Duga

From Tolkien Gateway
Bilbo Baggins or There and Back Again Bulgarian comic

The comic magazine Duga (Bulgarian: Дъга, pronounced IPA: [dɤga]) was a Bulgarian periodical, which produced adaptations by various foreign authors, including Stevenson's Treasure Island and J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit and the first part of The Lord of the Rings (issues 25 to 42), among others. The first issue of the magazine was launched in 1979.

The Series[edit | edit source]

The Hobbit[edit | edit source]

The author and illustrator of the first series, called Bilbo Baggins or There and Back Again (Bulgarian: Билбо Бегинс или Дотам и обратно, pronounced IPA: [bilbo bɛgins ili dotam i obratno]), was Sotir Gelev, a well known Bulgarian artist and movie director.

The Lord of the Rings[edit | edit source]

The Lord of the Rings (Bulgarian: Господарят на пръстените, pronounced IPA: [gospodarjət na prɤstenite]) was written by Kancho Kozhuharov and illustrated by Sotir Gelev. Unfortunately, the series ended with the Breaking of the Fellowship after the magazine ceased to exist in 1992 with the democratic changes in Bulgaria.

Copyright issues[edit | edit source]

The comic series were never authorized by the Tolkien Estate as the magazine had ceased to exist by the time democratic changes were brought about in Bulgaria. Nowadays, copies of the comic magazine are extremely hard to find even on the market for collector’s items.