The Tyrant of Tarakimo
The Tyrant of Tarakimo | |
Start date: | August 15th, 1977 |
---|---|
End date: | October 29th, 1977 |
# of strips: | 66 (11 weeks) |
Writer: | Lee Falk |
Artist: | Sy Barry |
Original colorist: | N/A |
Preceded by: | "Guardian of the Eastern Dark" |
Followed by: | "Phantom Wedding" |
"The Tyrant of Tarakimo" is the 135th Phantom daily story. The story was written by Lee Falk and drawn by Sy Barry.
Plot Summary
Diana is becoming bored with her desk job at the UN and is both intrigued and horrified by reports of General Tara's atrocities in Tarakimo. She petitions Dr. Henry to go along with Sven Nilsson, another UN agent, to Tarakimo. Dr. Henry refuses, and Diana must go through several physical contests to prove that she is capable of taking care of herself.
As Diana and Sven are met by Tara's legion of soldiers at the airport, it is disclosed that a newsman, MacGregor, is also in the country, secretly sending out stories of the general's foul deeds. Diana and Sven are stalled for as long as possible, then shown Tara's prison, where fake "prisoners" are shown sleeping till noon and eating steak in their beautifully furnished "cells". Meanwhile, the Phantom slowly uncovers the danger Diana is in, and travels to Tarakimo.
Diana and Sven are thrown a packet of paper from a nearby prison tower. The exchange is briefly witnessed by Tara's lead henchmen and "right hand" Major Isamu but denied by Diana and Sven.
When Diana and Sven finally are granted an audience with the general, they are dismayed and disgusted to learn they are expected to crawl on their hands and knees before his throne. While Sven reluctantly concedes, Diana is much more vocal in her protesting, though she finally relents after Sven convinces her that they won't get anywhere by angering the dictator. Finally, Diana has enough of the humiliation and jumps to her feet. She tells the general she is in no mood for his degrading games, and that they are wise to his intimidation tactics and lies.
Isamu's lackeys present evidence that papers incriminating the general in hundreds of cases of murder and torture were passed to the UN team. General Tara, enraged, orders Diana and Sven to surrender the papers. They refuse, telling him the papers are long gone, en route to the UN. Tara refuses to believe them, and orders their hotel rooms torn apart, and the two strip searched. He vows to resolve the problem with force and orders their arrests. They will, he says, see his prison, just as they want, but "from the inside."
After some time, Diana and Sven are taken from their prison cells at gunpoint by Isamu and shown to Tara's torture room, where the general is closely watching via TV camera. Isamu tells them that if they sign a confession stating they are spies "telling lies" about the great general, they will be released, but if not, Isamu and his assistants will "persuade" them to cooperate. Diana and Sven remain defiant as they are chained to a torture rack and a whipping post, respectively, and the General orders his goons to begin the interrogation.
The Phantom reaches the General as he is enjoying the torture session on a TV in his comfortable palace office. He orders the General to call off the torture and send for Diana and Sven.
The Phantom decides to take Tara hostage to ensure a safe escape. After the group has taken off on a plane, the general is pushed out with a parachute.
Appearances
Locations
- United Nations Headquarters
- The Palmer Home
- The Skull Cave
- Tarakimo
Organizations
- The United Nations
- There are times when the Phantom leaves the jungle and walks the streets of the town like an ordinary man.
- The voice of the Phantom turns the blood to ice.
Related stories
Followed by
- "Return to Tarakimo" by Lee Falk and Sy Barry
Referenced in
- "Phantom Wedding" by Lee Falk and Sy Barry
Trivia
- Tarakimo is said to be a country in Asia.
Behind the scenes
- Lee Falk has been quoted as saying in The Phantom #1000 that "The Tyrant of Tarakimo" and "Return to Tarakimo" (the story's sequel) were his personal "statements" on the growing number of harsh third-world dictatorships fueled by torture cartels.
- "The Tyrant of Tarakimo" was finished by an unknown inker. If you examine the strip closely, you will see marked changes in Tara and Diana's appearance following the scene where Diana, Sven, and MacGregor are brought to the general's office, after Tara has been captured by the Phantom.
Reprints
This story has been published in the following publications:
Argentina
- "Misiòn peligrosa", El Fantasma Nueva Serie #2 (1980)
- "Misiòn peligrosa", El Fantasma Nueva Serie #12 (1981) - without the first two weeks
Australia
- The Phantom #633 (1978)
- The Phantom #1000 (1992)
- The Phantom #1498 (2008)
Brazil
- O Globo November 14, 1977 – January 7, 1978
- "Tarakimo", Fantasma Album (Edição histórica) (1979)
- "O Casamento do Fantasma", O casamento do Fantasma (1978)
Denmark
- "Opgave i Tarakimo", Fantomet #94 (1980)
Finland
- "Tehtävä Tarakimossa", Mustanaamio 14/1978
- "Tehtävä Tarakimossa", Sarjakirja #123 (1987)
- "Tehtävä Tarakimossa", Mustanaamio 18/2003
France
- "Le tyran de Tarakimo", Le Fantôme Spécial #17 (1978)
Iceland
- Tíminn March 31, 1978 – June 25, 1978
India
- "The Tyrant of Tarakimo", Indrajal Comics #315 (1978)
- "The Victims of Tyranny", Indrajal Comics Vol. 25 No. 23 (1988)
Italy
- "Il tiranno di Tarakimo", Phantom Selezione #14 (1978)
Jamaica
- The Daily Gleaner August 15, 1977 – October 29, 1977
Mexico
- El Informador November 28, 1977 – December 17, 1977 (incomplete)
Norway
- Aftenposten April 18, 1978 – July 8, 1978
- "Oppdrag i Tarakimo", Fantomet 8/1978
- "Oppdrag i Tarakimo", Serie-pocket #131 (1988)
- "Oppdrag i Tarakimo", Fantomet 18/2003
- "Oppdrag i Tarakimo", Krønikebok #43 (2008)
Portugal
- "O Sequestro de Diana", Mundo de Aventuras #237 (1978)
Spain
- "Tarakimo", El Hombre Enmascarado #50 (1978)
- "Tarakimo", Phantom, El Hombre Enmascarado #1 (1988)
Sweden
- "Uppdrag i Tarakimo", Fantomen 6/1978
- Svenska Dagbladet June 3, 1978 – August 17, 1978
- Nerikes Allehanda July 8, 1979 – August 25, 1979
- Folkbladet January 15, 1981 – April 1, 1981 and July 7, 1988 – September 27, 1988
- Östgöten January 15, 1981 – April 1, 1981 and July 7, 1988 – September 27, 1988
- Eesti Päevaleht December 16, 1981 – March 6, 1982
- "Uppdrag i Tarakimo", Fantomen 18/2003
Turkey
- "Dehşet Ülkesi", Kızılmaske #240 – #242 (1978)
- "Dehşet Ülkesi", Kızılmaske Albüm #74 (197?)
- "Dehşet Ülkesi", Kızılmaske #61 – #62 (198?)
- "Dehşet Ülkesi", Kızılmaske Süper Albüm #18 – #19
- "Dehşet Ülkesi", Kızılmaske Süper Albüm #7
- "Dehşet Ülkesi", Kızılmaske Büyük Albüm #3
- "Tarakimo Zorbası", Kızılmaske #13 (2014)
USA
- Bangor Daily News August 15, 1977 – October 29, 1977
- Beckley Post Herald August 15, 1977 – October 29, 1977
- Bradford Era August 15, 1977 – October 29, 1977
- Charleston Daily Mail August 15, 1977 – October 29, 1977
- Delaware County Daily Times August 15, 1977 – October 29, 1977
- The Gadsden Times August 15, 1977 – October 29, 1977
- Observer-Reporter August 15, 1977 – October 29, 1977
- The Plattsburgh Press-Republican August 15, 1977 – October 29, 1977
- Reading Eagle August 15, 1977 – October 29, 1977
- Red Bank Register August 15, 1977 – October 29, 1977
- Rome News-Tribune August 15, 1977 – October 29, 1977
- The Tuscaloosa News August 15, 1977 – October 29, 1977
- Uniontown Morning Herald August 15, 1977 – October 29, 1977
Yugoslavia
- "Заточеници Таракиме" (romanized as "Zatočenici Tarakime"), Politikin Zabavnik #2106 and "Ноћ у колиби од жада" (romanized as "Noć u kolibi od žada"), #2107 (1992; edited together with "Guardian of the Eastern Dark" in part 1 and with "Phantom Wedding" in part 2)