The Challenge

The Callenge

Start date:	May 11th, 2015
End date:	September 12th, 2015
# of strips:	108 (18 weeks)
Writer:	Tony DePaul
Artist:	Paul Ryan
Original colorist:	KFS staff
Preceded by:	"Patrolman X"
Followed by:	"The Twins' Futures"

"The Challenge" is the 242nd Phantom daily story. The story was written by Tony DePaul and drawn by Paul Ryan.

Plot synopsis

Kipawa, son of Guran's old friend Babudan, challenges Guran for the leadership of the Bandar tribe. Previously, the leadership has been inherited, but since Guran has disowned his son Timo, he has converted it to a total democracy where every member of the tribe has a vote on who is to be leader.

There is to be a contest where Guran and Kipawa is going to compete in various tasks for the leadership of the Bandars, then here will be a vote for the leadership.

Although Kipawa wins or makes a tie technically all the times, Guran wins by complementing him and being a true leader. Eventually Guran wins a rope climb when Kipawa lets him win, having picked up on Guran what it is to really be a leader.

In the final test, they are to first collect ingredients and then make jungle medicine. Kipawa is in big trouble as he cannot find the Ghost Orchid, which only Guran knows the location of. He tries to ask his father for help, but Babudan refuses as he prefers Guran.

In the morning of the day when Kipawa has to present the ingredients, he finds a piece of paper with instructions of how to find the Ghost Orchid. This results in another tie.

When the vote is to be conducted, Guran and Kipawa whisper to each other and Kipawa realizes that it was Guran who left the paper with instructions. Kipawa then understands that Guran has been training him to be a leader. With this revelation, he asks his father (who otherwise would have voted for Kipawa out of family loyalty) to vote for Guran. In the end Guran continues to be the leader and Kipawa is quite relieved when he realizes the enormous responsibility and all the times when the tribe has depended solely on Guran. Guran, however, assures him that he one day will become the leader.

Appearances

Recurring characters

One-time characters

Unnamed bad guy
Mrs Minton

Locations

Bangalla
- Deep Woods

Tribes

Bandar

Old jungle sayings

The Phantom has a thousand eyes and a thousand ears
When two Bandar face danger together, lions tremble

Reprints

This story has been published in the following publications:

Australia

The Advertiser May 11, 2015 – September 12, 2015
The Cairns Post May 11, 2015 – September 12, 2015
The Chronicle May 11, 2015 – September 12, 2015
The Courier-Mail May 11, 2015 – September 12, 2015
Daily Mercury May 11, 2015 – September 12, 2015
The Daily Telegraph May 11, 2015 – September 12, 2015
Herald Sun May 11, 2015 – September 12, 2015
The Morning Bulletin May 11, 2015 – September 12, 2015
News-Mail May 11, 2015 – September 12, 2015
Shepparton News May 11, 2015 – September 12, 2015
The Sunshine Coast Daily May 11, 2015 – September 12, 2015
Townsville Bulletin May 11, 2015 – September 12, 2015
The Observer June 3, 2015 – October 3, 2015 (last four strips missing)
The Northern Star June 22, 2015 – October 24, 2015
Fraser Coast Chronicle June 29, 2015, 2015 – October 31, 2015
Big Rigs ?, 2016 – October 21, 2016 (incomplete) and April 7, 2017 – ?
"The Challenge", The Phantom #1778 (2017)

The Bahamas

The Freeport News May 11, 2015 – September 12, 2015

Finland

Ilkka ?, 2017 – March ?, 2018

India

The New Indian Express (Chennai edition) August 14, 2015 – December 17, 2015
The New Indian Express (Bangalore edition) August 17, 2015 – December 21, 2015
Anandabazar Patrika March 24, 2016 – July 28, 2016
"The Challenge", The Phantom #18 (2021)

Jamaica

The Daily Gleaner May 11, 2015 – September 12, 2015

Mexico

"El Desafío", El Informador July 3, 2015 – November 4, 2015

Norway

Tønsbergs Blad July 4, 2016 – October 17, 2016 - without the last three weeks and October 18, 2016 – October 26, 2016 (repeated strips from May 25 to June 2, 2015)
"Utfordringen", Nordlys August 11, 2016 – September 14, 2016 (shortened, missing all of daily strips from May 21, 2015 to August 20, 2015)
Lindesnes September 1, 2016 – October 1, 2016 - the last three weeks only
"Utfordringen", Agderposten October 6, 2016 – February 9, 2017
"Utfordringen", Fædrelandsvennen October 10, 2016 – February 13, 2017
"Utfordringen", Lofotposten October 12, 2016 – February 15, 2017
"Utfordringen", Østlendingen October 27, 2016 – March 2, 2017
"Utfordringen", Romsdals Budstikke November 11, 2016 – March 17, 2017
"Utfordringen", Grimstad Adressetidene December 22, 2016 – ?, 2017
"Utfordringen", Gudbrandsdølen Dagningen January 14, 2017 – February 17, 2017 (shortened)
"Utfordringen", Varden February 27, 2017 – July 10, 2017
"Utfordringen", Aftenposten June 13, 2017 – September 22, 2017
"Bandarutfordringen", Fantomet 4/2017

The Philippines

The Philippine Star July 22, 2016 – November 24, 2016

El Salvador

"El Desafío", La Prensa Gráfica December 7, 2015 – March 19, 2016 - without the last three weeks

Spain

"El Desafío", El Correo December 10, 2015 – March 28, 2016
"El Desafío", Las Provincias December 10, 2015 – March 28, 2016

Sweden

"Utmaningen", Svenska Dagbladet February 6, 2016 – May 29, 2016
"Utmaningen", Barometern October 18, 2016 – February 21, 2017
"Bandarutmaningen", Fantomen 6-7/2017
"Utmaningen", Jönköpings-Posten June 5, 2018 – October 9, 2018
"Utmaningen", Smålandsposten June 28, 2018 – October 30, 2018
"Utmaningen", Bohusläningen December 27, 2018 – May 4, 2019
"Utmaningen", Hallandsposten December 27, 2018 – May 4, 2019
"Utmaningen", Smålands-Tidningen August 10, 2019 – December 14, 2019
"Utmaningen", Falköpings Tidning ?, 2021 – October 29, 2021
"Utmaningen", Skaraborgs Läns Tidning ?, 2021 – October 29, 2021
"Utmaningen", Västgöta-Bladet ?, 2021 – October 29, 2021

USA

Anderson Independent-Mail May 11, 2015 – September 12, 2015
Boston Herald May 11, 2015 – September 12, 2015
The Citizens' Voice May 11, 2015 – September 12, 2015
Delaware County Daily Times May 11, 2015 – September 12, 2015
Houston Chronicle May 11, 2015 – September 12, 2015
The News Item May 11, 2015 – September 12, 2015
Press Enterprise May 11, 2015 – September 12, 2015
Reading Eagle May 11, 2015 – September 12, 2015

The Challenge

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