The Phantom: Volume Nine 1949-1950

The Phantom: Volume Nine 1949-1950
Author: Lee Falk and artist: Wilson McCoy
The complete newspaper dailies and Sundays
First printing of reprint book: 2015
223 pages
Publisher: Hermes Press
ISBN: 978-1-61345-096-3
Cost $50.00
Reviewed by: Allen Klingelhoets
Jazma Online


The graphic novel reprints The Phantom newspaper strips from 1949-1950. The book starts out with Introduction text by Daniel Herman. He is Publisher for Hermes Press. Daniel helped tell by February 20, 1949, the date for the first strip in this volume, “Father and Sons,” artist Wilson McCoy had settled into his role as illustrator of The Ghost who Walks or The Phantom. McCoy found his own voice telling The Phantom stories which was different than former artist Ray Moore. The stories in this volume contained all Sunday strips of The Phantom. This was not done in the other The Phantom volumes. The earlier volumes had Sunday strips that did not match with daily Monday through Saturday stories. The ones in this volume did match daily continuities. I also liked seeing the Sunday formats were in color. Hermes Press is also publishing series of books called The Phantom called The Phantom the Complete Sundays.

The stories in this volume are: “Fathers and Sons” (February 20- April 24, 1949); “The Flirtatious Princess” (April 25 – August 21, 1949); “The Thuggees” (August 22 – February 26, 1950); the last story to include Sundays would appear in volume 10 is called “The Ape of Durugu” (February 27- May 6, 1950). Daniel Herman talked about difficult task to find way that three The Phantom stories were to find to put into volume 9 as originally presented in the newspapers. I noticed in volume 10 the Sundays were not printed after Drugu story line. They would again be published in separate Hermes Press Sundays volumes.

I enjoyed reading stories with The Phantom. I liked seeing his wolf named Devil. I also liked seeing his horse named “Hero”. I liked that The Phantom was not constricted to jungle setting. I also liked that he was still in love with Diana Palmer. I liked the adventures in volume 9. It was difficult to keep couple together.

The Phantoms tribe tried to find him wife. There was a story “The Flirtatious Princess" where a woman even set her mind on marring The Phantom. I liked how The Phantom still does not have any super powers. He does punch people in jaw when in hand to hand combat. His ring leaves mark of skull as permanent reminder that fought The Phantom. There was constant adventure in The Phantom strips. He continued to let others think he was person that could not die. There was intrigue as almost drowned. There were many other ways that myth that was immortal.

I got volume 9 of The Phantom from inter library loan service. It was also interesting to see Sunday strips showing The Phantom in purple costume. I did not find in The Phantom book are there mentions of super heroes. I am curious if The Phantom will ever marry Diana Palmer. I am going to keep my librarian busy so I can read more The Phantom volumes. The stories of The Phantom are fictional adventure related. I think teen to adult rating.



Allen Klingelhoets