Zigomar – Maskirani Pravednik (which translates to Zigomar – The Masked Avenger) is a book published by Kulturni Centar Pančeva in Serbian in 2011. The book is edited and compiled by renowned Serbian comic historian Zdravko Zupan, the book serves as an omnibus celebration of one of the most prominent pre-World War II Yugoslav comic series.
Along with the complete restored comic strip stories, the volume includes historical commentary, archival context, and commentary from Zdravko Zupan tracing Zigomar’s cultural impact and publication history. The collection of comic strips stories found in the book were originally published in the Belgrade press during the 1930s.
Zigomar is a classic masked comic hero created in Yugoslavia in 1939 by Russian-born artist Nikola Navojev and writer Branko Vidić. Debuting in the Belgrade entertainment magazine Mikijevo Carstvo (Mickey’s Kingdom), the character was directly inspired by early 20th-century pulp fiction, American newspaper strip heroes, and costumed vigilantes like The Phantom, Zorro, and the Lone Ranger. Though the name “Zigomar” was originally used by French author Léon Sazie in 1909 for a fictional criminal mastermind, the Yugoslav version completely reinvented the figure into a noble, crime-fighting hero.
In terms of backstory and traits, Zigomar is the secret alter ego of a wealthy young American who forsakes a life of luxury to travel the world and fight evil. Without superheroic powers, he relies on physical prowess, sharp detective skills, and expert marksmanship. Dressed in a domino mask, cape, and suit marked by a signature “Z” motif, he leaves his distinctive mark behind on defeated criminals and carries out global adventures alongside his faithful young companion, Chi Yang.
Zigomar holds a significant place in international comic history due to a pioneering crossover storyline published in late 1939. In “Zigomar protiv Fantoma” (Zigomar versus The Phantom), the hero traveled to the Himalayas and crossed paths with Lee Falk’s Phantom. This marked one of the earliest comic book crossovers between two independent adventure heroes, pre-dating the widespread practice of shared universes and multi-hero team-ups in American comics.
Zigomar – Maskirani Pravednik is a softcover paperback book published with 184 black and white pages measuring 21cm x 29.5cm. The title credits key creators Branko Navojev, Lobačev (or Vidić), and Nikola Bogdanović, who were integral to the original creation and evolution of the Zigomar character during the golden era of Serbian adventure strips in the late 1930s and early 1940s.
Notably, the back cover showcases a reproduction of issue #59 of Mikijevo Carstvo from the 14th of September 1939, featuring the famous crossover arc “Zigomar protiv Fantoma” (Zigomar versus The Phantom), where the local Balkan vigilante crosses paths with Lee Falk’s global icon. Along with the complete restored comic stories, the volume includes historical commentary, archival context, and commentary from Zdravko Zupan tracing Zigomar’s cultural impact and publication history.
Inside this edition, readers will find collected stories featuring Zigomar, a costumed hero heavily inspired by Western pulp and adventure figures such as Zorro, The Phantom, and Batman. The publication compiles classic storylines that originally ran in vintage Yugoslav comic magazines like Mikijevo Carstvo (Mickey’s Kingdom) starting around 1939. The books contents are:
- Instead of a Foreword – Saša Rakezić (alias Aleksandar Zograf)
- Zigomar: Mysterious Adventurer and Defender of the Weak – Zdravko Zupan
- Zigomar – Nikola Navojev and Branko Vidić
- Zigomar vs. The Phantom – Nikola Navojev and Branko Vidić
- The Whip of Justice – Nikola Navojev and Branko Vidić
- Mysteries of Egypt – Nikola Navojev and Branko Vidić (comic completed by Dušan Bogdanović)
- Flying Zigomar – Dušan Bogdanović and Branko Vidić
- Nikola Pavlovič Navojev: From Comic Strip to Legend – Zdravko Zupan
- Dušan Bogdanović: Zigomar’s Second Father – Zdravko Zupan
- Branko Vidić: Master of Pulp Fiction – Zdravko Zupan
- Zigomar Comic Bibliography
A sample of internal pages can be seen below.
