# Dikan

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***Dikan*** ([Serbian Cyrillic](/source/Serbian_Cyrillic): *Дикан*) is a [Yugoslav](/source/SFRY) [comic strip](/source/Comic_strip). The comic follows the adventures of the title character and his uncle Vukoje as they travel around 6th century [Balkans](/source/Balkans) as [early Slavic](/source/Early_Slavs) scouts. *Dikan* was originally created in 1969 by artist Lazo Sredanović for *[Politikin Zabavnik](/source/Politikin_Zabavnik)* magazine; 24 Dikan stories were published in the magazine since.[1] During the 1970s, *Dikan* was one of the most popular comic titles in Yugoslavia.[2]

## History

The creation of *Dikan* followed the late 1960s changes in *[Politikin Zabavnik](/source/Politikin_Zabavnik)* magazine. In 1968, *Politikin Zabavnik* switched from newspaper to magazine format, and the magazine's editor-in-chiefs, Nikola Lekić, believed that the magazine should, alongside foreign comics, publish a domestic comic based on national history, perhaps modeled after *[Asterix](/source/Asterix)*.[2] Lekić asked several artists to send their ideas about an [early Slavic](/source/Early_Slavs) hero to the magazine.[2] The working title of the comic was *Bikan*.[2] On the editorial staff meeting, the drawings of painter Lazo Sredanović—who was a graduate from the [University of Arts in Belgrade](/source/University_of_Arts_in_Belgrade) and up to that point had little contact with the Yugoslav comics scene—gained most attention.[2] The suggestion to change the name of the character to Dikan came from translator Krinka Vitorović.[2] First part of the first *Dikan* story, entitled "Buzdovanske igre" ("[Morning Star](/source/Morning_star_(weapon)) Games"), was published in 903rd issue of *Politikin Zabavnik* on April 18, 1969.[1]

*Dikan* stories were, during the years, written by a number of writers: Ninoslav Šibalić, Milenko Maticki, Branko Đurica, Slobodan Ivkov, and Lekić himself.[2] Last three *Dikan* stories, published in 2004, 2009 and 2014 respectively, were written by Sredanović himself.[3] *Dikan* was originally published in sequels, usually a page per issue of *Politikin Zabavnik*.[2] Up to date, 24 Dikan stories were published.[1]

In 1973, *Politikin Zabavnik* appeared in [Slovene](/source/Slovene_language), and in Slovenian issues of the magazine *Dikan* was renamed to *Tilen*.[2]

In mid-2010s, Serbian publisher Everest Media published four books with collected *Dikan* stories.[1]

### List of episodes

1. "Buzdovanske igre" ("Morning Star Games", 1969) (written by Ninoslav Šibalić, published in *Politikin Zabavnik* issues 903-915)
1. "Bitka u Crnoj Šumi" ("Battle of the Black Forest", 1969) (written by Milenko Maticki, *Politikin Zabavnik* issues 916-929)
1. "Tajne Singidunuma" ("Secrets of [Singidunum](/source/Singidunum)", 1969/1970) (written by Milenko Maticki, *Politikin Zabavnik* issues 930-954)
1. "Zovite me Zokan" ("Call me Zokan", 1970) (written by Milenko Maticki, *Politikin Zabavnik* issues 955-958)
1. "Mis Papričica" ("Miss Pepper", 1970) (written by Milenko Maticki, *Politikin Zabavnik* issues 959-967)
1. "Gospodar Dioklecijanove palate" ("The Master of [Diocletian](/source/Diocletian)'s Palace", 1970) (written by Milenko Maticki, *Politikin Zabavnik* issues 968-988)
1. "Uzbudljiva plovidba" ("Exciting Sail", 1970/1971) (written by Milenko Maticki, *Politikin Zabavnik* issues 989-994)
1. "Dikan i car Justinijan" ("Dikan and [Emperor Justinian](/source/Justinian_I)", 1971) (written by Milenko Maticki, *Politikin Zabavnik* issues 995-1008)
1. "Velika trka" ("The Big Race", 1971) (written by Milenko Maticki, *Politikin Zabavnik* issues 1009-1020)
1. "Put u Sirimijum" ("The Road to [Sirmium](/source/Sirmium)", 1971) (written by Milenko Maticki, *Politikin Zabavnik* issues 1021-1034)
1. "U zemlji Gepida" ("In the Land of [Gepids](/source/Gepids)", 1971/1972) (written by Milenko Maticki, *Politikin Zabavnik* issues 1035-1045)
1. "Dikan i poslednje Frruke" ("Dikan and the last Frrrukas", 1972) (written by Nikola Lekić, *Politikin Zabavnik* issues 1046-1070)
1. "Dikan i prvi reli" ("Dikan and the First [Rally](/source/Rallying)", 1972/1973) (written by Nikola Lekić, *Politikin Zabavnik* issues 1071-1123)
1. "Dikan i turistička zver" ("Dikan and the Touristic Beast", 1973) (written by Nikola Lekić, *Politikin Zabavnik* issues 1124-1131)
1. "Dikan i lokalni tiranin" ("Dikan and the Local Tyrant", 1973) (written by Nikola Lekić (1973, *Politikin Zabavnik* issue 1132)
1. "Dikantrop i Vesna Sapiens" ("Dikantrope and Vesna Sapiens", 1973/1974) (written by Nikola Lekić, *Politikin Zabavnik* issues 1133-1158)
1. "Dikan i špijuni" ("Dikan and the Spies", 1974) (written by Nikola Lekić, *Politikin Zabavnik* issues 1159-1188)
1. "Dikan i stari Sloveni" ("Dikan and the [Early Slavs](/source/Early_Slavs)", 1975) (written by Branko Đurica, *Politikin Zabavnik* issues 1229-1245)
1. "Dikan i pretnja sa Oriona" ("Dikan and the Threat from Orion", 1982/1983) (written by Nikola Lekić, *Politikin Zabavnik* issues 1601-1620)
1. "Dikan i Hazari" ("Dikan and the [Khazars](/source/Khazars)", 1993) (written by Slobodan Ivkov, *Politikin Zabavnik* issues 2149-2172)
1. "Dikan i Atlantida" ("Dikan and the [Atlantis](/source/Atlantis)", 1993/1994) (written by Slobodan Ivkov, *Politikin Zabavnik* issues 2173-2201)
1. "Plava špilja" ("Blue Cave", 2004) (written by Lazo Sredanović, *Politikin Zabavnik* issues 2729-2750)
1. "Praznik mimoze" ("Mimosa Days", 2009) (written by Lazo Sredanović, *Politikin Zabavnik* issues 2984-2987)
1. "Dikan i Vukoje" ("Dikan and Vukoje", 2014) (written by Lazo Sredanović, *Politikin Zabavnik* issue 3239)

## Synopsis and characters

Dikan and his uncle Vukoje are Slavic scouts, traveling around the Balkans. Originally, the comic was set in the 6th century, in the period predating the migration of the Slavs to the Balkans, but some of the later stories are set in the ancient and more recent past.[2] Dikan, armed with a [morning star](/source/Morning_star_(weapon)), is very strong, but also sensitive. His uncle Vukoje is wise and has the experience which Dikan lacks.[2] Dikan's talking horse Zokan and Vesna, a girl Dikan is in love with, appear occasionally.[2]

Various Yugoslav celebrities were caricatured in *Dikan*: [comedy duo](/source/Double_act) [Pavle Vujisić](/source/Pavle_Vujisi%C4%87) and [Miodrag Petrović "Čkalja"](/source/%C4%8Ckalja), TV host [Mića Orlović](/source/Mi%C4%87a_Orlovi%C4%87), TV commentator [Milivoj Jugin](/source/Milivoj_Jugin), members of the [pop](/source/Pop_music) group One i Oni, and others.[2]

## Appearances in popular culture

Dikan was used as a [mascot](/source/Mascot) for some of [youth work actions](/source/Youth_work_actions) in Yugoslavia.[4] The character appeared in the commercial for [BIP](/source/BIP_Brewery)'s [kvass](/source/Kvass).[2] and was, in 1993, the mascot of [Belgrade Marathon](/source/Belgrade_Marathon).[3]

## Legacy

In 2009, in order to mark *Politikin Zabavnik'*s 70th anniversary, [Pošta Srbije](/source/Po%C5%A1ta_Srbije) issued a [postage stamp](/source/Postage_stamp) with Dikan and Vukoje on it.[2]

## References

1. [D. Stošić, "Dikan ponovo šeta Balkanom", danas.rs](https://www.danas.rs/dodaci/nedelja/knjiga_danas/dikan_ponovo_seta_balkanom.54.html?news_id=268745)

1. [Saša Rakezić, "Buzdovan i meko srce", vreme.com](http://www.vreme.com/cms/view.php?id=1129271)

1. [Pavle Zelić, "DIKAN: PRAZNIK MIMOZE - Lazar Sredanović: Ponos i Dikan", popboks.com](https://www.popboks.com/article/7403)

1. [""Dikanterije" at Dikan official website"](https://web.archive.org/web/20170402171830/http://www.dikan.rs/dikanterije/). Archived from [the original](http://www.dikan.rs/dikanterije/) on 2017-04-02. Retrieved 2017-04-02.

## External links

- [Official website](https://web.archive.org/web/20170509071220/http://www.dikan.rs/)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Dikan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dikan) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dikan?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.