The Chain (Sunday story)

The Chain
Start date:	February 8th, 1953
End date:	May 24th, 1953
# of strips:	16 pages
Writer:	Lee Falk
Artist:	Wilson McCoy
Original colorist:	KFS staff
Preceded by:	"Diana and the Bank Robbers"
Followed by:	"Madcap Miriam"

"The Chain" is the 34th Phantom Sunday story. The story was written by Lee Falk and drawn by Wilson McCoy.

Plot synopsis

When the current Phantom loses patience with some warring tribes and is on the verge of giving up, an old Bandar is forced to tell him the story of the Chain that hangs on the Skull Throne. Many years before, so the story goes, the future wife of his father (so his future mother) was traveling to Bengali on board a steam ship, when she came across some unwelcome attention from a violent and oppressive Misty Mountain prince named Prince Hakon. She had no interest in the prince, telling him that she loved another and was on her way to be married. He became enraged and upon arrival in Bengali, he had her kidnapped and taken to his highland palace. She refused to marry him, so he kept her locked in a cell until she changed her mind. Upon hearing of the kidnapping, the Phantom rides to the highland kingdom and attempts a rescue, however, due to his rage he rushes things and is captured by the palace guards. Instead of imprisoning or executing the Phantom, the Prince instead puts him to work pushing a mill in plain view of his fiance's cell. With each turn of the mill, the Phantom notices that the chain catches a little, scraping against stone, weakening the links. Month after month the Phantom labors, knowing that with each turn, he comes closer to freedom.

Appearances

Recurring characters

• The 21st Phantom
• The 20th Phantom
• Diana
• Maude
• Guran
• Woru

One-time characters

• Prince Hakon

Locations

• Bengali
  • Deep Woods
    • The Skull Cave
• Green Valley

Tribes

• Wambesi
• Llongo
• Ossewey
• Lorogu /Loguru
• Bandar

Organizations

Vehicles

Items

Old Jungle Sayings

Related stories

Remade as

• "The Chain" by Bill Lignante

Referenced in

• "The Old Bandar" by Donne Avenell and Özcan Eralp
• "Captain Amazon - Pirate Queen" by Lee Falk and Sy Barry
• "The Chain" by Tony DePaul and Bret Blevins

Reprints

This story has been published in the following publications:

Argentina

• "El misterio de la cadena", El Fantasma #78 (1965)

Australia

• The Phantom #126 (1958)
• The Phantom #215 (1962)
• The Phantom #339 (1967)
• The Phantom #498 (1973)
• The Phantom #676 (1979)
• The Phantom #893 (1987)
• The Phantom #1312 (2002)

Brazil

• "A História da Corrente!", Fantasma #5 (1953)

Canada

• Le Nouvelliste February 7, 1953 – May 23, 1953
• La Patrie February 8, 1953 – May 24, 1953
• Le Soleil February 8, 1953 – May 24, 1953

Finland

• Sarjakuvalehti 16/1954 – 7/1955

France

• "L'histoire de la chaîne", Les héros de l'aventure #38 (1967)

India

• "The Phantom is Chained", Indrajal Comics #12 (1965)
• "Prisoner in the Tower", Indrajal Comics Vol. 25 No. 20 (1988)

Ireland

• Sunday Independent August 9, 1953 – November 15, 1953

Italy

• "La storia della catena", Il Vascello #15 (1959)
• "La storia della catena", L'Uomo Mascherato #8 (1960)
• "La storia della catena", L'Uomo Mascherato #73 (1964)
• "La storia della catena", Phantom #191
• L'uomo mascherato – Il mito dell'Ombra che cammina (2005)

Mexico

• El Informador April 5, 1953 – July 5, 1953

New Zealand

• The Phantom #137 – #138
• The Phantom #381 – #382

Norway

• "Fantomet i lenker", Krønikebok #20 (2005)

The Philippines

• The Daily Mirror April 25, 1953 – August 8, 1953

Sweden

• "Den mystiska kedjan", Vecko-Revyn 47/1955 – 10/1956
• "Den mystiska kedjan", Fantomen 30 – 32/1958
• "Den mystiska kedjan", Fantomen Christmas Album 1963
• "Den mystiska kedjan", Fantomen Krönika 3/2001 (2001)
• "Den mystiska kedjan", Fantomen - Den inbundna årgången 1958, Del 4 (2009)
• "Den mystiska kedjan", Fantomen Christmas Album 2013 - facsimile reprint of 1963 Christmas Album

United Kingdom

• King Comic #1 – #13 (1954) - without the first three weeks

USA

• Anderson Herald February 8, 1953 – May 24, 1953
• Charleston Daily Mail February 8, 1953 – May 24, 1953
• Cumberland Sunday Times February 8, 1953 – May 24, 1953
• The Democrat February 8, 1953 – May 24, 1953
• Denton Record-Chronicle February 8, 1953 – May 24, 1953
• The Milwaukee Sentinel February 8, 1953 – May 24, 1953
• La Opinión February 8, 1953 – May 24, 1953
• Orlando Sentinel February 8, 1953 – May 24, 1953
• San Antonio Light February 8, 1953 – May 24, 1953
• San Francisco Examiner February 8, 1953 – May 24, 1953
• St. Petersburg Times February 8, 1953 – May 24, 1953
• The Phantom Sundays #4 (1989)
• The Complete Sundays: Volume Four 1950–1953 (2017)
• "The Chain", Comics Revue #449-450 (2023)