YMMV / Mandrake the Magician

• Complete Monster: In the 1939 film serial, the evil criminal mastermind the Wasp, real name Dr. Andre Bennett, seeks to dominate the US's communication grids, using a series of bombings that target populated areas, including a dam. He also seeks a special radium device to give him the ultimate power he desires. When he tries to eliminate Mandrake, the Wasp even targets populated areas such as a train or large building with his bombings. In addition, the Wasp is also a terrible boss, gassing his subjects for failing him or even for knowing too much about his organization, willing to stop at nothing to Take Over the World.
• Fair for Its Day: Lothar being an African prince as well as the team muscle may seem very stereotypical. But compared to almost any other black characters in the forties and fifties, he was portrayed with much respect and dignity. He was originally just a Scary Black Man who accompanied Mandrake like a servant, carried luggage and beat people up if the plot called for it; he also tended to vanish whenever he wasn't needed in a story. Upgrading him to an independent and smart True Companion with lines and his own background story was a pretty huge advancement.
• Germans Love David Hasselhoff: Although he will never be quite as beloved in Scandinavia as Lee Falk's other creation, The Phantom, Mandrake is a very popular backup feature in the Scandinavian Phantom comic books.