Treasure of the Skull Cave

Treasure of the Skull Cave
Start date:	May 20th, 1962
End date:	October 28th, 1962
# of strips:	24 pages
Writer:	Lee Falk
Artist:	Sy Barry
Original colorist:	KFS staff
Preceded by:	"Queen Samaris XII"
Followed by:	"The Astronaut and the Pirates"

For the remake by Dick Wood and Bill Lignante that was published in the Phantom comic book by King Comics, see "The Treasure of the Skull Cave".

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"Treasure of the Skull Cave" is the 60th Phantom Sunday story and the first drawn by Sy Barry. It was originally published in American newspapers from May 20th, to October 28th, 1962. The story was written by Lee Falk.

Plot Summary

A swindler and a smuggler are caught for the umpteenth time and end up in the same cell as an African man named Bubba, who tells them about the Phantom Treasure. The smuggler has smuggled to some quite powerful people (a general of some kind) and after they escape prison they soon start making plans together with the general to take possession of the treasure, although everyone plan to fool the other.

Swargo (the smuggler) and Bubba is dropped in the jungle and set to use nerve gas to kill all the Bandars. Swargo, however, is very curious about seeing the treasure before the killing and manages to be brought to the Skull Cave by calling out to the Phantom and then telling him that he and his friend Bubba had been attacked by natives and Bubba had told him to call for the Phantom before he died.

The Phantom shows the Great Treasure Room, with such unique objects as the Excalibur, King Arthur's sword, the Laurel wreath of Caesar, the cup of Alexander the Great, and the snake that bit Cleopatra. Not realising their true value, Swargo feels very disappointed and refuses to see the Small Treasure Room. Swargo hurries back to Bubba and says that the entire treasure is rubbish, something that Bubba refuses to believe as his own uncle had seen it, a fight is about to ensue when the Phantom shows up and take them captives.

The signal that the nerve gas has been released is sent and a helicopter with the rest of the gang lands in front of the Skull Cave and is quite soon taken captive by the Bandars, since everyone fear their poisonous arrows. The Phantom then shows the same objects to the general as he showed earlier to Swargo, when the general realises that Swargo thinks the stuff is just rubbish, he is utterly angered as he knows that they are priceless. The Phantom then shows the Small Treasure Room, the room that Swargo did not want to see; it is filled with a more convential treasure.

The gang is brought away to prison and will never again see the Skull Cave, nor its treasure.

Appearances

Recurring characters

• The current Phantom
• Devil
• Guran
• Pirate Pete
• Cappy Swargo

One-time characters

• Colonel Andrew
• Colonel Andrew's granddaughter
• Buba
• The General

Tribes

• Bandar

Locations

• Bengali
  • The Deep Woods
    • The Skull Cave
      • The Skull Throne
      • The Chronicle Room
      • The Phantom Crypt
      • The Minor Treasure Room
      • The Major Treasure Room
    • The Waterfall

Objects

• Excalibur
• The Asp of Cleopatra
• Caesar's Golden Laurel
• The Diamond Cup of Alexander the Great
• The Ivory Horn of Roland
• The Love Potion of Tristan and Isolde

Related stories

Remade as

• "The Treasure of the Skull Cave" by Dick Wood and Bill Lignante

Referenced in

• "The Skull Gang" by Claes Reimerthi and Heiner Bade

Reprints

This story has been published in the following publications:

Argentina

• "El tesoro de la cueva", El Fantasma #49 (1963)

Australia

• The Phantom #382 (1968)
• The Phantom #545 (1974)
• The Phantom #736 (1982)
• The Phantom #1000 (1992)
• The Phantom #1498 (2009)

Brazil

• "Os Três Ladrões", Fantasma #76 (1963)
• "Os Três Ladrões", Fantasma #239 (1976)

Canada

• Le Soleil May 19, 1962 – October 27, 1962
• La Patrie May 20, 1962 – October 25, 1962

Colombia

• El Tiempo September 2, 1962 – February 10, 1963

Denmark

• "Guldtørst", Fantomet #54 (1975)
• "Angreb på kraniegrotten", Sy Barry Søndagshistorier 1962-1964 (2001)

Finland

• "Kultakuumetta", Mustanaamio 14/1974
• "Hyökkäys pääkalloluolaan", Mustanaamio Year Album 1984
• "Hyökkäys pääkalloluolaan", Mustanaamio 7 – 10/1999

France

• "Le trésor des aieux", Les héros de l'aventure - Extra issue Christmas 1967
• "Le trésor des aieux", Sélection Héros de l'aventure #1 (1969 or 1970)
• "Le trésor de la caverne du crâne", Le Fantôme #441 (1973)
• "Le trésor de la caverne du crâne", Le Fantôme Album #48 (undated; 1974)
• Le Fantôme: Le Justicier de la Jungle (1974)

Hungary

• "Merénylet a halálfejes barlang ellen", Fantom Album

Iceland

• Vikan September 27, 1962 – March 7, 1963

India

• "Phantom Treasure", Indrajal Comics #11 (1965)
• "The Ancient Cave of Splendour", Indrajal Comics Vol. 21 No. 29 – 21 No. 30 (1984)
• "Phantom Treasure", Phantom #3
• "Phantom Treasure", Phantom #66
• "Mandai ottu maligai", Rani Comics #148
• Pujabarshiki 1995

Ireland

• Sunday Independent June 10, 1962 – November 18, 1962

Italy

• "Il tesoro degli avi", L'Uomo Mascherato #27 (1963)
• "Il tesoro degli avi", I Classici dell'Avventura #66 and #68 (1964)
• "Il tesoro degli avi", Serie Cronologica #55 (1973)

New Zealand

• The Phantom #485 – #486

Norway

• Vi menn 5-25/1963
• "Attak mot dødningsskallegrotten", Fantomet 3/1971
• "Gullhunger", Fantomet 12/1974
• "Kampen i Hodeskallegrotten", Fantomet Year Album 1984
• "Attakk mot hodeskallegrotten", Fantomet 13 – 16/1999
• "Attakk mot dødningsskallegrotten", Krønikebok #28 (2006)

Panama

• The Star & Herald ?, 196?

Portugal

• "A Gruta do Tesouro", Selecções #25 (1963)
• O Fantasma: O Justiceiro da Selva (1980)

Sweden

• "Attacken mot dödskallegrottan", Fantomen 13/1966
• "Guldhunger", Fantomen 5/1974
• "Attacken mot Dödskallegrottan", Fantomen Christmas Album 1984
• "Attacken mot dödskallegrottan", Sy Barry - en jubileumskrönika 1961-1991 (1991)
• "Attacken mot Dödskallegrottan", Fantomen 13 – 16/1999
• "Attacken mot Dödskallegrottan", Sy Barry Söndagsäventyr #1 (2001)
• "Attacken mot dödskallegrottan", Fantomen - Den inbundna årgången 1966, Del 3 (2016)

Turkey

• "Büyük Soygun", Kızılmaske #242 – #244 (1978) - without the first two weeks
• "Büyük Soygun", Kızılmaske Albüm #74 – #75 (197?) - without the first two weeks
• "Büyük Soygun", Kızılmaske Süper Albüm #32 - without the first two weeks
• "Büyük Soygun", Kızılmaske Süper Albüm #34 – #35 - without the first two weeks
• "Kurukafa Mağarası'nın Hazineleri", Kızılmaske #8 (2014)

United Arab Republic

• "كنز الشبح" (romanized as "Kinz Alshabah"), Samir #412 – #423 (1964)

United Kingdom

• "The Phantom Treasure", TV Tornado #1 – #8 (1967)

USA

• Anderson Herald May 20, 1962 – October 28, 1962
• Charleston Daily Mail May 20, 1962 – October 28, 1962
• Cumberland Sunday Times May 20, 1962 – October 28, 1962
• The Danville Register May 20, 1962 – October 28, 1962
• Farmington Daily Times May 20, 1962 – October 28, 1962
• The Gadsden Times May 20, 1962 – October 28, 1962
• The News Tribune May 20, 1962 – October 28, 1962
• San Antonio Light May 20, 1962 – October 28, 1962
• St. Petersburg Times May 20, 1962 – October 28, 1962
• Spartanburg Herald-Journal May 20, 1962 – October 28, 1962
• El Diario La Prensa June 17, 1962 – November 25, 1962
• The Phantom Sundays Special Edition #3 (1990)
• Comics Revue #162 (1999; the first page only)

West Germany

• "Die Schatzjäger", Phantom #8 (1974)
• "Die Schatzjäger", Phantom Das große Album #2
• Topix #11 (ca 1977)
• "Der Schatz des Dschungelherrn", Phantom #9 (ca 1980)

Yugoslavia

• "Благо у Фантомовој пећини", Politikin Zabavnik #1038 (1971)
• Super EKS Almanah #4 (1980)