Mirko and Slavko

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Mirko and Slavko
Mirko (right) and Slavko (left)
AuthorDesimir Žižović "Buin"
Original title
Mirko i Slavko
Illustrator
  • Desimir Žižović "Buin"
Country
Yugoslavia
LanguageSerbo-Croatian
Genre
PublisherDečje novine
Published1958 - 1979

Mirko and Slavko (

live action film
during the existence of the country. In the mid-1970s the comic's popularity heavily declined and it was discontinued at the end of the decade.

Background and history

The creator of Mirko and Slavko,

Ravna Gora Fighter) as an illustrator.[2] At the very end of the war, Žižović joined the Yugoslav Partisans.[1] After the end of the war, he returned to his native village, where he painted and sculpted.[1] For a period of time he worked as a designer in Titoplastika, a factory that produced packages for various products.[3] He was spotted by Dečje novine editor-in-chiefs Srećko Jovanović as a self-taught, but talented artist, and got an opportunity to create illustrations for various Dečje novine publications for children.[1]

In the late 1950s, Dečje novine started publishing a series of historical comics entitled Nikad robom (Never a Slave). The series featured heroic stories from the history of

action comic.[1]

Mirko and Slavko episodes (as well as the other comics from Nikad robom) were published as 32-page comics, with 16 pages printed in color, in the format of 14,5x20,5 cm.

Slovenian and Macedonian language, in magazines like Naš koutek, Drugarče and Jednota.[8] Gradually, other artists started working with Žižović on the comic: they would usually draw minor characters and background, and Žižović would later add main characters.[4] Artists which worked with Žižović on Mirko and Slavko include Živorad Atanacković, Ratomir Petrović, Branko Plavšić, Milan Vranešević, Mile Rančić, Leo Korelc, Brana Nikolić, Nikola Mitrović "Kokan", Slaviša Ćirović, Stevica Živanov and others.[4] The stories were initially written by Žižović himself, and later by various writers; the most successful ones were written by journalist Žarko Vukosavljević.[4]

In 1975, the comic celebrated the publication of the 500th issue.[8] However, by this time the comic's popularity had already heavily declined.[1] By the mid-1970s in Yugoslavia comics were already perceived as a form of art, and a younger generation of comic artists and critics pronounced Mirko and Slavko outdated.[1] They criticized the drawings, plots, dialogues and stereotypical characters.[5] By some reports, the criticism of the comic was heavily supported by a Dečje novine competitor which published foreign comics.[9] In 1979, Dečje novine finally cancelled the comic.[1]

Plot and characters

Prior to the invasion of Yugoslavia, young Mirko was a baker's apprentice somewhere in Šumadija. After the Axis occupation of Yugoslavia, Mirko decided to join the Partisans,[1] exchanging two breads for a gun with a soldier of the defeated and disbanded Royal Yugoslav Army.[3] In the initial three episodes, Mirko's comrades are two other young Partisans, Zoran and Boško,[1] Boško dying in a battle with German soldiers.[10] In episode four, the character of Slavko was introduced.[1]

While Mirko is always brave and determined, Slavko tends to hesitate and sometimes can even get scared.[9] That is why Mirko is typically armed with MP 40, which was usually reserved for partisan commanders, while Slavko is typically armed with a regular riffle.[9]

Film adaptation

Mirko and Slavko was the first and only Yugoslav comic to be adapted into a live action film during the existence of the country.[1] The 1973 film Mirko and Slavko, directed by Branimir "Tori" Janković, starred Vladimir Radenković as Mirko, Dragan Radonjić as Slavko and Velimir "Bata" Živojinović as Commander.[11] The film was disliked by Žižović, who described it as "unrealistic and pretentious" and stated that it "ruined the comic".[6]

Influence and legacy

In the several years following the end of the World War II, the new communist authorities in Yugoslavia had an unfavorable view of comics, considering them decadent products of capitalism. By the time Mirko and Slavko appeared, Yugoslavia opened towards Western culture more than the countries of the Eastern Bloc, and comics were regularly published by major newspaper publishers. However, Mirko and Slavko is considered the comic which definitely changed the League of Communists attitude towards comics.[1]

Dečje novine annually received thousands of letters written by the fans of the comic.

Walt Disney Company products in socialist Europe, Dečje novine signed contracts with various Yugoslav companies,[1] and the characters of Mirko and Slavko appeared on t-shirts, satchels, notebooks and other products.[4] Aleksandar Zograf stated that "the approach towards this entirely socialist phenomena was absolutely capitalistic".[1]

In 2020, the 60th anniversary of the comic was marked with an exhibition on Belgrade's Flower Square.[5]

"Mirko, watch out for the bullet!"

The line "Mirko, pazi metak!" ("Mirko, watch out for the bullet!"), allegedly spoken by Slavko in an issue of the comic, and Mirko's subsequent response: "Hvala, Slavko! Spasio si mi život!" ("Thank you, Slavko! You saved my life!") are widely known in former Yugoslav republics. The lines are often quoted as a symbol of the comic's naivety and propaganda character. However, although widely known, these lines never appeared in any issue of the comic and represent an urban legend.[9][5]

In 1991, Serbian and Yugoslav

rap group Monteniggers.[5]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v Marković, Đorđe (2012). SFRJ za početnike. Delta Video.
  2. ^ Baćković, Nemanja. "Mirko, pazi metak!". Politikin Zabavnik (in Serbian) (3220). Belgrade: Politika A.D.: 4.
  3. ^ a b Baćković, Nemanja. "Mirko, pazi metak!". Politikin Zabavnik (in Serbian) (3220). Belgrade: Politika A.D.: 5.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Strip u Srbiji 1955-1972: Mirko, Slavko i Kekec", vreme.rs
  5. ^ a b c d e "Mirko i Slavko, superheroji Jugoslavije: Proglašeni su za neosporan šund, a porazilo ih je vreme", Aleksandra Ćuk, Danas.rs
  6. ^ a b "Desimir Žižović Buin, autor najčiatanijeg YU stripa 'Mirko i Slavko' (1986)", Yugopapir.com
  7. ^ "'Dečje novine' – simbol jednog vremena: Bilo jednom u Gornjem Milanovcu", Mediaportal.rs
  8. ^ a b c "'Mirko i Slavko', 500 brojeva Nikad robom: Rekord i jubilej jedinog YU stripa sa tradicijom NOB-a", Yugopapir.com
  9. ^ a b c d Baćković, Nemanja. "Mirko, pazi metak!". Politikin Zabavnik (in Serbian) (3220). Belgrade: Politika A.D.: 6.
  10. ^ "'Mirko i Slavko', 500 brojeva nikad Robom: rekord i jubilej jedinog YU stripa sa tradicijom NOB-a", Yugopapir.com
  11. ^ Mirko and Slavko at IMDb
  12. ^ "Mirko, pazi mozak (Nikad robom)" on Rambo Amadeus official YouTube channel
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