Blood Diamonds
| Blood Diamonds | |
| Produced for: | Fantomen 24/2008 |
|---|---|
| # of pgs: | 32 |
| Writer: | David Bishop |
| Artist: | Sal Velluto, Bob Almond1, Keith Williams2 |
| Original colorist: | Reprostugan |
| Producer: | Egmont Kärnan |
"Blood Diamonds" is a 2008 Team Fantomen story, written by David Bishop, with art by Sal Velluto (assisted by Bob Almond1 and Keith Williams2).
Plot synopsis
An airship (dirigible) with a slightly modified Singh symbol and the text "Singh Corp" is flying over The Deep Woods. The Phantom follows the airship by horse to the airfield of the Bengali Aviation Club. President Sandal Singh is holding a press conference with the news that the Bengali government has entered into a partnership with Singh Corporation to search for diamond deposits, using an airship. The search will be led by professor Severin. The Phantom attends the press conference in a trenchcoat and hat with sunglasses. A large black man with golden jaws, the professor's bodyguard, asks him for press ID. The Phantom wonders why a professor needs a bodyguard.
Later the Phantom meets president Singh to ask what the airship is really looking for. She insists that the whole country will benefit from this business venture. She pulls a revolver and tells him that she is unsure if she should shoot him or kiss him.
On his return to the Skull Cave, Guran tells him that the airship has been visible over the jungle and that villagers have been forced to leave their homes. Visiting a village he meets professor Severin who insists that villagers have been paid with diamonds to leave voluntarily. Villagers confirm this. The Phantom has some diamonds analyzed and tests show that the diamonds are "blood diamonds", from one or more country in civil war where diamonds are sold to pay for weapons. Singh Corporation imports them secretly and then pretends that they have been found in Bengali.
The next day president Singh attends another press conference at the airfield before boarding the airship. The Phantom is disguised as one of the crew but is quickly revealed by professor Severin and his bodyguard. The president is astonished to hear that Singh Corporation is involved with "blood diamonds". Professor Severin pulls a gun and explains that Bengali will have another presidential election and that he is contesting her for the leadership of the Singh Brotherhood.
Professor Severin and his bodyguard prepare to jump off the airship. President Singh and the Phantom are tied up in the airship with a time bomb. She tells the Phantom that there is one thing she wants to do before dying and then kisses him. Shen then pulls a gun from the Phantom's coat and shoots the professor and the bodyguard. The bodyguard lies dead in a pool of blood. With the time bomb still counting down, she jumps off the airship without untying the Phantom.
The Phantom manages to untie himself and get off the airship with the professor. The airship explodes over Phantom Head Peak.
The same night the Phantom and president Singh meet again in the presidential palace. He tells her that either him or the brotherhood will stop her. She daydreams of their first kiss.
Appearances
Recurring characters
One-time characters
- Professor Severin
- Precious, Severin's bodyguard
- Marius Howe, scientist
Locations
- Bengali
- Morristown
- Presidential Palace
- Morristown Aviation Club
- University of Bengali, science department
- Deep Woods
- Morristown
Tribes
Organizations
- The Singh Brotherhood
- Bengali Aviation Club
Behind the scenes
- Bob Almond was an uncredited assistant for Sal Velluto, and inked 11 pages of the story.1 The story pages inked by Almond were pages 5, 6, 7, 12, 19, 20, 21, 22, 24, 26, and 28.3
- Keith Williams was an uncredited assistant for Sal Velluto, and inked at least two pages of the story; pages 18 and 30.2
Reprints
This story has been published in the following publications:
Australia
- "Blood Diamonds", The Phantom #1526 (2008)
Finland
- "Veriset kivet", Mustanaamio 24/2008
Norway
- "Blodsteinene", Fantomet 23/2008
Sweden
- "Blodstenarna", Fantomen 24/2008