The Shoplifters

The Shoplifters
Start date:	September 3rd, 1956
End date:	November 17th, 1956
# of strips:	66 (11 weeks)
Writer:	Lee Falk
Artist:	Wilson McCoy
Original colorist:	N/A
Preceded by:	"The Grove of the Sleeping Giant"
Followed by:	"The Heavyweight Champion"

"The Shoplifters" is the 63rd Phantom daily story. The story was written by Lee Falk and drawn by Wilson McCoy.

Plot Summary

There is a shoplifter outbreak in town. It is the work of “Fingers and Margot”, con-people who rob stores by setting up a ‘stooge’ and placing items in a customer’s bag, before alerting the shop owners who follow pursuit of the individual, while Fingers and Margot loot the store in the owner’s absence. Diana is getting a watch repaired at a jeweller’s shop and bumps into Fingers. She is later arrested with jewels found in her handbag. There is nothing Dave Palmer can do to get her out on bail or clear her name. The Phantom is informed and begins investigating. He hears rumours in a rough part of town about “Fingers”, and he is led to a pawn shop which deals in stolen goods. While he is getting information, he sees a man with long fingers enter, and he trails him to his house. He later catches Fingers in the act of robbery and tries to turn him in to the police. The Phantom isn’t taken seriously, and has to quickly fetch the disguises from Finger’s house. He forces Fingers to put them on, and Fingers is then identified by the witnesses. He is imprisoned and Diana is freed.

Appearances

Recurring characters

• The 21st Phantom
• Devil
• Hero
• Guran
• Toma (Unnamed)
• Diana
• Lily Palmer
• Dave Palmer

One-time characters

• Fingers
• Margot
• Papa Dan

Locations

• Bengali
  • The Deep Woods
    • The Skull Cave
  • Bengalitown
• USA
  • Palmer residence
  • Hood's Beach

Tribes

• Bandar

Old jungle sayings

• Better to stare into the tiger's eyes than into the cold eyes of the angry Phantom.

Reprints

This story has been published in the following publications:

Argentina

• "“Dedos” y su sistema casi perfecto", El Fantasma #36 (1961)
• "El sistema perfecto", Libro de Oro #9 (1963)

Australia

• "The Shoplifters", The Phantom #110 (1957)
• "The Shoplifters", The Phantom #199 (1961)
• "The Shoplifters", The Phantom #310 (1966)
• "The Shoplifters", The Phantom #461 (1971)
• "The Shoplifters", The Phantom #646 (1978)
• "The Shoplifters", The Phantom #855 (1986)
• "The Shoplifters", The Phantom #1279 (2000)
• "The Shoplifters", The Phantom #1695 (2014)

Brazil

• "O Homem de Mil Faces", Fantasma #27 (1957)
• "Sistema Perfeito", O Fantasma Edição Extra #1 (1971)

Canada

• La Patrie September 3, 1956 – November 17, 1956
• Le Nouvelliste September 3, 1956 – November 17, 1956
• L'Action catholique May 2, 1957 – July 13, 1957 - without the first week

Denmark

• "Juvelkuppet", Serie-pocket #34 (1981)

Finland

• "Jalokiviliiga", Mustanaamio 10/1967
• "Jalokivikaappaus", Sarjakirja #58 (1980)
• "Jalokiviliiga", Mustanaamio 1966–1967 (2011)
• "Timanttiliiga", Ilta-Sanomat August 21, 2013 – September 4, 2013

France

• "L'homme aux mille visages", Le Fantôme Spécial #76 (1970)
• "L'homme aux mille visages", Le Fantôme #4 (1994)

Germany

• Phantom #2 (1996)

Indonesia

• "Phantom mungsuh Gèmbong copét", Panjebar Semangat ?

Italy

• "L'uomo dai mille volti", L'Uomo Mascherato #5 (1959)
• "L'uomo dai mille volti", Ristampe mensili – L'Uomo Mascherato #5 (1961)
• "L'uomo dai mille volti", L'Uomo Mascherato Super Albo #172 (1966)
• "L'uomo dai mille volti", Phantom #42 (1995)
• "L'uomo dai mille volti", Phantom #254

Jamaica

• The Daily Gleaner February 8, 1957 – April 28, 1957

Mexico

• El Informador November 1, 1956 – January 21, 1957

Norway

• Aftenposten December 5, 1957 – February 22, 1958
• "Juvelbanden", Fantomet 10/1967
• "Butikktyvene", Serie-pocket #52 (1981)
• "Juvelbanden", Krønikebok #22 (2005)
• "Juvelbanden", Fantomet Kronologisk #5 (2018)

Spain

• "La culpabilidad de Diana", El Hombre Enmascarado #6 (1958)
• "La culpabilidad de Diana", El Hombre Enmascarado - Album de Lujo #2 (1961)
• "La culpabilidad de Diana", Libro de Oro I (1962)
• "La culpabilidad de Diana", El Hombre Enmascarado #45A (1964)
• "La culpabilidad de Diana", Album de El Hombre Enmascarado (1965)
• "La culpabilidad de Diana", El Hombre Enmascarado Biblioteca Eterna #9 (1970)
• "La culpabilidad de Diana", El Hombre Enmascarado #8 (1974)
• "La culpabilidad de Diana", El Hombre Enmascarado #21 (1980)
• "El hombre de las mil caras", Phantom, El Hombre Enmascarado #12

Sweden

• Svenska Dagbladet January 7, 1958 – March 24, 1958
• Göteborgs-Tidningen 1958 – October 1958
• Nerikes Allehanda November 19, 1958 – February 7, 1959
• "Butiksråttorna", Fantomen 24/1959
• "Juvelkuppen", Fantomen 16/1966
• "Juvelkuppen", Serie-pocket #99 (1981)
• "Butiksråttorna", Fantomen - Den inbundna årgången 1959, Del 3 (2010)
• "Juvelkuppen", Fantomen - Den inbundna årgången 1966, Del 4 (2017)

United Kingdom

• "The Sleeping Giant", The Phantom Illustrated Comic #4

USA

• The Beaver County Times September 3, 1956 – November 17, 1956
• The Birmingham News September 3, 1956 – November 17, 1956
• Bradford Era September 3, 1956 – November 17, 1956
• Charleston Daily Mail September 3, 1956 – November 17, 1956
• The Charlotte News September 3, 1956 – November 17, 1956
• Chester Times September 3, 1956 – November 17, 1956
• Courier-Post September 3, 1956 – November 17, 1956
• The Daily Item September 3, 1956 – November 17, 1956
• Denton Record-Chronicle September 3, 1956 – November 17, 1956
• The Evening News September 3, 1956 – November 17, 1956
• Green Bay Press-Gazette September 3, 1956 – November 17, 1956
• Herald News September 3, 1956 – November 17, 1956
• Laurel Leader-Call September 3, 1956 – November 17, 1956
• The Monessen Daily Independent September 3, 1956 – November 17, 1956
• Morristown Gazette Mail September 3, 1956 – November 17, 1956
• The Oneonta Star September 3, 1956 – November 17, 1956
• Oxnard Press-Courier September 3, 1956 – November 17, 1956
• Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph September 3, 1956 – November 17, 1956
• The Plattsburgh Press-Republican September 3, 1956 – November 17, 1956
• The Pocono Record September 3, 1956 – November 17, 1956
• The Progress September 3, 1956 – November 17, 1956
• Reading Eagle September 3, 1956 – November 17, 1956
• Richmond Times-Dispatch September 3, 1956 – November 17, 1956
• The Rome Daily Sentinel September 3, 1956 – November 17, 1956
• Rome News-Tribune September 3, 1956 – November 17, 1956
• Sandusky Register Star News September 3, 1956 – November 17, 1956
• Syracuse Herald Journal September 3, 1956 – November 17, 1956
• The Times Recorder September 3, 1956 – November 17, 1956
• Uniontown Morning Herald September 3, 1956 – November 17, 1956
• The Washington Reporter September 3, 1956 – November 17, 1956
• The Complete Newspaper Dailies: Volume Fourteen 1956–1957 (2018)

Yugoslavia

• "Kradljivice", Denis #199 (1980; edited together with "The Heavyweight Champion")

West Germany

• "Die Juwelen-Liga", Phantom #12 (1967)