AKRA
Real Name: Akra
Identity/Class: Human (Congolese) magic user (1950s era)
Occupation: Voodoo doctor/houngan
Group Membership: None
Affiliations: "Faithful One" (real name unrevealed)
Enemies: Carson (first name unrevealed)
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: "Master" (as called by "Faithful One")
Base of Operations: His cave/shrine in the jungles
of the Congo, Africa
First Appearance: Jann of the Jungle#17/1 (June,
1957)
Powers/Abilities: Skilled in the mystic art of voodoo, the elderly Akra could fashion a doll in the semblance of a living person. The doll had a magical link to the person it was modeled after, and whatever happened to it would also happen to the person (the power was imbued in the doll itself, and the eventual user did not need to be a skilled practitioner of voodoo); Akra built such a doll of Jann (Jane Hastings). He displayed no other supernatural powers. A moral individual, Akra was opposed to using voodoo against those who did good, and believed it should only be used to punish the wicked.
Height: 5' 8" (by
approximation)
Weight: 150 lbs. (by approximation)
Eyes: Unknown
Hair: Unknown
History: (Jann of the Jungle#17/1 (fb) - BTS) -
The past of Akra is unknown, but at some point he became skilled at the
magical art of voodoo. He lived for nearly 50 years in a
cave/shrine in the jungle, where the weak and slowly dying Akra was
attended to by a servant.
(Jann of the Jungle#17/1) - Akra was visited by Carson, who wanted the elderly witch doctor's assistance. Carson offered to pay Akra with "white man medicine," an offer that the ailing Akra accepted ("It will ease the wretched pain in my bones!"). Carson had recently come into conflict with the jungle-girl Jann, and he wanted Akra to make a voodoo doll of her so that he might have revenge. Although unfamiliar with Jann, Akra was able to make a likeness of her from Carson's description. After finishing the doll, Akra warned Carson to use it wisely, then asked for payment. But Carson reneged on the deal as he took the doll and brutally shoved the old witch doctor aside. As Carson drove off in his jeep, Akra stopped his servant from killing him because he felt Carson's doom was already sealed.
Back in his cabin, Carson posed the voodoo doll spread-eagle and tied its arms with twine. Meanwhile in the jungle, Jann found herself immobilized just as she was being menaced by an approaching rogue lioness; Jann realized she'd been "voodooed" as the lioness lunged at her. But at the last possible second, Jann was released from the spell and leaped to safety in the trees. As she swung along by vines, Jann sensed the magic of the voodoo as it drew her to Carson's cabin. Hearing his cries for help, Jann went inside and found Carson being choked by the doll. She pulled the living fetish off Carson, who confessed and gave up his scheme. Seeing he was no longer a threat to her, Jann let Carson drive off in his jeep because he said he was going back to civilization, leaving Jann to wonder what had really happened.
Back in the shrine, Akra's servant noticed that the old
witch doctor seemed to be feeling much better, and Akra explained it was
because "voodoo vengeance" had triumphed--evil had been driven off,
while good still remained, and all was well in the jungle again.
Comments: Created by Don Rico (writer), Al
Williamson (artist), and Ralph Mayo (inker)
Although he was dark-skinned in most of the
panels of this story, Akra and his attendant both have Caucasian
skin-tones in the last story panel, which I'll attribute to a colorist
error.
My guess is that the the voodoo spell on Jann was broken by the
benevolent voodoo gods/spirits, who probably also animated the doll, and
led Jann to the cabin as well.
I wonder what Jann did with the doll--considering the potential
consequences to her, I hope she hid it in a safe place.
Profile by Ron Fredricks.
CLARIFICATIONS:
Akra have no known connections to:
"Faithful One" has no known connections to:
Carson has no known connections to:
The Jann voodoo doll has no known known connections to:
A native tribesman armed with a shield and spear, he was Akra's attendant and protector. When Carson reneged on his deal with Akra and brutally pushed the elderly witch doctor aside, the "Faithful One" was about to hurl his spear at Carson for the transgression, but Akra stayed his hand.
--Jann of the Jungle 17/1
A scavenger and poacher, Carson lived in a small cabin in the jungle. He was trying to steal ivory from an "elephant graveyard" when he was confronted by Jann. After wrestling him to the ground, Jann ordered Carson to leave the jungle, but Carson vowed revenge.
Carson later contacted the native witch doctor Akra and had him build a voodoo doll of Jann. He used it in an attempt to kill the jungle-girl, but he was attacked by the doll when it suddenly came to life. As the doll began to choke him, Carson was saved by the real Jann. Having had enough of voodoo and the jungle, Carson agreed to leave and drove off in his jeep.
--Jann of the Jungle#17/1
A fetish made from unknown materials by the witch doctor Akra, it was about 12-inches tall and was built in the likeness of the jungle-girl Jann. It was magically linked to Jann, and whatever happened to the doll would also happen to her as well. It was used by Carson for his revenge scheme, but later took on a life of its own and attacked Carson. Jann arrived in time to save Carson from being choked to death by the doll.
--Jann of the Jungle#17/1
images: (without ads)
Jann of the Jungle#17/1, p3, pan4 (main image)
Jann of the Jungle#17/1, p5, pan7 (head shot)
Jann of the Jungle#17/1, p3, pan7 (Akra being pushed by Carson)
Jann of the Jungle#17/1, p5, pan7 ("Faithful One")
Jann of the Jungle#17/1, p5, pan5 (Carson)
Jann of the Jungle#17/1, p3, pan5 (Jann voodoo doll, held by Carson)
Appearances:
Jann of the Jungle#17/1 (June, 1957) - Don Rico (writer), Al Williamson (pencils), Ralph Mayo (inks), Stan Lee (editor)
Last updated: 08/06/15
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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