Diamond Comics Digest
| Diamond Comics Digest | |
 First issue | |
| Country/language: |  India / English, Hindi
|
|---|---|
| Publishing company: | Diamond Comics |
| Publishing years: | 1987 - |
| Issues: | ? |
| Format: | 15.5 × 19.5 cm, color |
Issue overview
Regular series
The series started in in May 1987 as a Digest version of "Diamond Comics". In the beginning the Digest series had 128 pages and price 12 Rs, while the Diamond Comics at that time had 48 pages and price 5 Rs.
The first years the Digist featured serveral different characters and several comics with religious content: "24 prophets of Jain Dharma", "Baital Tales", "Billoo" by Pran Kumar Sharma, "Birbal's Charishma", "Chacha Chaudhary" by Pran Kumar Sharma, "Deshavatar", "Durga Mahima", "Ganesh Mahima", "Hitopadesh", "Hanuman Mahima", "Jatak Tales", "Jesus Christ", "Krishan Leela", "Mahabharata", "Mata Vaishino Devi", "Panchtantra", "Pinki", "Ramayana", "Tenalirama", "Ten Masters", "Sai Baba of Shirdi", "Shiva Mahima", "Shrimad Bhagwat Geeta", "Singhasan Batisi", "Srimad Bhagwad", "Vishnu Mahima" and others.
The series has a sequential numbering for the digest series (given in roman numerals), and a separate sequential numbering for each comic (in regular numbers).
Starting with issue 45 (June 1990) the series added a new character, "The Phantom", followed by "Mandrake" a year later (issue 64, June 1991). Then the two characters alternated in a bi-monthly schedule.
Most of the issues (sub-series) were in both English and Hindi language version, and some also in Bengali (like the Phantom sub-series). The digest numbering was different for each language version.
Mandrake series
The Mandrake" were published in both English and Hindi versiones, in pocket book format and printed in color.
Diamond Comics Digest
The first 16 issues were digests issues (68-116 pgs) and published bi-monthly. In the August issue of the Indian magazine "Chandamama" from 1991 there is an ad from Diamond Comics, featuring a picture of the first Mandrake issue. These ads from Diamond Comics have issues released the month before the magazine, so the first Mandrake issue in English language is from July 1991.
The first Mandrake issue was "Diamond Comics Digest" English language issue 64 (LXIV) and Hindi language issue 110 (CX). The Phantom issue 13 (June 1991) was "Diamond Comics Digest" English issue 63, Hindi issue 109 and Bengali issue 26.
According to an ad in the magazine "Chandamama" from November 1993 the "Mandrake" issues 1 to 14 now are available, which suggests that these have come in a second edition in October. The ad also states that "The Phantom" issues 1 to 27, "Spider Man" 1 to 2 and "James Bond" issues 1 to 14 are available.
Diamond Comics
From the 17th issue the publisher converted the series in regular forms (36-44 p). The Mandrake series became part of the "Diamond Comics" series and published monthly from February 1994.
Diamond Comics Digest
From #49 DC-M revert back to it's original digest format and from #49 to #73 (Nov'98), all were monthly digests. Most (if not all) issues were reprinted in new editions over and over again, sometimes with new cover art. Without any numbering some of the covers and stories from the regular series are to find as giveaway's. The last Mandrake issue with new contents was probably published in the year 2000.
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- Digest-mandrake-074.jpg
- Digest-mandrake-075.jpg
- Digest-mandrake-079.jpg
Curiosa
It is a bit of a mystery why Mandrake and Lothar feature on the cover of "James Bond" #38.
James Bond #38
Giveaways
Creamwich
In 1997 "Excelsia Foods Ltd" marketed Creamwich, a wafer-based biscuits priced at Rs 2 (10-gm) and Rs 14 (70-gm). The Creamwich 70 gm had a free "Diamond Comics", at least two of them with Mandrake. The covers and stories were taken from the previous issues of "Diamond Comics Digest", independent of how the original issues were printed.
Extra issues
Mandrake
The Giant Insects
(Hindi version)
Luxor
In 1998 (?) Luxor had a free "Diamond Comics Presents" in their sets of; Colourmate 24 pcs, Colourmate 36 pcs and Colour Sketch Pen Set 12 pcs. The covers and stories were taken from the previous issues of "Diamond Comics Digest", independent of how the original issues were printed. The issues with Colourmate 24 and 36 pcs have a price tag on the covers, so it is possible that one could order single issues (without buying many Colormate's) to collect the entire giveaway series.
Colour Sketch Pen Set 12 pcs
"The Smuggler Pigeons"
Comic World
Some issues of "Comic World" had a "Diamond Comics Digest" Free with this issue of Comic World. Although the giveaway issues have the same cover the "Diamond Comics Digest" inside varies, such as: Mandrake #71 or other characters. The cover has a price tag.
Sample
Pinki Digest
Although the giveaway issues have the same cover the "Diamond Comics Digest" inside varies. The cover has a price tag.
Sample
Other Digests
Although the giveaway issues have the same cover the "Diamond Comics Digest" inside varies. The covers has a price tag.
Sample 1
Sample 2 / Diamond Comics Digest (free issue 2)
Sample 3
Sample 4
Sample 5
| Mandrake publications in India
| |
|---|---|
| Series | |
| One-shots | |
| Anthologies |
Comic World • Comic Digest • Indrajal Comics • Mandrake • Muthu Comics • Rani Comics • Regal Comics |
| As back-up title | |
| Publishers |
Bennet, Coleman & Co. • Diamond Comics • Egmont Imagination • Prakash Publishers • ThinaThanthi • Vidyarthi Mithram |
| Mandrake publications by country | |
| Europe |
Austria • Belgium • Bulgaria • Croatia • Denmark • Finland • France • Germany • Greece • Iceland • Italy • Ireland • Netherlands • Norway • Poland • Portugal • Serbia • Slovenia • Spain • Sweden • Turkey • United Kingdom • Yugoslavia |
| Americas |
Argentina • Bahamas • Brazil • Canada • Chile • Colombia • Costa Rica • Cuba • Dominican Republic • Guatemala • Jamaica • Mexico • Panama • El Salvador • Uruguay • USA • Venezuela |
| Other |
Angola • Australia • French Polynesia • Hong Kong • India • Indonesia • Israel • Lebanon • Malaysia • New Zealand • Papua New Guinea • Philippines • Singapore • South Africa • UAE |
| Mandrake publications in India
| |
|---|---|
| Series | |
| One-shots | |
| Anthologies |
Comic World • Comic Digest • Indrajal Comics • Mandrake • Muthu Comics • Rani Comics • Regal Comics |
| As back-up title | |
| Publishers |
Bennet, Coleman & Co. • Diamond Comics • Egmont Imagination • Prakash Publishers • ThinaThanthi • Vidyarthi Mithram |
| Mandrake publications by country | |
| Europe |
Austria • Belgium • Bulgaria • Croatia • Denmark • Finland • France • Germany • Greece • Iceland • Italy • Ireland • Netherlands • Norway • Poland • Portugal • Serbia • Slovenia • Spain • Sweden • Turkey • United Kingdom • Yugoslavia |
| Americas |
Argentina • Bahamas • Brazil • Canada • Chile • Colombia • Costa Rica • Cuba • Dominican Republic • Guatemala • Jamaica • Mexico • Panama • El Salvador • Uruguay • USA • Venezuela |
| Other |
Angola • Australia • French Polynesia • Hong Kong • India • Indonesia • Israel • Lebanon • Malaysia • New Zealand • Papua New Guinea • Philippines • Singapore • South Africa • UAE |