9.1.07

mandrake, the magician

By now, you should know that I am a sucker for comics. My fascination of comics is not new. I've been smitten by this genre for as long as I can recall. However, till recent, my consumption was restricted by the limited availability of comics in Indian markets. (Aside: This taste did see a revival when Gotham comics made their Indian debut a few years back, only to retreat hastily. Now, I have to depend on the net for my fix.) So, just like many others of my generation, I grew up on a staple diet of Bennett Coleman's Indrajal Comics. However, unlike others, my personal favourites was not Phantom, but a more uncommon choice- Mandrake, the Magician (and Garth, but that's for another day). Yes, that's who the new title for my blog takes after.



What I did not know was who Mandrake, the Magician takes after. To my utter surprise, there really was a real life Mandrake, the Magician. Canadian illusionist Leon Mandrake not only shared his name and skills with the comic book character, but also his features. A close look at his picture should be enough to deduce that he was undoubtedly the inspiration for my childhood hero. Well, we never stop discovering, do we?

No comments: