The Childhood of the Phantom (1959 story)

The Childhood of the Phantom
Start date:	June 21st, 1959
End date:	January 3rd, 1960
# of strips:	29 pages
Writer:	Lee Falk
Artist:	Wilson McCoy
Original colorist:	KFS staff
Preceded by:	"A Tale of the Good Mark"
Followed by:	"The River Gang"

"The Childhood of the Phantom" is the 53rd Phantom Sunday story. The story was written by Lee Falk and drawn by Wilson McCoy.

Plot Summary

We follow the 21st Phantom's childhood from birth in the Skull Cave (assisted by an unwilling Dr Axel) through his childhood. First he learns jungle skills from his father then he travels with Guran to live with his Aunt and Uncle in Walkertown, USA (where he meets the girl Diana Palmer, before continuing his studies at Harrison University.

Kit excels in all his endeavours, both athletic and academic, before being summoned to the Skull Cave by Guran to assume the duties of the Phantom.

Long live the Phantom!

Appearances

Recurring characters

• The 20th Phantom
• The 20th Phantom's wife
• The 21st Phantom
• Hero (mentioned)
• Guran's father
• Dr Axel
• Kit's Aunt Walker
• Kit's Uncle Walker
• Diana Palmer
• Bob, Kit's college roommate

One-time characters

• Jack, Ship's hand
• Four Ship's officers
• Pete the Bully
• Gambling den pit boss
• Heavyweight boxing champion of the world
• Max, boxing manager

Locations

• Bangalla
  • Deep Woods
    • The Skull Cave
      • The Skull Throne
      • The Chronicle Chamber
      • The Minor Treasure Room
      • The Vaults
  • Wambesi Village
• USA
  • Walkertown
    • Kit's Aunt and Uncle's home
  • Harrison University
  • California
    • Los Angeles (mentioned)
  • New York
    • New York City

Tribes

• Bandar
• Wambesi
• Oomga

Deities and idols

• The Goddess of Liberty

Behind the scenes

• Lee Falk named Harrison University after himself; his middle name is Harrison.
• The 21st Phantom's first word is "Phantom".
• The 21st Phantom, while riding on his father's horse, foresees that he will have a white horse and name him Hero.
• The young Guran and the Phantom call the Statue of Liberty an "idol" and the "Goddess of Liberty".
• Kit wears number 8 on his schoolboy football jersey.
• The 20th Phantom writes a letter to his son which reads "Games are good for your body. Books for your mind. Neglect neither.".
• Kit is called "the finest all-around athlete in the world".

Related stories

Remade as

• "The Phantom's Boyhood" by Lee Falk, Bill Harris, and Bill Lignante
• "The Phantom's Boyhood: Diana" by Lee Falk, Bill Harris, and Bill Lignante
• "The Phantom's Boyhood: School" by Lee Falk, Bill Harris, and Bill Lignante

Referenced in

• "The Old Bandar" by Donne Avenell and Özcan Eralp
• "The Final Battle" by Lennart Moberg, Felmang, and Germano Ferri
• "The 21st Phantom" by Claes Reimerthi and Paul Ryan
• "The Lethal Trap" by Claes Reimerthi and Kari Leppänen

Reprints

This story has been published in the following publications:

Argentina

• "Una historia emocionante", El Fantasma #37 (1961)
• "Una historia emocionante", Libro de Oro #17 (1964)

Australia

• "The Childhood of the Phantom", The Phantom #325 (1966)
• "The Childhood of the Phantom", The Phantom #479 (1972)
• "The Childhood of the Phantom", The Phantom #656 (1979)
• "The Childhood of the Phantom", The Phantom #865 (1986)
• "The Childhood of the Phantom", The Phantom #1280 (2001)
• "The Childhood of the Phantom", The Phantom #1798 (2017)

Brazil

• "A História do Fantasma", Almanaque Fantasma Magazine 1961

Canada

• Le Soleil June 21, 1959 – January 2, 1960
• La Patrie June 21, 1959 – January 3, 1960

Colombia

• El Tiempo October 4, 1959 – April 17, 1960

Denmark

• "Det unge Fantomet", Fantomet SUPER-album (1972)

Finland

• Seura 7-36/1960
• "Nuori Mustanaamio", Suuri sarjakirja (1973)
• "Nuori Mustanaamio", Mustanaamio 1/1966
• "Nuori Mustanaamio", Miten kaikki alkoi (1985)
• "Nuori Mustanaamio", Sarjakirja #123 (1987)
• "Nuori Mustanaamio", Mustanaamio 1966–1967 (2011)

Greece

• "Το παιδικα χρονια του Φαντομ" (romanized as "To paidika chronia tou Fantom"), Fantom #21 (1975)

Iceland

• Vikan October 15, 1959 – April 21, 1960 (one week missing)

India

• "The Legendary Heroes", Indrajal Comics Vol. 24 No. 14 (1987)
• "யார் பையன்" (romanized as "Yaar payyan"), Rani Comics #306 (1997)

Ireland

• Sunday Independent September 12, 1959 – January 17, 1960 - without the last week

Italy

• "L'infanzia dell'Uomo Mascherato", L'olimpo dei fumetti #13 (1972)
• "L'infanzia dell'Uomo Mascherato", Phantom #47

Mexico

• El Informador August 30, 1959 – March 13, 1960

New Zealand

• The Phantom #335 – #337

Norway

• Vi menn 11 – 39/1960
• "Det unge Fantomet", Fantomet 1/1966
• "Det unge Fantomet", Kjempealbum (1973)
• "Det unge Fantomet", Fantomet 8/1978
• "Det unge Fantomet", Serie-pocket #131 (1987)
• "Det unge Fantomet", Krønikebok #21 (2005)
• "Det unge Fantomet", Fantomet Kronologisk #3 (2017)

Spain

• "La niñez del Hombre Enmascarado", El Hombre Enmascarado #032 and "La juventud del Hombre Enmascarado", #033 (1960)
• "La juventud del Héroe", Phantom #25 (1999)

Sweden

• "Fantomens barndom", Vecko-Revyn 15 – 43/1962
• "Den unge Fantomen", Fantomen 5/1965
• "Den unge Fantomen", Stora Fantomenboken (1973)
• "Den unge Fantomen", Fantomen Krönika 5/2001
• "Den unge Fantomen", Fantomen - Den inbundna årgången 1965, Del 1 (2015)

United Arab Republic

• "إبن الشبح" (romanized as "Ibn Alshabah"), Samir #325 – #332 (1962)

Uruguay

• El Diario July 17, 1959 – January 31, 1960

USA

• Anderson Herald June 21, 1959 – January 3, 1960
• The Birmingham News June 21, 1959 – January 3, 1960
• Charleston Gazette-Mail June 21, 1959 – January 3, 1960
• Cumberland Sunday Times June 21, 1959 – January 3, 1960
• The Democrat June 21, 1959 – January 3, 1960
• Farmington Daily Times June 21, 1959 – January 3, 1960
• The Gadsden Times June 21, 1959 – January 3, 1960
• The Honolulu Advertiser June 21, 1959 – January 3, 1960
• The Huntsville Times June 21, 1959 – January 3, 1960
• The Montgomery Advertiser June 21, 1959 – January 3, 1960
• The News Tribune June 21, 1959 – January 3, 1960
• La Opinión June 21, 1959 – January 3, 1960
• Orlando Sentinel June 21, 1959 – January 3, 1960
• Richmond Times-Dispatch June 21, 1959 – January 3, 1960
• San Antonio Light June 21, 1959 – January 3, 1960
• San Francisco Examiner June 21, 1959 – January 3, 1960
• St. Petersburg Times June 21, 1959 – January 3, 1960
• Spartanburg Herald-Journal June 21, 1959 – January 3, 1960
• The Tampa Tribune June 21, 1959 – January 3, 1960
• The Virginian Pilot June 21, 1959 – January 3, 1960
• The Phantom Sundays Special Edition #1 – #2 (1990)
• The Complete Sundays: Volume Six 1956–1960 (2019)

West Germany

• "Das unsterbliche Phantom", Phantom #1 (1966)
• "Der Dschungelboy", Phantom #89 (1977)
• "Der Dschungelboy", Phantom Super-band #12

Yugoslavia

• "Детињство и школовање" ("romanized as "Detinjstvo i školovanje"), Politikin Zabavnik #993 (1971)