The Mask of Death

The Mask of Death
Produced for:	Fantomen 13/1983
# of pgs:	32
Writer:	Ulf Granberg
Artist:	Jaime Vallvé
Original colorist:	N/A
Producer:	Semic Press

"The Mask of Death" is a 1983 Team Fantomen story, written by Ulf Granberg, with art by Jaime Vallvé.

Plot synopsis

After "Mystery in Rome" The 1st Phantom has a dream where Paracelsus asks him to travel to France to meet with Dr Nostradamus. Intending to travel from Osti to Egypt by ship, a storm at sea drive the ship to port in France. The captain of the ship asks The Phantom to find a doctor, which just happens to be Nostradamus. Meeting him in his house, the doctor appear to have been waiting for him.

Dr Nostradamus tend to the injured on the ship, then asks The Phantom to travel with him to the city of Agen. There he makes a prediction that in the future the The Phantom's name will be feared by the wicked and honoured by the deprived, in the 20th century there will be 20 graves and yet The Phantom will be immortal.

The Phantom travels to Paris where he witnesses how a young man is thrown over a bridge. The Phantom recues the young man from drowning. He turns out to be a young woman, Gabrielle, who wants to warn the king of a plot to kill him. The Phantom is smitten by the charming Gabrielle and agree to help her to sneak into the Royal Palace to warn the king.

The arrive just in time to stop an attempt on the king's life by comtesse de Gauloises. The Phantom leave Paris shortly after a tender farewell of sweet Gabrielle. The Phantom travels from Paris to Marseille, Alexandria and The Red Sea before arriving in Moribar.

Appearances

Recurring characters

• The 1st Phantom
• The 2nd Phantom (mentioned)
• Gabrielle
• Captain Vidao, Portuguese sea captain
• The 21st Phantom
• Guran

One-time characters

• Comtesse de Gauloise
• Fifong
• Giulio
• Chef of Coq Noire
• Juan

Real-life characters

• King Francis I of France
• Nostradamus
• Paracelsus
• Eleanor of Austria (mentioned)
• Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor (mentioned)

Locations

• Bengali
  • Moribar (mentioned)
  • Deep Woods
    • The Waterfall
      • The Skull Cave
        • The Chronicle Room
• Italy
  • Rome
    • Ostia
  • Milan (mentioned)
• Austria (implied)
  • Salzburg (mentioned)
• Egypt (mentioned)
• France
  • Nanton
  • Agen
  • Paris
    • Coq Noire Inn
    • The Royal Palace
  • Marseille (mentioned)
• The Mediterranean Sea
• The Red Sea

Tribes

• Bandar

Related stories

Preceded by

• "The Ring" by Ulf Granberg and Jaime Vallvé
• "Mystery in Rome" by Ulf Granberg and Jaime Vallvé

Followed by

• "The Usurer" by John Rassy and Heiner Bade

Referenced in

• "The First Phantom" by Michael Tierres and Kari Leppänen
• "Secret of the Skulls, Part 1" by Claes Reimerthi and Hans Lindahl.

Reprints

This story has been published in the following publications:

Australia

• "The Mask of Death", The Phantom #1809 (2018)

Denmark

• "Dødens maske", Fantomet #240 (1984)

Finland

• "Tuhon naamio", Mustanaamio 22/1983
• "Tuhon naamio", Mustanaamion kronikka 3/1996

Norway

• "Dødens maske", Fantomet 22/1983
• "Dødens maske", Fantomets Krønike 2/1997
• "Dødens maske", Fantomet Gullalderen #23 (2016)

Sweden

• "Dödens mask", Fantomen 13/1983
• "Dödens mask", Fantomen Krönika 4/1993
• "Dödens mask", Fantomen Krönika Band 1 (1999)