The Twins' Futures

The Twins' Futures
Start date:	September 14, 2015
End date:	January 30, 2016
# of strips:	120 strips (20 weeks)
Writer:	Tony DePaul
Artist:	Paul Ryan
Original colorist:	unknown
Preceded by:	"The Challenge"
Followed by:	"The Baronkhan Sedition"

"The Twins' Futures" is the 243rd Phantom daily story. The story was written by Tony DePaul and drawn by Paul Ryan.

Plot Summary

The story begins with Lee Falk narrating the origin of the Phantom.

The twins are living a happy life in the Deep Woods, but they know that they soon will have to leave in order to attend school abroad.

The Phantom picks up the subject after lunch one day. Since they are both nearly 15, it is time to send them away. Diana thinks that New York is perfect for Heloise and she will see Diana whenever she is working there. Kit, on the other hand, wants to go to California or Hawaii. As the Phantom imagines that Kit would major in surfing in those places, he suggests a school mentioned in the chronicles.

The Phantom mentions that there is a school deep in the Himalayas where two of their ancestors went to school. In 1754, the future 11th Phantom journeyed to the school from the Deep Woods when he was 16. The world opened up to him there and when he left, his tutor, Kyabje Kunjen, told him that he would return within 100 years and gave him words of identification to say when he returned. In 1846, the future 16th Phantom came there at age 15 (same age as Kit) and was taught by Kyabje Lobsang who made him one of the greatest Phantoms of their line.

At this point in the story, Heloise tips Kit off of where it is heading and Kit asks a bit upset if he is to go to the Himalayas and pretend that he was there in 1746 and 1854. The Phantom replies that he of course would not, but claim to have been there in 1754 and 1846. If he goes.

Kit is not so excited about going to the Himalayas, while Heloise is jealous that she cannot be the Phantom. In the end, after consulting Guran, Heloise and Diana goes to New York where Heloise decides to try the girls-only Briarson School feeling really excited about it, while Kit starts plowing through the chronicles about the 11th and 16th Phantoms' exploit. The realization that the 11th Phantom still had not sworne the Oath at the time, but actually was his own age gives Kit's interest in the whole thing a real boost and he memorizes every detail, practically living in the Chronicle Room.

While in New York, Heloise meets and befriends Mary Worth, getting her number.

When Diana and Heloise returns, Diana is worried that Kit might actually go to the Himalayas. The Phantom then explains to the family that he did not go when he got the offer, citing homesickness as the reason, but also, looking back, realizes that the offer made him feel not so far away from home. Thanks to not going, he also got to develop the romance with Diana.

The Phantom then goes off to Mawitaan to fight crime, while Diana and Heloise plans the birthday. When the Phantom returns, the guests have already started to arrive.

Among the guests is Mandrake the Magician, during the party he presents Kit and Heloise with two brand new cars, although when Kit try one, it turns out to be an illusion.

After the party, Kit announces that he plan to go to the Himalayas. Heloise reluctantly supports him.

The End

Appearances

Recurring characters

• Lee Falk
• The 21st Phantom
• Kit and Heloise
• Diana Palmer-Walker
• Lily Palmer
• Dave Palmer
• The 11th Phantom
• The 16th Phantom
• The 20th Phantom
• Lamanda Luaga
• Taru Tagama-Luaga
• Mandrake the Magician
• Lothar
• Narda of Cockaigne
• Hojo
• Old man Mozz
• Rex
• Captain Lara
• Colonel Worubu
• Tom-Tom (mentioned)
• Joomba

One-time characters

• Kyabje Kunjen
• Kyabje Lobsang
• Taxi driver
• Mary Worth
• The Crime Boss
• Tommy and the other bodyguards

Locations

• Bangalla
  • The Deep Woods
    • The Skull Cave
      • The Chronicle Room
      • The Phantom Crypt
  • Mawitaan
    • The Mawi Nut
  • The Jungle Patrol Headquarters
    • Abandoned Well
  • Boomsby Prison (mentioned)
• The Himalayas
  • Mountain City
• USA
  • New York
    • Manhattan
      • Briarson School
  • Hawaii (mentioned)
• Baronkhan (mentioned)

Tribes

• Bandar

Newspapers

• Daily Chronicle

Old jungle sayings

• Phantom has a thousand eyes and a thousand ears.
• You don't find the Phantom, he finds you.

Behind the scenes

• This story includes a crossover with "Mary Worth", another King Features newspaper strip. The same scene was portrayed in both strips. Heloise appears in the Mary Worth strip from November 3 to November 11, 2015 (including a Sunday page). Mary Worth can be seen in the Phantom strip from November 4 to November 10, 2015 but not in every strip.
• The twins celebrate their 15th birthday in this story.
• The Tibetan teacher of the future 16th Phantom has been given the name Lobsang. There are a number of people in the real world carrying the name Lobsang: Lobsang Sangay, the Tibetan Prime Minister in the Tibetan Government-in-Exile; Lobsang Rampa, the pen name of a British man named Cyril Henry Hoskins, claiming to be channelling a Tibetan lama and writing several popular books; Lobsang Wangyal, a Tibetan exile who is a photojournalist; etc.

Reprints

This story has been published in the following publications:

Australia

• The Advertiser September 14, 2015 – January 30, 2016
• Canvas September 14, 2015 – January 30, 2016
• The Chronicle September 14, 2015 – January 30, 2016
• The Courier-Mail September 14, 2015 – January 30, 2016
• Daily Mercury September 14, 2015 – January 30, 2016
• Herald Sun September 14, 2015 – January 30, 2016
• News-Mail September 14, 2015 – January 30, 2016
• The Observer September 14, 2015 – January 30, 2016
• Shepparton News September 14, 2015 – January 30, 2016
• Townsville Bulletin September 14, 2015 – January 30, 2016
• The Northern Star October 26, 2015 – March 12, 2016
• Fraser Coast Chronicle November 2, 2015 – March 5, 2016 - without the last three weeks

The Bahamas

• The Freeport News September 14, 2015 – January 30, 2016

India

• The New Indian Express (Chennai edition) December 18, 2015 – April 12, 2016
• The New Indian Express (Bangalore edition) December 22, 2015 – April 18, 2016

Jamaica

• The Daily Gleaner September 14, 2015 – January 30, 2016

Mexico

• "Los futuros de los gemelos", El Informador November 5, 2015 – March 18, 2016

Norway

• "Tvillingenes framtid", Mannen som ikke kan dø (2016)

Sweden

• "Tvillingarnas framtid", Svenska Dagbladet May 30, 2016 – September 28, 2016
• "Tvillingarnas framtid", Mannen som inte kan dö (2016)

USA

• The Citizens' Voice September 14, 2015 – January 30, 2016
• Delaware County Daily Times September 14, 2015 – January 30, 2016
• Houston Chronicle September 14, 2015 – January 30, 2016
• The News Item September 14, 2015 – January 30, 2016