89 years ago tomorrow, The Phantom dropped as a daily newspaper comic for the very first time. It would later have a color strip on Sunday years later. But 89 years ago, makes The Phantom the very first comic hero.
Don’t believe me?
Think it’s Superman or Batman?
You’d be wrong.
Superman debuted in 1938. Batman debuted in 1939.
The Phantom is the original comic hero.
Sure, there were others, but The Phantom marked a turn for comic strip characters. For one thing, he wore a skintight suit, and his eyes famously are the first to appear completely whited out.
Features that still hold true for a lot of superheroes today.
Before him, we had Mandrake the Magician and Tarzan. Which don’t technically fit into the superhero category.
The Phantom was the first, 89 years ago.
He started the white out eye trend. Skintight suit. And would you believe that he was almost a billionaire by day and a superhero by night in a large city like New York?
Lee Falk did away with it though. Guess Batman could have that schtick.
The Phantom was introduced as a hero who opposes cruelty, greed, and piracy in all its forms. 400 years before his current story started, an ancestor of his swore an oath on the skull of his father that he would fight those very things and all his sons, and their sons shall follow in his footsteps.
And they have.
There’s even been some brief stints where a daughter has taken over for a time.
The current Phantom is 21st. But the truth is, only a select few know the truth. Most people believe that he’s a supernatural person, living on for 400 years.
For this, he’s coined, ‘The Ghost who Walks’ or ‘The man who cannot die.’
His legendary status as this all-powerful man who cannot be killed, helps him in his endeavor to bring justice into the world.
He lives in the Bengalla Jungle in the skull cave where all the Phantoms have been born and ultimately buried.
His story continues to fascinate millions of people are the world as they are still an ongoing series. He doesn’t belong to DC or Marvel but has had stories published in both at different times.
Despite being an American created hero, he’s actually more popular outside of the USA. Go figure.
His history is rich with stories, tall tales, and crazy endeavors as he comes across people who have met a previous Phantom but don’t know this. Alas, meaning the current one must figure things out as he goes.
Not to mention, trying to have a love life gets complicated.
Honestly, this hero needs more credit than he’s given. The Phantom uses his scary reputation, wits, two handguns, and animal companions to try to make things right in the world. No easy feat.
And he doesn’t confine himself to just the Bengalla Jungle. Often, his adventures take him to far flung places to help those in trouble.
Also, one of my favorite things about this hero, is he’s allowed to grow.
The writers here let him progress with his life, albeit much slower than any normal person considering how long he’s been around. But he grew up in America, getting an education before his father passed sending him home to take over the mantle.
During that time he met the love of his life.
Eventually, they get married.
They have two kids.
We get to see them grow up.
And honestly, the comic could always move over to his son one day. We have a cartoon series that features the 22nd Phantom called The Phantom 2040 set in the future.
This comic holds infinite potential.
I love it. If you’ve never seen the movie either starring Billy Zane, you need to. You’ll get a crash course in the character, as we said, ‘For those who came in late.’
A timeless comic, for a timeless hero, fighting all the injustices in the world.
I love it.
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