Djordje Lobacev

Djordje Lobacev is one of the classic Yugoslavian comics artists, active during the Golden Age of Serbian comics (the 1930s). Born in Skadru, Albania, he attended the Russian-Serbian gymnasium, and settled in Belgrade in 1922. After working with a radio station, he did some other jobs before turning to comics. He started out with advertising comics, among others for a toothpaste firm. His first personal comic was 'Krvavo Nasledstvo', which was printed in Panorama magazine in 1935. Lobacev's old school mate Vadim Kurganski wrote the script, and the authors signed the strip with George Strip (Lobacev) and Vladimir Cilic (Kurganski). Shortly afterwards, Lobacev and Kurganski produced 'Zrak Smrti', inspired by Tolstoy, for the Belgrade magazine Strip.

In the following year, Lobacev joined the magazine Politika. His first work for the magazine was an adaptation of the novel 'Hajduk Stanko' by Janka Veselinovica. Subsequently, he made 'Zenidba cara Dusana', 'Propast grada Pirlitora', 'Baron Minhauzen' and 'Carobnjak iz Oza'. Besides Politika, Lobacev was also a regular on Mika Miš(Mickey Mouse) magazine. Present in this magazine from the start, he made series like 'Princeza Ru', 'Beli Duh' and 'Plave Pustolovka' between 1936 and 1940. Then for Politikin Zabavnik, he produced 'Bas Celik' and 'Pepeljuga'. By this time, Lobacev had ventured in novel adaptations, adventure strips and political work.

In 1939, he joined the magazine Mikijevo Carstvo, for which he created the serial 'Gospodar Smrti'. He then produced 'Biberce' for Kolo and 'Pionir Ika i leni Drug Zika' for Duga. In 1948, Lobacev was deported from Yugoslavia into Romania. In the 1950s, he managed to get into Russia and settle in Leningrad (Saint Petersburg) in the Sovjet Union. He returned to the field of Yugoslav comics in the 1960s with a renewed collaboration with Politikin Zabavnik. In the 1970s, he returned once again with 'Carobnjak iz Oza' in Pegaz magazine.