Lothar

Lothar is a comic strip character created by Lee Falk, first appearing in the debut Mandrake the Magician story "The Cobra" in 1934. He is Mandrake's closest friend and crime-fighting partner.

Lothar is the Prince of the Seven Nations, a federation of African jungle tribes. He chose to leave his kingdom and fight for justice alongside Mandrake rather than assume his hereditary throne. He possesses extraordinary physical strength, capable of demolishing structures with his bare hands and overpowering large groups of opponents.

Originally depicted as a subservient sidekick in the conventions of 1930s adventure strips, Lothar's role evolved over the decades into that of an equal partner. He is one of the earliest recurring Black characters in American comic strips. Lothar has appeared continuously throughout Mandrake the Magician's run in newspaper strips and comic books since 1934.