Die Sprechblase (which translated to The Speech Bubble) stands as one of the most influential and enduring trade journals in the history of German comic book fandom. Originally conceived by Norbert Hethke and published under his specialized imprint, Hethke Verlag, based in Schönau, Germany, the publication bridged the gap between casual reading and serious comic scholarship. It serves as a vital historical archive and a nostalgic haven for collectors of classic European and international sequential art.

The series officially commenced in 1978, emerging from a transition of its predecessor, Comic Börse, which had primarily functioned as a simple sales list for collectors. Recognizing a growing appetite for deeper engagement with the medium, Hethke altered the concept and title starting with issue number 10. Under Hethke Verlag’s steady stewardship, the magazine enjoyed a massive and consistent run, publishing exactly 210 issues until Norbert Hethke’s untimely passing in 2007. Following his death, the magazine changed publishers to Abenteuer pur! in 2008 and eventually to bsv Hannover (Bildschriftenverlag) in 2019, successfully reaching its historic 250th jubilee issue.

The editorial DNA of Die Sprechblase is characterized by its dual nature, expertly balancing informative secondary literature with actual comic content. Within its pages, readers found a wealth of scholarly articles, comprehensive checklist bibliographies, market price guides, and behind-the-scenes creator interviews. The magazine heavily prioritized chronicling the golden age of German post-war comics, particularly documenting the legacy of the prominent Walter Lehning Verlag and its stable of mid-century artists.

In tandem with its academic prose, the magazine routinely serialized various comic classics, frequently printing rare European and American strips in the German language for the very first time. This blend of exhaustive historical journalism and direct access to rare imagery elevated the magazine from a simple fanzine into a definitive monthly encyclopedia for the German-speaking comic market. It became a vital cultural touchstone for readers who grew up during the initial boom of the medium.

A significant portion of the magazine’s identity was deeply intertwined with the works of Hansrudi Wäscher, arguably Germany’s most celebrated adventure comic pioneer. Die Sprechblase prominently featured Wäscher’s legendary characters, keeping their stories alive through both critical essays and serialized reruns. Among the most popular figures featured were the medieval knight Sigurd, the jungle hero Akim, the noble sci-fi adventurer Nick der Weltraumfahrer, and the Tarzan-inspired Tibor, all of whom defined the childhoods of West German readers in the 1950s and 1960s.

Beyond local German mainstays, Die Sprechblase frequently cast its net wider into broader European and American adventure genres. It serialized acclaimed international characters like the Western hero El Coyote, Alex Raymond’s legendary detective Rip Kirby, the rugged sci-fi voyager Storm, and the pulp icon Conan the Barbarian. By juxtaposing domestic comic giants with iconic global strips, Hethke Verlag cultivated a diverse landscape that celebrated sequential storytelling regardless of geographical origin.

The Phantom was also published in Die Sprechblase under Hethke Verlag’s run, featured as a backup title. The Phantom comic strip adventures was serialization across multiple early issues, including edition numbers 14, 15, 16, 18, 20, 22, 26, 29, 30, 32, 33, 35, 37, and much later in issue 158. Hethke used the magazine to introduce or reprint classic Phantom newspaper strips to German audiences, pairing these comic pages with detailed secondary articles exploring the history of the character, King Features Syndicate, and the Phantom’s global impact. For German Phantom enthusiasts, the inclusion within such a highly respected collector’s magazine cemented the character’s elite standing in the country’s comic hierarchy.

Although the Phantom comic strips were featured in the aforementioned fourteen editions, he appeared exclusively on the front cover of one edition, specifically number 30, published in August 1980.

A selection of internal pages is presented below from the fourteenth edition, published in August1978. This edition marks the inaugural release of a Phantom comic strip, beginning with the Sunday story titled “Die Luftpiraten” which translates to “The Return of the Sky Band”, authored by Lee Falk and illustrated by Ray Moore.

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