The symbol of childhood and the first “internet” for many generations who grew up in Yugoslavia first appeared on sale on February 28, 1939. The first issue had 12 pages and was sold for one dinar. The cover of the first issue featured the comic “Brave Tailor Mickey” by Walt Disney. It was published twice a week (on Tuesdays and Fridays) with a circulation of 40,000 copies.
The mission of “Zabavnik” was clear – to entertain and educate. The concept was a balanced mix of comics and texts, such as novels, stories, and interesting facts. One-third of the magazine consisted of comics, while the rest included articles on science, art, nature, history, music, and interesting life events, all written in an entertaining manner.
The last issue of “Zabavnik” before World War II was released on April 4, 1941, and it returned to newsstands on January 5, 1952, under the leadership of Vladislav Ribnikar. An urban legend suggests that this return was preceded by a visit from a representative of Disney’s company in Athens, who proposed to Tito the revival of comic publishing in Yugoslavia. “Why not, I like Donald Duck,” allegedly was his response. Regardless, it is a fact that in the revived “Politikin Zabavnik,” Disney’s characters received significant attention.
Until 1968, it was published on Saturdays, and from January 1969, it began to be published on Fridays, undergoing a significant transformation. It was no longer just a newspaper but a modern magazine with an increased number of color pages and a complete comic strip in the center. The then-editor, Nikola Lekic, will be remembered for commissioning a comic from the caricaturist and illustrator Laza Sredanović, whose main character was the Old Slav named Dikan, who, along with his uncle Vukoj, gained the sympathy of the readership.
In addition to Cyrillic (in the early 1970s), it was also published in Latin and in the Slovenian language. Judging by the circulation, its peak of popularity was in 1975, with 330,000 copies per issue.
