Tim Boyle's The Phantom

[rogue trooper]

^The Singh Brotherhood, most notably. There's also The Sky Band.

 

[gwynplaine]

Thank you.

 

[Seth71]

You know, one thing that I always found unrealistic is that for 400 years, the Phantom, even though living in Africa, managed to find only white women to marry and stay white. I mean, a guy living in Africa, carrying for the natives and living among them, at one point some Phantom would end up falling in love for a native woman. In 400 years it's bound to happen, unless he was a racist. But if he was a racist why would he protect them? To make it more unrealistic or more racist, you chose, white women always managed to pop up in his life in the dark continent so he could fall in love exactly with them. I mean the 21st Phantom was educated in America, maybe the 20th also or maybe in England, but for the first generations of the Phantom they probably stayed in Africa, maybe even for financial reasons etc. All I'm saying is, after 400 years in Africa the fact the family has stayed white is extremely unrealistic and while for 1930's standards where all superheros were white because of racism it may be understandable, for 2000's standards it raises some questions.

 

[Kent Allard]

The Phantom had long operated beyond the jungles of Bengalla. Also the Bandars, the only people to know the truth about the Phantom, are pygmies so height is probably an issue.

Plus, in the ever present concern of protecting the identity of the current Phantom and maintaining the legends surrounding the Phantom it may be almost a necessity to meet and marry a woman from somewhere well away from Bengalla. It wouldn't do for the local ruffians to recognize a future Phantom via family resemblance.

 

[rogue trooper]

You know, one thing that I always found unrealistic is that for 400 years, the Phantom, even though living in Africa, managed to find only white women to marry and stay white. I mean, a guy living in Africa, carrying for the natives and living among them, at one point some Phantom would end up falling in love for a native woman. In 400 years it's bound to happen, unless he was a racist. But if he was a racist why would he protect them? To make it more unrealistic or more racist, you chose, white women always managed to pop up in his life in the dark continent so he could fall in love exactly with them. I mean the 21st Phantom was educated in America, maybe the 20th also or maybe in England, but for the first generations of the Phantom they probably stayed in Africa, maybe even for financial reasons etc. All I'm saying is, after 400 years in Africa the fact the family has stayed white is extremely unrealistic and while for 1930's standards where all superheros were white because of racism it may be understandable, for 2000's standards it raises some questions.

Look, all I'm gonna say is this, The Phantom is believed to be immortal. He is believed to have lived for 400 years. Since the first Phantom was white, all the other Phantoms that follow have to be white, otherwise, by having a black Phantom, the belief that he's been around for 400 years would be lost. It has to be believed that it is that same white man who was the first Phantom.

Atleast, though, The Phantom did inspire the creation of The Black Panther.

 

[Walker]

You know, one thing that I always found unrealistic is that for 400 years, the Phantom, even though living in Africa, managed to find only white women to marry and stay white. I mean, a guy living in Africa, carrying for the natives and living among them, at one point some Phantom would end up falling in love for a native woman. In 400 years it's bound to happen, unless he was a racist. But if he was a racist why would he protect them? To make it more unrealistic or more racist, you chose, white women always managed to pop up in his life in the dark continent so he could fall in love exactly with them. I mean the 21st Phantom was educated in America, maybe the 20th also or maybe in England, but for the first generations of the Phantom they probably stayed in Africa, maybe even for financial reasons etc. All I'm saying is, after 400 years in Africa the fact the family has stayed white is extremely unrealistic and while for 1930's standards where all superheros were white because of racism it may be understandable, for 2000's standards it raises some questions.

One Phantom married an Asian woman, and others have had relationships with black women.

The Phantom was always more of a global character than one operating only in Africa, and it is a tradition that the son travels to the country his mother was born in to study there, and some of the Phantoms probably fell in love when studying there (the 21st certainly did).

You are wrong saying they "popped up" on his continent, some did obviously, but most of them he met in different parts of the world.

But I get your point. The strip was created in a different time, and I know there would have been objections had the Phantom hooked up with an African girl instead of the American Diana Palmer. It's like Tarzan marrying Jane Porter, Edgar Rice Burroughs would not have risked any of his readership to have an inter-racial romance at the time. Even the character of Solitaire from Ian Fleming's Live and Let Die was changed into a white woman for the movie adaptation, to avoid controversies with her and 007's relationship, and that was in 1973, not 1936, when the Phantom was created.

Kent Allard and Rouge Trooper have good points here, the Phantom also needs to be seen as an immortal and the son needs to look somewhat like the father if the whole legend aspect is not to go down the drain.

The 22nd Phantom had a black American girlfriend in the 1995 Marvel miniseries. Maybe Legacy should be inspired by this?

Atleast, though, The Phantom did inspire the creation of The Black Panther.

He did? Cool, I didn't know that. He also inspired the entire superhero industry, when we're speaking of his influence. Batman and Superman would look widely different if it wasn't for Lee Falk.

 

[TheVileOne]

http://www.411mania.com/movies/news/100037/[TV]-Sci-Fi-Working-on-The-Phantom.htm

So much for some $90 million theatrical movie. Already being relegated as SyFy fodder;

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the Sci-Fi Channel is working on a new take on the comic book, The Phantom. RHI Entertainment is working on the project, which will be a 4-hour TV movie
. If they draw a large enough audience, The Phantom will then come under consideration to become a series.

The Phantom is expected to hit Sci-Fi next year.

 

[The Guard]

Yeah, but four hours of...sigh...SyFy fodder.

 

[rogue trooper]

He did? Cool, I didn't know that. He also inspired the entire superhero industry, when we're speaking of his influence. Batman and Superman would look widely different if it wasn't for Lee Falk.

Well, in this case, more specifically, you can see how both characters are jungle lords with a wild beast for a companion and wear tights. I also wanted to kinda' make a point for the benefit of Seth71, who was commenting on the lack of a black Phantom taking the mantle(we already explained the reasons to him), that The Black Panther is basically a "black Phantom" in a way.

 

[rogue trooper]

http://www.411mania.com/movies/news/100037/[TV]-Sci-Fi-Working-on-The-Phantom.htm

So much for some $90 million theatrical movie. Already being relegated as SyFy fodder;

Let's all hope it manages to be a show of quality like Battlestar Galactica, and not a lack-luster like Flash Gordon.

 

[Walker]

http://www.411mania.com/movies/news/100037/[TV]-Sci-Fi-Working-on-The-Phantom.htm

So much for some $90 million theatrical movie. Already being relegated as SyFy fodder;

The show has nothing to do with the movie project. The film is still on schedule, and was announced after the TV-series actually.

Well, in this case, more specifically, you can see how both characters are jungle lords with a wild beast for a companion and wear tights. I also wanted to kinda' make a point for the benefit of Seth71, who was commenting on the lack of a black Phantom taking the mantle(we already explained the reasons to him), that The Black Panther is basically a "black Phantom" in a way.

Cool! I might have to check out that comic now.

 

[rogue trooper]

Cool! I might have to check out that comic now.

Ofcourse, neither Marvel nor Stan Lee have acknowledged The Phantom as an inspiration, just as they haven't acknowledged that Mandrake was an inspiration to Dr. Strange, but one can see it is obvious.

 

[TheVileOne]

The show has nothing to do with the movie project. The film is still on schedule, and was announced after the TV-series actually.



Cool! I might have to check out that comic now.

Seems to be an awkward, silly move.

 

[Walker]

Seems to be an awkward, silly move.

Two different companies own the rights, Sherlock Symington to feature films, and whatever the other company is called for TV. I don't think it's that awkward, but I would prefer if we only got the movie, I'll admit that.

Ofcourse, neither Marvel nor Stan Lee have acknowledged The Phantom as an inspiration, just as they haven't acknowledged that Mandrake was an inspiration to Dr. Strange, but one can see it is obvious.

Just like Bob Kane never admitted he was an inspiration for Batman.

And yes, Dr. Strange always looked like a Mandrake rip-off to me, even when I was a kid I thought that.

Really, Lee Falk has had a lot more influence on pop culture than anybody seems to realize.

 

[gwynplaine]

Ofcourse, neither Marvel nor Stan Lee have acknowledged The Phantom as an inspiration, just as they haven't acknowledged that Mandrake was an inspiration to Dr. Strange, but one can see it is obvious.

I didn't think about that but it makes great sense. I love Mandrake and really hope to see him on the big screen some day. Jude Law would make an interesting Mandrake and Terry Crews a great Lothar IMO.

 

[Octoberist]

i wonder how can two production companies own the rights to Phantom. In fact, which publisher currently owns Phantom?

 

[Walker]

A Mandrake movie is in development hell, with Jonathan Rhys Meyers set (at least he was) to play the title role.

The perfect Mandrake would be Timothy Dalton, but he's twenty years too old, sadly...

Octoberist, the owner of the Phantom is, and have always been, King Features.

 

[gwynplaine]

A Mandrake movie is in development hell, with Jonathan Rhys Meyers set (at least he was) to play the title role.

The perfect Mandrake would be Timothy Dalton, but he's twenty years too old, sadly...

Octoberist, the owner of the Phantom is, and have always been, King Features.

I heard about that project but thought it was cancelled, well hopefully it's back on track and you are right about Timothy Dalton.

 

[rogue trooper]

Just like Bob Kane never admitted he was an inspiration for Batman.

I checked Bob Kane's autobiography "Batman and Me" and he did mention The Phantom as an inspiration. Here's a fragment:

"Besides going to films, I spent much time reading and copying newspaper comic strips as a youngster. The New York Journal carried a feature that also influenced my creation of Batman. Written by Lee Falk and drawn by Ray Moore, the Phantom wore a gray form-fitting leotard with a hood and a slim black mask to conceal his identity. He was created in 1936, two years before Superman appeared, and was one of the first comic strip characters to wear a union suit and have a dual identity. He was the forerunner of the superhero."

here's another:

"Batman's oath to avenge his parents by becoming a crimefighter may have been inspired by a similar pledge the Phantom made on the skull of the pirate who murdered his father."

He says "may have been" because it was Bill Finger who wrote the stories.

 

[Walker]

Great, thank you very much for posting this. Even though he might not admit the Phantom as a direct inspiration, it's nice to hear him admit the influence.

I always thought the oath Batman swears was ripped straight off The Phantom. I think the Phantom was the first comics character to have that kind of origin; the murdered father, the dedication of his life to fight crime, and so on: a REAL purpose to try to rid the world of evil. In fact, the 1st. Phantom's and Batman's origins are ridicilously similiar in that way: both swears an oath, both have murdered fathers, and both must obviously be damaged and traumatized by their great losses, leading to them donning strange costumes and fighting a battle they know they cannot win.

 

[Walker]

I heard about that project but thought it was cancelled, well hopefully it's back on track and you are right about Timothy Dalton.

Maybe if Legacy does well, it might help that film getting made... The same company held the rights to the Phantom too, but gave it away because they couldn't get a film made about him. Maybe they regret that now. t:

Here's a bit about the plot of the Mandrake movie: http://baldwinent.com/prod_mandrake.html It's written by the guys who did Sahara, which I thought was a pretty fun action movie.

It's a bit surreal for me to get not one, but two films and a possible TV-series about my favourite character. As a die hard fan of the Phantom for ten years now, I am used to the "outside" world not giving much attention to him. Hopefully, that can change now. The character deserves it.

 

[ChickenScratch]

The Phantom's one of those characters who has such amazing potential if handled well. I remember reading one story where Phantom had twin sons, and it was this great story covering their whole childhood leading into how he would choose one to be the Phantom. Each had his own qualities and it's a superhero story that played out as family drama.

There's an interview over at Newsarama with the new guys doing it and they say they are about a week from principal photography and yet there's been no news of cast or anything of that sort. Heck, we don't even know who's Directing.

 

[gwynplaine]

Maybe if Legacy does well, it might help that film getting made... The same company held the rights to the Phantom too, but gave it away because they couldn't get a film made about him. Maybe they regret that now. t:

Here's a bit about the plot of the Mandrake movie: http://baldwinent.com/prod_mandrake.html It's written by the guys who did Sahara, which I thought was a pretty fun action movie.

It's a bit surreal for me to get not one, but two films and a possible TV-series about my favourite character. As a die hard fan of the Phantom for ten years now, I am used to the "outside" world not giving much attention to him. Hopefully, that can change now. The character deserves it.

Thanks for the link. I would have much preferred a period piece Mandrake. Hopefully they don't make him into criss angel or something.

 

[Walker]

The Phantom's one of those characters who has such amazing potential if handled well. I remember reading one story where Phantom had twin sons, and it was this great story covering their whole childhood leading into how he would choose one to be the Phantom. Each had his own qualities and it's a superhero story that played out as family drama.

There's an interview over at Newsarama with the new guys doing it and they say they are about a week from principal photography and yet there's been no news of cast or anything of that sort. Heck, we don't even know who's Directing.

Very much agree about the character's potentail, while I like the Zane film, it doesn't even attempt to touch upon the possibilities the Phantom gives for a movie.

I actually read the name of the guy who is directing the TV-movie. His name escapes me, but he did a miniseries called The Last Templar. What concerns me is that the producers did the Flash Gordon series...

Thanks for the link. I would have much preferred a period piece Mandrake. Hopefully they don't make him into criss angel or something.

That'd be a damn cool idea, actually. Then they could have him dress in the top hat and cape without it looking out of place.

 

[ChickenScratch]

It's not just a superhero tale, it's a family tale, sucession, throw in jealous siblings or unworthy sucessors who have to man up it'll be cool.

As for the guy who directed The Last Templar, I saw that on NBC and it pretty much sucked.

I'm still dieing to see the suit. All Purple? Purple and Black, Purple with black briefs? There are so many cool versions of the suit depending on what Phantom.