The Phantom: The Complete Newspaper Dailies, Vol. 3 - 1939-1940

The Phantom: The Complete Newspaper Dailies #3

by Lee Falk, Ray Moore (Cover Art), Wilson McCoy (Artist)

The first, original, and best masked hero to ever grace the pages of comic strips and comic books returns in the third volume of Hermes Press' new, complete, critically acclaimed reprint of The Phantom! Referred to by comic strip historian Maurice Horn as the "granddaddy of all costumed superheroes," The Phantom was created in 1936 by Lee Falk with artwork by Ray Moore. The Phantom set the standard for action, adventure, intrigue, and romance in adventure comic strips and comic books - it has frequently been copied but never equaled. Included in this volume are four complete Phantom adventures utilizing original King Features syndicate press proofs.

Genres: Superheroes, Comics

273 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 12, 2011

About the author

Lee 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

Reviews

[ISMOTU · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this volume: "The Mysterious Girl" - the Phantom helps an amnesiac woman and her fiancé escape a crooked guardian; "The Golden Circle" - a gang of female thieves make trouble for the Phantom in Europe but naturally a couple of them fall for him; "The Seahorse" - Diana's mother's matchmaking schemes lead to Diana being caught up in a spy ring; "The Game of Alvar" - a pleasure cruise with Diana and her mother is interrupted by the Phantom busting a munitions smuggling operation.

Fun stories of rollicking adventure. At this point Lee Falk still considers the Phantom's costume to be grey. I enjoyed the Phantom going out of his way to get his enemies to think we was an actual "Ghost Who Walks."

[Robert Greenberger · Rating 3 out of 5]

We're now several years into the series and clearly Lee Falk is getting more comfortable with his creation. There are three adventures, none on Africa, and little is added to his legend. His prodigious strength and durability is emphasized as is his sense of humor. Unlike volume two, there's plenty of Diana Palmer here as their romance perks along. Her disapproving mother is slowly thawing to his charms and heroic nature, which helps. Unfortunately, the strong boxer we saw in day one is now the damsel in distress, too often worrying and not taking a larger role in the action -- all too typical of the era.