Thursday 3 April 2014

C & C - Childhood staple


Do you remember, "The ghost who walks"? If you don't, let me refresh your memory.  Here he is. Ta da!

You never find The Phantom, he finds YOU - Old Jungle Saying. 
(Source: Google Images)

Do you remember now? NOW???

The earliest I remember my laying hands on comics was when I came across an Indrajal book featuring The Phantom.  Suddenly, a whole new world opened up for me! I had found a new hero!

Bookworm by nature, I was curious about the storyline and the characters. One read and I was hooked. Slowly, Indrajal editions made their way regularly to my bookshelf.

The adventures of Phantom, his skull cave, the horse Hero, the wolf Devil, Guran, his superwoman wife Diana, all those villians and the old Jungle Sayings (here's a spoof on one of them : when the Phantom farts, the jungle rots) fired the imagination. Mandrake, Lother and Hojo with their superlative powers, the beautiful girlfriends Narda & Karma who were also quite accomplished and their home 'Xanadu' also left their impressions. Then came along Flash Gordon, Dale and Dr. Zarkhov and their space adventures. Then it was the turn of Bahadur & his girlfriend Bela followed by Rip Kirby, the sauve detective, with very non-superlative qualities. but they all had one common thing. They fought the evil.
Source : Google Images

Other books appeared on the horizon like Amar Chitra Katha series, Tinkle, Chandamama, Champak and Disney. These, especially the Amar Chitra Katha series,  provided the visuals for all the mythological stories we had till then only heard and imagined. The sibling and I even got a “volume” of this series. Tinkle was amazing with the Anu Club stories, the eternal fight between Raja Hooja and his scheming minister, Kalia the crow always on the alert to help animals in distress and finally Suppandi providing the “comic” relief. Chandamama introduced me to Vikram and Betal. Amazing set of stories each one teaching the right way to lead life, in such a simple form. Champak was filled with all those little stories.

Disney introduced me to Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Minnie Mouse, Daisy Duck, Pluto, Goofy, Uncle Scrooge and gave a tiny insight to the American way of life. This was furthered by the advent of Archie, Richie Rich and Little Lotta (who was not so little) comics which added new dimensions to our glee.

Source : Google Images
The television made its appearance in our living room and then the series on Spiderman had us riveted on Sunday mornings. Then came along the Disney cartoons, Tom and Jerry and so on. The cute-sy Disney cartoons have managed to hold their sway over me, even today. The creativity is just mind-boggling.

There was a slow graduation to the adventures of Tintin. Tintin, Professor Calculus and Captain Haddock introduced the British way of life. Then, Asterix and Obelix happened, taking me to the amazing world of puns & early Europe.

The sibling, cousins, and I, struck mother lode when a library opened close by. This library had rows and rows of these books. Need I say more? Many a lazy summer afternoons were spent in browsing through the adventures of all our favourite heroes and heroines accompanied by something to munch on.. The same adventures were visited repeatedly with absolutely no signs of boredom!

Every single comic I have read and cartoon I have watched, has shaped my language, thinking and expanded my knowledge in someway or the other.

Though all of us are “technically”  past the “cartoons and comics” age, none of us can resist the magical pull of these comics and cartoons even today, even if we have read them hundreds of times. 

Here's to all the comics & cartoons of the world and their creators! 

You rock! 










This post is for A-Z Challenge 2014.





34 comments:

  1. I still am a sucker for Disney! My happiest moment was when I visited the Magic Kingdom. I loved Tintin too....and several other Bengali comics like Nonte Fonte, Batul the great, Hada Bhoda! We did have many

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    1. Oh me too! :) That warm fuzzy feeling that comes watching Disney can never be replicated by anyone else. ThankS for sharing!

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  2. Awesome post Prathima. Could identify with each word there. I was and am a huge comic book fan from whenever I can remember.

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    1. Thank you for dropping in and for your encouraging words, Ghata. Glad to meet a fellow comic book fan :)

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  3. My favorite one growing up was the daily dose of Modesty Blaise in Prajavani. It was not a comic strip but an adventure series and the drawings were amazing!

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  4. I used to love comics from Archies to Asterix! lovely nostalgic post!

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  5. The comics which kept me hooked to them were Tinkle :) would read them for hours at a stretch. Didn't find Disney that interesting. After Tinkle it was Tintin and then Archies of course. Comics still are a part of my life even now. :)

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    1. Even now, I can't let a comic (of that era) go without peeking at it. The duration of peeking however, depends on the thickness of the book. :).

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  6. Oh what a fabulous post! It was like I was reading my own life story vis a vis books. It happened with me exactly the way it happened with you. I loved Phantom best though. :D

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    1. Thank you for yoru kind words Dagny! Happy to know that we were kindred souls. For me, the sibling, and the cousins, Phantom can never go out of fashion. We get all starry-eyed and dreamy even today while reading his adventures. :)

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  7. Do you remember Mark and Mandy from school? How we used to fight for that! That was my first introduction to glossy, hardbound and colorful book...a dessert compared to our Indian comics. Tintin, Asterix and Obelix...wow...you made them all come back.

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    1. Oh yes, Now, I remember! Mandy had this strange hair-do of her blonde hair puued up and tied in a little ribbon at the end of her hair. Yes, those were the days :). Thanks, Janu.

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  8. Wohooo made me nostalgic. Though I am living my childhood again with my kids but the choice has changed, this made me go back to the good old simple times :)

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    1. Thanks juzta mom! Somehow am not able to bring myself to read the new age comics of Manga, all those new superheroes. Dunno why though!

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  9. Any day now also I can read cartoons & even watch some ! Thanks for reviving childhood memories !

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    1. My pleasure Vasudha! Am glad that you too enjoy cartoons and comics. Aren't they just fantastic? :)

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  10. Comics and Cartoons were an integral part of my life and even today I can keep doing that...Thank you for taking me to my childhood :)

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    1. My pleasure Nabanita. I had fun writing this, as it evoked some very fond memories of my childhood too. :)

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  11. I know all these stories except Phantom. - loved this - when the Phantom farts, the jungle rots
    :D :D
    amar chitra katha is my heart fav. specially tinkle and chandama
    so do I love asterix obelix. Good POST pratima :D Loved the revival

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    1. Thank you Afshan :) Yes, that old jungle saying was a good one, isn't it? Heard it from someone long time back :D Quite a few of us here enjoy comics, knowing which is gladdening.

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  12. cartoons are still part of my daily routine...I still enjoy them with my son

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    1. Thank you for visiting Amruta. Glad you are extending your childhood joy :)

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  13. I never got into comics and cartoons as a kid, but my daughter loves comic books-it's the only thing I can get her to read (much to her teacher's dismay, lol). Great post :)

    Finley Jayne
    http://finleyjaynesbookshelves.blogspot.com/

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    1. Thank you for dropping by & your kind words Finley Jayne! Oh but comics are very good educational tools. A big part of my vocabulary as well general knowledge has its roots in comics. So, your daughter will do just fine. :)

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  14. I too had a voracious appetite for cartoons. Thank you for reviving all those lovely memories.

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    1. My pleasure Cynthia! Glad to know you too enjoyed cartoons. :)

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  15. "THE GHOST WHO WALKS.." OMG.. you brought out such a deep burried memory.... can hear the drum beats too :D

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    1. The tom-toms by the pygmy bandar people :D.. and the whispering grove and the Phantom Peak.. Gosh! :D

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  16. I still read them whenever I can lay a hand on my niece's comic books. Lovely post!

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  17. Oh boy.. Oh boy !!! now that really brought back some vivid memories of childhood !!! loved every word of this post Prats.. :-)

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