Konga issue 23 (1965)
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"The Creature of Uuang-Ni" is the 23rd issue of Konga, published by Charlton Comics in November 1965. It features four comics: a main adventure starring Konga and three back-up stories, "The Seance," "Co-Pilot," and "The Toy," alongside a short story titled "Dictator of the World". The Konga story is the last in the series to be original, as the 24th and final issue contained only a reprint.
Plot
"The Creature of Uuang-Ni"
Five years ago, the Melanesian islanders of "Uuang-Ni" are forced to abandon their homes after the island's volcano suddenly becomes active again, revealing the legendary monster living inside. one boat carrying the island's Chief and a hadnful of others is tossed by a violent storm. The chief assures the men with him that a death at sea is still preferable to facing the volcano monsters. Perhaps in answer to their prayers, Konga, the giant mutant ape then arises from the ocean, and holds their craft above the water until the storm dies down. The chief thanks the kindly giant, and Konga sets them back in the water.
The huge ape then swims to a nearby island that appears peaceful, but spies smoke coming from a mountaintop further inland. Little does Konga know that he has arrived on the island of Uuang-Ni. He crosses coconut and taro fields only to find an empty village whose eerie silence seems almost supernatural. A naturally empathetic beast, Konga wonders about the whereabouts and safety of the people who lived here, and what might have made them all leave. His first instinct is to examine the volcano. He climbs to the top through the belching stone and ash and looked down into the crater. Amidst the dancing flames and spouts of molten rock he sees a reptile of some kind, covered in spikes and seemingly comfortable in the inhospitable heat. Konga is frozen in fear and confusion, and the volcano dragon of Uuang-Ni rears up and singes off Konga's eyebrows with a fiery breath. Knowing his life could easily end if bitten by the creature, Konga briefly tries to cover his eyes and vanish the horrors like a bad dream, but is immedeately disgusted by his cowardice and slaps away the beast's maw. Heartened by his victory, Konga prepares to face the dragon, but is nearly sick when he spies another coming out of the smoke. Konga flees the crater, and barrels down the mountain, knowing that while he could handle one dragon, two would be suicide. As he does, he is observed by Iela, a girl native to the island, who remarks on Konga's presence as a sign of ancient legends coming true. However, when she is almost hit with burning debris, she derides herself fo allowing her belief in a fairy tale to control her life.
Seeing the human in danger, Konga runs back to save her, and wades out into the ocean with her on his hand, and they stop on an island a few miles away, watching Uuang-Ni errupt. She explains to Konga that when the rest evacuated, she did not leave her home because their ancient legends claimed that when the mountain dragon was released and all hope seemed lost, a prince would arrive to drive the beasts back and save them from their fate. She laments that only the first half seems to have come true. Konga then gets up and begins walking back to the island. The girl asks that he take her too, because even if they are both likely to die, she wants to fight the dragons together.
Meanwhile, the chief told the story of the erruption to the local colonial governor, a man named Heston-Smythe, and how Iela had stayed behind over her belief in an old legend. The governor then takes the chief in his seaplane to fly over the island and check on the damage. Konga takes Iela to the volcano, where she cowers at the sight of the fireproof dragons, and watches them burn her parents' home to the ground. Determined to protect his friend, Konga beats his chest defiantly, and a dragon roars back, spitting searing flames at Konga. The ape fought and grappled one of the beasts all the way to the surf, where even after taking many burns and bites, he is able to vanquish the weakened beast in the water. Knowing his job is only half-done, Konga returns to the volcano to battle the second beast, this time without the aid of water. The governor's plane then comes around and the people inside see the creatures doing battle. The chief admits he never imagined the legends were true, but is equally confused by the presence of a gigantic monkey. The co-pilot recognizes the beast from classified photographs as Konga. The ape in question is not faring well. Between the insufferable heat of the crater and the power of the dragon, he is not strong enough to best it alone. The governor then orders his co-pilot to take an automatic rifle and fire on the dragon to draw its attention. After a few passes, Konga gets the opportunity to strike while the dragon is distracted. This move allows him to hoist it high over his head and throw it back down into the lava. Thoroughly defeated, the dragon Konga had defeated in the sea slinked back into the lava without protest.
Iela celebrates Konga's victory, and they swim in the sea while the governor and the chief land their plane nearby to take her back to her people. The girl tells Konga that even though he is a bit different to the prince she had been expecting, both she and her people would always be grateful for how he had saved them. despite this, Konga swims away, determined to find people who will love him.
"Dictator of the World"
At the height of a war with the potential to destroy the world, General John Henderson speaks to the Security Council, revealing that the President has authorized him to act on any potential solution that would avoid armageddon. On that note he introduces junior council member Walter Pearson, who acknowledges their straw-grasping approach to peace, and then introduces his old psychology professor Dr. Morton Beins to the council. Beins had been working on a means of emitting "thought control waves" that could render the entire planet under his personal control. Pearson suggests that they make a show of pretending that Beins has taken control of the minds of the country. Under Beins alleged command, they would destroy several bombers, and launch missiles to the moon, flashily demilitarizing in hopes that their enemy does the same. An admiral named Henry Wilson protests, as this action would leave them vulnerable to an attack, but general Henderson is willing to try it, and claims that they will have enough firepower to fight back if necessary. As a reward, they plan to set Dr. Beins up with a cushy retirement if the plan succeeds. All the men then rise and tell their new "Master of the World" that they are awaiting his orders.
Beins then sets up a broadcast to tell the country and the world that from now on, all energy that had been spent on destruction, will be shifted to construction. In the enemy nation's Defense Council they discuss whether the broadcast is merely a trick. One member however, admits that he feels compelled for the first time toward peace and cooperation. By the end of the month, the entire planet had destroyed its weaponry and were working together to strengthen less fortunate nations. Back at the Security Council, Walter Pearson thanks Dr. Beins for his part in saving the world, and informs his old professor that at noon that day he would announce his retirement. Dr. Beins claims there has been a misunderstanding, and that they he would not ever be retiring as dictator. In reality, they had not been using him as a prop, but that he had been using them. For all their attempts at trickery, when he gave them an order, they all followed it, not to create an illusion, but because he was truly in control of their minds. To demonstrate this, he tells the councilmen to raise their hands above their heads until he changes his mind. They all raise their hands, and Dr. Beins leaves the room.
"The Seance"
"The Seance" is a non-fiction informational comic about the practice of seances, in which people sit around a table and attempt to communicate with spirits, sometimes using tools like the Ouija Board, the comic ends with a note that the subject of ghosts and their existence remains interesting, and claims that many scientists have turned to seeking answers for the apparently supernatural.
"Co-Pilot"
In a space ship, the co-pilot named Bower asserts that he is now in command. The former pilot, Colonel Bradley agrees without protest. Bower asserts that he will command every ship in the fleet, and then take over the entire planet, all the while ordering Bradley to make a landing. Back on Earth, Bradley complains to ground crew that this is the third robot co-pilot that has gone crazy on him in-flight, and asserts his preference for a human co-pilot. Bower is arrested and laments that Bradley had tricked him.
"The Toy"
In deep space, a green and a white ship have done battle for hours, each with their life on the line. A voice from off-panel representing the green ship announces its intent to sneak around the white ship to get it from behind. The ship fires, and the voice declares it a hit. Another voice protests, claiming that the attack had only just missed him. A woman then calls out to say that it is time to eat. The brothers controlling the ships, which are in fact toys in front of a space-themed backdrop, ask for a little more time, as they are enjoying themselves so much.
Appearances
"The Creature of Uuang-Ni"
Monsters
Characters
- Uuang-ni Chief
- Iela
- Governor Heston-Smythe
- Co-pilot
Weapons, vehicles, and races
- Uuang-Ni islanders
- Uuang-Ni war canoes
- Seaplane NP-341
Locations
- Pacific Ocean
- Melanesia
- Uuang-Ni
- Melanesia
Trivia
- While in the cover, a dragon shoots flames out of its nose, in the comic, they shoot fire from their mouths and smoke from their noses.
- The creatures of Uuang-Ni or "Dragons" share some similarities to Rodan, like how they are a pair of reptiles living in a volcano.
- The dragons' bodies share similar builds to that of Reptilicus/Reptisaurus, Gorgo, and his mother in the later issues of their respective comic series.
External links
References
This is a list of references for Konga issue 23. These citations are used to identify the reliable sources on which this article is based. These references appear inside articles in the form of superscript numbers, which look like this: [1]
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