View source for The Ratmen of Rodencia

{{Newspaperbox 
|Title= The Ratmen of Rodencia
|image= [[Image:md-1973-01-15.png|400 px]]
|Start= January 15, 1973
|End= May 5, 1973
|Strips= 96 (16 weeks)
|Writer= [[Lee Falk]]
|Artist= [[Fred Fredericks]]
|Preceded= "[[Dr Xoz Prof. of Smells]]"
|Followed= "[[The Incredible Thief]]"
|}}

'''"The Ratmen of Rodencia"''' is the 153rd Mandrake [[daily story]]. 
The story was written by [[Lee Falk]] and drawn by [[Fred Fredericks]].

== Plot Summary ==
A gigantic flaming object from the sky landed in mid-ocean. Then a mysterious sound rings from the "galactic watch" given to Mandrake by emperor Magnon. This sound is followed by a tri-dimensional image of Magnon. A starship from outer space has been hijacked by 12 Ratmen who threaten to destroy the space-vessel and its 5.000 passengers. The starship finally landed on Earth and, hidden at the bottom of the sea, they await the payment of the ransom : 50 billion credits and the planet Earth.
 
Magnon's fleet ships arrive near the Earth but, at first, Magnon want Mandrake to negotiate with the Ratmen. He sends a transporter and a translator. Mandrake and Lothar go inside a soap bubble like space dinghy and dived to the sea bottom. Inside the hijacked space ship, there is an amazing variety of non-human passengers and four humans. One of them is Nardraka. 

===Appearances===
<div style="float:left; width:50%;">
'''Recurring characters'''
*[[Mandrake]]
*[[Lothar]]
*[[Narda]], at Xanadu.
*[[Karma]], at Xanadu.

*[[Magnon]]
*[[Nardraka]]
*[[The Ratmen]]
'''One-time characters'''
*34XCY<small>1/2</small>x27*, the name/number of the translator.
*Vultose, alian race breathe air and are radioactive.
*Francie, name of a small boat.
*Marma, nurse of Nardraka.
</div><div style="float:right; width:50%;">
'''Locations'''
*[[Xanadu]]
*Bottom of the ocean.
*Our solar system.
</div><br clear="all">

==Behind the scenes==
===Title===
*This story have no given title. It is lifted from the strip of January 31, 1973 (Magnon: "By Ratmen of Rodencia").
===Easter Eggs – Cameos===
*Francie, likely named after Fred's wife [[Frances Fredericks|Frances]].

== Reprints ==
This story has been published in the following publications:

=== [[Image:mini_brazil.gif]] Brazil ===
*"Os Piratas do Espaço", [[Mandrake 206 (RGE)|''Mandrake'' #206]] (1973)

=== [[Image:mini_finland.gif]] Finland ===
*"Rottamiehet", [[Mustanaamio 22/1986|''Mustanaamio'' #22]] (1986)

=== [[Image:mini_france.gif]] France ===
*"Sur un navire sidéral", [[Spécial Mandrake (Mondes Mystérieux) - Nouvelle Série 9|''Spécial Mandrake'' #9]] (1977)
*"Les pirates du cosmos", [[Le Journal de Mickey|''Le Journal de Mickey'' #1819]]  (1987)  
*"Les pirates du cosmos", [[Donald Magazine|''Donald Magazine'' #87-18]]  (1987)

=== [[Image:mini_india.gif]] India ===
*"The Ratmen of Rodencia" [[Indrajal Comics 200|''Indrajal Comics'' #200]] (1974)
*"Encounter with Space Creatures", [[Indrajal Comics Vol. 24 No. 45|''Indrajal Comics'' Vol. 24 No. 45]] (1987)

=== [[Image:mini_italy.gif]] Italy ===
*"L'astronave in fondo al mare", [[Mandrake Selezione 6|''Mandrake Selezione'' #6]] (1977)

=== [[Image:mini_portugal.gif]] Portugal ===
*"Os Homens-ratos", [[Quadradinhos 94|''Quadradinhos'' #94]], [[Quadradinhos 95| #95]], [[Quadradinhos 96| #96]], [[Quadradinhos 98| #98]], [[Quadradinhos 99| #99]] and [[Quadradinhos 100| #100]] (1973-1974)

=== [[Image:mini_spain.gif]] Spain ===
*"Secuestro sideral", [[Supercomics Garbo 11|''Supercomics Garbo'' #11]] (1976)

=== [[Image:mini_sweden.gif]] Sweden ===
*"Råttmännen", [[Fantomen 9/1986|''Fantomen'' #9]] (1986)

=== [[Image:mini_turkey.gif]] Turkey ===
*"Uzayda Tehdit", [[Mandrake 28 (Tay)|''Mandrake'' #28]] & [[Mandrake 29 (Tay)| #29]] & [[Mandrake 30 (Tay)| #30]] (1975)
*"Uzayda Tehdit", [[Mandrake Albüm 10 (Tay)|''Mandrake Albüm'' #10]]  
*"Uzayda Tehdit", [[Mandrake Albüm 220 (Tay)|''Mandrake Albüm'' #220]]  
*"Uzayda Tehdit", [[Mandrake 44 (Tay second series)|''Mandrake'' #44]] & [[Mandrake 45 (Tay second series)| #45]]
*"Uzayda Tehdit", [[Mandrake Süper Albüm 13 (Tay)|''Mandrake Süper Albüm'' #13]]
*"Uzayda Tehdit", [[Mandrake Süper Albüm 57 (Tay)|''Mandrake Süper Albüm'' #57]] & [[Mandrake Süper Albüm 58 (Tay)| #58]]
*"?", [[Yeni Mandrake 1|''Yeni Mandrake'' #1]] (2011)

=== [[Image:mini_usa.gif]] USA ===
*(no title), [[The Menomonee Falls Gazette 59|''The Menomonee Falls Gazette'' from #59]] to [[The Menomonee Falls Gazette 74| #74]] (1973)
*"The Ratmen of Rodencia", [[The Daily Strips Mandrake Series / Episode: "The Ratmen of Rodencia" (Pacific Comics Club)|''The Daily Strips Mandrake Series / Episode: "The Ratmen of Rodencia" (Pacific Comics Club)'']] (2018)

=== [[Image:mini_yugoslavia.png|border]] Yugoslavia===
*"Pacoliki napadaju", [[Super EKS Almanah 16|''Super EKS Almanah'' #16]] (1981)

[[Category:Daily stories|Ratmen of Rodencia, The]]