Alan Hanson Comments ERB-APA #40: A Reply

In your 'The Last Word' comments you state, "You (Mike Moody) explain away ERB's mention of the year 1888 by saying he was being deceptive. Why can't I, then, explain away the supposed eclipse by saying he was being deceptive about that?  Your chronology makes assumptions, and then you assail mine for doing the same thing! It's going to be fun debating you on this."

ERB-APA #40

Well, Alan, we may as well start the debate in this issue. In my opinion, the only correct Tarzan chronology is one that remains consistent with the stories presented by Edgar Rice Burroughs. Both you and I know that even using ERB's provided information there are assumptions that have to be made, and even contradictions of provided ERB information which a chronologist must choose which is right or wrong.

Alan Hanson

The thing to keep in mind is, that ERB tells a Tarzan story that is twenty-three novels long. When a chronologist chronicles these events when he is done he should be telling the exact same story. Excuse me ol' buddy for stepping on your toes, but your chronology does not tell the same story as presented by ERB. What you did do is fall for modernization. Sure, I can not use the 1888 Greystoke sailing date as told in Tarzan Of The Apes, or Jane's 1909 date in the letter to Hazel Strong. I have to exchange 1908 - 1913 gas cars for 1892 - 1896 steam or electric cars. But when I get through with the modernization ploy I tell the exact same story that ERB does.

James Michael Moody

What you do, is that you are so intent on keeping the Greystoke's 1888 sailing date and modernization, that you are willing to change ERB's presented storyline. Alan, I do not like going against the 1888 sailing date, but that date just does not work in a Tarzan chronology if Tarzan is a real man on Earth as we know it. It does work if you choose to follow the science fiction, 'Burroughs Universe', approach that John F. Roy did.

John F. Roy & James Michael Moody

Now for the lunar eclipse. You try to pass this valuable time marker off because it does not fit into your 1888 chronology. ERB described a lunar eclipse in his story as plain as day and even quoted, "The moon was gradually emerging from whatever had devoured her, whether it was Numa, the lion, or the shadow of the earth." ERB-The Jungle Tales Of Tarzan. What does it take to see that a lunar eclipse does indeed occur? As far as being deceptive, why would ERB do so when all other evidence points otherwise?

Carlos Arqoello

Once I excepted the easy fact that there was indeed a lunar eclipse I researched all the lunar eclipse dates that were visible over Portuguese Angola during Tarzan's time. I inserted them into my 1868, 1872, and 1888 working chronologies which use both Tarzan being fifteen when he sees his first man as told in The Return Of Tarzan, and eighteen when he sees his first man as told in Tarzan Of The Apes. Using this method I discovered the lunar eclipse of November 4, 1892, fit perfectly in an 1872 chronology that has Tarzan being eighteen when the jungle lord sees his first man.

John Buscema

Using this approach there is exactly enough time for Jungle Tales Of Tarzan to occur as exactly described by ERB, and for The Son Of Tarzan to occur exactly as described by ERB, Using my 1872 chronology there is no such thing as a Korak time discrepancy, and Jack and Korak is the same person, Tarzan's son, as described by ERB. Outside of applying Henning's full moon research, the 1872 chronology is perfect as far as I could find. So perfect, I can not believe it is a mere coincidence. None, I repeat, none of the lunar eclipse dates would fit with 1868, 1872, and 1888 combinations to make a mistake-free chronology.

Carlos Arguello

Ol' buddy, you say you can punch a few holes in my 1872 chronology. I can not wait. If I have reported anything contradicting ERB I want it corrected. That is the whole purpose of presenting my 1872 chronology in the ERB-APA instead of in book form like you did. The very best ERB researchers will have a shot to correct me if I have made a mistake. Until the next issue...

Nik Poliwko

About The Author

James Michael Moody is a lifelong fan and collector of Edger Rice Burroughs. Moody has contributed over two hundred articles to various ERB-related fanzines, over a span of forty-five years. He also manages an unauthorized Tarzan blog titled, Greystoke Chronologist: James Michael Moody. There the researcher chronologies the Tarzan books starting in May 1872 (known as the pushback theory).instead of the more excepted date May 1888.

James Michael Moody is also the author of the action-packed Sci-Fi fantasy adventure Unium series. Pioneers On Unium, published December 31, 2019, and Exiled On Unium, published August 25, 2022. Swordsman On Unium is going through the publishing process.