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The Complete DC Comic’s The Phantom, Volume 1
The Complete DC Comic’s Phantom Volume 1: full color; printed laminated cover; special endpapers; action packed with the first six stories of the DC Comic The Phantom, with the first mini-series by Peter David with art by Joe Orlando.
Also included: two stories from the next series with script by Mark Verheiden and pencils and inks by Luke McDonnell; colors by Anthony Tollin; first of three volumes; includes introductory essay & extra art.
Also included: two stories from the next series with script by Mark Verheiden and pencils and inks by Luke McDonnell; colors by Anthony Tollin; first of three volumes; includes introductory essay & extra art.
- GenresComics
224 pages, Hardcover
Published November 16, 2021
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11 people want to read
About the author
Lee Falk
1,671 books68 followersLee Falk, born Leon Harrison Gross (April 28, 1911 - March 13, 1999), was an American writer, theater director and producer, best known as the creator of the popular comic strips The Phantom and Mandrake the Magician. At the height of their popularity, these strips attracted over 100 million readers every day. Falk also wrote short stories, and he contributed to a series of pulp novels about The Phantom
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
December 24, 2021
Through the first decade of my life, The Phantom dominated my imagination. Served up via syndicated strips - if my memory serves me right, we actually changed papers when it shifted publications - and comics courtesy the Indian imprint Indrajal, the Phantom evoked a great sense of action and adventure.
A world far richer, more mysterious and exotic than the one that I inhabited - where the Phantom hung out with a Stegosaurus, a couple of Neanderthals, and a vast adoring tribe of pygmies.
A world that I happily tapped into to spin some spectacular yarns - a particularly memorable one was when I met the Phantom in person at a (then posh) department store that had begun in my suburb in Bombay; and personally receiving a skull ring from him, for having won some sort of a car race. (The skull ring was the only part of the story that was true - it was given to me by my dad, who was also a huge fan of the series - and really helped sell the story to my more gullible second standard friends. )
For all that, most of the stories were rather basic: the Phantom stumbles on poachers, smugglers, pirates or thieves and deals them a thorough beating.
But some of them had a scope that was magnificent: I remember a particularly terrifying narrative in which The Phantom squares off against the vulture cult; an almost Sherlock Homess-esque narrative where the Phantom helps uncover fake jewels at an exhibit; the one where Phantom takes on drug peddlers in NYC; and of course the one where he first encounters his Stegosaurus pet.
Of course, much later in life I'd learn the Phantom was deeply 'problematic' - a literal 'white saviour', with a patronising simplistic and reductionist view of Africa and its tribes. Does this get in the way of my enjoying Phantom?
Not really, because Phantom never made any claims to realism - it was an obviously fantastic setup, and luckily for me, I was getting an education on the world at large from sources other than a comic book.
Which brings me to DC's shortlived attempt at reviving Phantom. The series launched with Lee Falk's blessings and the first two story arcs here - while sticking with the usual Phantom hands a beatdown to X or Y narrative - are among the best possible examples of that sort of story.
In the first, the 13th Phantom and his more contemporary descendant the 21st Phantom square off against a clan with a long storied history of villainy. In the second, Phantom is up against an illegal arms dealer stoking the flames of civil war in a fictional African country.
The book also has a great interview with Peter Davis, the writer of the series which soon turns into a sad reflection on why it had such a brief lifespan and also why the film bombed -
"The problem with the Phantom is that he knows who he is. He knows what his name is. He doesn't have angst. He has a purpose. And he doesn't sit around, you know, being depressed all the time. And the problem is that's not something that American audiences can really warm up to any more."
A world far richer, more mysterious and exotic than the one that I inhabited - where the Phantom hung out with a Stegosaurus, a couple of Neanderthals, and a vast adoring tribe of pygmies.
A world that I happily tapped into to spin some spectacular yarns - a particularly memorable one was when I met the Phantom in person at a (then posh) department store that had begun in my suburb in Bombay; and personally receiving a skull ring from him, for having won some sort of a car race. (The skull ring was the only part of the story that was true - it was given to me by my dad, who was also a huge fan of the series - and really helped sell the story to my more gullible second standard friends. )
For all that, most of the stories were rather basic: the Phantom stumbles on poachers, smugglers, pirates or thieves and deals them a thorough beating.
But some of them had a scope that was magnificent: I remember a particularly terrifying narrative in which The Phantom squares off against the vulture cult; an almost Sherlock Homess-esque narrative where the Phantom helps uncover fake jewels at an exhibit; the one where Phantom takes on drug peddlers in NYC; and of course the one where he first encounters his Stegosaurus pet.
Of course, much later in life I'd learn the Phantom was deeply 'problematic' - a literal 'white saviour', with a patronising simplistic and reductionist view of Africa and its tribes. Does this get in the way of my enjoying Phantom?
Not really, because Phantom never made any claims to realism - it was an obviously fantastic setup, and luckily for me, I was getting an education on the world at large from sources other than a comic book.
Which brings me to DC's shortlived attempt at reviving Phantom. The series launched with Lee Falk's blessings and the first two story arcs here - while sticking with the usual Phantom hands a beatdown to X or Y narrative - are among the best possible examples of that sort of story.
In the first, the 13th Phantom and his more contemporary descendant the 21st Phantom square off against a clan with a long storied history of villainy. In the second, Phantom is up against an illegal arms dealer stoking the flames of civil war in a fictional African country.
The book also has a great interview with Peter Davis, the writer of the series which soon turns into a sad reflection on why it had such a brief lifespan and also why the film bombed -
"The problem with the Phantom is that he knows who he is. He knows what his name is. He doesn't have angst. He has a purpose. And he doesn't sit around, you know, being depressed all the time. And the problem is that's not something that American audiences can really warm up to any more."
December 30, 2021
Reprints of six issues from the 1980s. The first four issues are a mini-series written by Peter David and with excellent art by Joe Orlando, with a story that effectively interweaves the adventure of the modern Phantom (the 21st Phantom) with that of an ancestor (the 13th Phantom) from the early 1800s.
June 3, 2022
As a fan of classic pulp characters such as The Shadow, I also grew up watching The Phantom movie of 1996. I was curious to learn more about him. This collection of stories from the 80s DC run is very good and action-packed. Plus, I didn’t know Robert Greenberger was the editor on this. The artwork and writing is captivating from start to finish. My only problem is the font on the ancient scrolls is very small and difficult to read at times. Otherwise, I recommend you give this a read if you’re in the mood for an adventure.
April 18, 2023
Peter David’s 4 issue miniseries is quite good, David knows how to tell a good yarn when he wants to, here a shifting story between the 13th and 21st Phantom that is well tied together, decent 80s style art.
However the 2 issues by Mark Verheiden are entirely forgettable.
However the 2 issues by Mark Verheiden are entirely forgettable.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews