View source for Mr Big

{{Newspaperbox 
|Title=Mr Big
|image= [[Image:Mr Big.jpg|300 px]]
|Start= January 8th, 1996
|End= May 18th, 1996
|Strips= 101 (17 weeks)
|Writer= [[Lee Falk]]
|Artist= [[George Olesen]] & [[Keith Williams]]
|Colorist= N/A
|Preceded="[[Raiders of the Eastern Dark]]"
|Followed="[[Drama on Eden]]"
|}}
'''"Mr Big"''' is the 186th [[The Phantom|Phantom]] [[Daily stories|daily story]]. 
The story was written by [[Lee Falk]] and drawn by [[George Olesen]] and [[Keith Williams]].

== Plot synopsis ==
The Mafia rules the city where [[Lily Palmer|Lily]] and [[David Palmer|Dave Palmer]] lives. The two latest mayors promised to be tough with the mafia; one was falsely accused of corruption and the other died in a car crash. Dave decides to candidate for the post as the new mayor.

The mafia does not like this and threatens Dave, who then becomes certain of the necessarity of his candidacy. Meanwhile [[Diana Palmer-Walker|Diana]] and the twins, [[Kit]] and [[Heloise]], arrive to the Palmers. The leader of the mafia is called Mr Big and he decides to also candidate for the post as mayor. The threats makes Dave realize that his life might be in danger and arranges so that some former paratroopers would guard him, he himself is a warhero and held the rank of colonel.

The mafia the kidnaps Kit and Heloise and threaten to kill them if Dave does not withdraw his candidacy before five o'clock, in time for the evening news.  Then [[the 21st Phantom|the Phantom]] appears, he advices Dave to wait with withdrawing his candidacy while he rescues the kids, he also understands that the kids have seen the gangsters faces and therefore would never allowed to live, though he cannot tell Diana that.

The Phantom then takes Mr Big hostage in his own office and threatens to break every bone in mr Big's body if his kids are harmed in any way. Mr Big then calls down to the basement where the kids are kept, but the guards refuse to believe that it is him due to his nervous voice. The Phantom and mr Big then go down to the basement where the Phantom quite easily defeats the guards. Kit and Heloise then make a phone call to the Palmers where Diana is so happily surprised to hear that her kids is alright that she starts to cry.

Mr Big is sent to prison and Dave Palmer is left as the only candidate in the election. Dave observes that he joined the election to stop the mafia, but the Phantom ended the mafia before he even had the time to start.

=== Appearances ===
<div style="float:left; width:50%;">
'''Recurring characters'''
*[[The 21st Phantom|The Phantom]]
*[[Devil]]
*[[Diana Palmer-Walker|Diana Walker]]
*[[Dave Palmer]]
*[[Lily Palmer]]
*[[Kit]] and [[Heloise]]
*[[Dr. Henry]]
*[[President Goranda|President Gorach]] (in flashback)
*[[Lamanda Luaga|President Lumanda Luaga]] (in flashback)
*[[Mandrake the Magician|Mandrake]] (in flashback)
*[[Lothar|Prince Lothar]] (in flashback)
*[[Hzz]] (in flashbacky)
*[[Rex King|Rex]] (in flashback)
*[[Gogo|Gogon]]
'''One-time characters'''
*Mayor Bob
*Mayor John
*Mr. Big
*United Nations Secretary-General
</div><div style="float:right; width:50%;">
'''Locations'''
*[[Bangalla]]
**[[Phantom Head Peak]]
**United Nations Bangalla office
**[[Keela-Wee]]
***[[The Jade Hut]]
**[[The Tree House]]
**[[Deep Woods]]
***[[The Skull Cave]]
*[[Ivory-Lana]] (mentioned)
*[[United States of America (location)|USA]]
**New York
***Palmer residence
***Kennedy Airport
**Massachusetts
***Boston (mentioned)
'''Tribes'''
*[[Bandar]]
*[[Wambesi]]
*[[Llongo]]
'''Newspapers'''
*''News''
'''Organizations'''
*United Natond
*The Mob
'''[[Old Jungle Sayings]]'''
*There are times when the Phantom leaves the jungle and walks the streets of the town like an ordinary man.
*Voice of angry Phantom can freeze tiger's blood.

</div><br clear="all">

==Behind the scenes ==
*Lee Falk's real name was '''Leon Harrison Gross''', Gross is German for "Big", hence, though possibly unintentionally, Lee Falk could be called "Mr. Big", the name of the villain of this story.
*The twins are said to be eight years old, the same age as in "[[The Twins' 8th Birthday]]".

== Reprints ==
This story has been published in the following publications:

=== [[Image:mini_australia.gif]] Australia ===
*''[[The Age]]'' July 1, 1996 &ndash; October 12 (?), 1996 - ''without the first four weeks''
*"Mr Big", [[The Phantom 1142 (Frew)|''The Phantom'' #1142]] (1996)

=== [[Image:mini_brazil.gif]] Brazil ===
*"Sr. Graúdo", [[O Fantasma Omnibus: Os Bandoleiros das Trevas Orientais e Outras Histórias|''Os Bandoleiros das Trevas Orientais e Outras Histórias'']] (2025)

=== [[Image:mini_canada.gif|border]] Canada===
*''[[Le Nouvelliste]]'' August 6, 1996 &ndash; December 6, 1996 (last strip missing)

=== [[Image:mini_croatia.png]] Croatia ===
*''[[Večernji list|Strip magazin]]'' #21 (April 1, 2006) &ndash; #34 (July 1, 2006)

=== [[Image:mini_denmark.gif]] Denmark ===
*''[[Aalborg Stiftstidende]]'' April 21, 1999 &ndash; September 1, 1999
*''[[Horsens Folkeblad]]'' February 26, 2001 &ndash; July 16, 2001

=== [[Image:mini_finland.gif|border]] Finland ===
*''[[Ilta-Sanomat]]'' February 6, 2026 &ndash; March 10, 2026

=== [[Image:mini_india.gif]] India ===
*''[[Anandabazar Patrika]]'' ? &ndash; ?
*"தேர்தலில் கொள்ளைக்காரன்" (romanized as "Therdhalil kollaikararkal"), [[Rani Comics 328|''Rani Comics'' #328]] (1998)

=== [[Image:mini_italy.gif]] Italy ===
*"Cacciatori e prede" and "Zio David, candidato sindaco", [[Phantom 372 (Comic Art) New Comics Now|''Phantom'' #372]]

=== [[Image:mini_jamaica.gif]] Jamaica ===
*''[[The Daily Gleaner (Jamaican newspaper)|The Daily Gleaner]]'' January 8, 1996 &ndash; May 18, 1996

=== [[Image:mini_mexico.gif]] Mexico ===
*''[[El Informador]]'' December 1, 1997 &ndash; May 5, 1998

=== [[Image:mini_norway.gif]] Norway ===
*''[[Aftenposten]]'' May 21, 1997 &ndash; October 28, 1997
*"Mr. Big", [[Fantomets Krønike 1/2010|''Fantomets Krønike'' 1/2010]]

=== [[Image:mini_sweden.gif]] Sweden ===
*''[[Svenska Dagbladet]]'' September 9, 1996 &ndash; January 24, 1997
*"Mr Big", [[Fantomen Christmas Album 1998|''Fantomen Christmas Album'' 1998]]

=== [[Image:mini_turkey.gif]] Turkey ===
*"Bay Büyük", [[Kızılmaske 29 (Büyülü Çizgi Roman)|''Kızılmaske'' #29]] (2016)

=== [[Image:mini_usa.gif]] USA ===
*''[[Anderson Independent-Mail]]'' January 8, 1996 &ndash; May 18, 1996
*''[[The Baltimore Sun]]'' January 8, 1996 &ndash; May 18, 1996
*''[[Bangor Daily News]]'' January 8, 1996 &ndash; May 18, 1996
*''[[Baraboo News Republic]]'' January 8, 1996 &ndash; May 18, 1996
*''[[The Birmingham News]]'' January 8, 1996 &ndash; May 18, 1996
*''[[The Citizens' Voice]]'' January 8, 1996 &ndash; May 18, 1996
*''[[The Clarksdale Press Register]]'' January 8, 1996 &ndash; May 18, 1996
*''[[The Daily American]]'' January 8, 1996 &ndash; May 18, 1996
*''[[The Daily Item]]'' January 8, 1996 &ndash; May 18, 1996
*''[[The Daily Journal]]'' January 8, 1996 &ndash; May 18, 1996
*''[[Herald News]]'' January 8, 1996 &ndash; May 18, 1996
*''[[The Indianapolis News]]'' January 8, 1996 &ndash; May 18, 1996
*''[[Johnson City Press]]'' January 8, 1996 &ndash; May 18, 1996
*''[[Ledger-Enquirer]]'' January 8, 1996 &ndash; May 18, 1996
*''[[Morning Sentinel]]'' January 8, 1996 &ndash; May 18, 1996
*''[[Observer-Reporter]]'' January 8, 1996 &ndash; May 18, 1996
*''[[The Plattsburgh Press-Republican]]'' January 8, 1996 &ndash; May 18, 1996
*''[[Press Enterprise]]'' January 8, 1996 &ndash; May 18, 1996
*''[[Reading Eagle]]'' January 8, 1996 &ndash; May 18, 1996
*''[[Republican Herald]]'' January 8, 1996 &ndash; May 18, 1996
*''[[The Rome Daily Sentinel]]'' January 8, 1996 &ndash; May 18, 1996
*''[[The Winchester Sun]]'' January 8, 1996 &ndash; May 18, 1996
*"Mayor", [[Comics Revue 126|''Comics Revue'' #126]] &ndash; [[Comics Revue 129|#129]] (1996)

[[Category:Daily stories|Mr Big]]
[[Category:1996 Stories|Mr Big]]