The Imposter
| The Imposter | |
| |
| Produced for: | Fantomen 8/1978 |
|---|---|
| # of pgs: | 31 |
| Writer: | Norman Worker |
| Artist: | Bertil Wilhelmsson & Özcan Eralp |
| Original colorist: | N/A |
| Producer: | Semic Press |
"The Imposter" is a 1978 Team Fantomen story, written by Norman Worker, with art by Bertil Wilhelmsson and Özcan Eralp.
Plot synopsis
At the Bengalitown football arena, the Wambesi is playing the Massagni in the national championships, with the Phantom as referee. When the whistle blows, Massagni defeats the Wambesi and President Luaga presents the winner's cup to the Massagni. After the game, Luaga tells the Phantom that he is happy that the days of tribal wars are over and that the tribes instead can meet in friendly games on the arena. The next day is a carnival and Luaga hopes that visiting journalists only will have a country that is progressing quickly to report about.
Meanwhile, the minister of finance Muada, is holding a meeting with airforce Colonel Chego and a Wambesi witch doctor, planning to overthrow the president. Muada has hired an American film crew that he will use to start a tribal war between Massagni and Wambesi. An actor, Floyd, with a costume will pretend to be the Phantom.
The next day, four girls of the Massagni are down by a river when they are attacked by men dressed like the Wambesi. One of them, Tola, is candidate in the Miss Bengali beauty contest. Tola is kidnapped by the men. Floyd, dressed like the Phantom, shows up in the Massagni village and claims that the girl was most certainly kidnapped by Wambesi men. The Massagni chief Massate is first skeptical but younger men want to punish the Wambesi. Next, Flody visits the Wambesi village, claiming that the Massagni is blaming them for having kidnapped a girl but that this is is only an excuse to start a war.
The camera crew is staying in the finance minister's house, preparing to have film footage of the tribal war. The next day Floyd dressed as the false Phantom encourages the Wambesi to fight the Massagni. Hidden cameras film the Wambesi warriors as they march to Bengalitown. The column is suddenly stopped by the genuine Phantom. His authenticity is verified by the skull ring that the Wambesi chief recognizes. Floyd and the rest of the crew find themselves chased through the jungle, finally coming to the Whispering Grove where they are tied up by the Bandars. Quickly enough they reveal the plans of the coup and that Tola is being kept in Muada's house.
The Phantom, Guran and Devil go the house, stop the witch doctor and rescue the girl. In Bengalitown, the finance minister and the colonel are waiting for the warring tribes to arrive. The Phantom dressed in a trenchcoat and hat arrive with the news that the Wambesi and Massagni are at peace. The chief of police arrest the plotters. The carnival can then proceed as planned. When President Luaga asks the Phantom to help him judge in the beauty contest, he has disappared without a trace.
Appearances
Recurring Characters
One-time Characters
- Muada
- Colonel Chego
- J. J. Holstein
- Helga Distelle
- Floyd
- Chief Massate
- Tola
Locations
Tribes
- The voice of the Phantom turns the blood to ice.
Reprints
This story has been published in the following publications:
Australia
- "The Imposter", The Phantom #791 (1984)
Finland
- "Väärennetty Mustanaamio", Mustanaamio 16/1978
Norway
- "Det falske Fantomet", Fantomet 18/1978
- "Det falske Fantomet", Fantomets Krønike 5/2004
- "Det falske Fantomet", Krønikebok #44 (2008)
Spain
- "El falso Hombre Enmascerado", El Hombre Enmascarado #4 (1980)
- "El falso Hombre Enmascerado", Album El Hombre Enmascarado #1 (1980)
Sweden
- "Den falske Fantomen", Fantomen 8/1978
Turkey
- "Ormanda Savaş", Kızılmaske #250 – #252 (1978)
- "Ormanda Savaş", Kızılmaske Albüm #77 – #78 (197?)
West Germany
- "Duell der Rivalen", Phantom #13