John Clayton Jr. (Earth-616)

Tarzan

Name

John Clayton Jr.

Current Alias

Tarzan

Aliases

Tarzan of the Apes; Tarzan, Lord of the Apes; Tarmangani; Lord Greystoke

Affiliation and Relationships

Relatives

Lord John Clayton (father, deceased); Lady Alice Rutherford Clayton (mother, deceased); Kala (adoptive mother, deceased); Jane Porter (wife); Jack Clayton/Korak (son)

Marital Status

Married

Physical Characteristics

Eyes

Irises:

Grey

Hair

Black

Unusual Features

In Mangani culture, John Clayton was considered ugly and sickly looking. His physical presence earned him the unflattering nickname Tarmangani (white ape).

Origin and Living Status

Origin

Human orphaned at infancy, raised by the Mangani, a species of ape in the jungles of equatorial Africa

Living Status

Alive

Reality

Earth-616

Place of Birth

Republic of the Congo, Africa

Personal Information

Identity

Public

Citizenship

British

Occupation

5th Earl of Greystoke; Lord of the Jungle

Education

Privately tutored by Jane Porter

Base of Operations

Republic of the Congo, Africa

Creators and Appearances

Creators

Edgar Rice Burroughs, Roy Thomas, John Buscema

First

Death

Tarzan #1
(March, 1977)

Marvel Comics Super Special #29
(1983)

History

John Clayton is the son of the British nobleman Lord Clayton. Prior to his birth, the Claytons set sail from England to North Africa. Their ship was over-run by pirates and a mutiny erupted. Lord Clayton and his wife, Lady Alice, were taken prisoner and abandoned on the shores of the Congo.

By building a tree-house far away from the jungle animals, Lord Clayton did his best to eke out a life for his pregnant wife and himself. While living in the jungle, Lady Alice gave birth to their son, John Jr. Soon after, Alice contracted a rare jungle virus and became delusional. The virus would prove fatal and she passed away.

Tarzan Vol 1 23 — fighting Abdul Alhazred

A gorilla named Kerchak began to investigate the new invaders tree-house. Kerchak would kill Lord Clayton and another gorilla named Kala, who lost her own child, would adopt the orphaned human infant.

Kala continued to raise baby John Clayton, who grows up to become more famously known under his jungle name - Tarzan.

Attributes

Powers

Although John Clayton may not have what are strictly considered superhuman powers-he is as strong, fast, durable, and agile as a human being can be without being considered strictly superhuman. He is also highly intelligent having taught himself how to read and write early on and with no outside instruction.

Weaknesses

Tarzan possesses all of the weaknesses of other adult human males, although he can resist these to a greater degree because he is physically and mentally at the pinnacle of human ability.

Paraphernalia

Equipment

Tarzan typically carries around his father's knife as well as a makeshift lariat made from jungle grass.

Weapons

His father's knife (originally given to him by the pirate Black Michael)

Transportation

Brachiation through the trees, and vine-swinging.

Notes

Tarzan is the intellectual property of Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc. The copyright for the Tarzan property has been in the public domain and used by several publishing houses including DC Comics, Dell Comics, Gold Key Comics, Marvel Comics and Dark Horse Comics.

The only connection Marvel's Tarzan has to greater Earth-616 continuity is through Abdul Alhazred. Although Marvel has published many John Carter Comic Books, Burroughs' other character seems to have no connection to Earth-616.^{[citation needed]}

This version of Tarzan is not to be confused with the character licensed by Dark Horse Comics who appeared in the DC/Dark Horse crossover projects, Batman/Tarzan: Claws of the Cat-Woman and Superman/Tarzan: Sons of the Jungle.

Though Tarzan was born in Africa, he is actually of British descent.

Links and References

References