A Comic Encounter

Most journeys, for me, have been synonymous with reading. On the most recent one I bought Chandamama for old time's sake- for Vikarm and Vetaal, the photo caption contest, the historical anecdotes...

Very disappointed - so many typos, poor quality and grammatical errors. I wish I had abstained from converting a colourful memory into a gaudy reality.

My Amar Chitra Katha collection got me a lot of friends. I was granted one a fortnight and more during vacation. I was enchanted by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Abhimanyu and Bose and so many more. My perspective on mythology, history and folklore was largely defined by ACK. I guess it was an adequate counter balance against the non-relatable but enjoyable & aspirational Malory Towers and the English countryside of Five Find outers and Famous Five.

The Jungle Book and Goldspot crown collection will remain one of the best marketing ploys ever. And how I loved it. I had asked all the neighbour shop uncles in Guntur to give me the crowns! ( Did any of flatten the crowns and string a twine through - somewhat like a horizontal yo-yo to be held in 2 hands? )

I remember my excitement & eagerness when I began subscribing to Target, a brilliant magazine, which did not talk down to children. Had to rely on the Indian post and what fun the day it arrived. All "homework" would get done faster than the time taken to spell the word. I would curl up with the mag and my favorite snack, fried channa daal or moong daal. I do not recall which I devoured faster and with greater relish. Mocchwwala and Grandma's Gupshup, Faster fenay and Funny world or the channa.

The next day at school, I would check if any of my friends had received their copy and if not act pricey.

Children's world,( India Book House?) was not as good but close.

Subscriptions to Indrajaal followed. Phantom and Mandrake were my favourite - did not like Bahadur and Flash Gordon was it ? And in Mandrake though Lothar was more interesting and did not get his due.

On to Tinkle- I hated to admit I read it. I must have been a snob. I enjoyed it only in parts- Nasserudin Hodja & Kalia. Cannot recollect the crocodile's name . Found Suppandi & Shikari Shambu rather slapstick and dumb. Could not fathom why Suppandi was such an icon. When I met Uncle Pai- my neighbour aunty , Mrs Shastri was a friend and colleague of his at ACK- I told him I loved Tinkle!! Thank God, Kalia did not bite me.

In my early teens, Asterix made an entry and decided to stay.

Archies was, I thought, a comic series for spoilt girls for a long time- blame it on Victorian school morals.

Champak and Chacha Chowdry were tacky and boring but I was initiated into them by Appa for a while in the hope that my Hindi would improve.

Now I have moved on to MAD and Dilbert. Not to forget Calvin & Hobbes. And Hagar the Horrible.

Hope the Gen next relates to at least some of the comics I mentioned above.