The Phantom's Engagement

The Phantom's Engagement
Start date:	May 24th, 1943
End date:	July 24th, 1943
# of strips:	54 (9 weeks)
Writer:	Lee Falk
Artist:	Wilson McCoy
Original colorist:	N/A
Preceded by:	"Bent Beak Broder"
Followed by:	"High Seas Highjacker"

"The Phantom's Engagement" is the 18th Phantom daily story. The story was written by Lee Falk and drawn by Wilson McCoy.

Plot synopsis

After helping to imprison the Bent Beak Mob the Phantom visits Diana who is recovering from an illness and cannot walk. Byron says farewell and leaves as the Phantom arrives.

Soon after, Prince Karna of Ismani renews the annual Ismani pledge of loyalty to the Phantom, to obey the Phantom's Law and the Phantom's Peace, and presents a skull to the Phantom in token of that pledge. In return, the Phantom renews his pledge to fight against piracy, greed and injustice in all of their many shapes.

Later, Uncle Dave helps the Phantom to build up the courage to propose to Diana after asking her if she would say yes to his proposal for marriage. When the Phantom eventually does ask Diana to marry him, she says yes. When the doctor visits he tells Diana that she is healed and the only reason she cannot walk is because she does not want to enough. Diana decides she cannot marry the Phantom and calls off the engagement, lying to the Phantom that she really loves Byron. When the Phantom leaves, Diana regrets her mistake and gets up, walking again, to find him. The Phantom tells Byron what Diana told him and leaves. Diana finds Byron and tells him that she lied because she thought she would never be able to walk again.

The Phantom sees Diana and Byron walking together.

Appearances

Recurring characters

• The 21st Phantom
• Devil
• Diana Palmer
• Dave Palmer
• Evie Palmer
• Byron
• Bent Beak (mentioned)
• Cupid (mentioned)

One-time characters

• Karna, Prince of the Ismani
• Fanny, maid
• Meadows, manservant
• Unnamed Dooctor

Locations

• USA
  • Hospital
  • Fairfax County
    • Palmer residence
• Oolan Line (mentioned)
• Bengali (mentioned)
  • Deep Woods (mentioned)
    • The Skull Throne (mentioned)

Tribes

• Ismani
• Oolan (mentioned)
• Bandar (implied)

Organizations

• American Herald, newspaper
• Bent Beak's Gang (mentioned)

Items

• Skull, token of Ismani loyalty to the Phantom.

Memorable Quotes

• The Phantom: I convinced Meadows that Prince Karna wouldn't eat him.
• Diana: I hope you convinced Prince Karna.

• Uncle Dave: If he asked you, would you marry him?
• Diana: I know five languages, and I'd say "yes" in all of them.

• The Phantom: Uh...
• Diana: Yes?
• I..eh..
• Yes?
• Uh..Enjoying your book?
• Yes.
• Nice day..Isn't -- it?
• Yes.
• Cool..and warm..at the same time.
• Yes.
• Are you..uh..comfortable?
• Yes.
• Diana..will you..?
• Yes.
• I mean..could you..?
• Yes.
• Will you marry me?
• Yes!

Behind the scenes

• Diana's mother is called Evie by her brother Dave.
• The story shows Prince Karna of the Ismani tribe having come to USA to perform the annual pledge of their loyalty to the Phantom, to obey the Phantom law and Phantom peace. The ceremony is said to be centuries old. However, in the Sunday story The Ismani Cannibals (running at the same time in 1943) there is no mention of this pledge and the Ismanis are still cannibals, totally unaware of any such loyalty or pledge when they kidnap the Marshall sisters.
• The Phantom is called "The Masked Hero of the Oolan".

Reprints

This story has been published in the following publications:

Argentina

• Tit-Bits #1898 – #1908 (1945)

Australia

• "The Phantom's Engagement", The Phantom #34 (1951)
• "The Phantom's Engagement", The Phantom #131 (1958)
• "The Phantom's Engagement", The Phantom #226 (1962)
• "The Phantom's Engagement", The Phantom #357 (1967)
• "The Phantom's Engagement", The Phantom #515 (1976)
• "The Phantom's Engagement", The Phantom #741 (1982)
• "The Phantom's Engagement", The Phantom #1154 (1996)
• "The Phantom's Engagement", The Phantom #1340 (2002)
• "The Phantom's Engagement", The Phantom #1798 (2017)
• The Phantom #34 replica, included with The Phantom #1962 (2024)

Brazil

• "Casamento Problemático", O Globo Juvenil #1012 – #1031 (1943-1944)
• "Uma aventura inesperada", O Fantasma #9 (1970)
• "O Casamento", Fantasma #261 (1977)
• "O Casamento", Fantasma #341 (1984)
• "Uma aventura inesperada", Fantasma - Edição Histórica #42 (1998)
• "O Casamento", O Fantasma Vai a Guerra e Outras Histórias (2024)

Canada

• La Patrie May 24, 1943 – July 24, 1943
• L'Action catholique June 18, 1943 – August 23, 1943

Finland

• Karjalainen May 31, 1944 – August 4, 1944
• "Mustanaamion kihlaus", Ilta-Sanomat March 24, 2017 – April 7, 2017
• "Kihlaus", Mustanaamio & Diana – Rubiinihäät (2017)

France

• "Le serment de la septième lune", Le Fantôme Spécial #40 (1966)
• "Le serment de la septième lune", Le Fantôme #3 (1994)

Italy

• "Il giuramento della settima luna", L'Uomo Mascherato #32 (1963)
• "Il giuramento della settima luna", L'Uomo Mascherato Super Albo #163 (1965)
• "Il giuramento della settima luna", Phantom #17 (1992)
• Le Avventure di Phantom (1996)
• "Il giuramento della settima luna", The Phantom #3 (2015)

New Zealand

• The Phantom #160 – #162
• The Phantom #404 – #406

Norway

• Aftenposten July 20, 1944 – September 20, 1944
• Skippern 1/1947 – 10/1947
• "Frieriet", Rubinbryllupet (2017)

Spain

• "El Principe caníbal", Almanaque del Hombre Enmascarado 1947 (part only)
• "Casamiento problemático", El Hombre Enmascarado #58 (194?)
• "Intermedio romantico", El Hombre Enmascarado #33 (1976)
• "El juramento de la séptima luna" (part 1), El Hombre Enmascarado #56 and "Piratas modernos" (part 2), #57 (1991; part 2 edited together with & "High Seas Highjacker" part 1)
• "El juramento de la séptima luna", Phantom, El Hombre Enmascarado #50 (1999)
• "El compromiso del Fantasma", The Phantom - El Hombre Enmascarado #11 (2021)

Sweden

• Svenska Dagbladet May 19, 1944 – July 21, 1944
• Halland July 1 (?), 1944 – August, 1944
• Katrineholmskuriren November 10, 1944 – January 16, 1945
• Nerikes Allehanda May 24, 1945 – July 25, 1945
• Tierps-Posten May 8, 1947 – September 16, 1947
• Östhammars Tidning May 8, 1947 – September 16, 1947
• "Ismanistammens trohetsed", Wilson McCoy - de opublicerade äventyren (2000)
• "Förlovningen", Rubinbröllopet (2017)

USA

• The Alabama Journal May 24, 1943 – July 24, 1943
• Carthage Evening Press May 24, 1943 – July 24, 1943
• Charleston Daily Mail May 24, 1943 – July 24, 1943
• Chester Times May 24, 1943 – July 24, 1943
• The Coos Bay Times May 24, 1943 – July 24, 1943
• The Daily Item May 24, 1943 – July 24, 1943
• The Decatur Daily May 24, 1943 – July 24, 1943
• Detroit Evening Times May 24, 1943 – July 24, 1943
• Dziennik dla Wszystkich May 24, 1943 – July 24, 1943
• The Evening News May 24, 1943 – July 24, 1943
• Gloucester County Times May 24, 1943 – July 24, 1943
• The Greensboro Record May 24, 1943 – July 24, 1943
• Hanford Morning Journal May 24, 1943 – July 24, 1943
• Hanford Sentinel May 24, 1943 – July 24, 1943
• Herald News May 24, 1943 – July 24, 1943
• Johnson City Press May 24, 1943 – July 24, 1943
• Ledger-Enquirer May 24, 1943 – July 24, 1943
• The Monessen Daily Independent May 24, 1943 – July 24, 1943
• The Nassau Daily Review-Star May 24, 1943 – July 24, 1943
• Oxnard Press-Courier May 24, 1943 – July 24, 1943
• Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph May 24, 1943 – July 24, 1943
• Richmond Times-Dispatch May 24, 1943 – July 24, 1943
• The Rome Daily Sentinel May 24, 1943 – July 24, 1943
• Sandusky Register Star News May 24, 1943 – July 24, 1943
• Syracuse Herald Journal May 24, 1943 – July 24, 1943
• Times Herald May 24, 1943 – July 24, 1943
• The Washington Reporter May 24, 1943 – July 24, 1943
• The World May 24, 1943 – July 24, 1943
• The Winchester Sun May 24, 1943 – July 24, 1943
• Bangor Daily News May 29, 1943 – July 24, 1943
• The Birmingham News July 5, 1943 – July 24, 1943 - the last three weeks only
• The Hawaii Times December 13, 1943 – March 13, 1944
• Ace Comics #105 – #110 (1945–1946)
• Comics Revue #311 – #312 (2012)
• The Complete Newspaper Dailies Vol. Five 1943–1944 (2013)