The Diversion

Diversion
Start date:	October 1st, 1961
End date:	December 10th, 1961
# of strips:	11 (11 weeks)
Writer:	Lee Falk
Artist:	Phil Davis
Preceded by:	"The Space Thing"
Followed by:	"The Collector"

"Diversion" is the 88th Mandrake Sunday story. The story was written by Lee Falk and drawn by Phil Davis.

Plot Summary

Eight years ago, "Brains" was sentenced to prison for attempting to rob the bank in Hometon, the plesant little city known for it's zoo. "Brains" spent those years planning how to do the perfect robbery of the burglar-proof bank, with the police station located across the street. He envisioned that if he turned the zoo animals loose, it would be a diversion, leaving time for him to robb the bank without interference by the police. When he was released he told his plan to his friend Bud....

Appearances

Recurring characters

• Mandrake
• Narda
• Lothar
• The Police Chief

One-time characters

• Brains, a notorious bank robber
• Bud, friend of Brains
• Mac, a zoo keeper
• Jerry, a police man
• Hometon's dogcatcher
• Noma, a lion
• Ranee, a tiger

Locations

• Hometon
  • • Main Street
    • First Street
  • Hometon Bank, in Main Street
  • Hometon Zoo

Behind the scenes

• The story title is taken from the strip of September 24 and October 1, 1961 (Next Week: "Diversion").
• In this story it looks like Mandrake, Narda, Lothar and the Police Chief live in Hometon.

Reprints

This story has been published in the following publications:

Brazil

• "O Roubo do Banco", Mandrake #70 (1962)

Denmark

• "Bankrøveriet", Fantomet #204 (1983)

Finland

• "Pankkiryöstö", Mustanaamio #10 (1982)
• "Pankkiryöstö", Mustanaamio #26 (1992)

France

• "Un incroyable hold-up", Les héros du mystère #10 (1967)
• "Un incroyable hold-up", Les héros du mystère Album #4 (1968)

Italy

• "Un'incredibile rapina", Mandrake #12 (1962)
• "Un'incredibile rapina", I Classici dell'Avventura #49 (1963)
• "Un'incredibile rapina", Mandrake - New Comics Now #333 (1994)

Norway

• "Bankranet", Fantomet #1 (1985)
• "Bankranet", Fantomet #26 (1992)
• "Bankranet", Serie-pocket #170 (1992)

Portugal

• "O Plano de Cérebro", Condor Popular Vol. 38 N.° 3 (1962)

Spain

• "La distracción", Mandrake el Mago: Sundays pages 1959-1962 (Dolmen Editorial) (2021)

Sweden

• "Bankrånet", Fantomen #23 (1981)
• "Bankrånet", Fantomen #22 (1992)

Yugoslavia

• "Pod maskom gorile", Denis #177 (1979)

Turkey

• "Müthiş Plan", Mandrake #176 and #177 (1977)
• "Müthiş Plan", Mandrake Albüm #57 (1977)

United Kingdom

• "Animals on the Loose", Mandrake the Magician #23 (1963)