The Orient Express, Part 1

The Orient Express, Part 1

Produced for:	Fantomen 25/1980
# of pgs:	32
Writer:	Norman Worker
Artist:	Jaime Vallvé
Original colorist:	N/A
Producer:	Semic Press

"The Orient Express, Part 1" is a 1980 Team Fantomen story, written by Norman Worker, with art by Jaime Vallvé.

Plot synopsis

Tom-Tom and Rex are looking at a model of a steam train in the treasure room. Next to the model is a card signed by queen Victoria of Great Britain and Ireland. It was a gift to the 17th Phantom for his services. In the chronicle room the Phantom reads from the old chronicle book.

Set in 1887 in London, a Turkish diplomat is murdered in a bath house. The murderer is killed by the diplomat's servant. The Phantom is staying in London to attend the funeral of his wife's sister. His wife has continued to the US while the Phantom will return to Bengali in a few days time. He is approached by inspector Tomkins of Scotland Yard who tells him that the Yard needs his help. The Phantom meets Sir Gerald Flood who tells him that they believe that the criminal gang The Vultures is believed to plan to kidnap princess Soraya, niece of sultan Hamid II of the Osman Empire. The princess will leave England and travel on the Orient Express from Paris to Istanbul.

The Phantom accepts the request to accompany the princess on her travel home. A journalist who is investigating who is trying to kidnap the princess is found murdered. When the train stops in Vienna, the princess is kidnapped by a group of mysterious men but the Phantom rescues her. In the Hungarian countryside the train is attacked by robbers but the Phantom manages to chase them away.

The story continues in The Orient Express, Part 2.