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Turok is a fictional American comic book character initially in comics from Western Publishing published through licensee Dell Comics. He first appeared in Four Color Comics #596 (October/November 1954), then graduated to his own title, Turok, Son of Stone. Gold Key Comics and Valiant Comics later published the character.

Western Publishing

The original comic was illustrated by Rex Maxon. The writer-creator credit for the characters of Turok and Andar is disputed,

The Western Publishing version of Turok was a pre-Columbian Native American who, along with his brother Andar, became trapped in an isolated valley populated by dinosaurs, which they called "honkers". The Du Bois stories involve Turok and Andar seeking a way out. Du Bois was influenced by his visits to Carlsbad Caverns New Mexico and developed the "Lost Valley" from his visits to the area.Fact: date=November 2007

After two appearances in Four Color #596 and #656, the title ran 27 issues (#3-29) from publisher Dell Comics (1956-62); then issues #30-125 (1962-80) from Gold Key Comics; and finally issues #126-130 (1981-82) back under the Whitman Comics imprint.

The first Turok one-shot (Four Color #596) was originally written by Du Bois as a "Young Hawk" story. "Young Hawk" was an earlier Native American comic book feature Du Bois created, which appeared in Dell's The Lone Ranger comic-book series.

In "Gaylord Du Bois's Account Books Sorted by Title, transcribed by Randall Scott," on page 51 (which is in the Lone Ranger section), one entry reads, "Young Hawk Finds World Below. 16p. For Young Hawk one-shot, 1954. Sent November 22, 1953." The very first Turok story, in Four Color #596, is "Turok and the World Below," 16 pages. In the "Account Books", the entry after the next (from the one previously cited), also page 51, reads, "Young Hawk Conquers the Terrible Ones. 18p. For Young Hawk one-shot, 1954. Sent December 14, 1953." The second Turok story, in Four Color #596, is "Turok and the Terrible Ones," 18 pages. Young Hawk has transformed into Turok.

As late as issue #8 of Turok, Du Bois's last scripts for the series, when the artists had long since established Turok as an adult, Du Bois continued to introduce the two Turok stories in that issue (as he had in previous issues) by describing Turok and Andar as "youths," more befitting Young Hawk than Turok (though Andar was depicted as a youth). The first story in that issue begins, "Turok and Andar, Indian youths, have found their way into a strange network of deep canyons in the Carlsbad area, where ancient forms of life still exist...They have found no way to get out." The second Turok story in that issue begins, "Trapped in a deep canyon in the Carlsbad area of New Mexico, Turok and Andar, two Indian youths, have met ancient forms of life which have disaIn Du Bois' last Turok story (issue #8, "Turok Seeks the Trail to Freedom", in which Turok encounters a herd of horses, which he calls "slim-legged creatures," having no word for them, as the horse had not yet been introduced to the Americas by the Spanish), Turok scales the cliffs, and escapes the Lost Valley. He is out, but he returns for Andar, who was wounded. Then an avalanche permanently seals the way out, and the series begins anew. Paul S. Newman wrote the Turok stories afterward.