The 193 Sunday newspaper story "Return to the Temple of the Gods" created by Tony DePaul and Jeff Weigel is a follow on from a series of six stories printed and created 15-17 years ago. For those who have not read the stories or have forgotten, we have created a For Those Who Have Come In Late video for you to catch up.
We have included the origin story of Eden which tells us about the submarine being wrecked off the coast which plays a key part in the development of the story. The seven stories we reference and talk about in the video are:
Eden - Team Fantomen (Frew 1609)
Temple of the Gods, Part 1: The U-Boat Mystery - 213 Daily story (Frew #1418)
Temple of the Gods, Part 2: Return to Eden - 214 Daily Story (Frew #1434)
Temple of the Gods, Part 3: The Secret Sect - Team Fantomen (Frew #1445)
Temple of the Gods, Part 4: Servant of Evil - Team Fantomen (Frew #1464)
Temple of the Gods, Part 5: Thirst - Team Fantomen (Frew #1469)
Temple of the Gods, Part 6: The Beasts Stir - Team Fantomen (Frew #1479)
Plot of "Eden"
The animals were brought to Eden by Archie, a boy who was raised by apes and captured by the Wambesi. The 20th Phantom fails to civilize him and is given an island as refuge who uses the island into a paradise, Archie is able to make wild animals friendly by seemingly talking to them in a whispering voice - the name Eden comes from this.
Germans come to visit the island with a submarine. a battle between a British ship and the submarine occurs which sees the submarine sink but the British ship then shells Eden. Archie assembles all the animals at a wooden raft and then the English soldiers open fire out of caution killing animals. Archie grabs a grenade and while wounded reaches the soldiers and kills everyone including himself to save the animals.
Sad, sad story and perhaps one of the few that would see many cry or feel sad after reading it.
Plot of "Temple of the Gods, Part 1: The U-Boat Mystery"
The Phantom spots some reef divers near Eden who dive at night. The phantom dives underwater to spy on them and finds out that they are after a scroll map inside a German submarine which sank there in 1945. He learns from listening to the divers about a secret society that had been exiled from Egypt came to Eden and created a race of super-men. The German sub was looking for the temple to learn the secret science of creating super-human soldiers. The phantom steals the scroll from Mina, who is also the leader of the expedition. He then goes on alone to find temple hidden beneath a mountain on Eden.
Mina, finds her way to the temple through her memory of the map. Once inside, Mina's colleagues start looting all the precious items from the temple. When Mina protests, they knock her out and the Phantom rescues the day. Mina stays with the Phantom to try and understand the temple more.
Plot of "Temple of the Gods, Part 2: Return to Eden"
Mina Braun helps translate a strange series of Egyptian hieroglyphic symbols that he finds in the third phantom's chronicles while looking for any mention of the secret temple on Eden. They find out that the message is actually a warning from the third phantom to avoid going to the Temple.
However they decide to find out the truth, so they set out to explore it once again. On the way Mina reveals that she learnt of the temple from her great uncle's diary who had learned of the mission from her grandfather before his death. When they reach the temple they find out that it goes deeper underground than imagined. They find a large number of inhuman mummies and Mina starts getting nervous from seeing statues of evil gods in the temple. The Phantom leaves her with Guran and Devil and goes on alone travelling for hours.
He finds the third Phantom's skull mark made with blood on a wall. He leaves and sees some 'monsters'. When the Phantom takes Mina back to Germany he steals her grandfather's diary to prevent anyone from learning about Eden and leaves.
Plot of "Temple of the Gods, Part 3: The Secret Sect"
Strangers are kidnapping Wasaka men to attack and kill the monsters on Eden. The 3rd Phantom learns about werewolf's, vampires, big foots and other monsters have their origins in this temple. The men capture the Phantom and give him as bait to try and kill as many monsters as possible. A great battle follows and he barely gets away with his life.
He is the first to encounter these beasts and the temple.
Plot of "Temple of the Gods, Part 4: Servant of Evil"
In 1680 the Phantom and Zuran are travelling in Egypt when they meet an old man who is guarding an old grave from grave robbers. It turns out to be a sarcophagus of Pharaoh Ahmose who was behind the creation of the monsters.
Plot of "Temple of the Gods, Part 5: Thirst"
Featuring the 8th Phantom who is trying to find a young pretty lady and learns of the island of Eden and how there are people who are experimenting on things. He is unable to save her and she dies in his arms and is rather a tragic story and touches upon our inability as humans to treat people with compassion.
Moroaica drinks blood to live and was found in Transylvania and gives us a potential origin of the myth of vampires.
Plot of "Temple of the Gods, Part 6: The Beasts Stir"
The 17th Phantom arrives in Paris in 1888 to visit his sister Julie. What follows is a true classic 'Beauty and the Beast' storyline without the happy ending.
Monsters are capturing humans so they can swap heads so they do not have to live in fear of looking different. Of course the Phantom rescues the day and the beast dies while rescuing the beauty.
We hope this gives you the best understanding of what has happened in the past for what is about to happen in the future. Let us know if you like this 'For Those Who Came in Late' video and we may make more videos on other Phantom stories or elements of the Phantom.
