Indiana Jones: Thunder in the Orient is a six-issue comic by Dan Barry. It was published by Dark Horse Comics in monthly installments from September 1993 to April 1994 (with a two-month hiatus between the fourth and fifth issues). It was collected in Indiana Jones Omnibus: Volume 1 in 2008.
Plot summary[]
Indiana is called away from a dig in Lebanon to visit India where his friend Sophia Hapgood has discovered what she believes to be clues that could lead to the Covenant of Buddha, the original writings and precepts of Buddha in his own words. Legend tells that the Covenant holds a great and mystical power that was hidden away to prevent it getting into the wrong hands. As Indy and Sophia muse about this legendary treasure they realize another unforeseen power; the unification of the thousands of Asia's Buddhists under one precept. Another group seeks to claim this power, the Empire of Japan who see it as a way to control the countries they are currently invading pre-World War II. This leads Indy, Sophia, and the Japanese on a desperate chase across Asia that leads into the depths of Afghanistan to the heights of the legendary Shangri-La through disputed parts of China.
Appearances[]
Characters[]
- Alexander the Great (Flashback)
- Allah (Mentioned only)
- Aqbik
- Marcus Brody
- Gautama Buddha (Mentioned only)
- Chandra
- Ch'ao the Red
- Ch'ao the Red's mother (Mentioned only)
- Colonel Fang
- Gembo
- Sophia Hapgood
- James Hilton (Mentioned only)
- Sergeant Itaki
- Indiana Jones
- Genghis Kahn
- General Chiang Kai-Shek (Mentioned only)
- Dr Patar Kali
- Khamal
- Genghis Khan (Flashback)
- Zan-Khan
- General Masashi Kyojo
- Captain Lao-Pei
- Captain Lao-Tsing
- Maharaja
- Olutru
- René Pouillard
- Khan Muzzard Ram
- Schaeffer (Mentioned only)
- Sonam Tashi
- Tsongpen
- U Paw/Serpent Lady/Lotus Flower
- Theo Van Aaken
- Pancho Villa (Flashback)
- Colonel Watanabe
- Lieutenant Jeffrey Talbot-Weiss
- Yama
- Dr. Sun Yat-sen (Mentioned only)
- Zan-Khan
Artifacts[]
Locations[]
- Afghanistan
- Bamian (On map)
- Buddhas of Bamyan
- British Outpost
- Donjon of Khan Muzzard Ram
- Herat (On map)
- Kabul (On map)
- Landi Kotal (On map)
- Baghdad
- Basra
- Cambodia (Mentioned only)
- Chanri-Ha
- China
- Ch-ao the Red's Town
- Chengtu (On map)
- Hankow
- Hankow Rail Station
- Japanese Military base
- Szechuan
- Serpent Lady's Camp
- Sinkiang (On map)
- Kangting (On map)
- Mount Minya Konka (On map)
- Yangtze River
- Temple of the Covenant of Buddha
- France (Mentioned only)
- India
- Armitsar (On map)
- Delhi
- Japanese Embassy
- Himalayas
- Kashmir (On map)
- Punjab (On map)
- Attock (On map)
- Indus River (On map)
- Islamabad (On map)
- Jamrud (On map)
- Jhelum (On map)
- Lahore (On map)
- Peshawar (On map)
- Rawalpindi (On map)
- Shahdare Bagh (On map)
- Wazirabad (On map)
- Terai Lowlands
- Japan (Mentioned only)
- Korea (Mentioned only)
- Laos (Mentioned only)
- Lebanon
- Mexico (Flashback)
- Mongolia (Mentioned only)
- Nepal
- Kathmandu
- Singha Durbar
- Tikapur
- Kathmandu
- Shangri-La (Mentioned only)
- Sri Lanka (Mentioned only)
- Syria
- Tibet (Mentioned only)
- Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (On map)
- United States of America (Mentioned only)
- Barnett College (Mentioned only)
- Washington DC (Mentioned only)
Miscellanea[]
- Bow and arrow
- Buddhism
- Camel
- Cat (Mentioned only)
- Crusader (Mentioned only)
- Dog (Mentioned only)
- Dragon (Picture only)
- Elephant
- Fedora
- Goat (Mentioned only)
- Great War (Mentioned only)
- Horse
- India Air Freigh
- Indiana Jones' journal
- Indy's pistol
- Bullwhip
- Jackal (Mentioned only)
- Katana
- Kuomintang
- National Revolutionary Army
- Japanese Imperial Army
- Lost Horizon (Mentioned only)
- Mexican Revolution (Flashback)
- Mouse (Mentioned only)
- Mule
- Slavery
- Sheep (Mentioned only)
- Spear
- Swine (Mentioned only)
- Vulture (Mentioned only)
- Wildcat (Mentioned only)
Behind the scenes[]
- Indiana Jones: Thunder in the Orient makes several references to The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles. In the first issue Indy claims the reason he was able to decipher some clay slates is because he learned the codes when he was working with French intelligence during World War I. In the fifth issue, Jones remembers riding with Pancho Villa. The flashback depicted is taken from the cover of The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles "Mexico, March 1916".
- At the end of the second issue and in the third issue, the Colossus of Bamyan is referred to as the "Colossus of Bamian". Similarly, General Masashi Kyojo mispells the "Hara-Kiri" as "Hiri-Kiri".
- In the sixth issue, Sophia Hapgood's hair is mistakenly drawn as blonde rather than red at one point. In addition, when Patar Kali shoots at Masashi Kyojo's armored car, the word "Putta" is written threefold to represent the machine gun's sounds, a word that, without a second "t", is considered a swear word in the Spanish language.
Cover gallery[]
Notes and references[]
| ADVENTURE TIMELINE | ||
|---|---|---|
| previous | next | |
| Summer 1938 | October 1938 | December 1938 |
| Indiana Jones and the Gold of Genghis Khan | Indiana Jones: Thunder in the Orient | Indiana Jones and the Lost Treasure of Sheba |