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, 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 and Scott Cohn.
Plot synopsis
Kit reminds Old Man Mozz of his promise "not a word to anyone else." Mozz tells Kit "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 Kit from himself.
Back in the prediction, the 21st 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 Jr. has been a student. Kit Jr., using a dead man's phone, calls home. As he tells of Savarna, Jampa, and the devastation, Manju finds him. The Phantom says he'll fly there to pick him up, but the son 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 he returns home alone, Diana leaves Bangalla for good. Savarna then somehow finds the Skull Cave, but he is cold to her. A couple of years later, though, we see a pregnant Savarna in his bed, as he heads back to Arunachal Pradesh to find "The African"(Kit Jr.).
In a mountain pass, the Phantom comes under fire from three angles. A few kilometers away, his son 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 him. His 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 gunbelt 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 the burial vault reserved for Kit. As he rides off to Rhodia, Diana asks Mozz about his Chronicle, but he says not a word. 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 own. The story continues in "The Breakout."
Appearances
Recurring characters
- The 21st Phantom
- Diana Palmer-Walker
- Kyabje Dorje (mentioned only)
- Chief Constable Jampa
- Manju
- Guran
- Old man Mozz
- Kit
- Devil
- Hero
One-time characters
Locations
- Bengali
- The Himalayas
- Arunachal Pradesh, India
Tribes
Organizations
Vehicles
Items
Phantom lore
Deities and idols
- You don't find the Phantom, he finds you.
- When the Phantom moves, he shames the lightning.
Related stories
Refers to
Referenced in
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 Chronicle Chamber, 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.
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
Colombia
- "El fin del Fantasma", El País August 11, 2022 – January 25, 2023
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
The Philippines
- The Philippine Star July 17, 2023 – ?
El Salvador
- "El fin del Fantasma", La Prensa Gráfica October 10, 2023 – ? (first strip missing)
Sweden
- "Vägs ände", Svenska Dagbladet October 16, 2022 – March 13, 2023
USA
- 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)