Nick Peron

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Lorna the Jungle Girl #22

The Day the Jungle Died!

Lorna and Mikki come across a larger gorilla fighting with a smaller, frailer gorilla and breaks up the fight. With Mikki was interpreter, she convinces the larger ape to share his ration of coconuts with his smaller companion, the negotiations turn out to be a success.

As Lorna and Mikki swing away they are shot at by two men and dive into the brush for cover. The two men gloat over how shooting is like the good old days when they run into the two gorillas that Lorna helped earlier. Before they can shoot the two primates, Lorna disarms them. The men then plead that they're new to the jungle, but suddenly change their tune when the two apes suddenly keel over. The leader of the pair explains that they have poisoned all the food in the jungle using a crop duster and that the animals will eventually die without the antidote allowing them to take over the jungle like they did their old hometown.

When the rest of the mobsters arrive in a crop dusting plane, Lorna springs into action, getting into the plane and forcing the pilot to take off. She then forces him to unleash the antidote, dusting all the effected area and revitalizing the sickened animals. The revitalized animals then chase the mobsters to the nearby jail where they are eager to surrender to the authorities.

Recurring Characters

  • Lorna the Jungle Girl

  • Greg Knight

  • Mikki

Cry Danger!

A tribe of pygmies is in a state of panic, fearing the return of a creature known only as "the Thing" and send out drum beats warning those nearby. This is heard by Lorna and Mikki who come to their aid. She meets with Ku-Si, the tribal leader and begins offering tactics. As the creature cannot be killed, she instructs the natives to use strong vines to tie into the trees in hope of capturing the Thing.

However the vines prove only to be a temporary solution as the Thing -- a massive crocodile-like creature -- easily breaks through the bonds. Believing that a sacrifice might prevent the creature from harming his people, Ku-Si rushes toward it, willing to give up his life for his tribe. Lorna swings down and rescues Ku-Si, and while the Thing tries to snatch her out of air the massive beast topples over backward under it's own strength. Trapped on it's back, Lorna quickly instructs the pygmies to tie the beast up. However, as defender of all life in the jungle she refuses to allow them to kill the beast. She points out that the Thing's swamp has dried out and that it was merely seeking a new supply of water and their village just happened to be in the way. This earns the ire of the tribe who vow to end the life of both Lorna and Ku-Si once the creature is dealt with.

However the Thing manages to break free and while the tribe is in a panic, Lorna finds the reason why the water in the swamp has dried out: a rock fall has blocked fresh water from replenishing the swamp. Lorna then clears the rocks and lures the Thing to its revitalized home, ending its threat. With the crisis over the tribe allows cooler heads to prevail and thank Lorna for her help.

Recurring Characters

  • Lorna the Jungle Girl

  • Mikki

The Jungle Adventures of Greg Knight

Greg Knight is out on a safari to hunt rhinos with the wealthy John Wilding. Wilding does not see the point of needing an entire safari to capture the dumb beasts, but Greg tries to convince him that the creatures are dangerous. However Wilding is not sold on the idea, pointing out that the natives will flee at the first sign of trouble.

When they come across a herd of rhinos, Knight orders Wilding to shoot them when they catch their scent and begin charging. John freezes up, forzing Greg to take the lead. He shoots one of the creatures dead but his gun jams up leaving them defenceless against the rest of the herd. John realizes that the natives have disappeared. As Greg orders him up a tree he takes John's gun and begins firing at the rhinos but soon runs out of ammo. However before they can get close the natives drop a net down on the charging rhinos. One manages to slip away however and rams into the tree that John is hiding up in. Greg shoots the rhino that got away and John is saved from a nasty fall when he is caught in a net by the natives. In the aftermath of the incident, John realizes how wrong he was and thanks Greg for his help.

Recurring Characters

  • Greg Knight

Enemy of the Big Cats!

Greg Knight is out to hunt Simba, a killer lion, and tells Lorna to stay out of his way while he hunts. Lorna tries to get him to swear off the hunt warning him that he is heading into baboon territory and the danger is too great. As usual, Greg tells Lorna that a woman has no place in the jungle and goes off, telling Lorna not to interfere. Lorna promises not to follow him, but is determined to find Simba before Greg does.

Spotting birds fleeing from the north, Lorna deduces that is where Simba is located and goes in that direction. Along the way she and Mikki are attacked by the baboons. She manages to get away but when she spots Simba tries to swing way to safety but her vine breaks. Knocked out from the fall, Lorna is about to be attacked by Simba when the baboons attack the massive lion while Mikki drags her to safety.

When she comes to, she spots Greg about to take a shot at Simba. Lorna stops him and then makes him watch as the baboons -- who have a hatred of cats of any kind -- dive in to deal with Simba themselves. When Simba is defeated by the babooms, the proud lion realizes the errors of its ways and goes off into the jungle to die alone, ending it's threat.

Recurring Characters

  • Lorna the Jungle Girl

  • Greg Knight

  • Mikki