The Childhood of the Phantom (1944 story)

The Childhood of the Phantom
Start date:	July 2nd, 1944
End date:	January 7th, 1945
# of strips:	28 pages
Writer:	Lee Falk
Artist:	Wilson McCoy
Original colorist:	KFS staff
Preceded by:	"Hamid the Terrible"
Followed by:	"The Golden Princess"

"The Childhood of the Phantom" is the 11th Phantom Sunday story. The story was written by Lee Falk and drawn by Wilson McCoy.

Plot Summary

At the request of the Phantom Dr Axel helps deliver the 21st Phantom, Kip Walker, in the Skull Cave.

Kip learns about life in the jungle with Guran before going to USA to live with his maternal Aunt Lucy and husband Uncle Jasper to receive his education. This is where Kip first meets Diana when he is 10 and she is six years old.

During his university studies, Guran delivers a message to Kip that his mother is dying and summons him back to the Skull Cave. After burying his mother, Kip decides to stay in the Deep Woods.

Later on, when the Phantom returns wounded from a fight with the Singh Pirates, Kip swears the Oath of the Skull, buries his father, and becomes the 21st Phantom.

Appearances

Recurring characters

• The 1st Phantom (flashback)
• The current Phantom's father
• The current Phantom
• Diana Palmer
• Guran
• A doctor
• Kit's mother
• Lucy Walker
• Jasper Walker

One-time characters

• Roughneck on ship
• Friend of Uncle Jasper Walker
• Centreville Police Officer
• Big Ben, school bully
• Two other bullies
• School Master
• Athletic Director
• Gym Teacher
• Ed, athletic coach
• Two university athletic coaches
• Light-Heavy Weight Boxing World Champion

Locations

• India
  • Bengali
    • Deep Woods
      • The Skull Cave
        • The Skull Throne
        • The Minor Treasure Room
• USA
  • Centreville
  • Clark Academy
  • State University
• The Singh Stronghold (mentioned)

Tribes

• Bandar

Organizations

• The Singh Pirates (mentioned)

Newspapers

• Herald
• Journal

Phantom lore

• The Oath of the Skull

Behind the scenes

Title panel.

• The title "The Childhood of the Phantom" appears in the first strip of the story.
• The very first panel refers to the 1st Phantom washing up on the shore of an Indian jungle.
• An unnamed doctor is asked to assist at the birth of the 21st Phantom. In later stories it will be told that this is Dr Axel, although the appearance is not the same either.
• The 21st Phantom's earliest memories are said to be of his mother's sweet smile, and the powerful arms and deep proud voice of his great, mysterious father.
• The young Phantom refers to his father being "faster than a deer" and "stronger than ten tigers".
• The young Phantom is called "Kip" by his Uncle Jasper Walker.
• There are inconsistencies with the naming of Aunt Lucy and Uncle Jasper. They are referred to as Gray and as Walker. Walker would be odd, as they are the 20th Phantom's wife's sister and husband.
• As the young Phantom becomes a man his face stops being shown.
• The 20th Phantom tells the 21st Phantom that no man or woman must see his face unmasked, save only his wife and children.

Related stories

Remade as

• "The Ghost Who Walks" by Lee Falk

Reprints

This story has been published in the following publications:

Australia

• "The Young Phantom", The Phantom #35 (1951)
• "The Young Phantom", The Phantom #134 (1958)
• "The Childhood of the Phantom", The Phantom #229 (1963)
• "The Childhood of the Phantom", The Phantom #358 (1968)
• "The Childhood of the Phantom", The Phantom #516 (1973)
• "The Childhood of the Phantom", The Phantom #694 (1980)
• "The Childhood of the Phantom", The Phantom #1063 (1994)
• "The Childhood of the Phantom", The Phantom #1560 (2010)
• "The Childhood of the Phantom", Frew Trade Paperback #1 (2017)
• "The Childhood of the Phantom", The Phantom #1859 (2020)
• The Phantom #35 replica, included with The Phantom #1988 (2025)

Brazil

• "A Infância do Fantasma", Gibi #879 – #960 (1944-45)
• "Como Surgiu o Fantasma", Fantasma #1 (1953; the first page only)
• "A Infância do Fantasma", Fantasma #9 (1954)
• "A Infância do Fantasma", Fantasma #208 (1973)
• "A Infância do Herói", Album do Fantasma #1 (1979)
• "Como Surgiu o Fantasma", Fantasma Especial (1980; the first page only)
• "A Infância do Herói", Hiperalmanaque Fantasma #3 (1982)
• "A Infância do Fantasma", Crônicas do Fantasma #3 (2020)

Canada

• La Patrie July 2, 1944 – January 7, 1945

Finland

• "Mustanaamion lapsuusaika", Mustanaamio 21 – 23/2003

France

• "La Jeunesse du Fantôme", Aventures et Mystère #99 (1949)
• "L'enfance du Fantôme", Le Fantôme #16 (1963; partialy redrawn)
• "L'enfance du Fantôme", Les héros de l'aventure #33 (1967; partialy redrawn)
• "L'enfance du Fantôme", Le Fantôme #420 – #423 (1973)
• "L'enfance du Fantôme", L'âge d'or – Le Fantôme #3 (1980)

Ireland

• Sunday Independent October 3, 1948 – October 31, 1948 - the last five weeks only

Italy

• "La stripe degli audaci", L'Uomo Mascherato #36 (1963; partialy redrawn)
• "La stripe degli audaci", I Classici dell'Avventura #80 (1965; partialy redrawn)
• "L'infanzia dell Ombra", Serie Cronologica #34 – #37 (1972-73)
• "L'infanzia dell Ombra", L'epoca d'oro di Phantom #3 (1980)
• Phantom - L'Uomo Mascherato #2 (2019)

Mexico

• El Informador November 19, 1944 – February 18, 1945 - without the first fourteen weeks

New Zealand

• The Phantom #175 – #177

Norway

• "Fantomets barndom", Fantomet 21 – 23/2003

Serbia

• "Fantomovo detinjstvo", Biblioteka Nostalgija #2 (2015)

Spain

• "La niñez del Hombre Enmascarado", El Hombre Enmascarado #36 and "La juventud del Hombre Enmascarado", #37 (194?)
• "Historia del Hombre Enmascarado", Almanaque del Hombre Enmascarado 1951
• "La Infancia del Heroe", El Hombre Enmascarado #01 (1971)
• "La infancia del Héroe", Phantom #6 (1998)

Sweden

• "Fantomens barndom", Vecko-Revyn 10 – 36/1947
• "Den vandrande vålnaden", Fantomen Christmas Album 1961
• "Fantomens barndom", Fantomen 21 – 23/2003
• "Den vandrande vålnaden", Fantomen Christmas Album 2011 - facsimile reprint of 1961 Christmas Album
• "Fantomens barndom", Fantomen 25-26/2025

USA

• The Greensboro Record July 1, 1944 – January 6, 1945
• Charleston Daily Mail July 2, 1944 – January 7, 1945
• Cumberland Sunday Times July 2, 1944 – January 7, 1945
• Detroit Evening Times July 2, 1944 – January 7, 1945
• Ledger-Enquirer July 2, 1944 – January 7, 1945
• The Milwaukee Sentinel July 2, 1944 – January 7, 1945
• The Montgomery Advertiser July 2, 1944 – January 7, 1945
• La Opinión July 2, 1944 – January 7, 1945
• Richmond Times-Dispatch July 2, 1944 – January 7, 1945
• San Antonio Light July 2, 1944 – January 7, 1945
• San Francisco Examiner July 2, 1944 – January 7, 1945
• St. Petersburg Times July 2, 1944 – January 7, 1945
• The Atlanta Constitution January 7, 1945 – January 7, 1945 - the last week only
• The Virginian Pilot January 7, 1945 – January 7, 1945 - the last week only
• "The Young Phantom", King Comics #117 – #123 (1946)
• The Complete Sundays: Volume Two 1942–1945 (2014)

Yugoslavia

• "Detinjstvo", Strip 82 #43 – #45 (1982)
• "Fantomovo detinjstvo", Strip 82 #64 (1982)