Richie Rich and Rembrandt

Early during my childhood, while I was in my third grade I believe, I was introduced to a comic book called, "Richie Rich: The Poor Little Rich Boy". I don't remember why I was attracted to it at that time, never the less, it was and still is one of my fav. Comic book series. I just kept reading and reading them until, I believe, I must have read the whole series.

The comic was printed in the United States and although I don't know about the author's or publisher history much, I believe Harvey Comics published the comics starting from the 1950's, however gaining wide popularity only in the 1960's onwards. It would be not until late 1980's that I would start reading them. Well, guess what, whenever I go to India, I still sit down and read a couple of the old copies I collected.

The thing that attracted me to the comic was the extravagant lifestyle and un-realistic riches displayed by the kid and his father. A personal robot, statues made of gold, vaults in the estate which were big enough to be houses, helicopters, the mansion had 1000 rooms and growing!! All this, the kid was still called Poor!! Somehow all the money in the world could not buy him much happiness :-(

The comics showed me a world of what money and business could do. And what it could not. In my own childish, innocent way. I cannot say that the series did not influence my career choices to become an business man. Ofcourse, later more stuff influenced my decision when reading Richie Rich was not the most intellectual thing I could do.

Why all this talk about Richie Rich today, now? While I was reading "Morgan : An American financier", I suddenly remembered where I heard the word, "Rembrandt" first in my life. (The book was talking about Morgan collecting around 300 Rembrandts in his lifetime. ) It was in Richie Rich. He had Rembrandts all over his house. And more over, I remember an issue when he tries to convince his mom that the whole mansion needs re-painting since the Rembrandts did not look nice on the walls. He, finally, convinces her saying that her jewels does not look good enough. Some of the mansions described in the Morgan's book sound just like the houses of make believe Richie Rich. I guess Capitalism reached me at a much earlier age than I realized. Through American Comic Books!!