Didja Notice?

 

Page 2 reveals that Indy can't stand snakes even in a movie he's watching!

 

The movie theater Indy and Marion were in for their date is seen to be the Metro. There was an actual historic theater in New York on Broadway at this time, but it's not clear if this is meant to be the same one. The two appear to have different facades, and it's not even clear if our heroic couple are in New York City for this date.

 

Two movies are advertised as being shown at the theater this night, Ace Drummond with Jungle Drums. Ace Drummond is an actual film serial released in 1936. Jungle Drums appears to be fictitious, as are the actors Alphonse Dumar and Stephanie Windslow.

 

The former Dutch island of Kaloo in the South Pacific that Indy visits in this issue appears to be fictitious. The artifact he's after there, the Crown of Rurick, also appears to be fictitious. Indy tells Marion that, if he finds the crown there, it will be proof that Vikings, probably Russian Norsemen, sailed as far away as the South Pacific. He is probably referring to the legendary founder of ancient Russia, Rurik, a Viking conqueror in Russia in the 9th Century.

 

Indy gets a job as a stuntman at Gold Star Films as a cover for arriving in the South Pacific. This appears to be a fictitious company. Recall that Indy worked for Universal Studios during his summer break from college in 1920 in Hollywood Follies.

 

In panel 2 of page 5, a man and woman are seen leaving the gates of Gold Star Films as Indy enters. The man looks as if he may be Errol Flynn (1909-1959), a huge star of the Golden Age of Hollywood. The man seen in the foreground of panel 3 may be James Stewart (1908-1997), a minor actor at the time who later went on to become one of the most popular film actors of all time.

 

The plane that flies the filmmakers to Kaloo is identified as a Boeing B-314. This is an actual model of flying boat manufactured by Boeing from 1938-1941, but is anachronistic here, as the year is supposed to be 1936.

 

On page 8, Greeley snorts that the production could have taken a Piper Cub plane if not for all of Stephanie's things. The Piper Cub variants are all small, lightweight general aviation aircraft manufactured from 1938-1947 by Piper Aircraft. Again, an anachronism for this story's time period.

 

On page 12, Indy remarks that Alphonse packs a wallop like Jack Dempsey. Jack Dempsey (1895-1983) was an American boxer who was the world heavyweight champion from 1919 to 1926.

 

The local bar on Kaloo is called Blue Lagoon. Writer Trimpe probably named it for the 1980 film of that name, based on a 1908 novel by Henry De Vere Stacpoole.

 

At the Blue Lagoon, Alphonse orders a screaming meemie. There are a number of drinks produced under this name with differing ingredients.

 

Page 14 reveals that Indy was on the college swim team in his youth and they were state champions. He began attending University of Chicago in 1919 at the end of "Winds of Change". How successful the U of C swim team was in the 1920s, I don't know.

 

When Stephanie and Alphonse finally hook up together, Greeley thinks, Oh, oh. Look out Photoplay! Photoplay was an American film fan magazine published from 1911-1980, often focusing on the private lives of celebrities.

 

The flying boat takes Indy and the film crew back to San Francisco after Indy's stunt performance is completed.

 

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