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Tarzan is a ® Trademark of Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc.

The cover for Young Tarzan and the Mysterous She is © Copyright 2019 Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc.

The covers for the Edgar Rice Burroughs 100 Year Art Chronology are © Copyright 2018 Edgar Rice Burroughs, inc.

All other Cirsova covers are © Copyright Cirsova magazine

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Young Tarzan and the Mysterious She

by Edgar Rice Burroughs & Michael Tierney

Young Tarzan

Cirsova's Revenge--Jon Mollison's June 25, 2019 Review:
"But the story...is it any good?

Of course it is. Michael Tierney did the heavy lifting here to prepare the work for publishing,
and his stitch-work comes off as invisible.
Tierney has made more than a few appearances in previous editions of Cirsova...
He's a solid writer that's hard to pigeonhole, as his stories always speak with a different voice.
He dons the voice of Burroughs in his Tarzan narration, and it works well.

... reading Young Tarzan and the Mysterious She takes me right back to high school ...
It's a haunting tale ...
As such, it stands as a fitting posthumous tribute to one of the all time greats."



5-Star Review on Amazon:
"... the headliner alones sells the magazine.
"...the surprisingly introspective Tarzan tale... works well..."

5-Star Review on Amazon:
"It is not apparent where the fragment ends or which are the new part(s) added by Mr. Tierney.
...was well handled as Burroughs might have done...
...a rare treat"

5-Star Review on Amazon:
"Michael nailed it.
This brought me back through a couple of decades and dropped me right back into the jungle.
Such a feeling of deja vu - Michael handled completing this lost tale perfectly.
Such an absolute joy.
Michael's writing complements Burroughs so well, it's hard to define where one drops off and the other picks up.
Truly something any Burroughs or Tarzan fan needs in their collection."

5-Star Review on Amazon:
"I'm loving it.

"I feel like I'm there (in the jungle) and that it's real (Tarzan and the Mangani seemed real).
I also had that same great feeling I had as a teen reading Burroughs' Tarzan stories in my room for the first time,
complete immersion in an exciting and strange world.

I was trying a little to distinguish between what (Michael Tierney) wrote as opposed to ERB's fragment writing.
A week later I find out that I was right about some parts but wrong about others.
Michael did a great job.
I loved the ending.
Now I plan to pick up something Michael Tierney has written solo."

Review on tangentonline.com by Victoria Silverwolf:
"The most interesting aspect of the story is the way it delves into Tarzan's psychology."

"...the cover art for this issue is beautiful."

Review by Paul Lucas:
"...effective story... adds something new and quite psychological to the Tarzan mythos without undermining it in the slightest.
I found that this got me thinking in a reflective way, while still being interesting and affecting.
I even went back and re-read it later, which is something I rarely do.

"Young Tarzan is the best (story in this issue) at getting across the character."

Digital copies and the paperback version of Cirsova Vol. 2 #1 containing Young Tarzan is now available for $9.95 on Amazon.com!

The hardcover is availble for $30 on Lulu.com.

Digital and print copies are also available at Barnes & Noble.

Collector's Edition in North Little Rock and The Comic Book Store in Little Rock, Arkansas also have both the hardcovers and paperback editions in stock!
In fact, one of the two authors of Young Tarzan is almost always available to do free signings at one store or the other.
You can probably guess which of the two.


YOUNG TARZAN'S PLACE WITHIN CANON

Michael Tierney -- March 22, 2019


I intentionally didn't say a lot about the setting of Young Tarzan and the Mysterious She until others had a chance to read it for themselves. Wanted them to experience it with a fresh perspective and no sense of precognition. Plus, to say too much would give away a surprise element of the plot.

Young Tarzan had been getting all 5-Star reviews on Amazon until today, when a negative review didn't feel that the story has a place within canon. So now it's time to explain the placement of Young Tarzan.

As the 3-star reviewer who has previously seen the fragment mentions, in ERB's section the mangani (apes) discuss the gomangani (natives) and their blond white captive, with Tarzan's ape mother Kala a part of the conversation. He speculates that maybe Burroughs felt this was an error to write and then abandoned the story--implying that it should never have been finished.

Going back to Tarzan of the Apes, ERB stated that the gomangani village had been around for several months prior to Kala's death, and I worked within this time frame. There was another statement about apes having never seen a native, but it didn't say that every ape in the tribe had never seen them. As far as Kulongo being the first native that Tarzan had seen, that could have been interpreted as the first he had seen up close. So it's a tight window, but there is wiggle room for interpretation.

***SPOILER***

As far as Tarzan having never seen a white woman before Jane, apparently the 3-Star reviewer didn't finish reading the story, because Young Tarzan does not contradict this. But to say that gives away a plotline of the story--which is why I've been quiet until now.

Concerning why ERB abandoned the story, I'd speculate that it had more to do with Blue Book editor Edwin Balmer, who purchased ERB's previous Jungle Tales a decade before, suddenly leaving to edit Red Book the same year Young Tarzan was written. New editors meant different tastes and agendas, and while new Blue Book editor Donald Kennicott would turn out to be a big ERB fan, perhaps he preferred his novels. He certainly bought a lot of them!


Sale

March 2nd 2019 Update

On March 2nd, 2019, an Early Release of Young Tarzan and the Myserious She was held at The Comic Book Store in Little Rock, Arkansas.

Editor "Alex" P. Alexander (far left in the picture below) was on hand, signing copies along with co-author Michael Tierney (in the center with the Olsen family below).

Tarzan signing with the Olsen family

Talk show host Shane Stacks of Shane Plays Geek Talk on 101.1 FM radio did a live remote show during the signing.

You can listen to it here:


Great fun was had by all, and the hardcover editions quickly sold out!

Thanks to everyone for making this event one of the most successful signings that The Comic Book Store has ever hosted!


January 23rd 2019 Update

An article about Young Tarzan and the Mysterious She was published on Hollywood In Toto.
Click this link, or the image below to read it.

Hollywood article


It's an old question of: Who you would visit from the past if you could?
Take that question a step further and ask if you could collaborate with literary giants on their greatest creation, who and what would it be?

Here's Michael Tierney's answer: Young Tarzan and the Mysterious She.
Releases March 2019 in Cirsova Magazine of Thrilling Adventure and Daring Suspense.

The story behind the story of Young Tarzan and the Mysterious She

The Young Tarzan fragment was first hand-written and partly typed by Edgar Rice Burroughs in 1930.
It was left unfinished and, after his death in 1950, lay hidden until it was rediscovered in the early 1960s, along with many other "treasures in the safe."
Many well-known writers were offered the chance to complete the story, but there were elements that they considered problematic, and they passed.

In 2005, ERB's grandson, Danton Burroughs, offered me the chance.
I found the problems to be opportunities to explain what I considered to be inconsistencies in the jungle lord's established history.

But on the day of Danton's greatest accomplishment, when he became President of his grandfather's company, Edgar Rice Burroughs Inc., there was a fire that destroyed many of his father, John Coleman Burroughs' paintings--some of them lost forever without a record.
Danton tragically died that night of a heart attack.

What I didn't learn until recently was that the fire left ERB, Inc. with no record of the story.
Danton took his knowledge with him, and the fragment was essentailly lost to the company his Grandfather founded.

Fortunately, I still had my digital files, and the original fragment was discovered after the annoucnement of this publication.
Danton had sent it to be transcribed into digital format by Bill Hillman, webmaster of ERBzine.com, who announced this very day that he still has it.

While I was creating the Edgar Rice Burroughs 100 Year Art Chronology, I'd asked current President Jim Sullos for an opportunity to do something with the story.
What I didn't realize until recently was that he thought this was all my creation.
We didn't both put all the pieces together until just a few weeks ago.

That's the story behind the story of Young Tarzan and the Mysterious She.

Michael Tierney -- January 17, 2019



Young Tarzan

For the Burroughs fan who has to have everything, click on the image above to access the Cirsova offering of a coffee mug imprinted with the cover for Young Tarzan and the Mysteriuos She.

July 10th, 2020 Announcment!

My Young Tarzan and the Mysterious She, posthumously co-authored with Edgar Rice Burroughs,
was the featured topic of dicussion for the latest issue of the Gridley Wave, published by the Burroughs Bibliophiles!

Young Tarzan

You can read this issue of the Gridley Wave in its entirity here.
Reprinted by permission.


If you enjoyed the Gridely Wave, they are offering a Young Tarzan special
for new members who join this Edgar Rice Burroughs fan organization,
which includes copies of their slick magazine, the Burroughs Bulletin! Just Click this link.





Other stories by Michael Tierney in Cirsova:

Jack's Basement

Cirsova #9

A horror humor tale with a double twist ending.
The second twist will be evident mostly to comic book fans.

Cirsova #9, Fall 2018, contains Jack's Basement by Michael Tierney, a horror humor story with a twist ending that should appeal to fans of comic books.


Wild Stars III: Time Warmageddon

WS3 cirsova cover
Main cover by Tim Lim. Alternative trade paper cover by Mark Wheatley.
Wild Stars 3 - alternate cover Cirsova edition

Hardcover dust wrapper cover by Mark Wheatley, presented in virgin format without type or bar code.
Wild Stars 3

The third novel in the Wild Stars series.

Click the images above or this link for more details!

To read what the critics thought of WILD STARS I and II, visit the REVIEWS PAGE.

Michael Tierney's bibliography can be found here!

Wild Stars IV: Wild Star Rising

A New Wild Star Is Born!
Wild Stars IV is bringing the whole family for the 35th Anniversary Event!

Posted by Michael Tierney on June 28, 2019

It's always gratifying for a writer when an editor wants to buy your work.

What's especially gratifying is when the editor says, to paraphrase, "Not only do I think it's a great story,
I think it makes all your earlier stories even better--and I want to publish them as
a package set for the Wild Stars 35th Anniversary."


Needless to say, I was thrilled when Cirsova editor "Alex" Alexander told me that.
But wait--the offer gets even better, too.

Not only will the previous three books be published as part of a matching set with the new Book 4,
and super-sized in the magazine format--featuring new covers by Mark Wheatley,
Cirsova is also doing a 720-page Omnibus hardcover that features a wraparound dust wrapper by Anton Oxenuk!


In his promo video (you can watch here) for the event, Alexander said:
"Wild Stars is incredible science fantasy ... on the scale of Jack Kirby's Fourth World. It's almost incomparable."

Here's what all four full wraparound covers looks like:

cirsova wraparound cover 1 cirsova wraparound cover 2 cirsova wraparound cover 3 cirsova wraparound cover 4

And here's what the four back covers look like when combined:

cirsova group shot back covers

Wild Stars Omnibus -- First Edition hardcover

Wild Stars Omnibus

This 720-page tome contains everything from all four Books of the Wild Stars
and features a wraparound cover (shown here without text) by Anton Oxenuk, who also
illustrated the cover for my posthumus collaboration with Edgar Rice Burroughs on Young Tarzan ,
which was also published by Cirsova.

Be warned! Because of this book's prodigous size and weight, it could be consided a leathal weapon.


The Criteria for Admission Into the Galactic Community

Cirsova #7

Cirsova #7

The title tells you that this is a science fiction story.

It is available now, or you can mail order by clicking this link or the image above.




The Bears of 1812

Cirsova #5

A lost history tale.

The Bears of 1812 features native American legend Sacagawea from the Lewis & Clark Expedition, and her involvement in the War of 1812. As I told the editor; "The stuff you'll think I made up is the stuff that really happened." There were many incredible historical events during that time, and Sacagawea's history easily weaved right into the heart of it. 

Michael Tierney -- April 5, 2017


Shark Fighter

Cirsova #2

Shark Fighter is a tale of horror beneath the deep blue sea, see if you can guess the Wild Stars connection.
It's tenuous, but it is there.
For more information about this issue, visit this link.

Another Cirsova contributor mentioned my Shark Fighter story during his YouTube GeekGab podcast (visit this link).
Check it out starting at the 25 minute mark and continuing through when the host shouts:
"Stop the bus! A guy's fighting a shark!"
"Stop the bus!"
I'll take that review.
"Well written and there is a powerful emotional punch at its core."

"...not light fare, but .... meaty and gripping adventure"

"a grim sort of redemption"



Other books and another short story by Michael Tierney:


Speaking of which, the Edgar Rice Burroughs 100 Year Art Chronology (order link) went on sale June 2018!

Click on any of the images below if you'd like to read more about the
ERBAC v1 wraparound cover
ERB Art Chonology V2 wraparound cover.
ERB Chronology V4

The Edgar Rice Burroughs 100 Year Art Chronology was a huge success on Kickstarter.
And the preorder sales never slowed down after that.
With advance orders still bing shipped, the publisher has informed me that the first printing has ALREADY SOLD OVER 70% of its run!
A second printing is already being planned.

Edgar Rice Burroughs' 100 Year Art Chronology -- Kicktraq Mini

You can read all the details here: >https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/600766964/edgar-rice-burroughs-100-year-art-chronology

I've also set up a page filled with teaser images: Edgar Rice Burrough's 100 Year Art Chronlogy


The online magazine Castalia House has run a series of interviews with Cirsova authors, and mine is now online here.

The interviewer, Scott Cole, asked a lot of great questions that covered not just my stories in Cirsova magazine, but also about my Wild Stars comics and books, my experiences as a comic book retailer, and about my Edgar Rice Burroughs 100 Year Art Chronology.


Gods & Service anthology paperback

"Who is God?" is a social science-fiction short story, released December 2019 in the paperback anthology "Gods & Services", edited by R. J. Carter. A mysterious shop appears out of nowhere with a sign that reads Goods & Services, but one of the "O"s has fallen off. The inventory is unusual: lost or forgotten gods who perform services for a price.


The tales of the Wild Stars is something that Michael Tierney wrote several novels about in the 1970s,
published comics and portfolios based on those novels from the 1980s through the early 2000s,
and has since added new novels and a graphic novel to the expansive space opera that is Wild Stars!

Click this link or either of the images below to begin your journey into the wildest area of the Milky Way Galaxy known to man:
wildstarslogo
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