Colorín Colorao was a notable weekly comic book supplement published by the major evening newspaper Noticias Gráficas (Editorial Noticias Gráficas) newspaper in Buenos Aires, Argentina commencing on the 1st of October 1947 (with marketing and announcements rolling out in late September). The publication successfully completed its initial year-long cycle, stretching to at least issue #52, which was published on the 22nd of September 1948. The tabloid style supplement contained a number of comic strip characters within each edition, with a different character found on each page, with the story continuing on from edition to edition.

Colorín Colorao promoted itself as ‘Para la infancia de todas las edades’, which translates to ‘For children of all ages’ and ‘Por el mundo de la risa y el ensueño’, which translates to ‘For the world of laughter and dreams’. These slogans are found on the front cover.

Colorín Colorao is produced on newsprint and comprises 32 pages of vibrant color, each measuring 20 cm x 28.5 cm. The supplement not only features comic strips but also includes a two-page adventure story, a comprehensive article on a prominent Hollywood actor, and the back cover presents information pertaining to a renowned soccer player.

Edition number one is presented below, featuring the Lone Ranger on the front cover, released on the 1st of October 1947, with a price of 0.30 centavos.

The magazine packed an extensive amount of content into its 32 pages, routinely presenting 24 different comic series per issue alongside variety sections.

1. North American Comic Strips (Translated)

Like many Argentine print media of the era, the bulk of the action and adventure pages came from syndicate agreements with U.S. comic strips. These characters were often given localized Spanish names:

• El Hombre Fantasma (The Phantom)
• El Guardabosque Solitario (The Lone Ranger, who frequently graced the front covers)
• Flash, el Hombre Relámpago (Flash Gordon)
• Luis Ciclón (Milton Caniff’s Steve Canyon)
• Mandrake El Mago (Mandrake the Magician)
• Los líos de Don Samuel (Polly and Her Pals)
• Los hermanitos del Diablo (The Katzenjammer Kids)
• Jim de la Selva (Jungle Jim), Barney Baxter, King de la Policía Montada, Barney Google, and Espinaca (Popeye).

2. National Content and Local Talent

Alongside the foreign blockbusters, Colorín Colorao gave space to Argentine comic artists and writers:

• El gran Tabú – An adventure series created by local artist José María Taggino, who also illustrated several of the magazine’s covers and text segments.
• Alas, el superhombre de la Era Atómica – A sci-fi superhero strip reflecting the post-WWII atomic era, also attributed to Taggino.
• Humorous strips featuring local cartoon characters like Pirucha, Don Ranún, Bolita y su perro, Carozo, and Tachuela.

3. Disney Features

The magazine dedicated space to classic Disney theatrical short adaptations and comic strips, running pages featuring El Ratón Mickey (Mickey Mouse) and El Pato Donald (Donald Duck).

4. Magazine Sections

• The Center Spread: A double-page illustrated serial story, typically featuring standard adventure tales such as The Adventures of Kit Carson.
• Viendo Estrellas (Seeing Stars): A pop-culture and informational column focused on classic Hollywood movie stars and cinema trivia.
• The Back Cover: Usually featured an uncredited sports caricature or comic cartoon dedicated to contemporary Argentine football (soccer) players.

The Phantom was featured in the Colorín Colorao series under the tile of “El Hombre Fantasma”. His first appearance was within edition number one, with the comic strip page found in this edition displayed below.

The Phantom has also been featured on the front cover of various editions within the series. An example is seen below on the front cover of Colorín Colorao edition number ten, which was published in December 1947.

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