The First Assignment

The First Assignment
Produced for:	Fantomen 4/2003
# of pgs:	31
Writer:	Ben Raab
Artist:	Felmang
Original colorist:	Reprostugan
Producer:	Egmont Kärnan

"The First Assignment" is a 2003 Team Fantomen story written by Ben Raab, with art by Felmang.

Plot summary

Kit and Heloise are sitting outside the Skull Cave discussing who will be the 22nd Phantom in the future. Mozz arrives and tell them of a vision of the future he has had:

A man in trenchcoat and hat is standing outside the Luaga Institute - Environment Research Center counting down the seconds. A bomb explodes and the man runs off. At a press conference president Luaga tell journalists that he will find those who are responsible. A militant ecological group is believed to be responsible and a journalist asks if it is correct that the group is using the skull symbol associated to the old jungle myth of the Phantom. The president refuse to comment this or if he has any knowledge of the Phantom.

Later the same day the president attends a ball that is attacked by a group of heavily armed men who demand that the president resigns. Suddenly the electricity goes off and a masked man in a tight blue costume knock down the men. Those not tied up run off on motorbikes. Suddenly the mysterious masked avenger is behind them on a motorbike too but her tight dress shows that she is a woman. Shots are exchanged while driving down the road at full speed. Crashing their bikes, the female avenger arrest two of the men but is knocked down from behind by a third. While the terrorist goes off again, the female avenger is joined by an identically dressed man. It is Kit and Heloise both dressed in the Phantom costume.

The terrorists report to the new chief, Kaleo Kali, of the Aranoko in a distant part of the jungle. He knows of the Phantom myth but find it hard to believe that there were two Phantoms chasing his men.

In the Skull Cave, Kit and Heloise are practicing martial arts. Heloise is absentminded since their father has been missing for a couple of weeks. Kit wears the Skull Ring and Heloise wears the Good Mark Ring.

In the Aronoko village the tribe is preparing for an armed revolt against president Luaga when a bomb explodes and two Phantoms attack at the same time. Chief Kali run off into the jungle. Heloise is holding him at gunpoint but she is distracted when he tells her that he has news about her father. He attacks her with a knife then run off into the jungle. Heloise is seriously wounded but Kit tell her that he will carry her to the Skull cave.

In the present, Kit want to hear the rest of the story but Mozz does not know what happened next but assure them that they can shape the future by their dreams and hopes. Moz say goodbye.

Appearances

Recurring characters

• Kit and Heloise
• Lamanda Luaga
• Old man Mozz
• Julie (mentioned only)

One-time characters

• Chief Kaleo Kali of Aranoko
• Anango
• Fungo
• Mungo
• Ray

Locations

• Bengali
  • Morristown
    • Morristown Presidential Palace
  • The Deep Woods
    • The Skull Cave
      • Exercise room

Tribes

• Aranoko

Old Jungle Sayings

• The Phantom has a thousand eyes and a thousand ears.

Reprints

This story has been published in the following publications:

Australia

• "The First Assignment", The Phantom #1349 (2003)

Finland

• "Ensimmäinen tehtävä", Mustanaamio 4/2003

Norway

• "Det første oppdraget", Fantomet 4/2003

Sweden

• "Det första uppdraget", Fantomen 4/2003