Post by Silverback on Nov 30, 2004 11:40:53 GMT
Real Name: Lothar of the Seven Nations
Identity/Class: Normal human
Occupation: Valet and bodyguard
Affiliations: Mandrake the Magician; (cartoon version) The Defenders of the Earth
Enemies: Cobra; Derek Mandrake; (cartoon version) Ming the Merciless
Known Relatives: (cartoon version) L.J. (Lothar Junior)
Aliases: Prince of the Seven Nations
Base of Operations: Unknown
First Appearance: Mandrake the Magician (Newspaper strip, King Features Syndicate, 1934)
Powers/Abilities: Lothar is exceptionally strong. In the cartoon Defenders of the Earth, the version of Lothar there is superhumanly strong.
History: Lothar is an African prince who befriended Mandrake the Magician when the latter was visiting Africa. Lothar was the "Prince of the Seven nations", heir to the throne of a federation of jungle tribes. Lothar and Mandrake's friendship proved so strong that Lothar decided to give up his claim to the kingship and lend his assistance in Mandrake's crimefighting ventures, posing as his friend's valet. It took Lothar a few years to perfect his English (until around 1965 in fact) and adapt to the western world, but now he is his friend's right hand man, and vice versa.
Comments: In the 1939 Columbia seriel of Mandrake, Lothar was played by Al Kikume. Juano Hernandez portrayed him next, in the 1940-42 Mandrake radio serial. Ji-Tu Cumbuka was in the role for the 1979 movie version. In the Defenders of the Earth cartoon, he was voiced by Buster Jones. That cartoon moved him up from being Mandrake's sidekick to being a hero in his own right, and introduced his son L.J.
Source: Hero International website