The Return of General Bababu
The Return of General Bababu | |
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Start date: | September 10th, 1979 |
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End date: | February 16th, 1980 |
# of strips: | 138 strips (23 weeks) |
Writer: | Lee Falk |
Artist: | Sy Barry |
Original colorist: | N/A |
Preceded by: | "Jungle Gold" |
Followed by: | "The Tree House" |
"The Return of General Bababu" is the 142nd Phantom daily story. The story was written by Lee Falk and drawn by Sy Barry.
Plot synopsis
President Lamanda Luaga is a friend of the Phantom and Diana. He sends a message to the skull cave, asking if the baby has arrived and if he can come for a visit. The Phantom call him and tell him that they have had twins, a boy and a girl. Luaga is excited and asks if he can come for a visit on Friday.
General Bababu, pardoned by the president for his planned coup is in Paris planning a new coup. In the presidential palace, the president's pilot is struck down and replaced with major Crotta. The president is taken by helicopter to The Misty Mountains and the kingdom of prince Agorda where he is received by general Bababu.
In the skull cave, the Phantom and the others wait hour after hour for the president to arrive. The Phantom contact the Jungle Patrol and learn that the president's pilot has disappeared. After searching he finds the kidnapped pilot and learn that general Bababu has returned to Bengali. The general want president Luaga to resign in a televised address and hand the presidential power over to the general. When the president refuses the general believe that a good whipping will make the president change his mind.
When the Phantom arrive to prince Agorda's castle he knock down the guards one by one. He frees the president, then find general Bababu for a final showdown. Prince Agorda order his men to arrest the Phantom, but the guards are Wambesi and greet the Phantom friendly. The general is taken by helicopter to Bengali for trial but not before stopping in the Deep Woods so that president Luaga can meet Kit and Heloise for the first time.
Appearances
Recurring characters
- The 21st Phantom
- Lamanda Luaga
- Diana Palmer-Walker
- Guran
- President Goranda
- Kit and Heloise
- Rex
- Grandpa
- Grandson
- Fraka
- General Bababu
- Hero
- Devil
- Old man Mozz
- Miss Tagama
- Joomba
- Kateena
- Natala of Navarre (mentioned)
- Rosamunda (mentioned)
- Marabella (mentioned)
- Christina (mentioned)
- Heloise of Hanta
- The 8th Phantom
- Colonel Worobu
- Toma
- Lily Palmer
- Gogo (unnamed)
- Totu (unnamed)
One-time characters
- Major Crotta
- Captain Logu
- Lieutenant Ramas / Ramos
- Prince Agorda
- Patrolman Jack
Real-life characters
- William Shakespeare (mentioned)
- Julius Caesar (mentioned)
Locations
- Bengali
- The Misty Mountains
- The country of Prince Agorda
- Ivory-Lana (mentioned)
- Koqania
- France
- Paris
- Gaul (mentioned)
Tribes
Organizations
Items
- Never draw a gun on the Phantom... unless you want to get hurt.
- Phantom is rough on roughnecks.
- Phantom moves faster than the eye can see.
- Phantom's life is a lonely one.
Behind the scenes
- The 8th Phantom and Heloise of Hanta are said to have married in April, 1685 and April, 1675.
- Continuity error in the strips of January 2 and January 3: When the Phantom finds president Luaga his hands are tied. In the next panel his hands are untied, then in the next the Phantom is untying his hands.
- In this story, the countries of The Misty Mountains appear to be a part of Bangalla, as Prince Agorda complains about President Luaga's taxes.
- Diana does not recognize General Bababu, despite being shown with him in a flashback scene earlier in the story.
- This story foreshadows President Luaga's relationship with Miss Tagama. When Rex says "You should start your own family, Mr. President", Luaga looks at Tagama and answers "Maybe I will, Rex. But it takes two."
Related stories
Refers to
- "The Hanta Witch" by Lee Falk and Sy Barry
- "The Mysterious Ambassador" by Lee Falk and Sy Barry
- "The Frame-Up" by Lee Falk and Sy Barry
- "Phantom Wedding" by Lee Falk and Sy Barry
Reprints
This story has been published in the following publications:
Australia
- "The Return of General Bababu", The Phantom #702 – #703 (1980)
- "The Return of General Bababu", Adventure Book #1 (1985)
- "The Return of General Bababu", The Phantom #1094 (1995)
Brazil
- O Globo December 22, 1979 – May 31, 1980
- "A Volta de Bababu", Almanaque do Fantasma #8 (1980)
Canada
- Le Nouvelliste February 2, 1980 – July 11, 1980
Denmark
- Djursland June 19, 1981 – November 20, 1981 - without the first two weeks
- Horsens Folkeblad July 24, 1981 – December 9, 1981 - without the first two weeks
- Aalborg Stiftstidende July 25, 1981 – December 11, 1981 - without the first two weeks
- "Bababus hævn", Fantomet #179 (1982)
Finland
- "Presidentin ryöstö", Mustanaamio 17/1980
- "Presidentin ryöstö", Sarjakirja 2/1990
- "Presidentin ryöstö", Mustanaamio 10/2004
- "Presidentti pulassa", Ilta-Sanomat November 12, 2021 – December 22, 2021 (last strip missing, published on January 7, 2022)
Iceland
- Tíminn October 1, 1980 – February 25, 1981 - without the first three weeks
India
- "Embers of Fury", Indrajal Comics #385 – #386 (1981)
- "The Return of General Bababu", The Phantom #11 (2023)
Italy
- "Bababu", Phantom #50
- "Bababu", Phantom #77
Jamaica
- The Daily Gleaner September 10, 1979 – February 16, 1980
Mexico
- El Informador November 22, 1979 – April 19, 1980
Norway
- Aftenposten June 13, 1980 – November 20, 1980
- "Kidnappingen", Fantomet 20/1980
- "Luaga kidnappet", Serie-pocket #155 (1990)
- "Kidnappingen", Fantomet 10/2004
- "Kidnappingen", Fantomet Gullalderen #9 (2012)
Spain
- Phantom, El Hombre Enmascarado #9 (1986)
- "El regreso del General Bababu", Phantom, El Hombre Enmascarado #67 (1999)
Sweden
- "Presidentrovet", Fantomen 11/1980
- Svenska Dagbladet July 28, 1980 – January 3, 1981
- Göteborgs-Tidningen October 26, 1980 – April 9, 1981
- Nerikes Allehanda July 30, 1981 – January 12, 1982
- Folkbladet March 8, 1983 – August 18, 1983
- Östgöten March 8, 1983 – August 18, 1983
- Eesti Päevaleht February 15, 1984 – August 1, 1984
- Folkbladet July 4, 1990 – July 24, 1990 + October 10, 1990 – February 5, 1991
- Östgöten July 4, 1990 – July 24, 1990 + October 10, 1990 – February 5, 1991
- "Presidentrovet", Fantomen 10/2004
Turkey
- "Generalin Dönüşü", Kızılmaske Albüm #29 – #30
- "Generalin Dönüşü", Kızılmaske Albüm #106 – #107
- "Generalin Dönüşü", Kızılmaske Süper Albüm #39
- "Generalin Dönüşü", Kızılmaske Süper Albüm #33
- "Generalin Dönüşü", Kızılmaske Büyük Albüm #11
- "General Babu'nun Dönüşü", Kızılmaske #14 (2014)
United Kingdom
- Birmingham Evening Mail March 31, 1980 – September 15, 1980
USA
- Anchorage Daily News September 10, 1979 – February 16, 1980
- Bangor Daily News September 10, 1979 – February 16, 1980
- The Charlotte News September 10, 1979 – February 16, 1980
- Chippewa Herald September 10, 1979 – February 16, 1980
- The Daily American September 10, 1979 – February 16, 1980
- The Daily Item September 10, 1979 – February 16, 1980
- The Daily Journal September 10, 1979 – February 16, 1980
- The Gadsden Times September 10, 1979 – February 16, 1980
- Green Bay Press-Gazette September 10, 1979 – February 16, 1980
- Herald News September 10, 1979 – February 16, 1980
- The Indianapolis News September 10, 1979 – February 16, 1980
- The Morning News September 10, 1979 – February 16, 1980
- The News Journal September 10, 1979 – February 16, 1980
- Observer-Reporter September 10, 1979 – February 16, 1980
- Orlando Sentinel September 10, 1979 – February 16, 1980
- The Plattsburgh Press-Republican September 10, 1979 – February 16, 1980
- Reading Eagle September 10, 1979 – February 16, 1980
- Red Bank Register September 10, 1979 – February 16, 1980
- Republican Herald September 10, 1979 – February 16, 1980
- Rome News-Tribune September 10, 1979 – February 16, 1980
- The Times September 10, 1979 – February 16, 1980
- The Tuscaloosa News September 10, 1979 – February 16, 1980
- The Montgomery Advertiser September 15, 1979 – February 16, 1980 (Saturday strips only)
- "The Return of General Bababu", The Complete Newspaper Dailies: Volume Twenty-Eight 1978–1980 (2023)
- "The Return of General Bababu", Comics Revue #449-450 (2023)
West Germany
- "Eine Falle für die Luftpiraten", Phantom #186 (1981)
- "Eine Falle für die Luftpiraten", Phantom Super-band #46