Mandrake Gestures Cinematically
Perhaps the comics’ first "costumed" hero, Mandrake The Magician, is headed to the big screen once again.
The creation of Lee Falk (who created The Phantom in 1936, two years after starting Mandrake) and artist Phil Davis, Chuck Russell is directing the new effort. Fans might best remember his work helming The Mask. Mindfreak star Criss Angel is involved in the magic stuff.
Mandrake had made it to the movie serials in 1939 with Warren Hull (The Spider) in the lead and Anthony Herrera played the magician (with Ji-Tu Cumbuka as Lothar) in a 1979 made-for-teevee flick that featured Harry Blackstone Jr. The comic strip is still running, being written and drawn by long-time Falk associate Fred Fredricks.
At one time Fererico Fellini was set to do a Mandrake film, but I suspect the prospect made owners King Feature Syndicate weep.
Artwork copyright King Features Syndicate. All Rights Reserved.