Hal Foster's Tarzan: The First Adventure Comic Strip
In 1928, Hal Foster, a commercial artist, was commissioned to transform Edgar Rice Burroughs' *Tarzan of the Apes* into a 60-part black-and-white comic strip for newspapers. Although initially rejected by American publications, the comic debuted in England to widespread praise. Later, when U.S. newspapers sought to feature it, Foster turned them down. It wasn't until 1931, amid the Great Depression and the need to support his family, that he consented to create a full-color, full-page Sunday comic, referring to the poorly paid role as 'a bit of pottage.' This project lasted seven years, making *Tarzan* the first adventure comic and a cherished Sunday feature in the U.S. Despite its popularity, newspapers raised concerns over violence and nudity, with Burroughs noting its appeal stemmed from a 'human weakness for gory and gruesome situations.'
Key facts
- Hal Foster adapted Tarzan of the Apes into a newspaper comic in 1928.
- The strip initially premiered in England after U.S. papers rejected it.
- Foster only agreed to continue the strip in 1931 due to financial hardship during the Great Depression.
- Tarzan became the first adventure comic and a popular Sunday strip in America.
- Newspapers criticized the strip for violence and nudity.
- Edgar Rice Burroughs defended the violence as appealing to a 'human weakness for gory and gruesome situations.'
- Script notes requested 'a great deal of female nakedness.'
- Foster worked on the strip for seven years.
Entities
Artists
- Hal Foster
Locations
- England
- United States