A Field Guide to the "Lost World of the Warlord" Action Figure Line

Part 4: The Mini-Comic

This page covers the mini-comic that was included in some very early releases of the action figures.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

MINI-COMIC

I've never been able to figure out where this mini-comic came from. In one advertisement it's said to included inside the package, but I had never seen or heard of a solo figure package containing this mini-comic until 2025. The ad contains drawings of Arak, Hercules, and Warlord, with the comic, and no other ads show the comic.

In 2025, I found a page with a photo of an Arak figure with the comic behind it. This is the only photo I've ever seen of a figure with the comic, so I have no idea if it appeared with any other figure(s). I would have thought that somewhere, someone would have put up for sale an intact figure attached to the card with the comic, but the fact that I've gone over 20 years without seeing a single one for sale tells me it's extremely rare.

According to the internet (which is never wrong):

"This mini-comic was allegedly supposed to have been cancelled and any printed copies scrapped. Most of the Warlord figures did not have the comic." (via the Grand Comics Database)
"This is basically the holy grail of action figure mini comic inserts. According to legend, in 1983 Remco was supposed to include it in the "The Lost World of the Warlord" action figure toy line, however they had a quick change of heart and nearly all printed copies were destroyed. Almost the entire toy line was released without an insert mini comic, making this an extremely rare collectible." (via a way overpriced eBay auction from March 2025)

Given this, I wonder how the comic ended up in circulation? Did people separate them from the action figures, or were a bunch of the comics saved from the chopping block and sold over the years? We may never know.

For 20 years, I had been looking for a copy of this comic, and I had never seen hide nor hair of one, until a few years ago when I saw one for sale - but it was slabbed and really expensive. Turns out there are only two graded copies in the CGC census, one a 9.4 and the other a 9.6.

Fast forward to 2025, where someone on the Mike Grell Facebook group posted that he had obtained a copy for cheap, but he also messaged me that he had an extra and would send it to me. This comic has been a Holy Grail to me for decades, ever since I started collecting the Warlord figures.

The comic features Travis Morgan, the Warlord, aided by Hercules and attacked by Arak (out of their own times) against Deimos (Mikola and Machiste do not appear). Notice that on the cover, each one has his action figure-accurate wardrobe and weaponry. Although the cover reads "Enter the Lost World of the Warlord", that's the logo from the regular Warlord comic. The indicia on page 1 says that the official title of this comic is "The Lost World of the Warlord". Written by Joey Cavalieri, art by Mark Texiera and Tod Smith, lettered by Shelly Leferman, colored by Anthony Tollin, and edited by Connie Hatch.