The Missing Daddy

The Missing Daddy
Start date:	January 19th, 1970
End date:	April 18th, 1970
# of strips:	78 strips (13 weeks)
Writer:	Lee Falk
Artist:	Sy Barry
Original colorist:	N/A
Preceded by:	"The Gladiator"
Followed by:	"Luaga's Undercover Tour"

"The Missing Daddy" is the 108th Phantom daily story. The story was written by Lee Falk and drawn by Sy Barry.

Plot synopsis

Contains origin story.

Jake was found guilty of stealing $3 million and spent 10 years in jail. Joy and her father Jake go on a trip to Bengali after he is released from jail to try to prove his innocence. Jake goes missing from the Grand Hotel while Joy is at the beach. Joy then asks the Phantom for help finding Jake.

Appearances

Recurring characters

• The 21st Phantom
• Rex
• Tomm
• Guran
• Hero
• Devil
• Joomba
• Kateena
• Ramos
• Bomba

One-time characters

• Joy
• Joe
• Dr. Edward
• Sam, thug
• Pete, thug
• Jake, Joy's father

Locations

• Bengali
  • The Waterfall
    • Deep Woods
      • The Skull Cave
        • The Skull Throne
        • The Major Treasure Room
        • The Radio Control Room
  • State Hospital
  • Phantom Head Peak
  • Giant Oak two miles north of Phantom Head Peak
  • The Grand Hotel
  • Dr Edward's House
• Europe (mentioned)
• America (in flashback)

Tribes

• Pygmy Poison People

News papers

• The World Ledger

Vehicles

• The Phantom Express

Items

• $3 million2

Phantom lore

• Talking drums
• The Skull Mark

Old Jungle Sayings

• The Phantom has a thousand ears.
• The cold voice of angry Phantom chills the tiger's blood.

Behind the scenes

Title panel.

• This story has often been reprinted with the title "The Runaway Girl". However, the actual title "The Missing Daddy" appears in the sixth daily strip of this story.

Reprints

This story has been published in the following publications:

Argentina

• "El padre desaparecido", Fantasía #187 (1972)

Australia

• The Phantom #425 (1970)
• The Phantom #603 (1977)
• The Phantom #810 (1984)
• "The Missing Daddy", The Phantom #1187 (1998)

Brazil

• "A Fugitiva", Fantasma #171 (1970)
• "O Dinheiro Maldito", Fantasma #291 (1980)
• "O Dinheiro Maldito", Fantasma #364 – #365 (1986)
• "Papai Sumiu", Ataque ao Orfanato e Outras Histórias (2025)

Canada

• Le Nouvelliste February 13, 1970 – May 19, 1970
• L'Action March 23, 1970 – April 21, 1970 - the last four weeks only

Denmark

• Aalborg Stiftstidende July 17, 1971 – October 14, 1971
• Horsens Folkeblad March 4, 1972 – June 8, 1972
• Hejmdal March 23, 1972 – April 7, 1972 (interrupted after the strip of January 30, 1970)
• "Pestsmittet", Fantomet #137 (1980)

Finland

• "Rutto", Mustanaamio 9/1971
• "Ruton riivaama", Mustanaamio 15/1979
• "Rutto", Mustanaamio 7/1985
• "Ruton riivaama", Sarjakirja 1/1990
• "Kadonnut isä", Ilta-Sanomat May 31, 2012 – June 18, 2012
• "Rutto", Mustanaamio 1971 (2014)

France

• "Le cauchemar de la peste", Le Fantôme Spécial #2 (1973)

Greece

• "Τα χαμενα εκατομμυρια" (romanized as "Ta chamena ekatommyria"), Fantom #53 (1976)

Iceland

• Tíminn August 6, 1970 – November 4, 1970

India

• "The Missing Daddy", Indrajal Comics #143 (1971)
• "காற்றில் கரைந்த Daddy" (romanized as "Kaatril Karaintha Daddy"), Muthu Comics #459 (2022)

Italy

• "L'incubo della peste", L'Uomo Mascherato #186 – #188 (1970)
• "L'incubo della peste", I Quaderni del Fumetto #9 (1974)
• "L'incubo della peste", Phantom Selezione #2 (1976)

Jamaica

• The Daily Gleaner January 19, 1970 – April 18, 1970

Mexico

• El Informador June 2, 1970 – August 21, 1970

Norway

• Aftenposten September 11, 1971 – December 10, 1971
• "Pestsmittet", Fantomet 25/1971
• "Pestsmittet", Fantomet 16/1979
• "Pestsmittet", Serie-pocket #152 (1990)
• "Pestsmittet", Fantomet 26/1999
• "Pestsmittet", Krønikebok #30 (2006)
• "Pestsmittet", Jubileumsbok (1964-2014) #1 (2014)
• "Pestsmittet", Fantomet Kronologisk #26 (2023)

Portugal

• "O Advogado está Inocente", Selecções #136 (1972)

Spain

• "El misterio de la hermosa fugitiva", El Hombre Enmascarado #10 (1974)
• "El misterio de la hermosa fugitiva", El Hombre Enmascarado #6 (1979)
• "El padre desaparecido", The Phantom - El Hombre Enmascarado #13 (2022)

Sweden

• "Pestsmittad", Fantomen 25/1970
• Svenska Dagbladet January 8, 1971 – April 8, 1971
• Göteborgs-Tidningen April 21, 1971 – July 21, 1971
• Nerikes Allehanda November 29, 1971 – March 1, 1972
• Katrineholmskuriren July 30, 1974 – October 26, 1974
• "Pestsmittad", Fantomen 7/1979
• Upsala Nya Tidning April 29, 1983 – August 1, 1983
• "Pestsmittad", Fantomen 26/1999
• "Pestsmittad", De tusen farornas man (2015)
• "Pestsmittad", Fantomen - Den inbundna årgången 1970, Del 5 (2021)

Turkey

• "Kara Ölüm", Kızılmaske #2 – #3 (1973)
• "Kara Ölüm", Kızılmaske Albüm #1
• "Kara Ölüm", Kızılmaske Albüm #98
• "Kara Ölüm", Kızılmaske Albüm #60 – #61
• "Kara Ölüm", Kızılmaske #33 (198?)
• "Kara Ölüm", Kızılmaske Süper Albüm #9
• "Kara Ölüm", Kızılmaske Süper Albüm #9 – #10
• "Kara Ölüm", Kızılmaske Büyük Albüm #3 – #4
• "Kara Ölüm", Yeni Kızılmaske #2 (2011)
• "Kayıp Baba", Kızılmaske #5 (2013)

United Kingdom

• Birmingham Evening Mail May 7, 1970 – August 5, 1970

USA

• The Alabama Journal January 19, 1970 – April 18, 1970
• The Alliance Times-Herald January 19, 1970 – April 18, 1970
• Appleton Post-Crescent January 19, 1970 – April 18, 1970
• The Asheville Times January 19, 1970 – April 18, 1970
• The Atlanta Constitution January 19, 1970 – April 18, 1970
• Bangor Daily News January 19, 1970 – April 18, 1970
• The Beaver County Times January 19, 1970 – April 18, 1970
• Beckley Post Herald January 19, 1970 – April 18, 1970
• The Birmingham News January 19, 1970 – April 18, 1970
• Bradford Era January 19, 1970 – April 18, 1970
• Bucks County Courier Times January 19, 1970 – April 18, 1970
• Buffalo Courier-Express January 19, 1970 – April 18, 1970
• Charleston Daily Mail January 19, 1970 – April 18, 1970
• The Charlotte News January 19, 1970 – April 18, 1970
• Chippewa Herald January 19, 1970 – April 18, 1970
• Courier-Post January 19, 1970 – April 18, 1970
• The Daily American January 19, 1970 – April 18, 1970
• The Daily Item January 19, 1970 – April 18, 1970
• The Daily Journal January 19, 1970 – April 18, 1970
• The Daily Standard January 19, 1970 – April 18, 1970
• Delaware County Daily Times January 19, 1970 – April 18, 1970
• The Gadsden Times January 19, 1970 – April 18, 1970
• Gloucester County Times January 19, 1970 – April 18, 1970
• Green Bay Press-Gazette January 19, 1970 – April 18, 1970
• Herald News January 19, 1970 – April 18, 1970
• The Indianapolis News January 19, 1970 – April 18, 1970
• The Jersey Journal January 19, 1970 – April 18, 1970
• Johnson City Press January 19, 1970 – April 18, 1970
• Laurel Leader-Call January 19, 1970 – April 18, 1970
• The Leaf-Chronicle January 19, 1970 – April 18, 1970
• Ledger-Enquirer January 19, 1970 – April 18, 1970
• The Lima News January 19, 1970 – April 18, 1970
• Morning Press January 19, 1970 – April 18, 1970
• Morning Sentinel January 19, 1970 – April 18, 1970
• The News Item January 19, 1970 – April 18, 1970
• The News Journal January 19, 1970 – April 18, 1970
• Observer-Reporter January 19, 1970 – April 18, 1970
• The Oneonta Star January 19, 1970 – April 18, 1970
• Orlando Sentinel January 19, 1970 – April 18, 1970
• Philadelphia Daily News January 19, 1970 – April 18, 1970
• The Plattsburgh Press-Republican January 19, 1970 – April 18, 1970
• Portage Daily Register January 19, 1970 – April 18, 1970
• Reading Eagle January 19, 1970 – April 18, 1970
• Red Bank Register January 19, 1970 – April 18, 1970
• Republican Herald January 19, 1970 – April 18, 1970
• The Rome Daily Sentinel January 19, 1970 – April 18, 1970
• Rome News-Tribune January 19, 1970 – April 18, 1970
• The State January 19, 1970 – April 18, 1970
• The Tampa Times January 19, 1970 – April 18, 1970
• Uniontown Morning Herald January 19, 1970 – April 18, 1970
• The Washington Reporter January 19, 1970 – April 18, 1970
• The Winchester Sun January 19, 1970 – April 18, 1970
• Suffolk News-Herald January 19, 1970 – April 19, 1970
• "The Missing Daddy", Comics Revue #347-348 (2015)
• "The Missing Daddy (The Runaway Girl)", The Complete Newspaper Dailies: Volume Twenty-Two 1969–1971 (2021)

West Germany

• "Das Trio des Teufels", Phantom #38 (1975)
• "Das Trio des Teufels", Phantom Das große Album #7
• "Die Bestie aus dem Regenwald", Phantom #182 (1981)
• "Die Bestie aus dem Regenwald", Phantom Super-band #46
• "Tödliches Fieber", Phantom #8 (ca 1980)

Yugoslavia

• Večernje novine October 6, 1970 – January 28, 1971
• "Lažna optužba", Denis #106 – #109 (1978)