Phantom's End
Phantom’s End | |
Start date: | April 18th, 2022 |
---|---|
End date: | October 1st, 2022 |
# of strips: | 144 (24 weeks) |
Writer: | Tony DePaul |
Artist: | Mike Manley, Bret Blevins, Scott Cohn |
Original colorist: | KFS staff |
Preceded by: | "Death in the Himalayas" |
Followed by: | "The Breakout" |
"Phantom’s End" is the 261st Phantom daily story. The story was written by Tony DePaul and drawn by Mike Manley, Bret Blevins (uncredited) and Scott Cohn.
Plot synopsis
The 21st Phantom reminds Old man Mozz of his promise "not a word to anyone else." Mozz tells the Phantom "An agreement that says nothing of how much time I have to record my prophecy." Talking to himself, Mozz admits that he might have to use deception to protect the Phantom from himself.
Back in the prediction, the Phantom and Hero arrive home and Guran re-bandages him. He and Diana see on the computer screen about the devastation of the Mountain City in Arunachal Pradesh, India, where Kit has been a student. Kit, using a dead man's phone, calls home. As he tells of the devastation, Manju finds him. The Phantom says he'll fly there to pick him up, but Kit says no, he's going to stay and avenge the destruction. The Phantom flies there anyway and talks with Manju's grandmother, who tells her side of Savarna shooting Jampa. After the Phantom returns home alone, Diana leaves Bangalla for good. Savarna then somehow finds the Skull Cave, but the Phantom is cold to her. Some time later, though, we see a pregnant Savarna in the Phantom's bed, as he heads back to Arunachal Pradesh to find "The African" (Kit).
In a mountain pass, the Phantom comes under fire from three angles. A few kilometres away, Kit is planning an attack on the invaders, when one of his men comes to tell him that an assassin is "mauling us." He sends the man back with his best sniper, Manju. Eventually, as he moves around, she hits the Phantom. The Phantom's life flashes before his eyes and he is hit again. For the first time, we see the Phantom's bare eyes. He is hit yet again, and dies. Manju brings his gun belt (with the Phantom logo) and rings back to Kit Jr. In the middle of the night, Kit Jr. puts on the gun-belt and has Manjur take him to the grave, all the while denying that he knew "the assassin."
Back in "real time," the Phantom decides to hide Mozz's Chronicle in his burial vault, which, if Mozz's prediction comes true, will not be used until they inter the 22nd Phantom. As he rides off to Rodia, Diana asks Mozz about his Chronicle, but he remains silent. He silently hands her "The Chronicle of Mozz," then tells us that the book he appeared to read from, and which the Phantom hid away, was actually one of the Phantom's Chronicles.
The story continues in "The Breakout."
Appearances
Recurring characters
- The 21st Phantom
- The 11th Phantom (mentioned)
- The 16th Phantom (mentioned)
- Diana Palmer-Walker
- Kyabje Dorje (mentioned)
- Chief Constable Jampa (mentioned)
- Manju
- Guran
- Old man Mozz
- Kit
- Devil
- Hero
- Savarna Devi
- Dr. Fajah Kimathi, the veterinarian (mentioned)
- Uncle Dave (mentioned)
- Lily Palmer (mentioned)
- Heloise (mentioned)
- The Python (mentioned)
- The Nomad (mentioned)
One-time characters
- Man having a heart attack, Kit borrows his phone
- Son of Savarna and the Phantom
- Daughter of Savarna and the Phantom
Locations
- Bangalla
- India
- The Himalayas
- Rhodia (mentioned)
- Gravelines Maximum Security Prison (mentioned)
Tribes
Vehicles
- The 88, aircraft (mentioned)
Phantom lore
- You don't find the Phantom, he finds you.
- When the Phantom moves, he shames the lightning.
Related stories
Refers to
- "To Wrack and Ruin at Gravelines" by Tony DePaul and Mike Manley
- "The Chronicle of Old Man Mozz" by Tony DePaul and Mike Manley
- "Death in the Himalayas" by Tony DePaul and Mike Manley
Referenced in
- "The Chain" by Tony DePaul and Bret Blevins
Behind the scenes
- Mike Manley was sick during the production of this story and temporary fill-in artists helped out to keep deadlines. According to ChronicleChamber.com, Bret Blevins drew the whole strip from the 13th of June to the 25th of June and again 4th of July to the 9th of July. For the other times, Bret did the layouts based on Tony DePaul's script and then Scott Cohn tightened the roughs, inked and lettered the strip. These dates are 27th of June to the 2nd of July and the 11th of July until August 6th. Mike Manley returned on August 8th and finished the story. Monday 11 July was the first time Scott Cohn was credited on the strip. Bret Blevins was never credited on the strip.
- The incoming phone call when Kit calls the Skull Cave direct from a borrowed mobile phone shows the number 011-881-577-091
Reprints
This story has been published in the following publications:
Australia
- The Cairns Post April 18, 2022 – September 10, 2022 - without the last three weeks
- The Chronicle April 18, 2022 – September 10, 2022 - without the last three weeks
- Gold Coast Bulletin April 18, 2022 – September 10, 2022 - without the last three weeks
- Townsville Bulletin April 18, 2022 – September 10, 2022 - without the last three weeks
- Shepparton News November 24, 2022 – June 13, 2023
- "Phantom's End", The Phantom #1960 (2023)
Colombia
- "El fin del Fantasma", El País August 11, 2022 – January 25, 2023
Fiji
- The Fiji Times April 30, 2022 – October 14, 2022
India
- Anandabazar Patrika June 9, 2022 – November 5, 2022
- The Assam Tribune August 18, 2022 – February 27, 2023
Jamaica
- The Daily Gleaner April 18, 2022 – October 1, 2022
Mexico
- "El fin del Fantasma", El Informador January 2, 2023 – June 17, 2023
Norway
- "Fantomets skjebne", Fantomet Year Album 2024 (edited together with "To Wrack and Ruin at Gravelines", "The Chronicle of Old Man Mozz", and "Death in the Himalayas")
The Philippines
- The Philippine Star July 17, 2023 – December 30, 2023
El Salvador
- "El fin del Fantasma", La Prensa Gráfica October 10, 2023 – March 23, 2024 (first strip missing)
Sweden
- "Vägs ände", Svenska Dagbladet October 16, 2022 – March 13, 2023
- "Vägs ände", Fantomen 6-7/2024
USA
- Anderson Independent-Mail April 18, 2022 – October 1, 2022
- Boston Herald April 18, 2022 – October 1, 2022
- The Citizens' Voice April 18, 2022 – October 1, 2022
- Delaware County Daily Times April 18, 2022 – October 1, 2022
- The Macomb Daily April 18, 2022 – October 1, 2022
- Houston Chronicle April 18, 2022 – October 1, 2022
- The News Item April 18, 2022 – October 1, 2022
- Reading Eagle April 18, 2022 – October 1, 2022
- Royal Oak Tribune April 20, 2022 – September 30, 2022 (missing Monday and Tuesday strips)
- The Winchester Sun April 13, 2024 –