HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

The Phantom is a fictional costumed crime-fighter who operates from the fictional country of
Bangalla Bangalla (), also known as Bengalla (in the 1996 movie adaptation), is a fictional African country that features in the Lee Falk created comic strip ''The Phantom''. Bangalla is the home of the Phantom, who resides in the Deep Woods of the jun ...
. The character was created by Lee Falk for the adventure
comic strip A comic strip is a Comics, sequence of drawings, often cartoons, arranged in interrelated panels to display brief humor or form a narrative, often Serial (literature), serialized, with text in Speech balloon, balloons and Glossary of comics ter ...
''
The Phantom ''The Phantom'' is an American adventure comic strip, first published by Lee Falk in February 1936. The main character, the Phantom, is a fictional costumed crime-fighter who operates from the fictional African country of Bangalla. The char ...
'', which debuted in newspapers on February 17, 1936. The Phantom was later depicted in many forms of media, including television shows, films, and video games.


Publication history


Comic strip

Lee Falk's syndicated newspaper comic strip ''The Phantom'' premiered on February 17, 1936, with the story "The Singh Brotherhood", written by Falk and illustrated first by himself, for two weeks, followed by Ray Moore, who was an assistant to artist Phil Davis on Falk's ''Mandrake the Magician'' strip. A Sunday ''Phantom'' strip was added to newspapers on May 28, 1939. During Moore's
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...
military service, he left the strip to his assistant, Wilson McCoy. Upon Moore's return, he worked on the strip on and off until 1949, when McCoy succeeded him. Following McCoy's death in 1961,
Carmine Infantino Carmine Michael Infantino (; May 24, 1925 – April 4, 2013) was an American comics artist and editor, primarily for DC Comics, during the late 1950s and early 1960s period known as the Silver Age of Comic Books. Among his character creations are ...
and
Bill Lignante William Gaetano Lignante (March 20, 1925 – February 27, 2018), better known as Bill Lignante, was an American artist notable for his varied career as a comic book illustrator, comic strip artist, animator and television courtroom sketch artist. ...
(who would later draw several Phantom stories directly for comic books) filled in before Sy Barry was chosen as a successor. Barry would continue working on the strip for over 30 years before retiring in 1994. Barry's longtime assistant, George Olesen, remained on the strip as
penciller A penciller (or penciler) is an artist who works on the creation of comic books, graphic novels, and similar visual art forms, with a focus on the initial pencil illustrations, usually in collaboration with other artists, who provide inks, colors ...
, with Keith Williams joining as the
inker The inker (sometimes credited as the finisher or embellisher) is one of the two line artists in traditional comic book production. The penciller creates a drawing, the inker outlines, interprets, finalizes, retraces this drawing by using a pencil ...
for the daily strip. The Sunday strip was inked by
Eric Doescher The given name Eric, Erich, Erikk, Erik, Erick, or Eirik is derived from the Old Norse name ''Eiríkr'' (or ''Eríkr'' in Old East Norse due to monophthongization). The first element, ''ei-'' may be derived from the older Proto-Norse ''* ain ...
until Fred Fredericks became the regular inker in 1995. Falk continued to script ''Phantom'' until his death on March 13, 1999. His last daily and Sunday strip stories, "Terror at the Opera" and "The Kidnappers", respectively, were finished by his wife, Elizabeth Falk, after the hospitalized Falk had torn off his oxygen mask to dictate the adventures. After Falk's passing,
King Features Syndicate King Features Syndicate, Inc. is a American content distribution and animation studio, consumer product licensing and print syndication company owned by Hearst Communications that distributes about 150 comic strips, newspaper columns, editori ...
collaborated with the European comics publisher ''
Egmont Egmont may refer to: * Egmont Group, a media corporation founded and rooted in Copenhagen, Denmark * Egmond family (often spelled "Egmont"), an influential Dutch family, lords of the town of Egmond ** Lamoral, Count of Egmont (1522–1568), the bes ...
'' on the strip. They went from initially publishing Phantom stories in licensed comic books to providing the stories for the newspaper strip by adapting their own comic-book stories.
Tony DePaul Tony DePaul is the current writer of the Lee Falk created adventure comic strip The Phantom ''The Phantom'' is an American adventure comic strip, first published by Lee Falk in February 1936. The main character, the Phantom, is a fictional ...
and
Claes Reimerthi Claes Göran Reimerthi (12 January 1955 – 23 July 2021) was a Swedish comic book author. He was most well-known for his Swedish language version of '' The Phantom'', known as ''Fantomen''. Awards * Adamson Award for Best Swedish Comic-Strip C ...
alternated as writers of the daily and Sunday newspaper strips, respectively. DePaul would later become the sole writer of the strip. In 2000, Olesen and Fredericks retired from the Sunday strip, which was then taken over by artist Graham Nolan. Olesen and Williams left the daily strip after Olesen retired, and artist
Paul Ryan Paul Davis Ryan (born January 29, 1970) is an American former politician who served as the 54th speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 2015 to 2019. A member of the Republican Party, he was the vice presidential nominee i ...
took over the daily in early 2005. Ryan succeeded Nolan as artist on the Sunday strip in 2007. On July 31, 2011, Eduardo Barreto became the Sunday artist. Barreto died after only a few months of working on the strip, and Ryan did the January 15, 2012, Sunday page and the following week's comics before Terry Beatty became Barreto's permanent replacement.


Comic books

Through the 1940s, ''The Phantom'' strips were reprinted in
David McKay Publications David McKay Publications (also known as David McKay Company) was an American book publisher which also published some of the first comic books, including the long-running titles ''Ace Comics'', ''King Comics'', and '' Magic Comics''; as well as ...
' '' Ace Comics''. The following decade,
Harvey Comics Harvey Comics (also known as Harvey World Famous Comics, Harvey Publications, Harvey Comics Entertainment, Harvey Hits, Harvey Illustrated Humor, and Harvey Picture Magazines) was an American comic book publisher, founded in New York City by A ...
published ''The Phantom'' comic book. In 1962,
Gold Key Comics Gold Key Comics was originally an imprint of American company Western Publishing, created for comic books distributed to newsstands. Also known as Whitman Comics, Gold Key operated this way from 1962 to 1984. Currently, Gold Key Comics is owned b ...
took over, followed by
King Comics King Comics, a short-lived comic book imprint of King Features Syndicate, was an attempt by King Features to publish comics of its own characters, rather than through other publishers. A few King Comics titles were picked up from Gold Key Comics ...
in 1966 and
Charlton Comics Charlton Comics was an American comic book publishing company that existed from 1945 to 1986, having begun under a different name: T.W.O. Charles Company, in 1940. It was based in Derby, Connecticut. The comic-book line was a division of Charlton ...
in 1969. This lasted until 1977, with a total of 73 issues being published. Some of the main Phantom artists during these years were
Bill Lignante William Gaetano Lignante (March 20, 1925 – February 27, 2018), better known as Bill Lignante, was an American artist notable for his varied career as a comic book illustrator, comic strip artist, animator and television courtroom sketch artist. ...
, Don Newton,
Jim Aparo James N. Aparo (August 24, 1932 – July 19, 2005) was an American comic book artist, best known for his DC Comics work from the late 1960s through the 1990s, including on the characters Batman, Aquaman, and the Spectre, along with famous stories ...
, and Pat Boyette.
DC Comics DC Comics, Inc. ( doing business as DC) is an American comic book publisher and the flagship unit of DC Entertainment, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery. DC Comics is one of the largest and oldest American comic book companies, with the ...
published a Phantom comic book from 1988 to 1990. The initial miniseries (dated May–August 1988) were written by
Peter David Peter Allen David (born September 23, 1956), often abbreviated PAD, is an American writer of comic books, novels, television, films and video games.Buxton, Marc (March 29, 2014)"From 'Future Imperfect' to '2099': Peter David's Greatest Hits" Co ...
and drawn by
Joe Orlando Joseph Orlando (April 4, 1927 – December 23, 1998) was an Italian American illustrator, writer, editor and cartoonist during a lengthy career spanning six decades. He was the associate publisher of '' Mad'' and the vice president of DC Comics, ...
and Dennis Janke. The subsequent series, written by
Mark Verheiden Mark Verheiden (born March 26, 1956) is an American television, movie, and comic-book writer. He was a co-executive producer for the television series ''Falling Skies'' for DreamWorks Television and the TNT network. Career Comics and comic-re ...
and drawn by Luke McDonnell, ran for 13 issues (March 1989 – March 1990). In 1987,
Marvel Comics Marvel Comics is an American comic book publisher and the flagship property of Marvel Entertainment, a divsion of The Walt Disney Company since September 1, 2009. Evolving from Timely Comics in 1939, ''Magazine Management/Atlas Comics'' in ...
published a four-issue miniseries based on the '' Defenders of the Earth'' TV series, written by
Stan Lee Stan Lee (born Stanley Martin Lieber ; December 28, 1922 – November 12, 2018) was an American comic book writer, editor, publisher, and producer. He rose through the ranks of a family-run business called Timely Publications which ...
. A subsequent three-issue Marvel miniseries, ''The Phantom: The Ghost Who Walks'' (Feb.-April 1995), was written and drawn by David de Vries and
Glenn Lumsden Glenn Lumsden is an Australian comic book artist and writer. Born in Sydney in 1964, he began self publishing in 1985 with David de Vries, Gary Chaloner and Tad Pietrzykowski under the Cyclone Comics imprint, working on ''The Southern Squad ...
. Marvel released another four-issue miniseries (May–August 1995) pencilled by
Spider-Man Spider-Man is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, he first appeared in the anthology comic book ''Amazing Fantasy'' #15 (August 1962) in the Si ...
co-creator
Steve Ditko Stephen John Ditko Page contains two reproductions from school yearbooks. A 1943 Garfield Junior High School yearbook excerpt lists "Stephen Ditko". A 1945 Johnstown High School yearbook excerpt lists "Stephen J. Ditko" under extracurricular act ...
, based on the ''
Phantom 2040 ''Phantom 2040'' is an animated series that is loosely based on the comic strip superhero ''The Phantom'', created by Lee Falk. The central character of the series is said to be the 24th Phantom. It was aired from September 18, 1994 to March 3, 1 ...
'' TV series. One issue featured a pin-up by the original two Spider-Man signature artists, Ditko and John Romita Sr. Beginning in 2002,
Moonstone Books Moonstone Books is an American comic book, graphic novel, and prose fiction publisher based in Chicago focused on pulp fiction comic books and prose anthologies as well as horror and western tales. The company began publishing creator-owned co ...
published five Phantom graphic novels, written by
Tom DeFalco Tom DeFalco (born June 26, 1950) is an American comic book writer and editor well known for his association with Marvel Comics, with long runs on ''Amazing Spider-Man'', '' Thor'', and ''Fantastic Four''. Career While in college, DeFalco "wrote f ...
, Ben Raab, and
Ron Goulart Ronald Joseph Goulart (; January 13, 1933 – January 14, 2022) was an American popular culture historian and mystery, fantasy, and science fiction author. He published novelizations and other work under various pseudonyms: Kenneth Robeson, Co ...
. In 2003, Moonstone debuted a Phantom comic-book series written by Raab, Rafael Nieves, and
Chuck Dixon Charles Dixon (born April 14, 1954) is an American comic book writer, best known for his work on the Marvel Comics character the Punisher and on the DC Comics characters Batman, Nightwing, and Robin in the 1990s and early 2000s. Early life Di ...
, and drawn by artists including Pat Quinn, Jerry DeCaire, Nick Derington, Rich Burchett, and EricJ. After 11 issues,
Mike Bullock Mike Bullock is an American author and musician born in Washington, DC. Bullock began writing fiction, non-fiction and poetry in the 1980s. He worked professionally in the music and comic book industries since 1986 and is best known as the creato ...
took over scripting, with
Gabriel Rearte In Abrahamic religions (Judaism, Christianity and Islam), Gabriel (); Greek: grc, Γαβριήλ, translit=Gabriḗl, label=none; Latin: ''Gabriel''; Coptic: cop, Ⲅⲁⲃⲣⲓⲏⲗ, translit=Gabriêl, label=none; Amharic: am, ገብር� ...
and Carlos Magno creating the artwork before Silvestre Szilagyi became the regular artist in 2007. In 2006, Moonstone published a
retcon Retroactive continuity, or retcon for short, is a literary device in which established diegetic facts in the plot of a fictional work (those established through the narrative itself) are adjusted, ignored, supplemented, or contradicted by a subs ...
of the Phantom's origin, called ''Legacy'', by Raab and Quinn. That same year, the company published a hybrid comic book and prose book it called "wide-vision", premiering the format with the Phantom story "Law of the Jungle". Moonstone also released the first American Phantom
annual Annual may refer to: *Annual publication, periodical publications appearing regularly once per year ** Yearbook ** Literary annual *Annual plant *Annual report *Annual giving *Annual, Morocco, a settlement in northeastern Morocco *Annuals (band), ...
. A second annual teamed up the Phantom with Mandrake the Magician. In 2009, Moonstone re-launched the series as ''The Phantom: Ghost Who Walks'', starting with issue #0 (an origin retelling). That same year, Moonstone launched the 21 issue series ''Phantom Generations'', with each of the 21 Phantoms spotlighted in his own story, by different creative teams including writers Ben Raab, Tom DeFalco, Tony Bedard, Will Murray, and Mike Bullock, and artists including Pat Quinn, Alex Saviuk, Don Hudson, Scott Brooks, and Zeu. Moonstone also published "Phantom Action", written by Mike Bullock, that depicted the Phantom meeting Captain Action, a five-issue black-and-white miniseries called "The Phantom Double Shot: KGB Noir", and a two-issue miniseries, "The Phantom: Unmasked". In August 2010,
Dynamite Entertainment Dynamite Entertainment is an American comic book publisher founded by Nick Barrucci in 2004 at Mount Laurel, New Jersey. It is best known as the owners of '' The Boys'' franchise across several IP medias. Dynamite primarily publishes adaptations ...
debuted the monthly series '' The Last Phantom'', by writer
Scott Beatty Scott Beatty is an American author, comic book writer, and superhero historian actively published since the late 1990s. Biography Scott Beatty has authored hundreds of adventures for many of comics’ most iconic characters including Batman and R ...
and artist Eduardo Ferigato, with covers painted by
Alex Ross Nelson Alexander Ross (born January 22, 1970) is an American comic book writer and artist known primarily for his painted interiors, covers, and design work. He first became known with the 1994 miniseries ''Marvels'', on which he collaborated wit ...
. In 2013, the Phantom appeared in Dynamite's five-issue miniseries '' Kings Watch''. The story, written by Jeff Parker and drawn by Marc Laming, saw the Phantom teaming up with Flash Gordon and Mandrake the Magician to fight Ming the Merciless and prevent his attempt to take over the planet. In 2014, Hermes Press announced the publication of a Phantom comic-book miniseries written by
Peter David Peter Allen David (born September 23, 1956), often abbreviated PAD, is an American writer of comic books, novels, television, films and video games.Buxton, Marc (March 29, 2014)"From 'Future Imperfect' to '2099': Peter David's Greatest Hits" Co ...
and illustrated by
Sal Velluto Sal, SAL, or S.A.L. may refer to: Personal name * Sal (name), a list of people and fictional characters with the given name or nickname Places * Sal, Cape Verde, an island and municipality * Sal, Iran, a village in East Azerbaijan Province * Ca ...
. It debuted October 31, 2014. For
Free Comic Book Day Free Comic Book Day (FCBD) is an annual promotional effort by the North American comic book industry to attract new readers to independent comic book stores. It usually takes place on the first Saturday of May and is often cross-promoted wit ...
2015, Hermes published a Phantom comic book with art by
Bill Lignante William Gaetano Lignante (March 20, 1925 – February 27, 2018), better known as Bill Lignante, was an American artist notable for his varied career as a comic book illustrator, comic strip artist, animator and television courtroom sketch artist. ...
and samples of the new miniseries.


Fictional character biography

In the jungles of the fictional African country of
Bangalla Bangalla (), also known as Bengalla (in the 1996 movie adaptation), is a fictional African country that features in the Lee Falk created comic strip ''The Phantom''. Bangalla is the home of the Phantom, who resides in the Deep Woods of the jun ...
, there is a myth featuring The Ghost Who Walks, a powerful and indestructible guardian of the innocent and fighter of all types of injustice. Because he seems to have existed for generations, many believe him to be immortal. In reality, the Phantom is a legacy hero, descended from 20 previous generations of crimefighters who all adopt the same persona. When a new Phantom takes the task from his dying father, he swears the Oath of the Skull: "I swear to devote my life to the destruction of piracy, greed, cruelty, and injustice, in all their forms, and my sons and their sons shall follow me". The first Phantom married Christina, the daughter of a Norwegian sea captain, Eric the Rover. The second Phantom married Marabella, the granddaughter of
Christopher Columbus Christopher Columbus * lij, Cristoffa C(or)ombo * es, link=no, Cristóbal Colón * pt, Cristóvão Colombo * ca, Cristòfor (or ) * la, Christophorus Columbus. (; born between 25 August and 31 October 1451, died 20 May 1506) was a ...
. The comic sometimes runs flashback adventures of previous Phantoms written by various authors who sometimes confuse Phantom history. Current stories have Marabella as the daughter of Columbus and marrying the first Phantom. As Columbus died in 1506 while, according to the new history, Marabella first meets the Phantom in 1544, this results in another inconsistency, requiring her to be at least 38 years old despite being depicted as in her early 20s. Inconsistencies in storylines and histories are not corrected as a mark of respect to authors, but Falk's original history takes precedence. Although most of the Phantoms have been male, there has been one woman who took up the role: Julie Walker, twin sister of the 17th Phantom. While her brother was injured, Julie donned the Phantom costume and defeated a band of pirates. The present Phantom is the 21st in the line. Unlike most costumed heroes, he has no
superhuman The term superhuman refers to humans or human-like beings with enhanced qualities and abilities that exceed those naturally found in humans. These qualities may be acquired through natural ability, self-actualization or technological aids. Th ...
powers, relying only on his wits, physical strength, skill with his weapons, and fearsome reputation to fight crime. His real name is Kit Walker. References to "Mr. Walker" are in the strip often accompanied by a footnote saying "For 'The Ghost Who Walks'", although some versions of the Phantom's history suggest that Walker was actually the original surname of the man who became the first Phantom.


Origin

The story of the Phantom started with a young sailor named Christopher Walker (sometimes called Christopher Standish in certain versions of the story). Christopher was born in 1516 in
Portsmouth Portsmouth ( ) is a port and city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. The city of Portsmouth has been a unitary authority since 1 April 1997 and is administered by Portsmouth City Council. Portsmouth is the most d ...
. His father, also named Christopher Walker, had been a seaman since he was a young boy, and was the cabin boy on
Christopher Columbus Christopher Columbus * lij, Cristoffa C(or)ombo * es, link=no, Cristóbal Colón * pt, Cristóvão Colombo * ca, Cristòfor (or ) * la, Christophorus Columbus. (; born between 25 August and 31 October 1451, died 20 May 1506) was a ...
' ship, the '' Santa María'', when he sailed to the Americas. Christopher Jr. became a shipboy on his father's ship in 1526. In 1536, when Christopher was 20 years old, he was a part of what was supposed to be his father's last voyage. The ship was attacked by pirates and Christopher's father was murdered. He was the sole survivor and was washed ashore on a Bengalla beach, where he was found by pygmies of the Bandar tribe, who nursed him back to health and took care of him. He vows revenge on "the destruction of piracy, greed, cruelty, and injustice, in all their forms!" The Bandars showed Christopher to a cave, which resembled a human skull in appearance. Christopher later carved the features out to enhance this. This Skull Cave became his home. Wearing a costume based on the demon god, Christopher became the first of what would later be known as the Phantom. When he died, his son took over for him, when the second Phantom died, his son took over, and so on. So it would go on through the centuries, causing people to believe that the Phantom was immortal. These people gave him nicknames including "The Ghost Who Walks" and "The Man Who Cannot Die". His base is in the Deep Woods of Bengali (originally "Bengalla", or "
Bangalla Bangalla (), also known as Bengalla (in the 1996 movie adaptation), is a fictional African country that features in the Lee Falk created comic strip ''The Phantom''. Bangalla is the home of the Phantom, who resides in the Deep Woods of the jun ...
" and renamed ''Denkali'' in the Indian edition), a
fictional country A fictional country is a country that is made up for fictional stories, and does not exist in real life, or one that people believe in without proof. Sailors have always mistaken low clouds for land masses, and in later times this was given ...
initially said to be set in Asia, near India, but depicted as in Africa during and after the 1960s. The Phantom's base is the fabled Skull Cave, where all of the previous Phantoms are buried. The Phantom is the commander of Bangalla's Jungle Patrol. Because of a betrayal leading to the death of the 14th Phantom, the identity of the commander has been kept hidden from members of the patrol ever since. The Phantom uses several ways to stay in contact. These include radio and a safe with a false bottom.


Kit Walker, the 21st Phantom

The 21st Phantom's birth name is Kit Walker, as was the name of many of the Phantoms before him. Kit was born in the Skull Cave and spent his first years in the jungle of Bangalla. His mother, Maud Thorne McPatrick, who had previously worked as
Rita Hayworth Rita Hayworth (born Margarita Carmen Cansino; October 17, 1918May 14, 1987) was an American actress, dancer and producer. She achieved fame during the 1940s as one of the era's top stars, appearing in 61 films over 37 years. The press coined th ...
's stunt double, was born in Mississippi, where Kit was sent to study when he was 12 years old, living with his aunt Lucy and uncle Jasper in the town of Clarksville, Missouri. Here, he met his wife-to-be, Diana Palmer. Kit was an extremely talented sportsman and was predicted to become the world champion in many different events (even knocking out the world heavyweight boxing champion in a sparring match when the champion visited Clarksville). Despite the opportunity to choose practically any career he wanted, Kit faithfully returned to Bengalla to take over the role of the Phantom when he received word from Guran that his father was dying from a knife-wound. One of Kit's first missions as the Phantom was to find his father's killer, Rama Singh, who had betrayed and murdered the 20th Phantom by first helping him to blow up a fleet of ships owned by the Singh Brotherhood, only to then stab him in the back, stealing his special gunbelt in the process. The 21st Phantom eventually found him and reclaimed the belt at the island of Gullique, but before he could avenge his father and bring the killer to jail, the desperate Rama blew up his lair, killing himself and his henchmen in the process. The Phantom has two animal helpers, a mountain wolf named Devil and a horse named Hero. He also has a trained falcon named Fraka. From 1962 on, The Phantom raised an orphan named "Rex King", who was later revealed to be the prince of the kingdom of Baronkhan. He also has two dolphins named Solomon and Nefertiti, and numerous other animals kept on the island of Eden. In 1978, he married his sweetheart, Diana Palmer, who works at the United Nations. The Phantom and Diana have two children, Kit and Heloise. His chief aide and ally is Guran, chief of the local
pygmy In anthropology, pygmy peoples are ethnic groups whose average height is unusually short. The term pygmyism is used to describe the phenotype of endemic short stature (as opposed to disproportionate dwarfism occurring in isolated cases in a pop ...
Bandar tribe, who are the only tribe to know the Phantom's true nature. Guran is the Phantom's best friend since childhood and a supporter of his cause. Other allies of the 21st Phantom include Doctor Axel, a Scandinavian doctor working in Bangalla, and Miss Tagama, the African teacher of Rex, Kit and Heloise.


Costume and weapons

As part of the official uniform, the Phantom wears a black domino mask and a purple skintight bodysuit. He also carries period-appropriate sidearms, currently two
M1911 pistol The M1911 (Colt 1911 or Colt Government) is a single-action, recoil-operated, semi-automatic pistol chambered for the .45 ACP cartridge. The pistol's formal U.S. military designation as of 1940 was ''Automatic Pistol, Caliber .45, M1911'' for t ...
s in a special belt with a skull-like buckle. Falk has insisted that the Phantom only uses his guns to shoot out the guns of his opponents, a fact that writer
Peter David Peter Allen David (born September 23, 1956), often abbreviated PAD, is an American writer of comic books, novels, television, films and video games.Buxton, Marc (March 29, 2014)"From 'Future Imperfect' to '2099': Peter David's Greatest Hits" Co ...
was unaware of when he wrote
DC Comics DC Comics, Inc. ( doing business as DC) is an American comic book publisher and the flagship unit of DC Entertainment, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery. DC Comics is one of the largest and oldest American comic book companies, with the ...
' 1988 four-issue ''Phantom''
miniseries A miniseries or mini-series is a television series that tells a story in a predetermined, limited number of episodes. "Limited series" is another more recent US term which is sometimes used interchangeably. , the popularity of miniseries format ...
, in which he had the Phantom shoot to wound his enemies. However, there are some early instances (in the Lee Falk strips) of the Phantom using his guns to shoot and kill people (sometimes in self-defense). While there had been masked crime fighters like the costumed
Zorro Zorro ( Spanish for 'fox') is a fictional character created in 1919 by American pulp writer Johnston McCulley, appearing in works set in the Pueblo of Los Angeles in Alta California. He is typically portrayed as a dashing masked vigilante w ...
,
The Shadow The Shadow is a fictional character created by magazine publishers Street & Smith and writer Walter B. Gibson. Originally created to be a mysterious radio show narrator, and developed into a distinct literary character in 1931 by writer Walter ...
, or the business-suited The Clock, the Phantom was the first fictional character to wear the skintight costume and eyes with no visible pupils that has become a trademark of superheroes. Creator Lee Falk had originally envisioned a gray costume and even considered naming his creation "The Gray Ghost". It was not until the Phantom
Sunday strip The Sunday comics or Sunday strip is the comic strip section carried in most western newspapers, almost always in color. Many newspaper readers called this section the Sunday funnies, the funny papers or simply the funnies. The first US newspap ...
debuted in 1939 that the costume was shown to be purple. Falk, however, continued to refer to the costume as gray in the text of the strip on several occasions afterward, but finally accepted the purple color. In a Sunday strip story published in the 1960s it was shown that the first Phantom chose the costume based on the appearance of a jungle idol, and colored the cloth with purple jungle berries. As part of a modernization of the character in the Moonstone Books' series, ''The Phantom: Ghost Who Walks'', the Phantom began wearing a costume made of
kevlar Kevlar (para-aramid) is a strong, heat-resistant synthetic fiber, related to other aramids such as Nomex and Technora. Developed by Stephanie Kwolek at DuPont in 1965, the high-strength material was first used commercially in the early 1970s a ...
.


The Phantom Rings

A signature of the character is his two rings. One has a pattern formed like four crossing sabres, "The Good Mark", that he leaves on visitors whom he befriends, placing the person under his protection. The other, "The Evil Mark" or "Skull Mark" has a skull shape, which leaves a scar of the corresponding shape on the enemies he punches with it. He wears the Good Mark on his left hand because it is closer to the heart, and the Evil Mark on his right hand. According to the Team Fantomen stories, the Skull Ring was given to the first Phantom by
Paracelsus Paracelsus (; ; 1493 – 24 September 1541), born Theophrastus von Hohenheim (full name Philippus Aureolus Theophrastus Bombastus von Hohenheim), was a Swiss physician, alchemist, lay theologian, and philosopher of the German Renaissance. He ...
. The original owner of the Skull Ring was Emperor Nero of the
Roman empire The Roman Empire ( la, Imperium Romanum ; grc-gre, Βασιλεία τῶν Ῥωμαίων, Basileía tôn Rhōmaíōn) was the post-Roman Republic, Republican period of ancient Rome. As a polity, it included large territorial holdings aro ...
and it would later be revealed that the ring had been made from the nails that hung Jesus to the cross. The Good Mark ring was made after the sixth Phantom founded the Jungle Patrol.


Enemies

The most dangerous and lasting enemy of the Phantom is the Singh Brotherhood, active for centuries and responsible for the death of the 21st Phantom's father.Hubert H. Crawford, ''Crawford's Encyclopedia of Comic Books''. Middle Village, N.Y. : Jonathan David Publishers, 1978. (pp. p. 89-91, 404) In the 1970s, Falk's comics changed the group's name to the "Sengh Brotherhood", or "Sanngh Brotherhood". This is because "Singh" is a common name in India, and Falk wished to avoid offending Indian readers by implying that the organization originated in that country.Franco Fossati, "The Phantom", in ''I Grandi Eroi del Fumetto'', by Fossati Rome : Gremese Editore, 1990 (pp. 240–243). The group's name was changed to "the Singa Pirates" in the Indian comics for the same reason. In Egmont's Phantom comics, the brotherhood has evolved into a modern company called Singh Corporations. Another criminal organization that the Phantom repeatedly clashes with is the Sky Band, a group of all-female
air pirates The Air Pirates were a group of cartoonists who created two issues of an underground comic called ''Air Pirates Funnies'' in 1971, leading to a famous lawsuit by Walt Disney Productions. Founded by Dan O'Neill, the group also included Bobby Lond ...
. Frequent antagonists of successive Phantoms are the depraved inhabitants of the "Eastern Dark" region (also known as "Dakk") who carry out
human sacrifice Human sacrifice is the act of killing one or more humans as part of a ritual, which is usually intended to please or appease gods, a human ruler, an authoritative/priestly figure or spirits of dead ancestors or as a retainer sacrifice, wherei ...
and drug trafficking. The Phantom's repeated role in thwarting the activities of the Dakk people is the source of his "Guardian of the Eastern Dark" title. Recurring villainous characters in the newspaper strips are pirate leader Baron Grover, terrorist commander Skul, warmonger General Bababu, and international terrorist The Python. Antagonists in the Team Fantomen stories include larcenous art collector Jason Parnassos, thief Vasti Riba, dictator Prince Grigor, murderous treasure hunter Bail, and Goldhand, named for his prosthetic hand made of solid gold. A major threat to the Phantom was Kigali Lubanga, the President of Bengalla for several years. Foes of the Phantom in the Moonstone stories include disfigured kickboxer Manuel Ortega, Ali Gutaale and HIM. Other enemies of the Phantom include Rebecca Madison (in the ''Phantom 2040'' series), and Xander Drax (in the 1996 film). Another villainous gang that has been a sworn enemy of The Phantom is the "Vultures". They have several "nests" spread across the world, and as their name suggests, they prey on the weak and fallen. They will strike the helpless, especially during crisis situations.


In other media


Novels and short stories


Whitman

The first novel about the Phantom was published in 1944 by Whitman Publishing Company, and was called "The Son of the Phantom". Written by
Dale Robertson Dayle Lymoine Robertson (July 14, 1923February 27, 2013) was an American actor best known for his starring roles on television. He played the roving investigator Jim Hardie in the television series ''Tales of Wells Fargo'' and railroad owner Ben ...
, the book was based on Lee Falk's comic strip story "Childhood of the Phantom", although Falk had no involvement with the novel. It featured a cover drawn by Wilson McCoy.


Avon

Avon Publications in the United States put out 15 books based on Lee Falk's stories. The series ran from 1972 to 1975, and was written by several authors, including Falk; the covers were done by George Wilson. Many of the books were translated into foreign languages. # '' The Story of the Phantom: The Ghost Who Walks'' 1972, Lee Falk # ''The Slave Market of Mucar'' 1972,
Basil Copper Basil Frederick Albert Copper (5 February 1924 – 3 April 2013) was an English writer and former journalist and newspaper editor. Mike Ashley, "Basil Copper", in David Pringle, ed., ''St. James Guide to Horror, Ghost & Gothic Writers.''(London: ...
# ''The Scorpia Menace'' 1972, Basil Copper # ''The Veiled Lady'' 1973, Frank S. Shawn (pseudonym of Ron Goulart) # ''The Golden Circle'' 1973, Frank S. Shawn # ''The Mysterious Ambassador'' 1973, Lee Falk # ''The Mystery of the Sea Horse'' 1973, Frank S. Shawn # ''The Hydra Monster'' 1973, Frank S. Shawn # ''Killer's Town'' 1973, Lee Falk # ''The Goggle-Eyed Pirates'' 1974, Frank S. Shawn # ''The Swamp Rats'' 1974, Frank S. Shawn # ''The Vampires & the Witch'' 1974, Lee Falk # ''The Island of Dogs'' 1975, Warren Shanahan # ''The Assassins'' 1975, Carson Bingham # ''The Curse of the Two-Headed Bull'' 1975, Lee Falk In 2006, the books ''The Story of the Phantom: The Ghost Who Walks'' and ''The Veiled Lady'' were released as
audiobook An audiobook (or a talking book) is a recording of a book or other work being read out loud. A reading of the complete text is described as "unabridged", while readings of shorter versions are abridgements. Spoken audio has been available in sc ...
s in Norway and Sweden, as part of the celebration of the seventieth anniversary of the character. To coincide with the 1996 Phantom movie, Avon published ''The Phantom'', based on the Paramount Pictures film. It was written by
Rob MacGregor Rob or ROB may refer to: Places * Rob, Velike Lašče, a settlement in Slovenia * Roberts International Airport (IATA code ROB), in Monrovia, Liberia People * Rob (given name), a given name or nickname, e.g., for Robert(o), Robin/Robyn * Rob (s ...
. Hermes Press also published a reprint of the Avon novels.


Moonstone Books

In 2007,
Moonstone Books Moonstone Books is an American comic book, graphic novel, and prose fiction publisher based in Chicago focused on pulp fiction comic books and prose anthologies as well as horror and western tales. The company began publishing creator-owned co ...
released ''The Phantom Chronicles'', a collection of short stories written by authors
Mike Bullock Mike Bullock is an American author and musician born in Washington, DC. Bullock began writing fiction, non-fiction and poetry in the 1980s. He worked professionally in the music and comic book industries since 1986 and is best known as the creato ...
,
Ron Fortier Ron is a shortening of the name Ronald. Ron or RON may also refer to: Arts and media * Big Ron (''EastEnders''), a TV character * Ron (''King of Fighters''), a video game character *Ron Douglas, the protagonist in '' Lucky Stiff'' played by Joe ...
, Jim Alexander, David Michelinie, Craig Shaw Gardner, CJ Henderson, Clay and Susan Griffith,
Will Murray William Murray (born 1953) is an American novelist, journalist, short story, and comic book writer. Much of his fiction has been published under pseudonyms. With artist Steve Ditko, he co-created the superhero Squirrel Girl. Biography Early ...
, Mike Oliveri,
Nancy Kilpatrick Nancy Kilpatrick is a Canadian author who has written stories in the genres of dark fantasy, horror, mystery, erotic horror, and gothic subculture. She is most known for her vampire themed works. Awards She is the recipient of the Arthur E ...
, Ed Rhoades, David Bishop, Grant Suave, Trina Robbins, Richard Dean Starr, Dan Wickline, and Martin Powell. The book was released in both a softcover and limited hardcover edition, and featured an introduction written by Lee Falk's daughter, Valerie Falk. ''The Phantom Chronicles 2'' was released in 2010. It features a story where the Phantom teams up with
Green Hornet The Green Hornet is a superhero created in 1936 by George W. Trendle and Fran Striker, with input from radio director James Jewell. Since his 1930s radio debut, the character has appeared in numerous serialized dramas in a wide variety of medi ...
, written by
Harlan Ellison Harlan Jay Ellison (May 27, 1934 – June 28, 2018) was an American writer, known for his prolific and influential work in New Wave speculative fiction and for his outspoken, combative personality. Robert Bloch, the author of '' Psycho'' ...
, and has a foreword written by Diane Falk.


Other appearances

In
Umberto Eco Umberto Eco (5 January 1932 – 19 February 2016) was an Italian medievalist, philosopher, semiotician, novelist, cultural critic, and political and social commentator. In English, he is best known for his popular 1980 novel ''The Name of th ...
's novel, ''
The Mysterious Flame of Queen Loana ''The Mysterious Flame of Queen Loana'' (original Italian title: ''La Misteriosa Fiamma della Regina Loana'') is a novel by the Italian writer Umberto Eco. It was first published in Italian in 2004, and an English language translation by Geoffr ...
'', the main character describes his childhood experiences of reading The Phantom, as well as other comic strip characters like
Flash Gordon Flash Gordon is the protagonist of a space adventure comic strip created and originally drawn by Alex Raymond. First published January 7, 1934, the strip was inspired by, and created to compete with, the already established '' Buck Rogers'' adv ...
and Mandrake the Magician. The book also features illustrations of the Phantom, drawn by Ray Moore. In
Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea (abbreviated PNG; , ; tpi, Papua Niugini; ho, Papua Niu Gini), officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea ( tpi, Independen Stet bilong Papua Niugini; ho, Independen Stet bilong Papua Niu Gini), is a country i ...
, the Wahgi people have used images of the Phantom on their ceremonial war
shield A shield is a piece of personal armour held in the hand, which may or may not be strapped to the wrist or forearm. Shields are used to intercept specific attacks, whether from close-ranged weaponry or projectiles such as arrows, by means of ...
s, or "kumbe reipe". Art historian N.F. Karlins believes that comic books featuring the Phantom may have been brought to Papua New Guinea by American troops as early as the 1940s.Pop Tribal
by N.F. Karlins; at
Artnet Artnet.com is an art market website. It is operated by Artnet Worldwide Corporation, which has headquarters in New York City, in the United States, and is owned by Artnet AG, a German publicly traded company based in Berlin that is listed on ...
; published June 28, 2007; retrieved December 31, 2013
The Phantom's popularity amongst the Wahgi has been attributed to his being a "man who cannot die", and who vanquishes his enemies by using his "strength, intelligence, and fearsome reputation"; Karlins has suggested that, as Wahgi warriors wear masks, the Phantom's own mask may have also been a contributing factor. Similarly, anthropologist Susan Cochrane has described the Wahgi interpretation of the Phantom as being a "modern spirit".


Live-action adaptations


''The Phantom'' serials

A 15-episode, 240-minute
movie serial A serial film, film serial (or just serial), movie serial, or chapter play, is a motion picture form popular during the first half of the 20th century, consisting of a series of short subjects exhibited in consecutive order at one theater, gene ...
, starring
Tom Tyler Tom Tyler (born Vincent Markowski; August 9, 1903 – May 1, 1954) was an American actor known for his leading roles in low-budget Western films in the silent and sound eras, and for his portrayal of superhero Captain Marvel in the 1941 ...
in the title role, was made in 1943 by
Columbia Pictures Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production studio that is a member of the Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group, a division of Sony Pictures Entertainment, which is one of the Big Five studios and a subsidiary of the mu ...
and directed by action specialist
B. Reeves Eason William Reeves Eason (October 2, 1886 – June 9, 1956), known as B. Reeves Eason, was an American film director, actor and screenwriter. His directorial output was limited mainly to low-budget westerns and action pictures, but it was as a second ...
, featuring
Jeanne Bates Jeanne Bates (May 21, 1918 – November 28, 2007) was a retired American radio, film and television actress. After performing in radio serials, she signed a contract with Columbia Pictures in 1942 which began her career in films both in bi ...
as Diana Palmer,
Frank Shannon Francis Connolly Shannon (27 July 1874 – 1 February 1959) was an Irish actor and writer. Career A stage actor and silent film pioneer, Shannon made his screen debut in 1913's '' The Artist's Joke''. He later appeared in dozens of film ...
as her uncle Professor Davidson, and
Ace the Wonder Dog An ace is a playing card, die or domino with a single pip. In the standard French deck, an ace has a single suit symbol (a heart, diamond, spade, or club) located in the middle of the card, sometimes large and decorated, especially in the ca ...
as Devil. Creator Lee Falk was billed on screen as "Leon Falk". The story shows the 21st Phantom's first mission after taking over the mantle of the Ghost Who Walks from his murdered father: to find the Lost City of Zoloz and prevent the evil Dr. Bremmer, played by Kenneth MacDonald, from building a secret airbase in the jungle. The serial has been released on DVD through VCI. The Phantom's real name in the serial was Geoffrey Prescott, as the alias of Kit Walker had not been mentioned in the strip at that point. However, he goes by the alias of Mr. Walker after having become the Phantom. Two episodes loosely adapted Lee Falk's story "The Fire Princess" for the screen, and fit it into the plot of the Phantom's fight against Dr. Bremmer. Tom Tyler in costume bore a striking resemblance to the comic-strip character, and the serial was a success. In 1955, when Columbia's serial producer
Sam Katzman Sam Katzman (July 7, 1901 – August 4, 1973) was an American film producer and director. Katzman produced low-budget genre films, including serials, which had disproportionately high returns for the studios and his financial backers. E ...
was making low-budget remakes of older cliffhangers, he cast John Hart in a sequel, filmed as ''Return of the Phantom''. Hart's new scenes as the Phantom were combined with older scenes of Tom Tyler in the identical costume. Katzman failed to check with the studio's legal department, and found that its rights to the Phantom character had lapsed. Katzman, unwilling to meet the rights holder's high price, reshot much of the action with Hart in a vaguely similar costume (helmet, mask, sweater, and riding breeches) to match the old footage with Tom Tyler. Katzman, having been forced to delete many of the action scenes from ''The Phantom'', filled the gaps with scenes from two more old serials, '' The Desert Hawk'' and ''
Jungle Menace ''Jungle Menace'' (1937) is the first serial released by Columbia Pictures. Based on the success of Republic Pictures's 1936 serial ''Darkest Africa'', starring real-life animal trainer Clyde Beatty, Columbia made this exotic jungle serial s ...
''. The new mashup was finally released as ''
The Adventures of Captain Africa ''The Adventures of Captain Africa'' is a 1955 adventure serial film directed by Spencer Gordon Bennet and starring John Hart. Plot Trapper Nat Coleman and government agent Ted Arnold come upon a plot to take over an African nation. Its leader ...
''.


''The Phantom'' (1996)

The Phantom was also adapted into a live-action film in 1996. Produced and released by
Paramount Pictures Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film and television production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the main namesake division of Paramount Global (formerly ViacomCBS). It is the fifth-oldes ...
, the movie was set in the 1930s, and incorporated elements from several of the Phantom's earliest comic-strip adventures. It starred
Billy Zane William George Zane Jr. (born February 24, 1966) is an American actor. His breakthrough role was in the 1989 Australian film ''Dead Calm'', a performance that earned him a nomination for the Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Most Promi ...
in the title role, Kristy Swanson as Diana Palmer, and
Catherine Zeta-Jones Catherine Zeta-Jones (; born 25 September 1969) is a Welsh actress. Known for her versatility, she is the recipient of various accolades, including an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, and a Tony Award. In 2010, she was appointed ...
as Sala, an aviatrix. It was directed by Simon Wincer, after director
Joe Dante Joseph James Dante Jr. (; born November 28, 1946) is an American film director, producer, editor and actor. His films—notably '' Gremlins'' (1984) alongside its sequel, '' Gremlins 2: The New Batch'' (1990)—often mix 1950s-style B movies with ...
and producer
Michael Douglas Michael Kirk Douglas (born September 25, 1944) is an American actor and film producer. He has received numerous accolades, including two Academy Awards, five Golden Globe Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, the Cecil B. DeMille Award, and the AF ...
dropped out of the project, and was written by
Jeffrey Boam Jeffrey David Boam (November 30, 1946 – January 24, 2000) was an American screenwriter and film producer. He is known for writing the screenplays for '' The Dead Zone'', ''Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade'', '' Innerspace'', ''The Lost Boys'', ...
, who also wrote ''
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade ''Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade'' is a 1989 American action- adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg, from a story co-written by executive producer George Lucas. It is the third installment in the ''Indiana Jones'' franchise and a s ...
''. Cult-icon
Bruce Campbell Bruce Lorne Campbell (born June 22, 1958) is an American actor and director. He is known for portraying Ash Williams in Sam Raimi's ''Evil Dead'' franchise, beginning with the 1978 short film ''Within the Woods''. He has starred in many low-b ...
was another choice for the role, but Zane, already a huge fan of the comic strip since being introduced to Australian Frew comics on the set of ''
Dead Calm Death is the irreversible cessation of all biological functions that sustain an organism. For organisms with a brain, death can also be defined as the irreversible cessation of functioning of the whole brain, including brainstem, and brain ...
'', ended up getting the part after actively lobbying for it for years. After his casting, he pumped iron for a year and a half to fill the Phantom's costume, refusing to wear a costume with moulded muscles. He also closely studied panels of the comic to capture the character's body language. Though the film was not a theatrical success, it was the reason why Zane was cast as Caledon Hockley in ''
Titanic RMS ''Titanic'' was a British passenger liner, operated by the White Star Line, which sank in the North Atlantic Ocean on 15 April 1912 after striking an iceberg during her maiden voyage from Southampton, England, to New York City, Unite ...
'', the world's third most commercially successful film, and has sold well on VHS and DVD. The movie was filmed on location in Australia, Thailand, and Los Angeles, and featured the Phantom in his attempt to stop madman Xander Drax (
Treat Williams Richard Treat Williams (born December 1, 1951) is an American actor, writer and aviator who has appeared on film, stage and television in over 120 credits. He first became well known for his starring role in the 1979 musical film '' Hair'', and la ...
) from obtaining a weapon of doom, the legendary "Skulls of Touganda". The story also features the Singh Brotherhood, the all-female clan of air pirates known as the Sky Band, of whom Sala is the leader and a subplot wherein the 21st Phantom recovers his father's gunbelt and avenges his father's murder, inspired by the Lee Falk/Wilson McCoy story "The Belt". The film also has elements taken from the 1936 story "The Singh Brotherhood", the first Phantom story, and its 1937 continuation "The Sky Band". In 2008, syndicated gossip columnist Liz Smith claimed that Paramount was putting a sequel into development, with Zane returning to play the title role, because of the good VHS and DVD sales of the first film. ''The Phantom'' was released on
Blu-ray The Blu-ray Disc (BD), often known simply as Blu-ray, is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 2005 and released on June 20, 2006 worldwide. It is designed to supersede the DVD format, and capable of st ...
February 2010 by
Lionsgate Lions Gate Entertainment Corporation, doing business as Lionsgate, is a Canadian-American entertainment company. It was formed by Frank Giustra on July 10, 1997, domiciled in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada and is currently headquartered ...
.


''The Phantom: Legacy''

Sherlock Symington Productions secured the rights to the Phantom in December 2008, and were set to make a film called ''The Phantom: Legacy'' (unrelated to the Moonstone Books 2006 graphic novel of the same name and any other screen incarnation of the character). The film was set to have a budget of $130 million, and be written by Tim Boyle. Bruce Sherlock, executive producer and head of Sherlock Symington Productions, said that ''The Phantom: Legacy'' would follow the lead of films like ''
The Dark Knight ''The Dark Knight'' is a 2008 superhero film directed by Christopher Nolan from a screenplay he co-wrote with his brother Jonathan Nolan, Jonathan. Based on the DC Comics superhero, Batman, it is the sequel to ''Batman Begins'' (2005) and t ...
'' and ''
Iron Man Iron Man is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was co-created by writer and editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby. The cha ...
'', and present a serious treatment of the character. The film will be set in the present day, and revolve around the relationship between the Phantom and his son, and what it means to be the Phantom. Work on the film was expected to begin in 2009. Filming was scheduled to take place in Australia, and producers were in talks with both Australian and international actors to work on the film. In an interview with Dark Horizons, Boyle said the film would feature two main antagonists, one taken from the comic and one created for the movie. The Phantom's costume was expected to be updated for the screen, with Boyle seeking to make it more reality-based. Characters such as Diana Palmer, Kit, Heloise Walker, Colonel Worubu, President Lamanda Luaga, and Guran would appear. The film was said to be heavily focused on the mythology of the comics, with a lot of screen time expected to be devoted to the origin of the 1st Phantom. The Phantom's eyes behind his mask would be white, unlike in previous film-versions. Actor Sam Worthington was considered to play the Phantom, after having worked with Boyle on the film ''Fink''. Boyle was originally considered to direct the film, but in 2011 confirmed he was only attached as the writer.


2014 announcement

In 2014 Mark Gordon and his production company were developing a new film with Management 360, Drew Simon was executive producing, and they were looking for a new writer on the script.


Cameos

The Phantom made an appearance alongside other
King Features King Features Syndicate, Inc. is a American content distribution and animation studio, consumer product licensing and print syndication company owned by Hearst Communications that distributes about 150 comic strips, newspaper columns, editorial ...
characters in the 1972 animated movie ''
Popeye Meets the Man Who Hated Laughter ''Popeye Meets the Man Who Hated Laughter'', also known as ''The Man Who Hated Laughter'', is a 1972 American animated one-hour television film that was part of ''The ABC Saturday Superstar Movie''. This film united characters from almost every new ...
''. He also appeared in the animated
Beatles The Beatles were an English rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the most influential band of all time and were integral to the developm ...
movie '' Yellow Submarine''.


Unauthorized versions

At least three unauthorized Phantom movies were made in Turkey. Two were made in 1968 and both were titled ''Kızıl Maske'' (the Turkish name for the Phantom, translated as "Red Mask"). The Phantom was played by Ismet Erten and Irfan Atasoy. The costume worn by Irfan Atasoy bears little resemblance to the one seen in the comic strip, but the uniforms worn by Ismet Erten and in ''Kızıl Maske'nin Intikamı'' (Revenge of the Red Mask), released in 1971, stayed close to the original outfit.


Television


1961 pilot

An unaired color Phantom TV-pilot was made in 1961 starring Roger Creed as the Phantom, with Lon Chaney Jr. and
Paulette Goddard Paulette Goddard (born Marion Levy; June 3, 1910 – April 23, 1990) was an American actress notable for her film career in the Golden Age of Hollywood. Born in Manhattan and raised in Kansas City, Missouri, Goddard initially began her career ...
as the antagonists, and
Richard Kiel Richard Dawson Kiel (September 13, 1939 – September 10, 2014) was an American actor. Standing tall, he was known for portraying Jaws in '' The Spy Who Loved Me'' (1977) and '' Moonraker'' (1979). Kiel's next-most-recognized role is the t ...
as the assassin "Big Mike". Called "No Escape", the pilot saw the Phantom breaking up a slave camp in the jungle. Made on a limited budget, the pilot features fight scenes and the Phantom terrorizing villains in the jungle. Writer John Carr originally wrote four episodes, but because the pilot was not picked up by a network, the remaining three were never filmed. Actress Marilyn Manning had originally been cast as Diana Palmer, but never appeared in the pilot. Devil, Hero, and the Jungle Patrol all appear throughout the course of the story. The pilot was shown at the Mid-Atlantic Nostalgia Convention in 2008 and has also been shown at
Comic Con A comic book convention or comic-con is an event with a primary focus on comic books and comic book culture, in which comic book fans gather to meet creators, experts, and each other. Commonly, comic conventions are multi-day events hosted at co ...
in
San Diego San Diego ( , ; ) is a city on the Pacific Ocean coast of Southern California located immediately adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a 2020 population of 1,386,932, it is the eighth most populous city in the United States ...
.


''Defenders of the Earth''

In '' Defenders of the Earth'', which ran from 1986 to 1987, the 27th Phantom, voiced by actor
Peter Mark Richman Peter Mark Richman (born Marvin Jack Richman; April 16, 1927 – January 14, 2021) was an American actor in films and on television, who was for many years credited as Mark Richman. He appeared in about 30 films and 130 television series from th ...
, teams up with fellow
King Features King Features Syndicate, Inc. is a American content distribution and animation studio, consumer product licensing and print syndication company owned by Hearst Communications that distributes about 150 comic strips, newspaper columns, editorial ...
adventurers
Flash Gordon Flash Gordon is the protagonist of a space adventure comic strip created and originally drawn by Alex Raymond. First published January 7, 1934, the strip was inspired by, and created to compete with, the already established '' Buck Rogers'' adv ...
,
Mandrake the Magician ''Mandrake the Magician'' is a syndicated newspaper comic strip, created by Lee Falk before he created '' The Phantom''. Ron Goulart, ''The Encyclopedia of American Comics''. New York: Facts on File, 1990. . pp. 91, 249–250. ''Mandrake'' be ...
, and Mandrake's
bodyguard A bodyguard (or close protection officer/operative) is a type of security guard, government law enforcement officer, or servicemember who protects a person or a group of people — usually witnesses, high-ranking public officials or officers, ...
and assistant Lothar. The cartoon also featured a daughter, Jedda Walker, who briefly took on the Phantom mantle in an episode where she believed her father to have perished. Other episodes of the series featured classic Phantom villains like the Sky Band, the Phantom's evil older brother Kurt Walker (created specifically for the show), and a flashback to the days of the first Phantom. The episode "Return of the Sky Band" also featured lengthy flashbacks to the Phantom of Lee Falk's comic strip, the 21st Phantom, showing him and his wife, Diana Palmer, and their encounter with the original Sky Band. In the original presentation pilot for the series, the Phantom had a son, Kit Walker, and Flash Gordon had a daughter, but this was changed for the final series. In ''Defenders of the Earth'', the Phantom was able to use supernatural means to give himself increased strength and speed, by saying the incantation: ''"By jungle law, the ghost who walks calls forth the power of ten tigers!"'' It is only in this cartoon series that the Phantom has such an ability. In the series, the Phantom also used a special helicopter nicknamed the Skull Copter, and had an updated Skull Ring that would shoot a laser on to the faces of antagonists, marking them for life. The complete series has been released on DVD in several editions, the latest in 2010.


''Phantom 2040''

Premiering in 1994 to widespread critical acclaim, ''
Phantom 2040 ''Phantom 2040'' is an animated series that is loosely based on the comic strip superhero ''The Phantom'', created by Lee Falk. The central character of the series is said to be the 24th Phantom. It was aired from September 18, 1994 to March 3, 1 ...
'' depicts the adventures of the 24th Phantom on a future Earth rife with pollution and heavy industrialization. Young Kit Walker, was living happily with his aunt Heloise (daughter of the 21st Phantom) in the city of Metropia (previously known as New York) in the year 2040, knowing nothing about his family's legacy, when one day, The Phantom's friend Guran turned up to reveal the secret of the Phantom legacy. Kit takes up the mantle of the Phantom, and starts a battle against the evil company Maximum Inc., and their plans for the "Maximum Era" (a horrific plan for world domination through mass extinction by the complete collapse of Earth's ecosystem). He also tries to solve the mystery of the death of his father, the 23rd Phantom. This animated series, created by David J. Corbett and Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens, lasted two seasons (35 episodes) and spawned a number of merchandise tie-ins, a comic book series, and a video game. The show's ahead-of-its time voice casting and vocal direction by Stuart M. Rosen had a lasting impact on animated adventure television, introducing (alongside Andrea Romano's acclaimed work on '' Batman: The Animated Series'') a new level of maturity and complexity to animated vocal performance that set the standard for all TV animation that followed. The Phantom was voiced by actor Scott Valentine and J.D.Hall played The Phantom's mentor ''Guran''.
Margot Kidder Margaret Ruth Kidder (October 17, 1948 – May 13, 2018), known professionally as Margot Kidder, was a Canadian-American actress whose career spanned five decades. Her accolades include three Canadian Screen Awards and one Daytime Emmy A ...
voiced main antagonist ''Rebecca Madison'' while
Jeff Bennett Jeffrey Glenn Bennett (born October 2, 1962) is an American voice actor who voiced Johnny Bravo in the eponymous television series, Dexter's Dad in ''Dexter's Laboratory'', Brooklyn in '' Gargoyles'' and Kowalski in the '' Penguins of Madagasca ...
played her sociopathic son ''Max Madison Jr''.
Ron Perlman Ronald Perlman (born April 13, 1950) is an American actor. His credits include the roles of Amoukar in '' Quest for Fire'' (1981), Salvatore in ''The Name of the Rose'' (1986), Vincent in the television series '' Beauty and the Beast'' (1987–1 ...
(and, later,
Richard Lynch Richard Lynch (February 12, 1940 – June 19, 2012) was an American actor best known for portraying villains in films and television. His film credits included ''The Sword and the Sorcerer'', '' Invasion USA'', ''The Seven-Ups'', ''Scarecr ...
) played tortured cyborg ''Graft'',
Debbie Harry Deborah Ann Harry (born Angela Trimble; July 1, 1945) is an American singer, songwriter and actress, best known as the lead vocalist of the band Blondie. Four of her songs with the band reached on the US charts between 1979 and 1981. Born in ...
played ''Vaingloria'', and
Mark Hamill Mark Richard Hamill (; born September 25, 1951) is an American actor and writer. He is known for his role as Luke Skywalker in the '' Star Wars'' film series, beginning with the original 1977 film and subsequently winning three Saturn Awards ...
lent his voice to the character of ''Dr. Jak''. The first four episodes of the series were edited into a feature-length film and released on VHS in 1994 and 1996 (and later on DVD in 2004), called ''Phantom 2040: The Ghost Who Walks''. Other episodes of the series were released on VHS in 1995. Season One (containing the first 20 episodes of the show) was released on DVD in Australia in 2013.


''Betaal Pachisi''

A series aired on
Doordarshan Doordarshan (abbreviated as DD; Hindi: , ) is an Indian public service broadcaster founded by the Government of India, owned by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and one of Prasar Bharati's two divisions. One of India's largest b ...
in 1997 named '' Betaal Pachisi'' depicting the 25th Phantom played by Shahbaz Khan. He is shown fighting poachers and supernatural entities.
Krutika Desai Khan Kruttika Desai is an Indian film, theatre and television actress. In the 90s, she gained initial fame in the serial BUNIYAD and later for her role of Vishkanya in popular fantasy series '' Chandrakanta'', and later in the next 2 decades, she w ...
plays Naina Jogan, the jungle spirit in love with Betaal (the Phantom). Sonu Walia plays a TV reporter who becomes his love interest.


''The Phantom'' (Syfy)

Screenwriter Daniel Knauf and his son and collaborator Charles Knauf completed a four-hour TV-movie script for Sci Fi Channel, later renamed
Syfy Syfy (formerly Sci-Fi Channel, later shortened to Sci Fi; stylized as SYFY) is an American basic cable channel owned by the NBCUniversal Television and Streaming division of Comcast's NBCUniversal through NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment. La ...
, starring the 22nd Phantom. Sci Fi Channel made mini-series, simply called ''
The Phantom ''The Phantom'' is an American adventure comic strip, first published by Lee Falk in February 1936. The main character, the Phantom, is a fictional costumed crime-fighter who operates from the fictional African country of Bangalla. The char ...
'', and was produced by
Muse Entertainment Muse Entertainment is a Canadian producer of films and television programs founded by Michael Prupas in 1998. The company gained press attention in 2011 for their production of the multi-Emmy winning and nominated miniseries '' The Kennedys'' in as ...
and RHI Entertainment. It premiered in Canada on
The Movie Network Crave (formerly The Movie Network or TMN) is a Canadian premium television network and streaming service owned by the Bell Media subsidiary of BCE Inc. Launched in 1983 as the national service First Choice, early difficulties and a subsequent ...
in December 2009, as a two-part mini-series, a total of three hours.
Ryan Carnes Ryan Gregg Carnes
at TV.com
(born November 21, 1982) is an American actor. He is most known for playing the ...
stars as the Phantom, with
Paolo Barzman Paolo Barzman (born April 9, 1957) is a Canadian film, television director, and television writer. Career Directing His television directing credits include ''The Adventures of the Black Stallion'', '' Highlander: The Series'', '' Counterstrike' ...
directing. The series was shot in New York City,
Costa Rica Costa Rica (, ; ; literally "Rich Coast"), officially the Republic of Costa Rica ( es, República de Costa Rica), is a country in the Central American region of North America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the no ...
and
Montreal Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the second-most populous city in Canada and most populous city in the Canadian province of Quebec. Founded in 1642 as '' Ville-Marie'', or "City of Mary", it is named after Mount Royal, the triple- ...
. The story sees law student Kit learning that he was adopted, and that he is actually the son of the 21st Phantom and Diana Palmer Walker. He joins the Phantom team in the jungles of Bengalla (in this version, Bengalla is a small island in
Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Gui ...
), and is trained in martial arts and combat, emerging as the next Phantom to battle the Singh Brotherhood and save the only man who can bring peace to the Middle East. The 22nd Phantom wears a modified costume that is highly resistant to bullets, blades and falls, doubles his strength and can make him move faster. The mini-series aired on
Syfy Syfy (formerly Sci-Fi Channel, later shortened to Sci Fi; stylized as SYFY) is an American basic cable channel owned by the NBCUniversal Television and Streaming division of Comcast's NBCUniversal through NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment. La ...
in June 2010, and was released on Blu-ray and DVD by Vivendi Entertainment.


Parodies

Paul Hogan, of ''
Crocodile Dundee ''Crocodile Dundee'' (stylized as ''"Crocodile" Dundee'' in the U.S.) is a 1986 action comedy film set in the Australian Outback and in New York City. It stars Paul Hogan as the weathered Mick Dundee, and American actress Linda Kozlowski as ...
'' fame, continually parodied the Phantom on his Australian TV-show, ''
The Paul Hogan Show ''The Paul Hogan Show'' was a popular Australian comedy show which aired on Australian television from 1973 until 1984 for a total of 12 seasons and 60 episodes. It made a star of Paul Hogan, who later appeared in ''Crocodile Dundee.'' Hogan' ...
''. He would dress up in the purple Phantom costume, and act out different humorous situations. The Phantom had also been frequently parodied on Scandinavian television, in different humor programs. In 1984, Australian stand-up comedian
Austen Tayshus Austen Tayshus (born 17 March 1954) is the stage name of American-born Jewish Australian comedian Alexander Jacob Gutman (commonly called Sandy Gutman). He is best known for the 1983 comedy single "Australiana", a spoken word piece which is fi ...
released a single ''Phantom Shuffle'' in the video of which he appeared in Phantom costume, wearing sunglasses instead of a mask. Many elements of the Phantom myth were parodied, such as him being "Mr Walker, the man who cannot drive". In 2017, Australian comedian
Sammy J Samuel Jonathan McMillan (born 2 July 1983) is an Australian musical comedian, satirist, writer and radio presenter who performs under the stage name Sammy J. He embraces a variety of media in his comedy, including the use of video and self-co ...
began touring with a new show, ''Hero Complex'', in which he pays tribute to what he says is the role the Phantom has played in his life: "a chance encounter set off a chain of events that led to me meeting my wife and ended with police searching my attic". ''Hero Complex'' has won a "Best Comedy" award or nomination in every festival in which it has featured. In the
Adult Swim Adult Swim (AS; stylized as dult swim'' and often abbreviated as s'') is an American adult-oriented night-time cable television channel that shares channel space with the basic cable network Cartoon Network and is programmed by its in-house ...
show ''
The Venture Bros. ''The Venture Bros.'' is an American adult animated action comedy TV series created by Chris McCulloch (also known as "Jackson Publick") for Cartoon Network's late night programming block Adult Swim. Following a pilot episode on February 16, 20 ...
'', the character The Phantom Limb bears a strong visual resemblance to the Phantom, right down to the same purple suit and mask, except that the Phantom Limb's limbs are invisible, making him look like a floating torso. However, The Phantom Limb is a villainous character. The myth surrounding the Phantom also provided Turkish humorists with a lot of material. The humor magazine '' Leman'' has published many comic strips some of which were inspired by the (imaginary) saying "in the jungle, it is rumored that the Phantom has the strength of ten tigers" where Phantom runs into trouble with 11 or more tigers. The Phantom was parodied in a 2007 episode of ''
Robot Chicken ''Robot Chicken'' is an American adult animated stop motion sketch comedy television series, created and executive produced for Adult Swim by Seth Green and Matthew Senreich along with co-head writers Douglas Goldstein and Tom Root. The write ...
'' titled " Werewolf vs. Unicorn", where he appeared alongside Flash Gordon and Mandrake the Magician. He was voiced by
Frank Welker Franklin Wendell Welker (born March 12, 1946) is an American voice actor. He began his career in the 1960s, and holds over 860 film, television, and video game credits as of 2022, making him one of the most prolific voice actors of all time. With ...
. The Phantom was a frequently appearing character in the Finnish
comic strip A comic strip is a Comics, sequence of drawings, often cartoons, arranged in interrelated panels to display brief humor or form a narrative, often Serial (literature), serialized, with text in Speech balloon, balloons and Glossary of comics ter ...
''
Fingerpori ''Fingerpori'' is a Finnish comic strip written and drawn by Pertti Jarla. It started in ''Helsingin Sanomat'' in February 2007, and is comprehensively distributed in major provincial newspapers. Literally, ''fingerpori'' is a thimble, but ''fi ...
'' by
Pertti Jarla Pertti Jarla (born 25 August 1971 in Nastola, Finland) is a Finnish comics artist most famous for his humorous Fingerpori comic strip. Jarla's humor is strongly based on wordplay and he also deals with subjects which are testing the boundaries ...
. He was often involved in humorous situations such as using his throne as a toilet seat.


Documentaries

In 1996, the
A&E Network A&E is an American basic cable network, the flagship television property of A&E Networks. The network was originally founded in 1984 as the Arts & Entertainment Network, initially focusing on fine arts, documentaries, dramas, and educational ent ...
created a documentary about the history of the Phantom for television, called ''The Phantom: Comic Strip Crusader''. Narrated by
Peter Graves Peter Graves (born Peter Duesler Aurness; March 18, 1926 – March 14, 2010) was an American actor. He was best known for his role as Jim Phelps in the CBS television series ''Mission: Impossible (1966 TV series), Mission: Impossible'' from 1967 ...
, it featured interviews with creator Lee Falk, actors
Billy Zane William George Zane Jr. (born February 24, 1966) is an American actor. His breakthrough role was in the 1989 Australian film ''Dead Calm'', a performance that earned him a nomination for the Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Most Promi ...
and Kristy Swanson, director Simon Wincer, Frew-editor Jim Shepherd, George Olesen, Keith Williams, and president of the US Phantom fan club ''Friends of the Phantom'', Ed Rhoades. The documentary was released on DVD in 2006. To promote the 1996 Paramount Phantom movie, an HBO special called "Making of The Phantom" was made. It featured behind-the-scenes information on the movie and the comic. An original documentary presentation called ''History of the Phantom'' was shown at the Mid-Atlantic Nostalgia Convention in September 2008.


''MythBusters'' "Superhero Hour"

On ''
MythBusters ''MythBusters'' is a science entertainment television program, developed by Peter Rees and produced by Australia's Beyond Television Productions. The series premiered on the Discovery Channel on January 23, 2003. It was broadcast internation ...
'' season 5, episode 17 "Superhero Hour", it was tested whether the Phantom's skull ring would make an imprint on someone when you punch them while wearing it, as it did in the comic. The result was that the myth was "busted", in that hitting a person in the face hard enough to leave a ring imprint on the skin required more than enough force to crush a human skull. In the comic, it had been revealed that the Phantom's ring actually had sharp edges and was covered with a permanent ink synthesized from plants found in the depths of the Bengallan jungle, leaving a permanent scar-like mark. It was, in effect, an instant tattoo.


Video games

The Phantom has appeared as a playable character in two video games, ''
Phantom 2040 ''Phantom 2040'' is an animated series that is loosely based on the comic strip superhero ''The Phantom'', created by Lee Falk. The central character of the series is said to be the 24th Phantom. It was aired from September 18, 1994 to March 3, 1 ...
'' and '' Defenders of the Earth''. Both were based on the animated series with the same titles. However, in ''Defenders of the Earth'', the Phantom was not the only
playable character A player character (also known as a playable character or PC) is a fictional character in a video game or tabletop role-playing game whose actions are controlled by a player rather than the rules of the game. The characters that are not cont ...
, as players were given the choice to control Mandrake the Magician and Flash Gordon as well. In ''Phantom 2040'', released on
Sega Genesis The Sega Genesis, known as the outside North America, is a 16-bit Fourth generation of video game consoles, fourth generation home video game console developed and sold by Sega. It was Sega's third console and the successor to the Master Syst ...
,
Game Gear The is an 8-bit Fourth generation of video game consoles, fourth generation handheld game console released by Sega on October 6, 1990, in Japan, in April 1991 throughout North America and Europe, and during 1992 in Australia. The Game Gear pri ...
, and
Super NES The Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES), commonly shortened to Super NES or Super Nintendo, is a 16-bit home video game console developed by Nintendo that was released in 1990 in Japan and South Korea, 1991 in North America, 1992 in ...
, the Phantom was the only playable character. He had use of a number of his special skills and high-tech gadgets from the Phantom 2040 TV-series. The game had a complex storyline and featured several different endings, which were dependent on the choices the player made during the game. In 2003, a video game made for
Game Boy Advance The (GBA) is a 32-bit handheld game console developed, manufactured and marketed by Nintendo as the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001, in North America on June 11, 2001, in the PAL region on June 22, ...
was announced, called "The Phantom: The Ghost Who Walks". It was developed by 7th Sense and produced by Microids, and it was described as a free-roaming jungle adventure. During the development process, Microids went bankrupt, and the game was never released. In 2006, ''The Phantom Mobile Game'' became available for cellphones, where the Phantom fought zombies, floating skulls, and other magical creatures to find his kidnapped wife, Diana Palmer. It was described as a free-roaming jungle adventure, with a film-like plot.


Theme park

"Fantomenland" ("Phantom Land") was a part of the Swedish zoo Parken Zoo,
Eskilstuna Eskilstuna () is a city and the seat of Eskilstuna Municipality, Södermanland County, Sweden. The city of Eskilstuna had 67,359 inhabitants in 2015, with a total population of 100,092 inhabitants in Eskilstuna municipality (2014). Eskilstuna h ...
, where audiences could visit the Skull Cave, and several other places from the comic, like the Whispering Grove and the headquarters of the Jungle Patrol. Visitors could also meet actors dressed up as the Phantom and witness short plays featuring the characters of the comic. Fantomenland was inaugurated by Lee Falk in 1986. Fantomenland closed in April 2010.


Fine art

A gallery in
Brisbane Brisbane ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Queensland, and the third-most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of approximately 2.6 million. Brisbane lies at the centre of the South ...
, Australia, ran an exhibit of Phantom-inspired artwork in 1973. Australian Galleries ran an exhibit, "The Phantom Show", consisting of traditional art inspired by the Phantom, from December 9–21, 2014. Curated by Peter Kingston, "The Phantom Show" opened in Sydney in 2014 and travelled across Australia, stopping in Wollongong, Mackay, Toowoomba and Broken Hill. Contributing artists, all fans of The Phantom, sought to revive the spirit of Ray Moore and Wilsom McCoy's work on the original comic strip before, as Kingston put it, "The Phantom became a slick, purple superhero".


References


External links

*
Phantom
on
IMDb IMDb (an abbreviation of Internet Movie Database) is an online database of information related to films, television series, home videos, video games, and streaming content online – including cast, production crew and personal biographies, ...
{{Authority control Comics characters introduced in 1936 Comic strip superheroes 1936 comics debuts Film serial characters Golden Age superheroes The Phantom characters Jungle superheroes Male characters in comics Male superheroes Vigilante characters in comics