Svisch! Pow! Sock! Seriernas Fantastiska Värld (which translates to Swisch! Pow! Sock! The Fantastic World of Comics) is a book published by Corona in Sweden in 1966. Written by Sture Hegerfors, the book is recognized as the first Swedish non-fiction work dedicated to comic strips and their creators, offering an in-depth exploration of the history, content, and cultural significance of comics.

The 122 black and white page softcover book delves into various aspects of comic art, discussing its relationship with other forms of media such as literature, film, and theater, written in Swedish text. It provides a comprehensive overview of the evolution of comics, both in Sweden and internationally, and includes analyses of notable comic characters and series.

The front and back cover of the book can be seen below, with the Phantom seen amongst an array of other comic book characters on the front cover.

Svisch! Pow! Sock! Seriernas Fantastiska Värld played a pivotal role in fostering a fan-based interest in comics within Sweden. Its publication inspired the creation of fanzines like ‘Thud’ in 1968, which aimed to unite comic enthusiasts and led to the formation of The Swedish Comics Association.

The title’s onomatopoeic nature reflects the mid-1960s fascination with camp aesthetics, paralleling the era’s pop art influences and the popularity of the Batman television series. Hegerfors’ work not only contributed to academic discussions on comics but also influenced subsequent publications and studies in the field.

The back cover, translated from Swedish to English describes the book as:

How did the comics come about? What do you find in the speech bubble? Why doesn’t the Phantom get married? Who created MAD? Has the snob become a pop idol? Are comics art?

STURE HEGERFORS is rightly called Sweden’s foremost expert on cartoons. He is president of the Swedish Series Academy, which wants to work for a more nuanced view of comics. In newspapers and on TV, he has already given glimpses of his solid knowledge. Now he presents the first Swedish book about comics

SVISCH! POW! SOCK! which takes us behind the scenes in the FANTASTIC WORLD OF COMICS Here he traces the history of comics and maps their relationship to film, theater and literature, art and politics. He examines their content of violence and sex and not least normal family life. And he untangles the exciting tangles surrounding Lisa and Sluggo, 91:an Karlsson, Tarzan, the Moomintroll, Mandrake and many more of our favorites among the series’ villains and heroes…..

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