The Castle of Evil

The Castle of Evil
Produced for:	Fantomen 2/1988
# of pgs:	30
Writer:	Norman Worker
Artist:	Hans Lindahl
Original colorist:	N/A
Producer:	Semic Press

"The Castle of Evil" is a 1988 Team Fantomen story, written by Norman Worker, with art by Hans Lindahl.

Plot synopsis

Rex and Tom-Tom ask the Phantom about an old book and a deformed hand in a jar which they discover in the Main Treasure Room. The Phantom tell them they are artifacts from an adventure with the 13th Phantom.

The Phantom reads from the chronicles about the story of the 13th Phantom who helps Jacob Grimm receive medical care at a hospital after an accident. The Phantom and Jacob then continue their travels together while they are heading in the same direction. They rescue people travelling by carriage from wolves as they travel through the forest at night before escorting them to their destination, the Castle Rosenhag.

As they resume their travels the next day they realise something is wrong and investigate the Faustenberg family. They discover that there were twins born on Walpurgis Night and the Baroness they met was not the one they learned about through a portrait at the hospital, but instead was her twin sister.

They return to the castle to rescue Lorelly from her grandmother's evil sister and uncover a horrifying truth.

Appearances

Recurring characters

• The 21st Phantom
• Rex
• Tom-Tom
• The 13th Phantom
• Guran

One-time characters

• Baroness Germaine Anna Faustenberg
• Unnamed Hospital Doctor (unnamed)
• Fräulein/Miss Lorelly
• Lily
• Hans
• Father Karl Wolfgang
• Lorelly's father (mentioned)
• Baron Konrad Jürgen von Faustenberg
• Irma Mana Faustenberg
• Marlene Emma Faustenberg - born von Drachenfels
• Old Brünhilde
• Kurt the watchmaker

Real-life Characters

• Jacob Grimm
• Wilhelm Grimm (mentioned)

Locations

• Bengali
  • Deep Woods
    • The Skull Cave
      • The Main Treasure Room
      • The Chronicle Room
• Czech (implied)
  • Bohemia (mentioned)
• Germany
  • The Harz Mountains
  • Zellerstadt
    • Hospital
    • Church
  • Badhausen
  • Castle of Rosenhag
    • Foyer
    • Dining Room
    • Parlour
    • Bedroom
    • Celler
  • Wolfenhölegebirge
    • Hunting Cabin
  • Hülbeck

Tribes

• Bandar

Objects

• Early edition of The Wolf and the Little Red Riding Hood
• Preserved deformed hand
• Silver balls

Related stories

Referenced in

• "The Witch" by Norman Worker and Jaime Vallvé

Behind the scenes

The story mentions that the 13th Phantom encountered a Golem, but this is not a reference to the story "Golem" which is about the 2nd Phantom.

Reprints

This story has been published in the following publications:

Australia

• "The Castle of Evil", The Phantom #1047 (1993)
• "The Castle of Evil", The Phantom #1994 (2025)

Brazil

• "Castelo Maligno", Fantasma Especial #31 (1989, colored)

Denmark

• "Ondskabens slot", Fantomet #299 (1988)

Finland

• "Pahan linna", Mustanaamio 15/1988
• "Pahuuden linna", Mustanaamio 14/2006 (colored by Reprostugan)

Norway

• "Ondskapens slott", Fantomet 13/1988
• "Ondskapens slott", Fantomets Krønike 1/1995
• "Ondskapens slott", Krønikebok #13 (2003)
• "Ondskapens slott", Fantomet 13/2006 (colored by Reprostugan)

Sweden

• "Ondskans slott", Fantomen 2/1988
• "Ondskans slott", Fantomen Krönika 3/1997
• "Ondskans slott", Fantomen Krönika Band 5, del 1 (2003)
• "Ondskans slott", Fantomen 14/2006 (colored by Reprostugan)