Comics At Citicorp Center was a month long event held by King Features Syndicate in New York, USA in November, 1986. The event was designed to promote the companies comic strip characters to the public.

Various activities were hosted by King Features Syndicate, held on weekends, at the Citicorp Center (later renamed Citigroup Center, now called 601 Lexington), located at Third Avenue and 53rd Street in New York City.

In a press release issued by King Features Syndicate, written by Ted Hannah, the event was promoted as a ‘month of laughter, surprises, fun and games‘.

On the weekend commencing on Saturday the 9th of November 1986, King Features Syndicate showcased Defenders of the Earth. It’s the same year that the Defenders of the Earth cartoon went to air on televisions in USA. The press release reads:

‘Saturday, November 9, King will introduce its newest property – ‘Defenders of the Earth’. World famous heroes such as ‘The Phantom’, ‘Flash Gordon’, ‘Mandrake the Magician’ and arch-villain ‘Ming the Merciless’ will meet and greet passerby’s and give away ‘Defender of the Earth’ buttons.

Beginning at 12:30 and continuing every hour, ‘Mandrake the Magician’, the timeless master of illusion, will entertain crowds. The main attraction will be Mandrake sawing ‘Betty Boop’ in half!

Below we see The Phantom, Mandrake the Magician and Flash Gordon, entertaining on-lookers, following Betty Boop being magically sawed in half by Mandrake the Magician.

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