Every once in a while you come across an article in the media that hits home. I found such an article in a magazine called Transition, I had never heard of before.
The author, Kai Friese, speaks about his fascination with The Phantom comics, available in India.
……And a comic book was a Phantom.
Of course we hoarded, borrowed, or rented Superman, Batman, even Aquaman, when we could. But the Phantom was a more dependable hero, always there when you needed one—and cheap, at one and a half rupees. There were none of the cruel advertisements for unobtainable goods—Schwinn Bikes and Hostess Twinkies, Incredible Sea Monkeys and Amazing Inflatable Raquel Welch Dolls. The Phantom had matte covers and reassuringly crappy production values. He was a castaway on our side of the pond, a Third World kind of guy…….
It hit home, not for the penmanship, which was excellent, but mostly for the nostalgic visuals it threw up.
