Vultures Over Vacul

Vultures Over Vacul

Produced for:	Fantomen 18/1976
# of pgs:	32
Writer:	John Bull
Artist:	Jaime Vallvé
Original colorist:	N/A
Producer:	Semic Press

"Vultures Over Vacul" is a 1976 Team Fantomen story, written by John Bull, with art by Jaime Vallvé.

Plot synopsis

In The Whispering Grove, Rex notices two vultures. That reminds the Phantom of the criminal organization The Vultures. In the chronicle room, the Phantom starts to read of how the 19th Phantom encountered the Vultures in 1908.

The country of Carpatia had been occupied by the kingdom of Austria-Hungary but count Steyrbach led a revolt against the Austrians. At the battle of Borovina the Carpatians won their freedom. On the night after the battle the count was murdered by Black Boris of The Vultures and assumed the identity of the count, wearing a mask that covered his face.

In the name of the count, Black Boris began a reign of terror over Carpatia, using his trusted Palace Guard to terrorize anybody. The city council of Carpatia meet in secret and remembers a stranger, Mr. Walker, who helped them get rid of vampires in 1875. They send a telegram to him. The Phantom is visiting London and arrive to Carpatia very quickly.

The Phantom quickly learn that the wine and bread that is delievered daily to the castle is poisoned with hemlock to make the soldiers of the palace guard cruel and aggressive. The mayor's doctor give him an antidote that will make the effect go away. Hiding in an empty wine barrel, the Phantom gets inside the castle Vacul. In the dungeons he frees Maria, a young woman.

Black Boris has already learned from his spying birds that the Phantom has arrived in Carpatia. The palace guard is put on high alert and capture the Phantom. Black Boris orders his men to shoot the Phantom but at that time the antidote has made the effect of the hemlock poisoning wear off and the soldiers realize they have been used to terrorize their own people.

Black Boris has run off to set fire to all the documents in his office. In his struggle with the Phantom, his own clothing is set on fire and Black Boris finally plunges off the castle wall to his death.

The city council cease power of Carpatia and as a token of gratitude they leave the castle Vacul to the Phantom and his family.