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Day 6 of NaPodPoMo is another entry into our Lesser Known Geek Hall Of Fame. Seth and Crazy Train talk about another superhero pioneer, The Phantom! How pioneering? Many superhero tropes can be traced back to The Ghost Who Walks.
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You have probably heard of The Phantom, and yes you’ve probably seen him in a newspaper comic strip. But do you truly know the origin of The Phantom? Seth and Crazy Train talk the creation of The Phantom, as well as his origin. Why is the character called The Ghost Who Walks?
A lot of people may not know how long The Phantom has been around. Creator Lee Falk started writing the character in 1936, and continued to write up until his death in 1999. That means he had a 63 year run writing Phantom, which could be a record for longest stint for a writer on a specific character. The Phantom has also been in print regularly since 1936, which is a record for oldest superhero title at 82 years and counting.
The Phantom also has several other notable accomplishments. He was the first hero to wear tights, and was the first to have a mask that removed pupils from the eyes. Not only that, the ongoing Phantom comic clocks in with a staggering 1,700+ issues!
If you want to learn more about The Phantom, there is the awesome Phantom Wiki. And check out the good people at Chronicle Chamber, who have a podcast dedicated to all things Phantom!
The Phantom is about as old school as you can get for superheroes. In fact, he predates Superman by two years.
In addition to his comic serials spanning over 1600 (?!!) issues, The Phantom has appeared in many other comics. He was even part of the animated superhero team Defenders Of The Earth with Flash Gordon and Mandrake The Magician.
Billy Zane played him in a 1996 theatrical film, back when almost all superhero movies sucked.
Here, courtesy of Archive.org, is the first live action adaption of The Phantom. The complete 15 part 1943 serial for your old-school enjoyment. Grab some popcorn, invite some friends, and check out one of the original superhero movies.
