The Three Bandits (daily story)

The Three Bandits
Start date:	February 6th, 1978
End date:	April 15th, 1978
# of strips:	60 strips (10 weeks)
Writer:	Lee Falk
Artist:	Sy Barry
Original colorist:	N/A
Preceded by:	"Phantom Wedding"
Followed by:	"Return to Tarakimo"

"The Three Bandits" is the 137th Phantom daily story. The story was written by Lee Falk and drawn by Sy Barry. It ran alongside a Sunday story with the same name and content.

Plot Summary

After their wedding, the Phantom and Diana spend their honeymoon in the Deep Woods, starting with the golden beach at Keela-Wee. Riding to Eden, they meet three bandits, on the run from Ossewan prison. They demand that the Phantom hand over his pistols, his horse and his wife. The Phantom give each of them a punch in the face and tie them to a tree. As they continue to Eden, the Phantom ask Llongo men nearby to escort the bandits. But one of the bandits has a knife to remove the ropes.

The Phantom and Diana spend time at Eden, playing with the animals. Diana has only a few days off and the Phantom follow her to the airport. Meanwhile, the three bandits have stolen a canoe and row downstream to Trader Joe's trading station to steal weapon and supplies. Trader Joe's wife point a gun at two of the bandits but the third disarm her. The bandits tie Joe and his wife up inside the shop and set fire to the building. They steal Joe's motorboat and continue downriver.

At they very last minute, the Phantom show up and recue the couple from the fire. Before leaving, the Phantom give Joe a valuable diamond in order to build up the trading post again. The bandits have continued downstream and run prince Tirana's houseboat, gently going downstream. Inside is the prince himself having dinner with the retired colonel Weeks of the Jungle Patrol. As the prince starts telling of a spectacular jungle wedding he recently attended, the three bandits go onboard and throw their weight around. The prince and the retired colonel is tied up.

As the prince's hosueboat goes under a rope bridge crossing the river, the Phantom jumps down and knock one of the bandits down. As the Phantom start to shoot, the other two leave the boat to run ashore. One of the bandits is stopped by Devil, the remaining one try to hide in a jungle village but is tricked by the Phantom. All three bandits are tied up, ready to be dispatched back to prison.

Appearances

Recurring characters

• The 21st Phantom
• Diana Palmer-Walker
• Hero
• Devil
• Trader Joe
• Colonel Weeks
• Prince Tirana
• Lamanda Luaga
• Dr. Henry
• Dr. Kirk

One-time characters

• Mac, bandit
• Mush, bandit
• Dude, bandit
• Trader Joe's wife

Locations

• Bengali
  • The Deep Woods
    • Eden
    • Keela-Wee
    • The Whispering Grove
  • Morristown Airport
  • Ossewan prison (mentioned only)

Tribes

• Llongo

Old Jungle Sayings

• The Phantom is rough with roughnecks.
• There are times when the Phantom leaves the jungle and walks the streets of the town like an ordinary man.

Trivia

• Colonel Weeks first meeting with the Phantom in daylight.

Related stories

Follows

• "Phantom Wedding" by Lee Falk and Sy Barry

Reprints

This story has been published in the following publications:

Australia

• The Phantom #652 (1979)
• The Phantom #861 (1986)
• Adventure Book #4 (1987)
• The Phantom #1259 (2000)

Brazil

• O Globo May 22, 1978 – July 29, 1978
• "Um Rastro de Sangue", Fantasma Extra #6 (1988)

Canada

• Le Nouvelliste June 23, 1978 – August 31, 1978

Denmark

• "Mordere i junglen", Fantomet #101 (1979)
• Djursland November 1, 1979 – January 12, 1980
• Horsens Folkeblad December 6, 1979 – February 16, 1980
• Aalborg Stiftstidende December 11, 1979 – February 20, 1980
• "Mordere i junglen", Fantomet #358 (1994)
• "Mordere i junglen", Fantomet Krønike #8 (1996)

Finland

• "Viidakon paholaiset", Mustanaamio 23/1978
• "Viidakon paholaiset", Sarjakirja 1/1990
• "Murhaajat viidakossa", Mustanaamio 22/2003
• Ilta-Sanomat June 22, 2021 – July 12, 2021

France

• "Trois bandits portant la marque", Le Fantôme Spécial #19 (1979)

Hungary

• "A három bandita", Kockás 2021/1

Iceland

• Tíminn October 10, 1978 – December 19, 1978

India

• "The Blood-thirsty Bandits", Indrajal Comics #335 – #336 (1979)
• "கானகக் கள்வர்கள்" (romanized as "Kanagak Kalvargal"), Muthu Comics #107 (1980)
• "அபாய கைதிகள்" (romanized as "Abaya Kaithikal"), Rani Comics #265 (1995)

Italy

• "Il marchio indelebile", Phantom Selezione #16 (1979)
• "La luna di miele di Phantom e Diana", Phantom #345 (edited together with "Phantom Wedding" part 2)

Jamaica

• The Daily Gleaner February 6, 1978 – April 15, 1978

Mexico

• El Informador March 29, 1978 – June 12, 1978

Norway

• "Mordere i jungelen", Fantomet 24/1978
• Aftenposten October 16, 1978 – December 23, 1978
• "Mordere i jungelen", Serie-pocket #152 (1990)
• "Mordere i jungelen", Fantomet 22/2003
• "Mordere i jungelen", Krønikebok #44 (2008)

Papua New Guinea

• Papua New Guinea Post-Courier September 18, 1979 – December 10, 1979

Portugal

• "Três Homens Maus", Mundo de Aventuras #267 (1978)

Spain

• "La captura de tres asesinos", Phantom, El Hombre Enmascarado #2 (1997?)

Sweden

• "Mördare i djungeln", Fantomen 15/1978
• Svenska Dagbladet October 21, 1978 – February 8, 1979
• Göteborgs-Tidningen March 16, 1979 – May 25, 1979
• Nerikes Allehanda December 4, 1979 – February 14, 1980
• Folkbladet July 16, 1981 – September 23, 1981 and January 5, 1989 – January 16, 1989 + February 21, 1989 – April 22, 1989
• Östgöten July 16, 1981 – September 23, 1981 and January 5, 1989 – January 16, 1989 + February 21, 1989 – April 22, 1989
• Eesti Päevaleht June 23, 1982 – August 28, 1982
• Göteborgs-Posten December 24, 1992 – January 10, 1993 (started from the strip of January 10, 1978)
• "Mördare i djungeln", Fantomen 22/2003

Turkey

• "Haydut Peşinde", Kızılmaske #286 – #287 (1979)
• "Haydut Peşinde", Kızılmaske Albüm #89 (197?)
• "Haydut Peşinde", Kızılmaske Albüm #1
• "Haydut Peşinde", Kızılmaske Albüm #100
• "Haydut Peşinde", Kızılmaske Süper Albüm #40
• "Haydut Peşinde", Kızılmaske Süper Albüm #20
• "Haydut Peşinde", Kızılmaske Büyük Albüm #7
• "Üç Haydut", Kızılmaske #13 (2014)

United Kingdom

• Birmingham Evening Mail August 18, 1978 – October 26, 1978

USA

• Bangor Daily News February 6, 1978 – April 15, 1978
• Bucks County Courier Times February 6, 1978 – April 15, 1978
• The Charlotte News February 6, 1978 – April 15, 1978
• Chippewa Herald February 6, 1978 – April 15, 1978‎
• The Daily American February 6, 1978 – April 15, 1978
• The Daily Item February 6, 1978 – April 15, 1978
• The Daily Journal February 6, 1978 – April 15, 1978
• The Gadsden Times February 6, 1978 – April 15, 1978
• Green Bay Press-Gazette February 6, 1978 – April 15, 1978
• Herald News February 6, 1978 – April 15, 1978
• The Indianapolis News February 6, 1978 – April 15, 1978
• The Morning News February 6, 1978 – April 15, 1978
• The News Journal February 6, 1978 – April 15, 1978
• Observer-Reporter February 6, 1978 – April 15, 1978
• Orlando Sentinel February 6, 1978 – April 15, 1978
• The Plattsburgh Press-Republican February 6, 1978 – April 15, 1978
• Reading Eagle February 6, 1978 – April 15, 1978
• Red Bank Register February 6, 1978 – April 15, 1978
• Republican Herald February 6, 1978 – April 15, 1978
• Rome News-Tribune February 6, 1978 – April 15, 1978
• The Tuscaloosa News February 6, 1978 – April 15, 1978
• Uniontown Morning Herald February 6, 1978 – April 15, 1978
• "The Three Bandits", Comics Revue #441-442 (2023)

West Germany

• "Flucht ins Verderben", Phantom #146 (1980)
• "Flucht ins Verderben", Phantom Super-band #29

Yugoslavia

• "Остани Дијана" (romanized as "Ostani Dijana"), Politikin Zabavnik #2108 (1992; edited together with "Phantom Wedding" part 2)