The Mermaids of Melo Straits (daily story)

The Mermaids of Melo Straits
Start date:	November 12th, 1945
End date:	February 16th, 1946
# of strips:	84 strips (14 weeks)
Writer:	Lee Falk
Artist:	Ray Moore
Original colorist:	N/A
Preceded by:	"The Wild Girl"
Followed by:	"Princess Valerie"

"Mermaids of Melo Straits" is the 26th Phantom daily story. The story was written by Lee Falk and drawn by Ray Moore.

Plot synopsis

The Phantom is travelling with Diana on board a ship to America. The crew spots a raft with a castaway on it. The castaway [AKA Tattoo Ted] reveals that his boat was lured into Melo Straits, by mermaids. The boat reaches the U.S, and the man is hospitalised. A reporter spreads the story of the incident, which is read by the perpetrators of the attack. They make a murder-attempt at the man, then kidnap him instead. The Phantom finds him missing, and decides to go to Melo Straits. Diana stows away with him on the ship. After encountering the Mermaid crooks, Diana, The Phantom and the crew of the ship are taken hostage in Fort Diablo, and the scheme is revealed. Diana is invited to join the gang, but refuses. The Phantom convinces her to join. Diana double crosses the group and is left to die in the ocean. Meanwhile, the Phantom escapes with the crew, ties up the group and saves Diana.

Appearances

Recurring characters

• The 21st Phantom
• Diana Palmer

One-time characters

• Captain Crag
• Tatoo Ted
• Red
• Queenie
• Platinum

Locations

• Fort Diablo
• South Africa (mentioned)

Tribes

Organizations

Vehicles

• Belle of the Ball
• Belle of Balboa (mentioned)

Items

Old jungle sayings

Behind the scenes

Title panel.

Title panel.

• The title "Mermaids of Melo Strait" appears in the last panel of the preceding story, and the title "The Mermaids of Melo Straits" appears in the first strip of the story itself.
• Due to the poor quality of the story, there is some existing speculation that the story is not attributable to Lee Falk and/or Ray Moore, and it may have been sourced externally.^{[citation needed]}
• The Phantom's costume is referred to as grey.

Related stories

Remade as

• "The Mermaids of Melo Straits" by Lee Falk, Ulf Granberg, Felmang, and Ferri

Reprints

This story has been published in the following publications:

Argentina

• Tit-Bits #2020 – #2027 (1948)
• "El canto de las sirenas", El Libro de la Historieta #9 (1955)
• "El misterio de las sirenas", El Fantasma #69 (1964)

Australia

• "The Mermaids of Melo Straits", The Phantom #65 (1953)
• "The Mermaids of Melo Straits", The Phantom #972 (1991)
• "The Mermaids of Melo Straits", The Phantom #1591 (2011)

Brazil

• "As Sereias do Estreito de Melo", O Globo Juvenil #1393 – #1433 (1946)
• "Fantasma enfrenta as 'Sereias'", Fantasma #114 (1965)
• "As Sereias do Estreito de Melo", O Fantasma #18 (1971)
• "As Sereias do Estreito de Nelo", Fantasma #237 (1975)
• "O Confronto Com as Sereias", Fantasma #318 (1982)
• "As Sereias do Estreito de Nelo'", Fantasma Extra #14 (1989)
• "As Sereias do Estreito de Melo", Fantasma - Edição Histórica #30 (1996)

Canada

• La Patrie November 12, 1945 – February 16, 1946
• The Vancouver Sun November 13, 1945 – February 16, 1946
• "Les sirènes du détroit Mélo" L'Action catholique December 24, 1945 – March 13, 1946

Denmark

• "Havfruerne i Melo strædet", Horsens Folkeblad June 26, 1947 – October 1, 1947
• "Havfruerne i Melo strædet", Aalborg Stiftstidende September 20, 1946 – December 28, 1946
• "Havfruerne i Melo strædet", Hejmdal August 28, 1947 – December 5, 1947
• "Mysteriet med havfruerne", Fantomet #25 (1973)
• "Havfruerne i Melosundet", Serie-pocket #18 (1977)

Finland

• "Kuolemankarikon merenneidot", Kaleva March 24, 1948 – July 6, 1948
• "Merenneitojen salaisuus", Sarjakirja #39 (1982)
• "Kalmansalmen merenneidot", Ilta-Sanomat November 6, 2017 – November 28, 2017

France

• Aventures-Paris Jeunes #66– #79 (1947)
• "Les sirènes du détroit de Mélos", Le Fantôme Spécial #95 (1971)

Italy

• "Le sirene dello stretto di Melo", L'Avventura #11 – 20/1947
• "Le sirene dello stretto di Melo", L'Uomo Mascherato Super Albo #101 (1964)
• "Le sirene dello stretto di Melo", Phantom #403

Jamaica

• The Daily Gleaner January 20, 1946 – July 16, 1946

Mexico

• "Las sirenas del estrecho de melo", El Informador January 5, 1946 – April 16, 1946

Norway

• Skippern 1/1950 – 2/1951
• "Havfruene i Melosundet", Serie-pocket #24 (1977)

New Zealand

• The Phantom #5 – #6
• The Phantom #205 – #208
• The Phantom #500 – #501

Spain

• "La sirenas del estrecho de melo", El Hombre Enmascarado #79, "La prisión del valle", #80, and "Fuga trágica", #81 (194?)
• "La sirenas del estrecho de melo", El Hombre Enmascarado #53 (1978)
• "La sirenas del estrecho de melo", El Hombre Enmascarado #64 – #65 (1991)
• "La sirenas del estrecho de melo", Phantom, El Hombre Enmascarado #56 (1999)

Sweden

• "Sjöjungfrurna i Melosunden", Svenska Dagbladet November 30, 1946 – March 12, 1947
• Fantomen 15 – 20/1951
• "Äventyret med sjöjungfrurna", Fantomen 25/1959
• "Sjöjungfrurna i Melosundet", Serie-pocket #57 (1982)
• Fantomen - Den inbundna årgången 1951, Del 2 – Del 3 (2004)
• "Äventyret med sjöjungfrurna", Fantomen - Den inbundna årgången 1959, Del 4 (2011)

United Kingdom

• "The Mermaids of Melo Straits", The Phantom Illustrated Comic #4

USA

• The Birmingham News November 12, 1945 – February 16, 1946
• Charleston Daily Mail November 12, 1945 – February 16, 1946
• Chester Times November 12, 1945 – February 16, 1946
• The Coos Bay Times November 12, 1945 – February 16, 1946
• The Daily Item November 12, 1945 – February 16, 1946
• The Daily Record November 12, 1945 – February 16, 1946
• The Evening News November 12, 1945 – February 16, 1946
• Hanford Morning Journal November 12, 1945 – February 16, 1946
• Herald News November 12, 1945 – February 16, 1946
• The Monessen Daily Independent November 12, 1945 – February 16, 1946
• The Nassau Daily Review-Star November 12, 1945 – February 16, 1946
• Oxnard Press-Courier November 12, 1945 – February 16, 1946
• Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph November 12, 1945 – February 16, 1946
• Richmond Times-Dispatch November 12, 1945 – February 16, 1946‎
• The Rome Daily Sentinel November 12, 1945 – February 16, 1946‎
• San Antonio Light November 12, 1945 – February 16, 1946
• Sandusky Register Star News November 12, 1945 – February 16, 1946
• Syracuse Herald Journal November 12, 1945 – February 16, 1946
• The Washington Reporter November 12, 1945 – February 16, 1946
• King Comics #158 (1952)
• The Complete Newspaper Dailies: Volume Six 1944–1946‎ (2013)
• "The Mermaids of Melo Straits", Comics Revue #333-334 (2014)

Yugoslavia

• "Morska sirena", Biblioteka Nostalgija #12 (1991; incomplete story and edited together with & "High Seas Highjacker")