On Monday the 27th of January a New Phantom Adventure begun in the Dailies. This adventure is thus far untitled but the opening two days has seen a wealth of information flood in regarding not only the 1st Phantom but his ancestry! For those of us in Australia who read Frew comic books in the 80s and 90s, we are very familiar with the "For those who came in late" motif as it was included on the inside cover of a vast number of issues. It is a trope that was also often used by Lee Falk when reminding readers of the genesis of The Phantom. Tony DePaul last told the origin story in Daily #215, " The Twins' Futures ". This origin retelling ran for a week from September 14 to 19, 2015. For this current retelling Tony will be stretching the origin story out over 2 weeks and if the first two days are anything to go by, those panels are going to be ripe with new information. We here at Chronicle Chamber often have fun trying to derive the meaning behind the language Tony DePaul uses in his strips as well as trying to predict where his stories will lead. For this article, I will investigate what may be of significance regarding the Walkers' ship that was attacked by the Singh Pirates in 1536 as well as the Walker crest/ coat of arms. What's in a name? Does the name of the Walkers' fateful ship foreshadow Kit and his descendants' future? The opening panel on Day 1 lets readers in on some information regarding the ship that Kit Walker and his father, Christopher, made their fateful journey on. The type of ship: Carrack According to Wikipedia, a Carrack was a carvel-built ocean going ship which was large enough to be stable in heavy seas and able to carry large cargo and provisions needed for very long voyages. Just the type of vessel one would need to round the "Cape of Storms", known today as "The Cape of Good Hope". The carrack was one of the most influential ship designs in history. The name of the ship: Matilda In Australia the name Matilda is synonymous with the country's Women's National Soccer (or Football for our European friends) team. It is also well known through the quintessential bush ballad, " Waltzing Matilda " which was penned by Banjo Patterson in 1895, and is often coined as Australia's "Unofficial National Anthem". However, all names have meanings and according to behindthename.com the name Matilda signifies "Strength in battle". On Day 2 we get to see the Walker family crest, or coat of arms. There are many elements to a coat of arms and after trawling through the Armorial Gold Heraldry Symbolism Library I will do my best to explain the symbolism as I see it. Helmet (or Helm) Placed at the top of the shield, the helmet indicates the rank of a family. A closed helmet viewed in side profile as this one is, represents a squire or gentleman. If gold bars were included on a helmet in this position it would represent the rank of Nobleman. Purple The colour purple represents royal majesty, sovereignty and justice. Blue Blue denotes truth and loyalty. Azure, a shade of blue, represents truth divine. It was the symbol of divine eternity and of human immortality. Astrolabe For the astrolabe in the bottom of the crest I have used information as it pertains to its successor, the Sextant, as I could not find much information regarding the symbolism of the astrolabe. What I could find, though brief, correlated with the sextant. The Sextant represents adventure and the discovery of new horizons; an emblem of direction, watchfulness, guidance and protection. The sextant is also closely associated with progress, because it expands the boundaries of knowledge and extends the limits of understanding. At first, I thought that the creature on the Left was a Griffin, but on closer inspection I judge it to be a Dragon, even though its body and legs are not scaled. I will include the heraldry information for both Dragon Its head is that of a serpent, with a forked tongue and ears. The body is that of a lion, but it is represented scaled, and the large wings are webbed and pointed, which resemble those of a bat. The legs are also scaled, and the feet are represented with webbed talons. The dragon is the most valiant of all living creatures because of its sharpness of sight and therefore it symbolises the defender of treasure and worldliness. The Anglo-Saxon word "dragon" is derived from the Greek, "drakon" (which is a derivative of the word, "derkesthai"), which means "to see clearly". This hints at the Dragon's gift of prophecy, maybe Old Man Mozz should incorporate the Dragon into his own coat of arms! Another translation of Dragon from the Greek, according to author Jess Zafarris (bachelor of English Literature, masters of Journalism and Mass Communication), is "the one with the (deadly) glance". [Those who look upon the Phantom's face will die a horrible death - Old Jungle Saying] Today we often think of Dragons as bringing destruction and chaos, however the dragon, to some cultures, was an emblem of good fortune and perfection. Griffin This chimerical creature has the head, wings, and talons of an eagle with the body of a lion, and is said to express the ideal combination of swiftness, strength and intelligence. Historically the Griffin has been emblematic of valour, vigilance and death defying bravery. Guillim , an often-quoted heraldic writer says this about the Griffin, "(it) sets forth the property of a valorous soldier whose magnanimity is such that he will dare all dangers, and even death itself, rather than become captive." This creature is as old as the time of the Phoenicians, was sacred to the sun, and kept guard over hidden treasures. It is symbolic of watchfulness, courage, perseverance, and rapidity of execution. Horse The Horse is a symbol for loyalty and devotion, such as the faith it has with its master, and it also represents the warrior spirit, bravery and courage. Heraldic writers say that Horses (and those who used it as an emblem) represented the readiness for all employments for king and country. In regards to the diagonal lines that are shown in the blue section of the shield, I could not find anything solid about it's symbolism. Perhaps it was just an artistic choice? One may say that the name of the ship, as well as the symbolism within the Walker Crest provides a great amount of foreshadowing on who Kit Walker and his descendants will become. When asked, Tony DePaul had this to say about the symbolism of the crest... "I scripted the astrolabe to suggest the maritime history of the Walkers, and scripted the knight’s helmet to suggest matters of the battlefield, a martial connection to great events in English history. The colors, yes, that was scripted to suggest that the colors and pattern of the costume didn’t come out of nowhere but were inspired by the marooned Kit’s memory of his family crest. I scripted the rampant horse to suggest that the Walkers had an affinity for horses. Gave Mike the option of a rampant dragon or lion for the other side of the shield." So Mike was given the choice of either a rampant (on its hind legs) dragon or lion and went with dragon. If he had gone with the lion then it would symbolise the following... Lion Like a lion, the Phantom is born from death and lives on! (Image from Childhood of The Phantom #S011) An emblem of majesty, strength and justice, military might and deathless courage, the Lion was indeed a foe to fear. The lion is also a emblem of the resurrection; according to tradition, the lion's whelp is born dead, and remains so for three days, when the father breathes on it and it receives life. Another tradition is that the Lion is the only animal of the cat tribe born with its eyes open, and it is said that it sleeps with its eyes open; although not completely true the lion does sleep watchfully and lightly As you can see, many of the Phantom's tropes can be traced back to these symbols included in these first two days of the latest retelling of the origin story. The direction that Tony DePaul has given Mike Manley in his depiction of the crest, as well as the name of the ship, suggest one who is deeply in tune with Phantom lore. Even when his ideas are based in another direction they still hold true to what many may say are vital elements of The Phantom. Has exploring the Walker's Family Crest inspired you to investigate the symbols on your own family's crest? Do you enjoy these additions to the Phantom lore that Tony DePaul , Mike Manley and Jeff Weigel are creating? Do you agree with my interpretation of the symbols or do you have other suggestions? Please let us know in the comments. As always, Happy Phantoming!

Shakti Comics are really trying to make an impact in the Indian market with their comics and now through Imag!kal a clothing range. It is a pity the comics in other languages in Hindi and Bengali were not profitable but at least they tried. Hoping the clothing will see more sales and a continued rise of the characters popularity in the local market. At the time of writing, they have two designs of a T-shirt available with one design also on a hooded jumper. The price for the hooded jumper is 1,199INR ($15US/EU, $22AU & 150 sek/nok) and the T-shirts are 799INR ($10US/EU, $15AU & 100 sek/nok). Buy clothing from their store here The design of the Phantom and Devil leaning over the bad guy on the ground comes from their 13th issue by artist Ranjan Dutta .

Perth Mint has released a 2022 and 2023 Phantom collector coin. While the design is the same there are some differences between the two coins so here is a video review but also comparison between the two coins. The 2022 Phantom coin was a huge success that is sold out on the Perth Mint website. You can still find them on reseller locations like eBay etc. The 2023 coin can still be purchased at the Perth Mint website here for $90Au ($60US) . The differences between the two coins are: 2023 coin has a coloured Phantom. The years 2022 and 2023 The 2023 coin has the Queens years of being head of the monarchy. On the packaging the front of the 2023 design has less 'dots' and has the Skull Cave design. On the 2022 coin the Skull Cave is on the back of the packaging. The 2023 coin packaging doesn't feature the Phantom like the 2022 design. In my opinion the 2023 coin is the more collectable coin out of the two. The coloured Phantom is very effective. Some phans feedback is they are unsure on the design of the Phantom and the colouring makes it more visually appealing. For the collectors, Perth Mint also released a flyer which features the Phantom logo in a shiny print. I would have liked to see this design and feature on the packaging of the coin as well. I also wonder what the logo on the coin would have looked like coloured as well. Have you brought these coins for yourself? What are your thoughts?

Christian Moller reviews the latest issue's from ECR (Edition Comic Rundschau ). In this video he reviews the Sammlerherzchen 2 comic, and magazines #85 and #86 with the HC special edition. The numbering refers not to the issue number but the Daily story number. The stories we review in this video are: " Die Entstehung der Dschungelpatrouille " (" The Founding of the Jungle Patrol ") by Lee Falk and Sy Barry (first six weeks) " Der mysteriöse Botschafter " (" The Mysterious Ambassador ") by Lee Falk and Sy Barry " Das Geheimnis der Hundeinsel " (" The Mystery of the Island of Dogs ") by Lee Falk and Sy Barry You can order your copy of this and other comics from ECR via their email address - ecr-vlg@gmx.net . While these stories have been published in Bastei comics back in the 1970's, these magazines are printed in better quality in original black and white on very thick paper stock. You can hear the thickness of the paper as I turn the pages. ECR has also released a special hardcover edition which includes the two daily stories with a separate designed cover. The Sammlerherzchen 2 comic features the Phantom story in colour while the other stories are in black and white. The covers are again designed by Andy . There has been some discussion online about if they are AI generated art or not. All ECR and other German comic reviews will be included in our monthly X-Band: The Phantom Podcasts. You can find out more at our website and or subscribe to our YouTube channel for more videos. If you would like to join the team and review new comics being released around the world, please contact us.

Book a seat on your favourite Skull Throne, pick up your controller and press play! Over this past weekend, my son Jeremy and I were able to spend an hour in the Art of Play studio in the Melbourne CBD to get a first hand look behind the scenes of what goes into developing The Phantom Video Game. The first thing that strikes you as you walk into the studio is the love of the nostalgia of childhood that Ash Nicholls , the Director of Art of Play Games has. You turn one way and there are two foot high life like models of the Ninja Turtles from the 1990 movie, another way and there's a mint condition Inspector Gadget , in other spaces Transformers , but on the top shelf, in pride of place, is The Phantom . Now, if you follow Ash on his socials you will have an understanding of the passion that he has for these characters but also for video games. He is driven to provide the absolute best product so that both fans of the IPs and gamers will have a fulfilling experience with his games. When a game hits the store shelves it should be finished, unfortunately too often for a number of AAA titles with a lot bigger budgets behind them, it takes a number of downloadable updates before a game is actually finished. Ash and his team are working around the clock to ensure that when The Phantom Video Game hits the shelf it is the finished product. At the moment, this "Ne'er-do-well" makes quite the sound when he gets knocked down. As funny as it is, I doubt it will still be in the game come February. What my son and I played last weekend wasn't the finished product, but we sure had fun with it, while Ash was furiously writing notes on more things that need fixing. In the time we were there we were able to play the Skull Cave/ Bangallan Jungle Level as well as about half of the Indian Level. We also played it one player mode, swapping the controller each time we died, however 2 player mode is available with player 2 taking the role of Diana. After the "For Those Who Came in Late" opening cut scene, the game opens with Diana and The Phantom in the Skull cave as a message comes through that trouble's afoot. The Phantom springs into action and starts battling the Singh Pirates who have infiltrated the Skull Cave. As I was playing through this level it reminded me a lot of games such as Double Dragon II . There are a variety of enemies, some with weapons such as whips and projectiles. The enemies come in a variety of sizes with different skills/patterns which the player would do well to observe in order to progress. The giant brute character was particularly nasty. However, The Phantom has a range of different actions to deal out punishment to these roughnecks. As I played, I tried to keep my actions restrained to the Phantom's punches and kicks, whereas my son went the quicker, more deadly approach and shot as many people as he could. This would have consequences later in the game, but we didn't get that far. In the top left hand corner where the game's Heads Up Display (HUD) is situated, a tally is kept of how many enemies have been "Skull Marked" and how many have been "killed". The gun is very much "OP'd" (over powered) but the ammo is limited, so should only be used as a last resort, much like how The Phantom uses his firearms in the comics. Dual Wielding is a handy feature to help you get out of a tight jam, but use with caution... The "Hero" Stage where The Phantom and Diana are riding on The Phantom's great white stallion, Hero, reminded me a lot of the vehicle stage in the 1991 video game " Battletoads ". The key to success in this stage is to recognise the patterns. When you get this down, the Singh Pirate doesn't stand a chance. This is also a stage that brings Co-Op to the fore. In 2 player mode, one player is controlling Hero while the other is trying to shoot the crates being thrown from the plane. No doubt there will be some fun shouting on couches as the two players work together to get themselves in sync with each other. Logs to dodge and crates to shoot. There's a lot going on in this stage so keep your wits about you. Battling through the levels you can't help but be in awe of all the little details that go into creating a game. At one point I had trouble picking up a torch, Ash quickly jotted down that the torch needed to come lower on the screen. Then there are the other things that suck you into the game's world. A couple of examples include the shadows of the characters, which my son noticed, chickens dropping feathers as they run off, and leaves falling from trees as Chee-Chee directs the way. These little details are the difference between a good game and a great game. The actual gameplay is straightforward too. You can quickly develop your muscle memory so that you tap the correct button to attack, jump or crouch. We were playing on the Nintendo Switch and my gaming fingers are more accustomed to the Xbox controller's layout but were able to attune themselves well for the different controller. My only issue was with the shoulder buttons, but that's an issue I personally have with the Switch controller as opposed to the Xbox rather than anything related to the game. The shoulder buttons are important as that's where your special abilities lie. These abilities include whistling for Devil, drawing your weapons (and holstering them) as well as special attack combinations which can "Skull Mark" the bad guys, which is particularly useful when you get over crowded or when you're having trouble with one of those "brutes" that I mentioned earlier. The Phantom is rough on roughnecks. Which is handy for this nasty brute. The HUD is straightforward too. As mentioned earlier it keeps track of your kills and skull marks, but it also displays clearly how many lives you have and your health. Another element on display is your "vitality". When this meter fills you can unleash your special combination. Also on display is the health of your enemies, and how many times you can call Devil, which are both very helpful. Finally, at the top of the HUD is a points tally, so you have something to aim for in beating your top score in future play throughs. Though the HUD is visually appealing and contains a lot of information, it doesn't encroach on the game space. Getting pick ups such as The Diamond Cup really helps to boost those points. Jeremy was able to find both the Diamond Cup and the Manuscript during his playthrough... much to the chagrin of his old man. Jeremy and I were very impressed with what we were able to play in the time we had. At it's core the game is a "Side Scrolling Beat 'Em Up" and gaming fans of the genre are sure to enjoy this entry to its lexicon. The artwork is impressive, as is the gameplay. There were some issues with the audio but I'm sure that by the time this article is published, Ash and his team would have already squashed that bug. For phans, what we played through stays true to Phantom Lore. The Phantom only uses his guns as a last resort, however if you can time it right you can shoot the projectiles away that are being thrown at you. A side scrolling beat 'em up in a nice variety of locations. Needless to say, my appetite for this video game is even more ferocious now having had a taste than it was when I was just checking out screen shots and videos. I wish Ash and the team at Art of Play all the best as they continue tweaking the various ins and outs of the game. A reminder that Art of Play are running a competition to win an 'Original Superheroes' NECA Phantom figure signed by Billy Zane . Details on how to enter the competition can be found here . Get your entries in soon as the competition closes on February 10, 2025. If you have any questions about the play through, feel free to leave a comment in our socials and I'll do my best to answer it. Happy Phantoming! (Please note. All images in this article are images that have been previously shared about the video game. It's a bit tricky to take photos and play the game at the same time.)

Christian Moller reviews the latest issue from Zauberstern #16 which was out late December 2024. The issue features the following stories that was first published by Hermes Press and Daily stories published in the newspapers: " Gefahr in der verbotenen Stadt (Teil 3) " (" Duel in the Skies ") by Peter David and Sal Velluto " Gefahr in der verbotenen Stadt (Teil 4 )" (" Free Fall ") by Peter David and Sal Velluto " Python schlägt zu " (" Justice for the Python ") by Tony DePaul and Paul Ryan " Insel des Grauens " (" Crocco Island West ") by Tony DePaul and Paul Ryan You can purchase this comic and other back issues of Zauberstern Phantom comics from their website . This comic is of great value with 100 page of comics in full colour on great quality paper for 10€. This magazine see's Zauberstern re-using a past cover instead of creating their own new covers which they have done previously. Do you prefer the publisher creating their own unique covers? This cover was created by Sal Velluto & Eugenio Mattozzi and was original used as the cover #1A for Hermes Press comic book series published back in 2014. Issue #15, featured part one and two. We assume issue #17 will feature the last two parts of the saga. This is the first time that this Sal Velluto story has been published in Europe. The middle of the magazine also includes a poster of the cover for issue #4A. Do you like these extras in your comics? Zauberstern cleverly have advertising on the back of the posters so if you remove it to hang on your wall, you do not loose anything from the story. Ensure you read our interview with the publishers and editors behind Zauberstern here - Interview with Simeon Hrissomallis and Charles Bone . You will learn about the extra albums and magazines planned to be published in 2025 by Zauberstern . All Zauberstern and other German comic reviews will be included in our monthly X-Band: The Phantom Podcasts. You can find out more at our website and or subscribe to our YouTube channel for more videos. If you would like to join the team and review new comics being released around the world, please contact us.

The second hardcover collection by E-Voke is now out for sale through their website. The first volume included five newspaper stories created by Lee Falk and Sy Barry . This second volume however focuses on stories created by Frew , Charlton with a more modern newspaper story. The book is 128 pages in total, printed in black and white and sells for 239.00DKK ($55AUD, $33US/Eu, 370sek/nok and 2,850INR). You can purchase the second volume here via their website. The cover is by Felmang and has been slightly edited from the Frew back cover from The Phantom's World Special No. 5 . In my opinion, I prefer this version of the cover than the Frew one. The stories included in this edition are: " Fantomets død " (" The Phantom's Death ") by Don Jon Arneson and Jim Aparo " Spøgelsesvæggen " (" The Ghost Wall ") by Tony DePaul , George Olesen and Keith Williams " De lydløse tyve " (" The Silent Thieves ") by Joe Gill and Pat Boyette " Dronningen af Saba " (" The Queen of Saba ") by Felmang and Marko Walk " Floden uden ende " (" The River That Never Ends ") by Don Jon Arneson and Jim Aparo " På ørneredens tinde " (" Nest of the Man-Eaters ") by Joe Gill and Pat Boyette " Han som stopper regnen " (" The Rain Stopper ") by Joe Gill and Pat Boyette According to unconfirmed rumours, the Frew story " Dronningen af Saba " (" The Queen of Saba ") by Felmang and Marko Walk which was first published in The Phantom's World Special No. 5 (2018) was originally edited and this version published by E-voke is unedited. If anyone can confirm, please let us know. Please note, this story by by Felmang and Marko Walk  is the first part only. We assume part 2 will be in their third issue with the third part of the story to be included in their fourth issue. Our review of the first volume can be found online here . If anyone has the abilities to review the second volume, please contact us. At this stage, there are no details on the release information of stories and or date for the third volume. We assume it will likely be June / July 2025. When we know, we will update you via our website.

Fan Jacob Nelson has created some fan fiction prose Phantom adventures which you can purchase online. Up front, these are not licensed through King Features and are strictly classified as 'fan fiction'. However, Jacob does a great job in compiling newspaper stories and stories from other sources into adventures that most phans will enjoy. To give you a tease of what to expect, the team at Chronicle Chamber have read out the prologue of his first book " The Legend of the Phantom " and added some imagery into a video. Hopefully, this will give you a tease of what to expect and it may entice some to buy his books. You can follow Jacob Nelson at his Facebook pag e and or his Lulu profile page . If you are interested in buying the books below are the titles and the prices. " The Legend of the Phantom " paperback from $40AUD ($25 US/EU, 275 sek/nok & 2,150INR) " The Legend of the Phantom " paperback in Portuguese from $35AUD (135 BRL) " From the Chronicles of the First Phantom - Part One " paperback from $30AUD ($20US/EU, 200 sek/nok & 1,600INR) " From the Chronicles of the First Phantom - Part One " paperback in Portuguese from $30AUD (120BRL) " From the Chronicles of the First Phantom - Part Two " paperback from $30AUD ($20US/EU, 200 sek/nok & 1,600INR) " From the Chronicles of the First Phantom - Part Two " eBook from $5AUD ($3 US/EU, 40 sek/nok & 275INR) Naturally we at Chronicle Chamber were interested and had some questions for Jacob Nelson who was gracious enough to answer them for us. Chronicle Chamber: How long have you been a fan for? Jacob Nelson: I do not have any memories that I can pinpoint as my first Phantom moment. He has just always simply been part of my life. My elder brothers loved the Phantom and as such it was always around. I do remember the first time I read Lee Falk 's Avon novels as a teenager! I was just getting into reading novels then and the imagery that Falk presented in his words just floored me! I wanted to emulate that someday. CC: We have noticed that your covers do not feature the Phantom. Is this done on purpose? JN: As Fan Fiction, I have not tread upon the form of the iconic figure of the Phantom in my art. None of my covers show him for that purpose. I do however try to depict iconic scenes that fans will recognize from the books. CC: Would you ever want these fan fiction stories be officially licensed and or used elsewhere? JN: I would absolutely love it if King Syndicate wished to make it so, whether or not they used my books as a basis of a TV Show, movie etc. But for now it is simply fan fiction. I am not looking to profit off of these. Additionally, I have not published with a large retail publisher but have kept it indie. The publisher I use is an indie publisher that allows books to be placed internationally so that anyone can reach them. They however do charge for this service and have a specific lowest possible price to cover their expenses for this option. CC: Thank you for your time and allowing us to read the books and use one of your chapters for a video. Hope the fans enjoy them. JN: Thank you for reaching out to me. I enjoy your podcasts and am very envious of your Phantom collectables and collection! As always, you do amazing work and I am ever grateful that you took the time to review my book(s).

Christian Moller reviews a hardcover and softcover collection on famous French Artist Jean-Yves Mitton published by Kult Comics . This is the second volume and was released in June 2024, these collections feature the following stories: " Das Geheimnis der Kathedrale " (" The Cathedral Mystery ") by Scott Goodall and Jean-Yves Mitton " Tod in Brügge " (" Death in Belgium ") by Donne Avenell and Jean-Yves Mitton " Hoogans Rache " (" Hoogan's Revenge ") by Lennart Moberg and Jean-Yves Mitton " Das Geheimnis der Statue " (" Marsh of the Endless Wind ") by  Scott Goodall and Jean-Yves Mitton This collection is very similar as the 2022 French collection which you can see a review of here . You can watch our review of the first collection book by Kult Comics here . The hardcover limited edition only has 99 copies and includes two bookplates (prints) by Jean-Yves Mitton and Geier . This collection also includes a 10 page article about Jean-Yves Mitton by Bernd Frenz . These books are top quality. The hardcover edition also includes two 'bookplates' like the first volume. The hardcover edition was sold out before it was actually released which is amazing. The softcover is still available to be purchased and can be purchased at their website . Even if you can only afford the softcover, you will still enjoy the same print and reproduction quality. In my opinion, the " Das Geheimnis der Kathedrale " (" The Cathedral Mystery ") by Scott Goodall and Jean-Yves Mitton is my most favourite story from this book. All comics and other German comic reviews are included in our monthly X-Band: The Phantom Podcasts. You can find out more at our website and or subscribe to our YouTube channel for more videos. If you would like to join the team and review new comics and products being released around the world, please contact us.

18th & 19th January 2025 at the Royal Exhibition Building in Melbourne, Australia will be hosting a Brickvention . Gary , one of the exhibitors will be featuring the Phantom on their table. In the past he has featured several Phantom related Lego works including a bust, the Phantom logo mosiac and even a Phantom duck! his 2025 Phantom related works will be a mosaic based on one of the 25 artworks that Frew cover artist Jamie Johnson put together for his 2024 fundraiser. At this stage, which of the 25 pieces is secret and will not be announced until the event. For those who came in late, you can view more information and the 25 pieces in X-Band: The Phantom Podcast Episode #282 . You can find out more and book your tickets here Some past examples of Lego Phantom themed master pieces are attached. If you are aware of any events featuring the Phantom or creators who have worked on the Phantom, please let us know so we can share it with other phans from around the world. You can contact us at ChronicleChamber@gmail.com .

Since 1978, Fantomen has had a fan poll where you get to vote for which story you think is the best they have published for the past year. 46 years later, that tradition is still happening with voting now open for the best story for Fantomen 2024. GO AND VOTE NOW!! How to vote? Click here to go to Fantomen.org . If you use Google Chrome you can right click and choose 'Translate To English' (or your own language) and follow the prompts. For the first time, the voting is a bit more involved with the ability to vote for your top three stories and your least favourite story. I feel this will give the editorial team greater information to help them determine what fans like and do not like. The last date to vote is 1st of April and the result will be published in Fantomen 10-11/2025 . As an extra thank you and incentive to vote, Team Fantomen  are raffling away 10x quarterly subscriptions. From past experiences they do post prizes to overseas phans including Australia. GO AND VOTE NOW!! 2024 gave us 36x stories to chose from, including: 10x new previously unpublished Team Fantomen  stories (Including the two part story by Pidde Andersson and Alex Saviuk as two stories and the Phantom Kids short story) 5x new previously unpublished newspaper stories 7x new previously unpublished Frew  , Bastei , Lightning Strike and Tay Yayinlari stories 12x previously published Team Fantomen  stories 2x previously published newspaper stories As with all fan driven surveys, this is important as it gives Team Fantomen and Egmont 's editorial staff information about what type of stories us fans want to read in future issues. With majority of the Team Fantomen stories included in a Frew comic, It also helps give the Frew editors an idea on what stories to publish. In 2025, Zauberstern (Germany) and E-voke (Denmark) will also be publishing regular and or semi regular magazines featuring Team Fantomen stories. As soon as we hear word about Fantomen 's annual Best Cover survey being open and the results, we will let you know!

December 2024 saw the release of Lightning Strike Tasq Force Annual which features two Phantom stories. " The Chain " by Tony DePaul and Bret Blevins " Green Danger " by Timmy Heague and Ryan S. Carr The cover is by American artist Ryan Carr who is also the artist for the short story that is attached to the annual. It is always great to see new creators working on the Phantom. From a Phantom perspective, the Phantom is featured on the cover along with an edited version of the recent Daily story " The Chain " by Tony DePaul and Bret Blevins . The short story is by new comers to the Phantom universe Timmy Heague and Ryan S. Carr . One of the things I love about the Tasq Force issues are the fun content pages. The annual features a four panel Phantom themed story by Cormac Hughes who is a mainstay artist for Tasq Force . These are a highlight and give the annual and subsequent digital comics some fun. The highlights are the contents and the quality of the printing with colour and thickness of the papers. The lowlights are the fact that some of the stories have been printed before in the digital Tasq Force comics and the fact that the " Green Danger " story by  Timmy Heague and Ryan S. Carr is squashed onto the one page. Understand space is always an issue but the story in my opinion was not done justice and would have been better spread over two pages. Overall, this is a good comic and I can see the improvement over each issue and I look forward to what else they will release in the next issue(s). If this interests you and you would like to buy your digital comics, subscriptions and the annual, you can click on the following links: Tasq Force annual bundle subscription (€80) Tasq Force printed annual (€5 +postage) Tasq Force digital subscription (€30) All comic reviews will be included in our monthly X-Band: The Phantom Podcasts and on our YouTube channel. You can find out more at our website and or subscribe to our YouTube channel for more videos. If you would like to join the team and review new comics being released around the world, please contact us.

In a perhaps worrying trend Hearst the owners of King Features have laid off around 200 staff from their roles over at King Features and their other entities. From news reports we know of at least three different rounds of mass exodus throughout 2023 and 2024. We have also received confirmation that Tea Fougner one of the employees at King Features who worked in the comics department. For those who have come in late, she was also the KFS employee who spoke to us in X-Band: The Phantom Podcast Episode #191 . She was the comics editorial director for the Comics Kingdom website, the Phantom and 60 other comic characters. Her role included working on their Phantom guidelines, managing the editors and oversee those who work on the comic strips. Not only did she work on the newspaper stories but also various book productions that carried KFS stories. In the podcast she talked about her role and experience. She worked closely with Tony DePaul  and other Phantom publishers from around the world. We at Chronicle Chamber wish her all the best at her next adventure in life. She leaves big shoes that now need to be filled after 16 years working at King Features .

French publisher Editions Dante are continuing their Phantom collection series this time focusing on the American 1960-1970 stories released by publishers Charlton , King and Gold Key . Available now for pre order is their first collection of Charlton Phantom stories published originally in issues #30 to #40. You can pre order through this link This softcover book will be 244 pages printed in colour with translations from the original English to French. The pre order price is €35.99 ($40US, $60AUD, 3,200 INR and 420 sek/nok). Editions Dante are advertising this as the second collection with what we assume the first being stories published by King  and Gold Key . On the cover, they mention Harvey Comics which was a separate series, maybe they will also collect these stories in a future collection TPB as well. The stories from Charlton comics issue #30 to #40 are the following: "The Secret of the Golden Ransom" By Pat Fortunato , José Delbo and Sal Trapani "The Living Legend" By Gary Poole and unknown artist "The Phantom of Shang-Ri-La" By Dick Wood and Jim Aparo "The Pharaoh Phantom" By Dick Wood and Jim Aparo "The Curse of Kallai" By Dick Wood , Pat Boyette and Vince Alascia "The Phantom's Death" By  Don Jon Arneson and Jim Aparo "The Cliff Kingdom" By  Don Jon Arneson and Jim Aparo "The Giant Ape of Tawth" By  Don Jon Arneson and Jim Aparo "The Ghost Tribe" By Bill Harris and Bill Lignante "The River That Never Ends" By  Don Jon Arneson and Jim Aparo "Very Special Timber" By  Don Jon Arneson and Jim Aparo "Bandar Betrayers" By  Don Jon Arneson and Jim Aparo "Skyjack" By  Don Jon Arneson and Jim Aparo "Disband the Patrol" By  Don Jon Arneson and Jim Aparo "The Dying Ground" By  Don Jon Arneson and Jim Aparo "The Phantom's New Faith" By  Don Jon Arneson and Jim Aparo "The Trap" By Don Jon Arneson and Jim Aparo "A Small War" By Joe Gill and Pat Boyette "Canyon of Death" By Joe Gill and Pat Boyette "The Silent Thieves" By Joe Gill and Pat Boyette "The Ritual" By Joe Gill and Pat Boyette "The False Mark" By Joe Gill and Pat Boyette "The Second Phantom" By Joe Gill and Pat Boyette If you are interested in buying several issues together to save on postage, you can also buy their Moonstone collected stories via this link . We are looking for a French comics reader who will be interested in reviewing the comics and TPBs released by Editions Dante and the French Mutant comic book series. Please contact us at ChronicleChamber@gmail.com if you are interested in joining the team.

Christian Moller reviews the latest issue from Zauberstern #15 which features the following stories which was first published by Hermes Press and Daily stories published in the newspapers: " Gefahr in der verbotenen Stadt (Teil 1) " (" The Ghost Who Walks Returns ") by Peter David and Sal Velluto " Gefahr in der verbotenen Stadt (Teil 2) " (" Clash of the Immortals ") by Peter David and Sal Velluto " Dschungelfrauen " (" The Patrolwomen ") by  Tony DePaul and Paul Ryan " Liebesurlaub mit Hindernissen " (" The Drill Boss ") by Tony DePaul and Paul Ryan This comic is of great value with 100 page of comics in full colour on great quality paper for 10€. This magazine see's Zauberstern re-using a past cover instead of creating their own new covers which they have done previously. Do you prefer the publisher creating their own unique covers? This cover was created by Sal Velluto & Jesus Aburto and was original used as the cover #1 for Hermes Press second comic book series published back in 2014. The comic also features a poster of issue #2 by Sal Velluto & Eugenio Mattozzi . This is the first time that the Sal Velluto story is published in Europe. Issue #16 was out in December 2024 and will be published on our platforms soon. Ensure you read our interview with the publishers and editors behind Zauberstern here - Interview with Simeon Hrissomallis and Charles Bone . You will learn about the extra albums and magazines planned to be published in 2025 by Zauberstern . All Zauberstern and other German comic reviews will be included in our monthly X-Band: The Phantom Podcasts. You can find out more at our website and or subscribe to our YouTube channel for more videos. If you would like to join the team and review new comics being released around the world, please contact us.