The Llongo Forest

The Llongo Forest
Start date:	March 30th, 2020
End date:	July 18th, 2020
# of strips:	96 (16 weeks)
Writer:	Tony DePaul
Artist:	Mike Manley
Original colorist:	KFS staff
Preceded by:	"Unfinished Business"
Followed by:	"The Reunion"

"The Llongo Forest" is the 254th Phantom daily story. The story was written by Tony DePaul and drawn by Mike Manley.

Plot synopsis

The 21st Phantom and Devil join two Llongo hunters as they hunt a notorious poacher. The thrill killer has shot a lion in the butt. The Phantom goes to the Forbidden Forest to euthanize the wounded beast. The lion attacks him, but he kills the lion. It is dusk, and he and Devil feast on lion heart. They sleep, with Devil right next to the lion carcass. In the morning, though, the lion is gone. A lion comes around, growls, and walks away, then the Phantom gets a bad headache.

Bathing in a nearby pool, he hears footsteps and sees Python starting to steal his Phantom clothes, although Devil did not raise the alarm. He begins to understand why the Llongo call this "The woods that make men mad." As they run to flee the forest, he sees the Skull Cave. Entering it, he sees the 20th Phantom, writing in the Chronicles. He appears to be upset that Kit 21 averted Mozz's prophecy of his being shot in the back. "It was your time, son. You escaped it." Kit 20 then scolds Kit 21 for hiding Kit 22 away in a foreign land and for subjecting Heloise to mortal danger. "You have consigned yourself to a farwaway grave," the Kit 20 ghost says, as he turns into a Flaming Skeleton. He shows Kit 21 where his grave will be, a scene which in a later story we see to be in the Himalayas.

When the Phantom finally gets clear of the forest, he finds Babudan and Guran. Guran says that a "bloodthirsty flea" that lives only in that forest causes hallucinations in humans. Later, writing in the Chronicles, the Phantom speculates that the flea's toxin allowed his subconscious mind to accuse him of missteps.

Appearances

Recurring characters

• The 21st Phantom
• The 20th Phantom
• Hero
• Devil
• The Python
• Guran
• Babudan
• Timo (mentioned)
• Heloise (mentioned)
• Flaming Skeleton

One-time characters

Locations

• Forbidden Forest

Tribes

• Llongo
• Bandar

Organizations

Vehicles

Items

Old jungle sayings

• The Phantom is rough on roughnecks.
• A villain's blood turns to stone when the Phantom knows his crime.

Behind the scenes

• Bret Blevins was an uncredited inking assistant on this story.

Related stories

Refers to

• "Heloise Comes Home" by Tony DePaul and Mike Manley

Referenced in

• "To Wrack and Ruin at Gravelines" by Tony De Paul and Mike Manley
• "The Breakout" by Tony De Paul and Mike Manley

Reprints

This story has been published in the following publications:

Australia

• Daily Mercury March 30, 2020 – June 27, 2020 - without the last three weeks
• Fraser Coast Chronicle March 30, 2020 – June 27, 2020 - without the last three weeks
• The Morning Bulletin March 30, 2020 – June 27, 2020 - without the last three weeks
• News-Mail March 30, 2020 – June 27, 2020 - without the last three weeks
• The Observer March 30, 2020 – June 27, 2020 - without the last three weeks
• The Sunshine Coast Daily March 30, 2020 – June 27, 2020 - without the last three weeks
• The Northern Star May 11, 2020 – June 27, 2020 - the first seven weeks only
• The Advertiser March 30, 2020 – July 18, 2020
• The Cairns Post March 30, 2020 – July 18, 2020
• The Chronicle March 30, 2020 – July 18, 2020
• The Courier-Mail March 30, 2020 – July 18, 2020
• The Daily Telegraph March 30, 2020 – July 18, 2020
• Herald Sun March 30, 2020 – July 18, 2020
• Townsville Bulletin March 30, 2020 – July 18, 2020
• Shepparton News June 19, 2020 – October 30, 2020
• "The Llongo Forest", The Phantom #1908 (2021)

Colombia

• "El bosque Llongo", El País July 15, 2020 – November 6, 2020

Ecuador

• "El bosque Llongo", El Comercio June 16, 2020 – October 5, 2020

Fiji

• The Fiji Times April 15, 2020 – August 3, 2020

India

• The New Indian Express (Chennai edition) May 7, 2020 – August 26, 2020
• The New Indian Express (Bangalore edition) June 1, 2020 – September ?, 2020
• The Assam Tribune June 30, 2020 – October 20, 2020
• Anandabazar Patrika August 22, 2020 – November 28, 2020
• Hitavada September 8, 2020 – November 14, 2020 (interrupted after the strip of May 29, 2018)
• "The Llongo Forest", The Phantom #13 (2024)

Jamaica

• The Daily Gleaner March 30, 2020 – July 17, 2020 (last strip missing)

Mexico

• "El bosque Llongo", El Informador May 29, 2020 – September 18, 2020

Norway

• "Llongoskogen", Romsdals Budstikke August 4, 2021 – November 24, 2021
• "Llongoskogen", Fædrelandsvennen September 30, 2021 – January 21, 2022
• "Llongoskogen", Gudbrandsdølen Dagningen October 1, 2021 – December 28, 2021 (interrupted after the strip of June 24, 2020)
• "Llongoskogen", Agderposten October 2, 2021 – January 21, 2022
• "Llongoskogen", Varden October 21, 2021 – February 11, 2022
• "Llongoskogen", Grimstad Adressetidene November 13, 2021 – March 10, 2022
• "Llongo-stammens skog", Fantomet Year Album 2022
• "Llongoskogen", Lofotposten August 30, 2022 – February 11, 2023

The Philippines

• The Philippine Star June 23, 2021 – October 18, 2021

El Salvador

• "El bosque Llongo", La Prensa Gráfica September 27, 2021 – January 8, 2022

Spain

• "El bosque Llongo", El Correo May 26, 2020 – August 30, 2020
• "El bosque Llongo", Las Provincias May 26, 2020 – August 30, 2020

Sweden

• "Llongoskogen", Svenska Dagbladet September 23, 2020 – December 30, 2020
• "Den förbjudna skogen", Fantomen 17/2021
• "Llongoskogen", Jönköpings-Posten June 3, 2023 – September 22, 2023
• "Llongoskogen", Bohusläningen January 11, 2024 – May 4, 2024
• "Llongoskogen", Hallandsposten January 11, 2024 – May 4, 2024

USA

• Anderson Independent-Mail March 30, 2020 – July 18, 2020
• Boston Herald March 30, 2020 – July 18, 2020
• The Citizens' Voice March 30, 2020 – July 18, 2020
• Delaware County Daily Times March 30, 2020 – July 18, 2020
• The Macomb Daily March 30, 2020 – July 18, 2020
• Houston Chronicle March 30, 2020 – July 18, 2020
• The News Item March 30, 2020 – July 18, 2020
• Press Enterprise March 30, 2020 – July 18, 2020
• Reading Eagle March 30, 2020 – July 18, 2020
• The Times March 30, 2020 – July 18, 2020
• Royal Oak Tribune April 1, 2020 – July 17, 2020 (missing Monday and Tuesday strips)
• The Advocate-Messenger March 28, 2020 – October 23, 2020
• The Winchester Sun March 28, 2020 – October 23, 2020