The Man-Thing

The Man-Thing
Start date:	January 18th, 1988
End date:	May 21st, 1988
# of strips:	108 (18 weeks)
Writer:	Lee Falk
Artist:	Sy Barry
Original colorist:	N/A
Preceded by:	"Zabadabah"
Followed by:	"Great Raptor of Rhua"

"The Man-Thing" is the 163rd Phantom daily story. The story was written by Lee Falk and drawn by Sy Barry.

Plot synopsis

Lloni of Llongo comes across an elephant sized man-thing in the jungle and reports it to the Phantom. It was the first of a convoy of trucks smuggling weapons to overthrow President Luaga.

Appearances

Recurring characters

• The 21st Phantom
• Lloni of Llongo
• Devil
• Hero
• Toma
• Lamanda Luaga
• General Bababu (in flashback)

One-time characters

• Colonel Onord, Chief of Staff
• Captain Jaca
• unnamed sergeant

Locations

• Bangalla
  • Deep Woods
    • The Waterfall
      • The Skull Cave
        • The Skull Throne
    • Phantom Head Peak
    • Phantom Trail
  • Mawitaan
    • Presidential Palace
  • Wambesi land
• Tarashima
  • Lake Tarashima
• Abadabah (mentioned)

Tribes

• Bandar
• Llongo
• Wambesi

Organizations

• Bangala Press (only one 'l' in print)

Old Jungle Sayings

• Phantom rough on roughnecks.
• Phantom angry with bad men.
• Phantom fist like battle-axe.
• Phantom moves silent as big cat.
• Phantom moves faster than eye can see.

Reprints

This story has been published in the following publications:

Australia

• "The Man-Thing", The Phantom #911 (1988)
• "The Man-Thing", The Phantom #1365 (2003)

Brazil

• "Um Traidor Entre Nós", Fantasma Extra #11 (1988)

Canada

• Le Nouvelliste May 4, 1988 – August 30, 1988

Denmark

• "Kupmageren", Fantomet #312 (1989)
• Horsens Folkeblad January 17, 1990 – May 28, 1990 and February 22, 1997 – July 5, 1997
• Djursland January 26, 1990 – June 6, 1990 and April 7, 1997 – August 13, 1997
• Aalborg Stiftstidende January 30, 1990 – June 7, 1990

Finland

• "Pahan alku ja juuri", Mustanaamio 7/1989
• "Vallankaappaaja", Mustanaamio 3-4/2009
• Ilta-Sanomat January 26, 2024 – February 27, 2024

Iceland

• Dagur October 13, 1993 – April 29, 1994

India

• "Sting of the Viper", Indrajal Comics Vol. 26 No. 5 – Vol. 26 No. 6 (1989)
• "Rebel Army Commander", Phantom #48
• "கூலி படை" (romanized as "Kooli padai"), Rani Comics #272 (1995)

Italy

• "Camion nella jungla", Phantom #211 & #251

Jamaica

• The Daily Gleaner January 18, 1988 – May 21, 1988

Mexico

• El Informador May 21, 1988 – September 26, 1988

Norway

• Aftenposten February 24, 1989 – July 10, 1989
• "Kuppmakeren", Fantomet 6/1989
• "Kuppmakeren", Serie-pocket #227 (1998)
• "Kuppmakeren", Fantomet 2-3/2009

Spain

• "¡Revolucion en Bangalla!", El Hombre Enmascarado #28 – #29 (1990)
• "La sublevación del coronel Onord", Phantom, El Hombre Enmascarado #35 (1999?)

Sweden

• Svenska Dagbladet September 13, 1988 – November 8, 1988 and February 27, 1989 – March 16, 1989 (incomplete and out of order)
• "Kuppmakaren", Fantomen 21/1988
• Göteborgs-Tidningen March 7, 1989 – July 11, 1989
• Katrineholmskuriren July 16, 1992 – November 19, 1992
• "Kuppmakaren", Fantomen 3-4/2009

Turkey

• "İnsan Yapımı", Kızılmaske #22 (2015)

USA

• The Alabama Journal January 18, 1988 – May 20, 1988 (Saturday strips missing)
• Anchorage Daily News January 18, 1988 – May 21, 1988
• Anderson Independent-Mail January 18, 1988 – May 21, 1988
• The Asheville Times January 18, 1988 – May 21, 1988
• Bangor Daily News January 18, 1988 – May 21, 1988
• Baraboo News Republic January 18, 1988 – May 21, 1988
• The Birmingham News January 18, 1988 – May 21, 1988
• Chippewa Herald January 18, 1988 – May 21, 1988
• The Citizens' Voice January 18, 1988 – May 21, 1988
• The Clarksdale Press Register January 18, 1988 – May 21, 1988
• The Daily American January 18, 1988 – May 21, 1988
• The Daily Item January 18, 1988 – May 21, 1988
• The Daily Journal January 18, 1988 – May 21, 1988
• The Gadsden Times January 18, 1988 – May 21, 1988
• Green Bay Press-Gazette January 18, 1988 – May 21, 1988
• Herald News January 18, 1988 – May 21, 1988
• The Indianapolis News January 18, 1988 – May 21, 1988
• Johnson City Press January 18, 1988 – May 21, 1988
• Ledger-Enquirer January 18, 1988 – May 21, 1988
• Morning Sentinel January 18, 1988 – May 21, 1988
• The News Journal January 18, 1988 – May 21, 1988
• Observer-Reporter January 18, 1988 – May 21, 1988
• Philadelphia Daily News January 18, 1988 – May 21, 1988
• The Plattsburgh Press-Republican January 18, 1988 – May 21, 1988
• Portage Daily Register January 18, 1988 – May 21, 1988
• Press Enterprise January 18, 1988 – May 21, 1988
• Reading Eagle January 18, 1988 – May 21, 1988
• Red Bank Register January 18, 1988 – May 21, 1988
• The Rome Daily Sentinel January 18, 1988 – May 21, 1988
• The Tuscaloosa News January 18, 1988 – May 21, 1988
• The Winchester Sun January 18, 1988 – May 21, 1988
• Suffolk News-Herald January 18, 1988 – May 22, 1988
• "The Man-Thing", Comics Revue #28, #29, Annual #2, #31 – #33 (1988)
• "The Man-Thing", The Complete Newspaper Dailies: Volume Thirty-Three 1988–1989 (2025)