Finding the Phantom

 Old Jungle Saying was- You don't find the Phantom.. he finds you. But I found him, at Oxford book store, back in full glory. Along with Mandrake! Joy doubled!

Concepts and Characters I like From Books

 I like the idea of literally rolling in wealth, like Richie Rich did.. he had a room full of dollars. Also, having a butler- his was called Cadbury.

The concept of a magic potion used by Asterix, brewed by Druid Getafix- that's s great idea.

A mouse like Mickey, and a talking duck like Donald.. great imagination, Walt Disney!

Nero Wolfe, a gourmet AND a detective.

Hercule Poirot with his egg-shaped head, and little grey cells. Mon ami, Mon cher, whatever, ..pardon my French.. Oo la la!

Phantom's skull cave, with a waterfall covering its entrance, is a masterstroke, according to me. Mandrake's hypnotism too.

James Bond- I never read the books, but he rose from the books to become the colourful character everyone wanted to Bond with...

Of course, Sherlock Holmes, with his deductions based on observation. Market researchers could learn a few things from him.

All the Enid Blyton characters who were as different as chalk and cheese. Fatty, in particular. And Goon.

Thomson and Thompson.. and Captain Haddock..

It's a Comic Life

 I mean, comics made life what it is, for me, in large part.

I was addicted to all sorts of comics. Phantom, Mandrake were favourites during teens. Then, it was Richie Rich, Little Lotta, Dot. Dennis the Menace, in newspapers where it appeared. Sad Sack in book form.

As I got a bit older, Asterix took over. I got around to Tintin much later, but some of the characters (Professor Calculus, Thompson and Thomson) were to make a mark. We named people-batchmates- after many of these. MBA days were fun! One or two faculty also got nicknames from the comics. Lothar, from Mandrake stories, was one, and Cadbury, Richie's butler, was another. 

MAD magazine with its comic strip format, was another favourite, with its zany take-offs on everything. Politicians, movie stars, Films, TV series, advertising, and almost everything was spoofed.

Not surprising then, that my favourite writers (after mysteries) were humorists- PG Wodehouse and in Marathi, Pu. La. Deshpande. Both were alike in their approach to making the everyday things hilarious. Ok, Lords and their aunts are not everyday objects, but the happenings like binges in pubs, and walks in the manor, were, for those characters.

 

Characters I Would Like to Meet

Mr. Walker, or The Phantom. I think I'd get along well wiith him, what with his mysterious ways of dealing with the various people in his life-friends and foes. Not to mention living in a skull cave. Sounds like fun!

Lille Lotta. She could throw punches like no one else could. Dishoom!

Casper, the friendly ghost. He was cute. I would keep him as a pet.

Richie Rich. I'd like to meet him just to get served by Cadbury, the butler.

Thomson and Thompson. I want to know the differences between them, apart from the spelling..

Captain Haddock. Billions of bule blistering barnacles...

Tirsingrao. He was my childhood hero, a rustic, mustachioed guy who drove an Eveready Half-ton. From a Marathi series for kids.

Faster Fene, a character who was a mix of Enid Blyton's Fatty, and Huckleberry Finn.

Mandrake the Magician. Living in Xanadu, and gesturing hypnotically to achieve things, ..what a way to do things.

Interesting Fictional Characters

Alice from Wonderland is probably the most fascinating, that appeals to the child in all of us. Other assorted characters like the Mad Hatter are also very appealing.

Sindbad the sailor was one of my favourites, with his myriad voyages, each an adventure in itself.

The famous five of Enid Blyton, in two sets- the mystery series and the others.

Phantom, Mandrake, their respective girlfriends Diana and Narda, the skull cave, the jungle mail, and the secret villains, ..fascinating.

Asterix, Obelix, Getafix, Unhygienix, ..the names alone brought a twinkle to your eyes.

Sherlock Holmes and Watson, an inseparable combination of wit and the lack of it.

Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin created by Rex Stout.

Bertha Cool and Donald Lam, and Perry Mason, all creations of Earl Stanley Gardner.

Hercule Poirot, the Belgian detective of Agatha Christie. Par excellence!

An Indian detective in Bangla costume- Byomkesh Bakshi, immortalised in a TV serial.

Superman, with Christopher Reeve epitomising him.

Jeeves and Bertie, immortal creations from Wodehouse.

Remington Steele, starring Pierce Brosnan.

Birbal, and Tenali Raman- semi fictional, perhaps.

Mulla Naseeruddin, with his great wit.

James Bond, with his vodka Martinis.

Gabbar Singh, Mogambo, Mr. India, Amar, Akbar and Anthony, Gunmaster G-9.

Master Pillai from Padosan.

Babu Moshai from Anand. Anand from Anand.

Devdas, Paro and Chandramukhi.

Laurel and Hardy.

Charlie Chaplin's common man. R.K. Lakshman's common man.

Casper, the friendly ghost. Little Lotta. Dennis the Menace.

Goofy, Donald, Mickey, Uncle Scrooge, Huey, Luey, Duey.