Religion: Buddhist 
Name: The Temple of Kung
Other Names: The Temple of Chung; Kung followers; followers of Kung; Kung cultists; followers of Chung; Chung cultists
Classification:
supporting characters
group
Publisher(s): 
First Appearance: Mystic Comics (vol. 1) #1 (Mar. 1940): "The Blooded Ruby of Chung"
Number of Appearances: 1
Defended or Helped by: Dakor the Magician
Location: Asia
Race: Asian
Note: source of sacred ruby Dakor the Magician recovered
The followers of Kung are apparently this story's surrogate for East Asian Buddhists. The idol statue Kung looks like a large Buddha. When Dakor the Magician journeys to the temple, the narrative text tells us he is going to "the land of the God, Kung...the great god Kung, revered by millions of Orientals, and over whom it almost exercises the power of life and death."
Millionaire banker George Hargate purchased a sacred ruby which was stolen from the Temple of Chung. The ruby was located in the eye of the great statue Kung. The ruby was called the "Blooded Ruby of Chung." Hargate apparently kept the ruby in a private collection. But his son John showed the ruby to John's friend Tom Denver. Denver stole it and injured John so gravely that he eventually died from his injuries.
Before John Hargate died, however, he contacted Dakor the Magician and told him to get in touch with his father. Dakor found George Hargate, who filled him in on details about the ruby, telling him about how he had purchased it, although he knew it was stolen from the Temple. George Hargate believed that the ruby would cause anybody who saw it to lust after it and murder to obtain it. Hargate seemed to believe the ruby had some sort of mystical power over people. Perhaps he was correct. The elder Hargate hired Dakor to retrieve the ruby, so that it could be returned to its rightful place in the Temple of Chung. Hargate partially blamed himself for his own son's death, and said he wanted no more blood on his hands.
Dakor the Magician was indeed able to recover the ruby (which meant going up against Tuareg tribesmen who stole it from Tom Denver). Dakor returned the ruby to the idol in the Temple of Chung from which the sacred gem had been stolen.
When Dakor snuck into the Temple of Chung, the priests there attacked him. They no doubt thought he was there to rob them, or perhaps they thought he was the thief who originally stole the ruby. Actually, Dakor was there to return the ruby, which he did. He used his power of ventriloquism to make the priest believe that the Kung statue was speaking to them, telling them: "Harm not the white man. He is your friend. Kung commands!"
Number of group members listed below: 2
| Character (Click links for info about character and his/her religious practice, affiliation, etc.) |
Religious Affiliation |
Team(s) [Notes] |
Pub. | # app. |
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Asian; The Temple of Kung [head priest in Temple of Kung] |
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Asian [source of sacred ruby Dakor the Magician recovered] |
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1 |
Mystic Comics (vol. 1) #1 (Mar. 1940): "The Blooded Ruby of Chung"
Suggested links for further research about this character and the character's religious affiliation:
- http://www.oocities.org/jjnevins/dakor.html
- http://www.internationalhero.co.uk/d/dakor.htm
- https://www.comics.org/issue/702/
- http://marvel.wikia.com/Mystic_Comics_Vol_1_1
