An ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION…
By PETER BOSCH
On September 28, 1986, the Phantom had a dream in which he interacted with Mandrake the Magician and Flash Gordon, part of a three-strip crossover to promote the then-new animated TV series, Defenders of the Earth.
The Phantom Sunday newspaper strip, September 28, 1986. Written by Lee Falk, with art by Sy Barry.
That event took place during The Phantom’s 50th anniversary year as a newspaper comic strip. And this month, the daily strip celebrates its 90th anniversary! The Ghost Who Walks continues to walk today!
Here are just 13 of the many highlights in the Phantom’s 90-year history.
(NOTE: All scripts attributed to Lee Falk, unless otherwise noted. All images © King Features Syndicate.)
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1. The Phantom daily strip began February 17, 1936. Art by Ray Moore.
The debut of The Phantom daily, February 17, 1936, with the first panel featuring the person who would become the second-most important character in the history of the strip, Diana Palmer.
The first Sunday strip, May 28, 1939. Art by Moore.
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2. The Phantom’s author, Lee Falk (born Leon Harrison Gross), also created Mandrake the Magician.
Lee Falk
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3. The Phantom was originally a city-based crimefighter…
February 24, 1936. First full image of the Phantom. Art by Moore.
…and the person who was intended to be behind the mask was not Kit Walker, but a supposedly wastrel playboy named Jimmy Wells.
March 12, 1936. Art by Moore.
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4. During the early months of the strip, Falk changed his mind about the future path for the Phantom, Wells, and the location. On August 7, 1936, six months after the strip started, the jungle was mentioned for the first time.
Strips for August 7 and 8, 1936. Art by Moore.
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5. The person who would become the first Phantom was named Christopher Standish and the event that started the whole history of the hero began on a deserted beach in 1536.
October 1-3, 1936. Art by Moore.
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6. Merchandising of The Phantom began in the strip’s first year. In fact, the first Big Little Book (top left) was being sold in 1936 with illustrations from the premiere story — which was still running in the newspaper. Other items available for purchase were comics and Feature Books, all containing reprints of the newspaper strip.
Big Little Books and Better Little Books featuring the Phantom were published between 1936 and 1947.
A miniscule amount of all The Phantom comics over the decades.
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7. Ray Moore, the first artist to draw The Phantom, had been the assistant to Phil Davis, the artist for Mandrake the Magician. Moore drew The Phantom until he entered military service during World War II and Wilson McCoy, Moore’s assistant, took over the strip. (McCoy continued to sign Moore’s name to the strip.) After being discharged, Moore had a difficult time illustrating the strip because an injury he had sustained caused his hands to shake. He left the strip in 1947 and McCoy took over drawing it.
Left: Ray Moore. Right: Wilson McCoy.
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8. One-sheet poster for Chapter One of the 1943 serial The Phantom, as well as several title lobby cards. Tom Tyler starred as the Ghost Who Walks. (Tyler previously played the title character of the 1941 classic serial, Adventures of Captain Marvel).
Here is the complete serial for viewing online:
A sequel was planned but not made until the 1950s, However, by then, Columbia Pictures had lost the rights. They called their new version Adventures of Captain Africa (1955), redesigned the costume slightly so they could use footage of the Phantom in distant shots from the original serial. John Hart starred in the “sequel.” (He was also known as the temporary replacement for Clayton Moore in The Lone Ranger TV show.)
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9. In 1961, there was a TV pilot with Roger Creed that never sold. In the episode were Paulette Goddard, Lon Chaney Jr., and Richard Kiel. Sorry for the video quality, but this is all that is available:
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10. Sy Barry was the best artist on the strip and drew it for 34 years, from 1961 to 1994. However, he was often in conflicts with Falk because the writer would not deliver scripts for drawing until very close to deadline. To solve this, Barry took on various assistants over the years to help, including Jose Delbo, Frank Springer, Fred Fredericks, Joe Giella, Rich Buckler, George Olesen, and Don Heck. Barry quit The Phantom in 1994 because of this recurring problem, and because Falk would not return his original art.
The Phantom married Diana Palmer in 1977. Poster art by Sy Barry. (A year later, Diana announced she was pregnant, with twins.)
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11. In 1996, a new movie with the Phantom was released. Billy Zane was the Phantom and Patrick McGoohan played the ghost of his father. Sy Barry was not sent an invite to the premiere, an affront that Barry took seriously.
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12. The Phantom has for many decades been a worldwide sensation. Here are a few covers.
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13. Lee Falk died of heart failure on March 13, 1999. However, the Phantom never dies. Tony DePaul currently writes the strip and Jeff Weigel provides the art. Lee Falk’s name is still included.
For the 90th anniversary month, the origin is retold. February 1, 2026. Writer: Tony DePaul. Art: Jeff Weigel
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MORE
— BURNE HOGARTH’S SPECTACULAR TARZAN: A Birthday Salute In 13 STRIPS AND COVERS. Click here.
— TERRY AND THE PIRATES: A 90th ANNIVERSARY Salute to One of Comics’ Greatest Strips. Click here.
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13th Dimension contributor-at-large PETER BOSCH’s first book, American TV Comic Books: 1940s-1980s – From the Small Screen to the Printed Page, was published by TwoMorrows. (You can buy it here.) A sequel, American Movie Comic Books: 1930s-1970s — From the Silver Screen to the Printed Page, is out now. (Buy it here.) Peter has written articles and conducted celebrity interviews for various magazines and newspapers. He lives in Hollywood.
February 28, 2026
Jeff Weigel may draw the Sunday strips but Mike Manley draws the Phantom in six other episodes every week.
February 28, 2026
Longtime Phantom artist Sy Barry was our neighbor when my family lived in New Jersey. Barry and his wife visited us often and socialized in NYC with my parents.
February 28, 2026
As a longtime Phantom fan, I haven’t been too pleased with some of the more recent American comic book adaptations. However I really dig the current Mad Cave Phantom comics. Worth picking up!
February 28, 2026
>> I really dig the current Mad Cave Phantom comics.
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How’d I ever miss this? Looks like issue #1 is sold out but a TBK should be out end of the year. https://madcavestudios.com/series/the-phantom/#products
February 28, 2026
The Mad Cave comics are fantastic! I have followed The Phantom since 1974 when I was 8 years old. Fascinating concept, great stories, tons of fun – and of course Sy Berry was the best artist!!
February 28, 2026
I just grab’d a copy of the issues 1-5 from MyComicShop.com out of Texas. Looking forward to reading them. I hope they have that pulp feel to them. If they work out, I’ll be sure to pick up the Trade Paperback (TBK).
February 28, 2026
Oh, and I should also point out that Kino Lorber is releasing a new Blu-Ray and 4K version of the movie this April, with extras!
February 28, 2026
There were a series of paperback books too
Great synopsis of the history
February 28, 2026
Interesting to think how different Batman might have been five years later had this 1961 TV pilot caught on. Video quality aside, the lighting for this program rivals some of the game scenes in Any Given Sunday for worst lighting ever. All in all, what a great report.
February 28, 2026
Thanks for this terrific post (and comments) on an amazing milestone. I think I first became aware of the Phantom through the Captain Action outfit; later I became fascinated by the centuries-old heritage of Phantoms via the beautiful Sy Barry strips, which really stood out on the Sunday comics pages.
So much of super-hero lore seems to have originated with the Phantom: the sole survivor; the solemn oath to avenge a murdered parent; pupil-less eyes in a domino mask; trunks on a skintight suit. Perhaps the 90th anniversary will bring the Phantom–not to mention Falk, Moore, and his successors–greater recognition, especially among super-hero fans.
Peter’s fine article has definitely renewed my own curiosity. Is there a definitive overview of the character’s history and creators that you could recommend? Or is one being planned for this anniversary?
February 28, 2026
I first encountered The Phantom in the comics section of the newspaper. My local newspaper never carried the strip, but it seemed like every place we’d ever go on vacation ran it. I was never able to read it with any consistency, but I was able to piece together some of the primary elements – The Phantom being a legacy role that began hundreds of years ago; The Phantom being a jungle hero that often ended up in city settings; And of course, the mark of The Phantom from his rings.
February 28, 2026
Discovered Don Newton’s amazing art via The Phantom. I had read it off and on previously…. I remember my mom bringing me a couple of those three-packs that had comics of The Phantom, Mandrake, and Flash Gordon. Wish I still had those, but it was a long time ago.
March 1, 2026
>> Wish I still had those
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Didn’t see these back in the day but have recently picked up many. Needed to see the work of Newton and Aparo. New to me as they say…..let’s get these made into facsimile editions.
March 1, 2026
Jim Aparo is another great artist who worked on Charlton Phantom comics before going on to draw Batman.