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The Story of the Phantom #8
The Hydra Monster
What is the meaning of HYDRA-a mysterious evil that spans oceans and continents? Who are the black-clad men -- with Vs tattooed on shaven skulls -- who appear in the wake of wars, earthquakes, fires and other catastrophes?
The final mumbled words of a dying man draw the Phantom into an amazing web of violence, crime, and murder -- the web of the Hydra monster.
💀 The Phantom, nemesis of evil doers everywhere, faces overwhelming odds in this fast moving tale of evil and corruption, based on the world famous adventure strip, created by Lee Falk, read in forty languages by one-hundred million people every day all over the world.
The final mumbled words of a dying man draw the Phantom into an amazing web of violence, crime, and murder -- the web of the Hydra monster.
💀 The Phantom, nemesis of evil doers everywhere, faces overwhelming odds in this fast moving tale of evil and corruption, based on the world famous adventure strip, created by Lee Falk, read in forty languages by one-hundred million people every day all over the world.
158 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published May 1, 1971
92 people want to read
About the author
Lee Falk
1,667 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 - 7 of 7 reviews
June 3, 2021
The Hydra Monster is the eighth book in Avon's series of prose novels that featured Lee Falk's iconic comic strip hero. This adventure was written by Ron Goulart under his Frank S. Shawn pseudonym and was based on a comic strip story line by Falk. Goulart adds a depth of humor to the story, and shows Kit as a somewhat laconic figure. Marvel wasn't the only publisher to have a Hydra in their world... hail to this one, too!
September 1, 2023
In this volume we have the Phantom battling the criminal organization known as Hydra. No, not THAT Hydra, although they are similar.
I've noticed these novels are quick reads. If you have a couple hours of uninterrupted reading time, one of these can be read fairly easily.
The novels seem a little formulaic, but most of these types of series are. Still an enjoyable read. None of them have been stellar, but none have been bad either.
I've noticed these novels are quick reads. If you have a couple hours of uninterrupted reading time, one of these can be read fairly easily.
The novels seem a little formulaic, but most of these types of series are. Still an enjoyable read. None of them have been stellar, but none have been bad either.
August 6, 2019
With his twin .45 automatics and his wolf named Devil, the Phantom takes down the crime organization called Hydra in this dime store favorite.
July 11, 2025
My tastes of late have leaned toward serial inspired adventure films and pulp adventure novels. Simple. Straightforward. Good guys and bad guys that are easy to distinguish between. Having rediscovered and fallen in love with 1996's The Phantom, based on the Lee Falk comic strip character, I wanted to search out the character in other formats and media. That's when I found out that there were a series of pulp novels written in the 70's. That sounded perfect.
Looking on eBay I quickly learned that they weren't cheap. No surprise really. They're fifty years old, and the great cover art makes them attractive to pulp collectors and Phantom fans alike. But I was able to win a four book lot for a great price, so here I am. I really wish I'd liked my first go-round more.
Despite the title and the artwork on the cover, the Phantom doesn't take on a mythical monster. His foe here is a crime organization. No, not the one from the Marvel universe. These guys are more like the Mob on steroids. But even that could be a serious threat and a daunting challenge for our intrepid hero, but sadly this "action/adventure" lacks both.
Things begin well enough. There's a real dime store novel feel to it all. Not so much the Phantom as I expected it to be, but more like Dick Tracy. But it doesn't take long for things to grind to an absolute halt as the Phantom lumbers his way through the "plot". Very little here makes much sense, but it doesn't have to. It just needs to be fun, but this book just is not.
I have three other books from the twelve(!?) book series; including book one, which seems to be more of a history lesson than an actual self-contained story. I'm sure I'll give one of them a go at some point, but right now my initial enthusiasm has fizzled out.
Looking on eBay I quickly learned that they weren't cheap. No surprise really. They're fifty years old, and the great cover art makes them attractive to pulp collectors and Phantom fans alike. But I was able to win a four book lot for a great price, so here I am. I really wish I'd liked my first go-round more.
Despite the title and the artwork on the cover, the Phantom doesn't take on a mythical monster. His foe here is a crime organization. No, not the one from the Marvel universe. These guys are more like the Mob on steroids. But even that could be a serious threat and a daunting challenge for our intrepid hero, but sadly this "action/adventure" lacks both.
Things begin well enough. There's a real dime store novel feel to it all. Not so much the Phantom as I expected it to be, but more like Dick Tracy. But it doesn't take long for things to grind to an absolute halt as the Phantom lumbers his way through the "plot". Very little here makes much sense, but it doesn't have to. It just needs to be fun, but this book just is not.
I have three other books from the twelve(!?) book series; including book one, which seems to be more of a history lesson than an actual self-contained story. I'm sure I'll give one of them a go at some point, but right now my initial enthusiasm has fizzled out.
September 9, 2020
Bästa jag har läst!
November 9, 2024
An interesting story. I wasn't as impressed as I was with the others in this series. The first thing that was different was that this is a new printing, 2018. It claims to be one of the Avon novels. Actually, it is a reprint of one of those. I've read many of the original Avon printings. This one is by Hermes Press Publishing. The book is larger in two-dimensional size (9 in x 6 in). I don't know the word count, but it appears shorter than the others I've read. There is a lot of blank white space between 30 very short chapters. It sells for $15 new.
Anyway, it is a Phantom story, with all of the usual plot elements. Diana Palmer gets kidnapped again, throwing a kink into the Phantom's efforts to uncover the identities of the worldwide Hydra gang and shut the organization down. Falk added a spy to the mix, someone to keep an eye on the Phantom and his investigation. And, of course, you know Diana is rescued and Hydra defeated, a bit too easily. Conveniently, a list of the membership of the entire organization appears in an open safe, when the Phantom follows a lead and somehow surprises the leader of the entire organization even though he has been warned that there is an intruder on the grounds of his secluded mansion.
Anyway, it is a Phantom story, with all of the usual plot elements. Diana Palmer gets kidnapped again, throwing a kink into the Phantom's efforts to uncover the identities of the worldwide Hydra gang and shut the organization down. Falk added a spy to the mix, someone to keep an eye on the Phantom and his investigation. And, of course, you know Diana is rescued and Hydra defeated, a bit too easily. Conveniently, a list of the membership of the entire organization appears in an open safe, when the Phantom follows a lead and somehow surprises the leader of the entire organization even though he has been warned that there is an intruder on the grounds of his secluded mansion.
October 25, 2012
The first novel I read all the way through as a kid. To keep my attention, it had to be good.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews