the mummified asp which bit Cleopatra • She is only background to an 18 th Century grave robbing story.

Anne Rice’s The Mummy 1989 • Graphic version of the novel aka ”Ramses the Damned” • Cleo’s partially resuscitated mummy is ugly, tormented and murderously vicious. • 12 issues

To help her with homework, Sabrina brings Cleopatra to the present. Enthralled with malls she stays and wreaks havoc with her selfish demands. Unflattering portrait of the queen.

Xena Warrior Princess Bloodlines 1998 • Xena rescues a black Cleopatra from a plot by taking her place • Anything is possible in the Xenaverse

Time Traveler AI, 1999 Japanese Manga 1994 • Uninhibited AI takes a wild ride through time. • Helps Cleopatra lose her virginity and teaches Caesar a little discipline. • Graphic focus on sex to continue.

Bettie Page “Queen of the Nile” Jim Silk continues the trend- 2000.

More BP

Walter S. Crane’s Sheba, Vol. 1, 2000 Adventures of a mummified cat who travels time and cultures in an attempt to restore the gods of Egypt. Single-handedly loses the Battle of Actium But Isis learns….

Cursed, Top Cow Comics 2003 • • • Dark Modern Weird Zombies Blood But Cleo holds key to safety • I think

More Unseen

Conclusions • Comics are a reflection of the concerns American popular culture and of the reception of classical literature and ancient history. • Prior to Lizpatra Cleopatra was a historical figure but known mostly through pulp fiction or film. • Starting in 1963 she becomes an ahistorical sign for the power seeking seductive beauty. • Since the 90’s she has come to be associated with the dark occult and self centered sexuality. • The real Cleopatra is missing.