Random Happenstance

Last week I had been digging for a Hostess ad, hoping for one with the Coyote: I found one, but I also grabbed a few more old Gold Keys, probably fished from the same quarter box. This one did have a Hostess ad, but was sort of interesting itself! From 1976, Tragg and the Sky Gods #5, "Attack of the Man-Apes" Written by Don Glut, art by Dan Spiegle. Cover by Jesse Santos.

This series only ran nine issues or so, but appeared to be an attempt at a new man vs. dinosaurs book; which Gold Key had so much success with in Turok. It seemed built more on continuity than Turok though: Tragg and his girl Lorn were mutants, prehistoric cavemen altered by the alien Yargonians to a more modern sort. While they had sympathizers within the "sky gods" like Keera, most of the Yargonians were trying to conquer and enslave the primitive primates of earth. This issue, returning from helping Tragg the previous issue, Keera is caught by her betrothed Zorek, who had fairly quickly realized wherever Tragg wrecks his plans, Keera had been right there. (I had to look if Glut had ever written Captain Marvel, since this seemed like the old Una/Yon-Rogg subplot from the early days of that title. Which I never read, but still.)

Meanwhile, searching for another tribe to help them free their people, Tragg and Lorn encounter an ape-man, and save him from a dinosaur. The ape-man, that they somewhat hurtfully call "White Top," isn't grateful: he thought they had killed his god, that brought his people fire, since not knowing how to make it, they had to get it from a crack in the earth. Tragg tries to explain how to make fire--seriously, it's not rocket science, guys--but they get swarmed by apes, beaned with rocks, and fall into a crevice. Tragg and Lorn then have to escape from below the earth's surface, while White Top struggles to think, if he should help those that saved him.

A trapped and starving "acrocanthosaurus" (which I would've assumed was made up, but was real!) is a problem for a bit, but is eventually burned up in an oil pit. The apes are thrilled to have their "fire god" back, and won't listen to Tragg explain that wasn't a god. Tragg and Lorn say farewell to White Top, encouraging him to pass on what he had learned to his people, then press on in their quest. 

 This was part of the "ancient astronauts" fad of the era, which Kirby also tapped into for the Eternals; and the Inhumans were also the result of aliens monkeying around with...well, monkeys, I guess. But the ancient astronauts theory is often a bit condescending and racist, largely to the effect of "primitive people were dumb as crap, how could they have ever accomplished anything without help, the firm guiding hand of their betters?" Um, how about a really long period of trial-and-error; that might've done it. Oh, and this issue did have a Hostess ad, with Sylvester foregoing pursuit of Tweety for Hostess Cup Cakes. Those Cup Cakes have to be tastier than Tweety. Less bones, anyway.