From Tarzan to John Carter: The Epic Adventure Novels of Edgar Rice Burroughs
Tarzan of the Apes, created by Edgar Rice Burroughs in 1912, is one of the most successful fictional characters ever created. Fearless and intelligent, he met any situation (whether it be a hungry lion, a lost civilization or a damsel in distress) with complete aplomb. He’s the ultimate in wish-fulfillment, always acting capably and bravely in any situation.
Throughout his literary career, Tarzan of the Apes would roam across much of Africa, encountering many more lost civilizations than one would have reasonably suspected could exist. He fought evil humans, lions, panthers, apes and the occasional dinosaur. He was captured quite often, then threatened with execution or slavery or being tossed into a gladiator arena. But he always managed to escape and wreak havoc on his captors.