The Vault of Missing Men (story)
The Vault of Missing Men | |
Start date: | December 16th, 1979 |
---|---|
End date: | June 1st, 1980 |
# of strips: | 25 pages |
Writer: | Lee Falk |
Artist: | Sy Barry |
Original colorist: | KFS staff |
Preceded by: | "The Name" |
Followed by: | "The Uninvited Visitors" |
"The Vault of Missing Men" is the 111th Phantom Sunday story. The story was written by Lee Falk and drawn by Sy Barry.
Plot synopsis
While the twins are sleeping, Diana is looking around in the skull cave, finding a metal door with a lock. The Phantom tells her that this door is always locked but he will make an exception and show what is inside to Diana and Rex. Inside are tombs of famous people who have their final resting place there. One of the tombs belongs to a pirate who was put to rest there by the 13th Phantom who grew up in the United States at the end of the 18th century, meeting the distinguished Americans of that time.
One day he rescues a young woman from a gang of thieves. She is grateful but refuses to tell her name. He finally finds her house but is thrown out by her brother, the pirate Jean Lafitte. His attempts at courting her are put to an end when he receives news from Bengali that his father, the 12th Phantom is seriously ill. He leaves the US but not before giving Jeanette a farewell kiss.
After his father's death Kit becomes the 13th Phantom. He decides to go back to the US to meet Jeanette again. Crossing the Atlantic on a Spanish ship, the ship is attacked by Jean Lafitte's pirate ship. Before the final duel between the Phantom and Lafitte, the pirate captain is shot by a Spanish sailor. He dies shortly after but not before giving his blessing to their marriage. The Phantom takes Jeanette with him to Bengali, where the pirate is buried in the vault of missing men.
After finishing the story, the Phantom tells Rex that there are many more famous people buried in the vault but those stories will have to wait for another time.
Appearances
Recurring Characters
One-time Characters
- Jean Lafitte
- Gollo
- The 13th Phantom's maternal grandfather
Real-life characters
- George Washington
- Thomas Jefferson
- Benjamin Franklin
- Andrew Jackson
- James Madison
Reprints
This story has been published in the following publications:
Argentina
- La Nacion June 29, 1980 – December 14, 1980
Australia
- The Phantom #704 (1980)
- The Canberra Times September 7, 1980 – February 22, 1981
- The Phantom #1016 (1992)
- The Phantom #1518 (2008)
Brazil
- "O Rei dos Piratas", Almanaque Fantasma #17 (1983)
Canada
- La Revue populaire May 3, 1980 – July 5, 1980 - without the first twelve and the last seven weeks
Colombia
- El Tiempo January 27, 1980 – July 13, 1980
Denmark
- "Gravkammerets hemmelighed", Fantomet #178 (1982)
- "Gravkammerets hemmelighed", Fantomet Krønike #2 (1994)
Finland
- Seura 5-30/1981
- "Hautaholvin salaisuus", Mustanaamio 1/1981
- "Hautaholvin salaisuus", Mustanaamio 18/1991
- "Hautaholvin salaisuus", Mustanaamio 19-20/2009
France
- "La Marque du Fantôme", Collection Phantom - La Marque du Fantôme (1983)
Iceland
- Vikan January 22, 1981 – July 30, 1981
India
- "The Legend of Valour", Indrajal Comics #405 - #406 (1982)
Italy
- "Le paludi di Barataria", Phantom #51
Norway
- "Gravkammerets hemmelighet", Fantomet 3/1981
- "Gravkammerets hemmelighet", Fantomet 26/1991
- "Gravkammerets hemmelighet", Krønikebok #14 (2004)
- "Gravkammerets hemmelighet", Fantomet 18-19/2009
- "Gravkammerets hemmelighet", Fantomet Gullalderen #10 (2012)
Portugal
- "A Irmã do Pirata", Almanaque do Mundo de Aventuras (1982)
Sweden
- "Gravvalvets hemlighet", Fantomen 21/1980
- "Gravvalvets hemlighet", Fantomen 12/1991
- "Gravvalvets hemlighet", Fantomen Krönika 5/1997
- "Gravvalvets hemlighet", Fantomen Krönika Band 5, del 2 (2003)
- "Gravvalvets hemlighet", Fantomen 19-20/2009
Turkey
- "Gizli Odanın Sırrı", Kızılmaske Albüm #26 – #27
- "Gizli Odanın Sırrı", Kızılmaske Albüm #103
- "Gizli Odanın Sırrı", Kızılmaske Süper Albüm #79
- "Kayıp Adamların Mezarları", Kızılmaske #15 (2014)
USA
- Anchorage Daily News December 16, 1979 – June 1, 1980
- Bluefield Daily Telegraph December 16, 1979 – June 1, 1980
- Chicago Tribune December 16, 1979 – June 1, 1980
- The Gadsden Times December 16, 1979 – June 1, 1980
- The Montgomery Advertiser December 16, 1979 – June 1, 1980
- Orlando Sentinel December 16, 1979 – June 1, 1980
- The Robesonian December 16, 1979 – June 1, 1980
- Rome News-Tribune December 16, 1979 – June 1, 1980
- Spartanburg Herald-Journal December 16, 1979 – June 1, 1980
- St. Petersburg Times December 16, 1979 – June 1, 1980
- The Times December 16, 1979 – June 1, 1980
- The Tuscaloosa News December 16, 1979 – June 1, 1980
- La Opinión December 23, 1979 – June 15, 1980
- The Phantom #4 (1990) - the last page only
West Germany
- "Der Dämon der Sieben Meere", Phantom #189 (1981)
Yugoslavia
- "Pirati", Mandrak magazin #10 (1990)