Return of the Commander, Part 1

Return of the Commander, Part 1
Produced for:	Fantomen 4/2007
# of pgs:	32
Writer:	Claes Reimerthi
Artist:	Joan Boix
Original colorist:	Reprostugan
Producer:	Egmont Kärnan

"Return of the Commander, Part 1" is a 2007 Team Fantomen story, written by Claes Reimerthi, with art by Joan Boix.

Plot synopsis

President Luaga has resigned as president of Bengali and is succeeded by Vice President Morombe.

After the Jungle Patrol attack on the Singh headquarters a power struggle is going on within The Singh Brotherhood. One faction is led by Dogai Singh's daughter Sandal Singh, another one by Fu Wang. Wang sends a team of assassins to unsuccessfully kill Sandal Singh. Sandal Singh is staying at Dogai Singh's secret palace. She tells her bodyguard Belim how she plans to take command of the brotherhood and restructure it into Singh Incorporated. In the short term she will use the presidential interregnum to crush the Jungle Patrol. Her thugs wearing Jungle Patrol uniforms use extortion to make Trader Joe and the Wutusi pay for protection.

Colonel Worubu is asked to come to a meeting with the six countries who finance the Jungle Patrol. President Morombe thinks that the Jungle Patrol went out of their jurisdiction attacking the Singh headquarters which left 11 patrolmen dead. The six representatives are less than impressed with Colonel Worubu placing the responsibility on the The Unknown Commander who is missing. The Colonel denies any knowledge of patrolmen demanding payment for protection.

The Phantom receives an anonymous invitation to attend a robbery at Enfield Airport. Arriving to the airport he witnesses five of Fu Wang's men wearing Ronald Reagan masks robbing an airplane with a shipment of diamonds. Wearing a mask himself, the Phantom goes with them to Fu Wang's palace on the coast. The Phantom is captured and is thrown in the sea to be eaten by sharks. Using a hidden knife he kills one of the sharks to escape and then places explosive charges in the palace. When they go off and destroy the palace the Phantom calls the police to have Fu Wang arrested.

It is later revealed that it was Sandal Singh who sent the anonymous invitation about the diamond robbery to the Phantom. In Morristown her men murder president Morombe, wearing Jungle Patrol uniforms, which leads to violent riots in Morristown against the Jungle Patrol. The police is overwhelmed and the Jungle Patrol goes into Morristown to assist the police in controlling the rioting.

The Bengali parliament orders the Jungle Patrol to return to its barracks. With the situation going out of control, the Phantom decides that Colonel Worubu needs help from the unknown commander.

Appearances

Recurring characters

• The 21st Phantom
• Guran
• Hero
• Colonel Worubu
• Trader Joe
• Fraka
• Sandal Singh
• Belim
• Fu Wang
• Lieutenant Driscoll
• President Morombe

One-time characters

• Chief Watamau of Wutusi
• Sluggo
• Luke
• Burt

Locations

• Bengali
  • The Jungle Patrol Headquarters
  • Jungle Patrol Monument
  • Dogai Singh's secret palace
  • Singh Stronghold (mentioned)
  • Fu Wang's headquarters
  • Morristown
    • Presidential Palace
  • Trader Joe's Store
  • Wutusi village
  • Enfield Airport
  • Deep Woods
    • The Skull Cave
      • The Radio Control Room

Bangalla tribes

• Wutusi
• Bandar

Organizations

• The Singh Brotherhood
• The Jungle Patrol
• National TV

Related stories

References

• "Annihilate All Singh" by Claes Reimerthi and Joan Boix

Follows

• "The Redeemer, Part 3: The Army" by Claes Reimerthi and Bob McLeod

Followed by

• "Return of the Commander, Part 2" by Claes Reimerthi and Joan Boix

Reprints

This story has been published in the following publications:

Australia

• "Return of the Commander, Part 1", The Phantom #1470 (2007)

Finland

• "Ylipäällikön paluu, osa 1", Mustanaamio 4/2007

Norway

• "Kommandanten vender tilbake, del 1", Fantomet 3/2007

Sweden

• "Befälhavarens återkomst: Del 1", Fantomen 4/2007