Today is a very sad day for the Phantom community. Ed Rhoades, a man who has for many years been one of the most key figures in international Phantom fan circles, has sadly died due to a tragic cycling accident.
A lifetime long Phantom fan and a friend of Lee Falk, Ed was one of those amazing people who would always take time out to talk with other fans, no matter which side of the planet they hailed from. Best know as editor and publisher of the US Friends of the Phantom newsletter, Ed also contributed to many other Phantom-related publications including being a consultant for Moonstone on their various Phantom series.
An artist, teacher, musician and songwriter, Ed hand many talents. News of his death due to a horrible accident in which he lost control of the bicycle he was riding and slammed into a pickup truck, is sure to leave many fellow Phans shaken.
Although Ed and I only spoke a few times as a member of the Phantom community and someone who has given a lot of time to help build that community in my own small way, Ed was someone I truly looked up to. He will be very sadly missed!
For a full report on Ed’s death as well as a video of the story as it appeared on Ed’s local news station, see the WNEP website.
Ed also had his own website, which you can visit HERE.
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It’s Rhoades
Thanks for picking that up. Fixed.
So sad to learn this. Ed was a great guy and will be missed by a lot of people.
I never met Ed Rhodes, but we were good friends beginning with the first ‘phone call when I tracked him down in 1996, having seen an interview with him in the ‘Phantom’ documentary before the movie came out that summer. Aside from being the most knowledgeable man regarding ‘The Phantom’ I’ve ever known, he was a hell of a nice guy, eternally patient, very generous, a talented musician and a loving family man. We didn’t talk very often, but when we did, we talked for several hours at a time, catching each other up on what was going on in our lives.
Last time I spoke with Ed was last December, and he was enjoying his ‘relaxing’ retirement by performing a Christmas musical he’d written with his daughter (he even sent me several MP3s, which I enjoyed immensely). Had I known it was the last time I’d speak to Ed, I probably would’ve stayed on the ‘phone even longer.
God bless, Ed. Thank you for making my life so much richer by your presence in it.