25th November 2024 is the date for the pre orders for the digital version of the Phantom video game us phans have been super excited about. The digital release will be 25 February 2025. Go here to pre order your digital and collector box es For those old school gamers & phans who want a physical game to play or for their collection, those pre orders will be starting on 25th February 2025. A lot of the hardcore Phantom phans will be excited about the collectable phan packs which come with collectors box art by our phavourite Phantom artists in Sy Barry , Sal Velluto , Glenn Ford , Luca Erbetta (x2 different designs), Anthony Spay and Alex Trpcevski . This will allow you to present the game slip case within your Phantom room. The good news is that there will be 50 packs for the hardcore phans, with all covers and prints available. This pack will come with a 7x physical boxes with all 7 cover slip inserts and the 7 limited prints posted to you. That cost is $109.95 US ($165.95Au, €110, 1,200 sek/nok and 9,300 INR) As you can see by the artwork below of the artists, it is indeed a hard choice to just choose one, so why not choose all?

This is our very first digital only comic review and to be honest, a bit surprised it has not happened before. Will this be a more common future occurrence? Would you like to see more digital comics available for phans from around the world who may not live in a country with a regular publication? The Phantom stories in the first three Tasq Force comics are: " The Chain Pt 1 " written by Tony DePaul and drawn by Bret Blevins . This is the 265th Daily adventure. " Return to the Temple of the Gods Pt 1 " written by Tony DePaul and drawn by Jeff Weigel . This is the 193rd Sunday adventure. " Return to the Temple of the Gods Pt 2 " written by  Tony DePaul  and drawn by Jeff Weigel . This is the 193rd Sunday adventure. We are surprised that the second Tasq Force issue does not continue with " The Chain " Daily adventure story and starts with a new Sunday story. Perhaps we will see the complete printing or the end in the printed Annual that is due out in December 2024. My main criticism would be some of the cover art and some curious layout issues of the Sunday strips which go from two to a page to one and in one occasion in issue three, black and white. Will be curious where this series goes in the future. I wonder if they may get more sales if they publish old classics that are not easily accessible with these later Daily and Sunday stories recently available in newspapers and online. This review is for the annual bundle subscription which gives you access to: All 12 issues of the digital anthology The printed Annual Book An exclusive subscriber print A limited edition Phantom 'Good Mark' enamel badge A Phantom and Flash Gordon (as Gaeilge) Origin A3 Poster 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) If you would like to join the team and review new comics being released around the world, please contact us.

King Features have released some new products on their Comics Kingdom website including a new Christmas decoration. This past week they have released a "good mark ring" glass ornament along with 2x new t-shirts, a mug and a bluetooth speaker with the Phantoms skull marked on it. The glass ornament goes well with the skull mark and good mark ornaments that were originally released in 2021 and are back on sale. In a Chronicle Chamber exclusive you can get 10% off by using this coupon code on your order. CHRONICLECHAMBER10 You can buy from their website here! These glass ornaments are selling for $20US each ($32AUD, €20, 220 sek/nok & 1,700INR). The new t-shirt designs are from the new trend guide and are selling for $25US ($40AUD, €25, 275 sek/nok & 2,150INR) and are available in 5x colour combinations and 9x different sizes ranging from XS to 5XL. The mug is only $10US ($15AU, €10, 110 sek/nok & 850INR) and will likely be more affordable for phans and again features a design from the trend guide. The skull marked bluetooth speaker is perhaps one of the more interesting items we have seen for sale. These are for sale for $30US ($45AU, €30, 350 sek/nok and 2,500INR). The links to buy are: Bluetooth speaker Skull marked mug Christmas ornaments T-shirts King Features have confirmed to us, that there is a chance more Christmas themed items will be for sale on their website in the next week or so. New items are being added to their Christmas section daily. Do not forget, in a Chronicle Chamber exclusive you can get 10% off by using this coupon code CHRONICLECHAMBER10 If you have spotted any Phantom related news that we may have missed and or you want to help us with reviews and or reporting on news, please contact us at ChronicleChamber@gmail.com .

2024 saw Mad Cave Studios start their Flash Gordon and Defenders of the Earth comic book series and on 22 November 2024, they have announced and confirmed that they will be starting a Phantom series in 2025 with a Free Comic Book Day comic. While specific details are still to come out, this release formula is the same as what they did with their Flash Gordon  series which started off with the Free Comic Day #0 issue. We recommend you either follow our platforms and or Mad Cave Studios platforms ( Instagram , Facebook and website ) as more news will be out soon on the new series. What we know is that Saturday 3 May 2025 will be Free Comic Day which is a world-wide celebration of comics and one of the 46 free comics will be a Phantom issue. For those who came in late, Hermess Press has done this before and was a success. It is a great way to get potential new readers picking up the Phantom. Again at this stage, no details are known on this comic and the cover is not even final approved so this may change. For the record, the image we see is from the new trend guide King Features recently released . We cannot find any details on the creative teams and if the new series will be following the current Defenders of the Earth storyline. When we know more, we will update you on the website, our monthly podcasts and our social media platforms. If you find any Phantom related news and or want to help us keep up to date on everything Phantom, please contact us at ChronicleChamber@gmail.com .

This is a review of the Norwegian Fantomet 2024 Year Album that was originally published 8 November 2024. This issue features just six Phantom stories that all have never been published in a Norwegian comic before. It features four stories by Tony DePaul and Mike Manley of the Fate of the Phantom saga (" Fantomets skjebne ") and two previously unpublished stories from 1958 and 1993. " To Wrack and Ruin at Gravelines " by Tony DePaul and Mike Manley " The Chronicle of Old Man Mozz " by Tony DePaul and Mike Manley " Death in the Himalayas " by Tony DePaul and Mike Manley " Phantom's End " by Tony DePaul and Mike Manley " Massaus plantegud " (" The Plant God of the Massau ") by Lee Falk and Wilson McCoy " Stegy " (" Dinosaur ") by Lee Falk and Sy Barry The cover artist for this album is Sam Klein who has now drawn four Fantomet albums from 2021. The artwork is adapted from the Fate of the Phantom saga (" Fantomets skjebne ") and I think he has done a good job on fitting the elements together. The format of this year is portrait with 150+ pages. The colouring on the old Wilson McCoy and Sy Barry stories is myself. I have also helped out with the editing, translating, editorial articles and other areas. I am proud of this publication but seeing I worked on the issue, whether it is recommended, that is up to the fans but I think they will. You can buy this from Norwegian shops with other Christmas albums that is a holiday tradition or online at Serie.no website . All Fantomen and Fantomet comics and other 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 and reviews. If you would like to help out reviewing other comics from around the world, please get in touch with us.

Christian Moller reviews the latest issue's from ECR (Edition Comic Rundschau ) #91 which features the following story: " Die Hanta Hexe " ("The Hanta Witch") 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 . This 91st Phantom Daily adventure has previously never been published by Bastei or anywhere else in Germany. This is a German first publication! The next unpublished story is Daily 126 and 128, which again will be printed as a variant edition. Below you will see a list of the newspaper stories and the ones featured in bold, are the stories that have not yet been published in Germany. It is great to see ECR publishing new content. Chronicle Chamber has been told that if this #91 variant comic is successful, ECR will bring forward the 16th production - planned for fall 2025, so that the variant issues 126 and 128 can also be published. This will also be produced separately in a small edition for fans and will also be included in the corresponding production. ECR currently has the third Phantom comic set consisting of Daily stories 87-90 and the hardcover editions to be released in February / March 2025. The fourth production (HC 4 + variant, Daily stories 91-93) planned for summer 25, also contains this story with a newly created created cover by Andy . We have been told that this variant comic has been released primarily intended to reach those who do not want to buy multiple comics featuring the same stories. The cover of this varient comic was first published from King Phantom issue #25 and is based on original artwork by Sy Barry . As you look through the below checklist you will notice that between Daily stories 131 and 182 there are a total of 42 stories previously unpublished in Germany. 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. Below is the German language review of the same comic. If you would like to join the team and review new comics being released around the world, please contact us.

If you ask a lot of phans from specific countries like Australia, Sweden and India, they will say the Phantom is Indian, a Swede comic and or is Australian. Many see the Phantom as THEIR comic as it has grown into their culture. You can learn more about this phenomenon in Kevin Patrick 's book or listen to our chat with him . With the Australian readers as patriotic as every other phan from other countries, it is curious that the Phantom has not visited Australia more often. Frew issues have in the past flown off the shelf whenever the Phantom visits Australia. We are excited to announce that the Phantom will be returning to Australia in 2025 likely three times in 2025. In X-Band: The Phantom Podcast Episode #293 , editors Jacob Habinc and Andreas Eriksson told us that Swedish writer John Rassy is working on the first story. No story specifics on this story or the artist have been given to us at this stage. For those eagle-eyed social media surfers, you may have also seen some teasers by writer Julie Ditrich and Brazilian artist Wendell Cavalcanti who are finishing off a four-part story. According to what is on social media, this story has supernatural horror themes and is set in current times. We can also announce that it will be printed over four issues in a serialised format and in colour. The story is titled " Simulacra " and will be set in the Daintree River and forest located far north of Australia on Cape Tribulation, Qld which is the oldest rainforest in the world, home to the frightening cassowary and maybe something else. Thanks to Frew and writer Julie Ditrich , we are able to share some unseen panel artwork attached as well - note this artwork is in black and white and not colour which it will eventually be published in. The plot of the story is as follows: Cassandra Adgar, a renowned Australian adventurer and photographer of simulacra in nature is a friend of Kit Walker and Diana Palmer. When Cassandra becomes obsessed with local stories in Queensland’s Daintree National Park about a tree in the mangroves that resembles the face of a tentacled humanoid creature, she sets out on a river expedition, at her peril, to capture a likeness for her next coffee table book but disappears on the quest. The Phantom sets out to find her but is unprepared for the depravity and horror of what he encounters that challenges his very sanity. For the rainforest is not all it seems. For those smart people, a simulacrum (plural: simulacra from Latin: simulacrum, which means “likeness, similarity”) is a representation or imitation of a person or thing. Read into that as you will The last time the Phantom was seen in Australia was in Frew #1947, by Paul Mason and Amanda Bacchi . We are led to believe that there is a big chance that Julie Walker will return in 2025 with the next parts of the " Fury " story finished and awaiting to be published as well. On top of these adventures we will see in a Fantomen and Frew comic, one of the Phantom video game levels is also based in Sydney. Attached is a scene from the upcoming game. It will be a big year for Australian phans to fly their patriotic phantom phlag in 2025.

Through some research we have identified that Merchant Wise who were the agents for King Features for so long are no longer associated with them and hence no longer involved the Phantom. While not new, the syndication of the Phantom newspaper comic strip plus other King Features products like comics, columns, cartoons, puzzles and other content has also changed hands in the last few years. The current company that handles the syndication is Lovatts Media . Lovatts Media is a privately owned Australian company headquartered in Terrigal Beach NSW . You can follow them on their website . To put it in layman's terms. They are the company that try and keep the Phantom comic strip in newspapers around Australia. One of the questions we often are asked is who do they contact when they want to pitch a Phantom product. In Australia it used to be Merchant Wise . Now it is WP Brands who used to go by the funky name Wild Pumpkin . WP Brands  are based in Melbourne, Victoria and have a stable of other licensed products like Care Bears , Peanuts , Paddington Bear, The Endless Summer , Mr Bean and now the Phantom and of course the other brands under the ownership of King Features that come with the Phantom. So far, no KFS and or Phantom items appear on their social media and or website. If you are wanting to enquire about a launch of a Phantom item in Australia / New Zealand, the best way to do that, is to email Elise at elise@wpbrands.com.au and or contact them via their website . If you are based outside of Australia, we would recommend checking out this website which includes the USA based and international agents from around the world including North and South America, Europe and Africa. Thanks to the various phans, creators and others who helped us with our research on this article. If you have any Phantom related news, you would like to see reported, please email us at ChronicleChamber@gmail.com . We are always on the lookout for phans to join the team and help out.

On the Fantomen.org mailing list, they have let phans know that the Agent X9 12/2024 issue will be featuring the Phantom and a team up with Rip Kirby , Mandrake the Magician and Flash Gordon as they battle their arch enemies. The story is created by Bob Scarlatti  and Romano Felmang . The story was originally commissioned by Christies Auctions  which is a British fine Art Auction House and the story first appeared in their 7 May 1992 auction catalogue featuring many comic and cartoon original artwork up for sale. This story has also been published in Frew 's Giant Size #26 and Comics Revue #120 . The Frew and Comics Revue versions which interestingly feature different translated versions. In our article published September 2023 , we show a few examples which we would suggest you read and then compare with the Swedish version being released soon. Frew version Comics Revue  version Thanks to Brian Jensen and Daniel Brogna for the information for this article. If you spot any Phantom related news that we may have missed, please let us know.

It is always exciting news when new publishers publish the Phantom or the Phantom returns to a country that has not published the character for a while. Greece published a regular series in the 1970's and 50 years later, maybe we will see a new ongoing series by publisher Mikros Heros Publications . Mikros Heros Publications in between 2018 and 2023 published the Phantom in their Blek (written Μπλεκ in Greek) magazine which included three covers featuring the Phantom and a mixture of Newspaper and Moonstone stories inside the magazine with other comic stories. Buy Issue #1 here via their website From what we understand, this will be an ongoing series and will sell for €11.00 in full colour. Good news is that unlike some other publishers website, this allows international buying. The cover is Greek artist Giannis Rouboulias . You can follow his work at his Facebook page and or Deviant Art website. Issue #1 will feature five Sunday newspaper stories which highlights some amazing Phantom artists we have seen in the last 20 years. " The Time Skip " (also known as " The Forbidden Lands ") by Tony DePaul and Graham Nolan " The Ossuary " (also known as " The Lost Catacombs " or " The Gravediggers ") by Tony DePaul and Paul Ryan " Plutonium Pirates " by Tony DePaul and Paul Ryan " The Battlements of the Nomad " by Tony DePaul and Terry Beatty " The Spy Ship " by Tony DePaul and Jeff Weigel Below is some samples of the interior artwork as found on the Mikros Heros Publications website. If there are any Greek Phantom phans who would like to review this comic for us, please contact us at ChronicleChamber@gmail.com . If you ever spot any Phantom related news, that we may have missed, please let us know.

27 October 2024 while many Australians slept, Australian comics historian Nat Karmichael spent a good 30+ minutes talking comics to radio presenter Michael Pavlich . While majority of the focus was on Australian own created comics, strips and cartoons, the Phantom got a few mentions. You can listen to the whole conversation via this link on the ABC website and or their podcast. At this stage the recording is in the whole 3+ hour radio program. If you only want to listen to the Phantom and or comic part, we suggest starting at the 2 hour, 15 minute mark and the comic chat ends at the 2 hour, 55 minute mark. While the Phantom gets a mention scattered throughout the whole episode as listeners talk about their memories. Nat talks about Frew and the creators involved with the Phantom from an Australian perspective at the 2 hour, 35 minute mark and the Giant Size comic at the 2 hour, 51 minute mark. While you may not learn something new, it is great to see the Phantom and comics generally get some good airtime in today's society that would rather focus on the negative and or the latest movie or pop singer. If you ever notice any Phantom related news that we have missed from a radio chat like this, publisher news or anything else, please contact us at ChronicleChamber@gmail.com . Thanks goes to Jeremy Macpherson and Nat Karmichael for their help informing us about this.

[Editors note: We thank Binay Kumar Pandey for his opinions. This article are his opinions and have been unedited by Chronicle Chamber. Each member of Chronicle Chamber have their own views on this matter like majority of the article's readers. We hope this article will bring about an open discussion on this topic. We would also suggest listening to our podcast on the subject with Phantom artist Grange Wallis .] Artificial Intelligence (AI) has taken the world by storm, entering industries far beyond technology, including the creative arts. From generating stunning artwork to helping designers and artists explore new visual ideas, AI’s presence in creative fields is growing rapidly. But this rise in AI- generated content brings along a mix of excitement and controversy. While AI offers new tools for artists, it also raises questions about originality, copyright, and the future of human creativity. If you are connected to any art related forum on social media, like comics or paintings, chances are, you may have read about this ongoing debate about banning AI created artwork. The artist community is very vocal about this, as they claim that AI engines are basically stealing their work and letting anyone create similar images based on their own art. Some of them tagged AI work as plagiarism as this new art created by copying existing artist’s work with no permission or compensation.  In this article, we’ll explore how AI works in the world of image artwork, look at the arguments for and against its use, discuss recent legal concerns about copyright, and suggest how artists can embrace AI to enhance their creativity in ethical ways. How AI Works: A Simplified Explanation At its core, AI used for creating images (such as deep learning models) relies on massive amounts of data to “learn.” In simple terms, AI is trained by feeding it thousands or even millions of images. It then analyzes patterns, shapes, colors, and relationships between these elements. After enough training, the AI model can generate new images based on what it has learned. These models include tools like Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) or diffusion models that are specifically designed to produce realistic or imaginative visual content. These models consist of two neural networks: a generator and a discriminator. The generator creates new content, while the discriminator evaluates it against a vast dataset of real examples. Through a process of trial and error, the generator learns to produce content that is increasingly indistinguishable from human-created work. For example, an AI model might be trained on thousands of images of landscapes. When asked to generate a new landscape, it doesn’t copy any one image from its training set but creates something entirely new, based on what it has learned about what a “landscape” typically looks like. This process might sound magical, but it’s important to understand that the AI isn’t "creative" in the human sense. It doesn’t have original ideas, but instead, recombines and reinterprets existing data into something new. So, even if AI engines are trying to mimic what any new artist will do, train and learn from existing materials of other artists, it is not the same as human artists creating their own art inspired by some other artist’s artwork. In the case of AI, it is not inspiration, but copying the images and ideas from existing artist’s work. And as per copyright law, it is illegal to do so. Although as we know, any legal battle is going to take time, and not sure how easy it will be to prove that an AI created image is copied from someone’s work. The problem is, it is not illegal to study the available art for research purposes, as it is covered under “Fair Use policy” of copyright law. Almost all AI image dataset is utilising this fair use policy to train their engine and create their model. Basically, artists today are fighting a battle in the 21st century, and they have laws to protect their interest written in the 19th century.  Any other graphic design tool like Photoshop and AI are not same. Yes, AI engines are a tool, but not for artists. It is a tool for non-artists to generate new artwork by simply defining some ideas. Photoshop or any other image editing tool enhances the artist’s capability, letting them do their job much faster and with more ease. This engine cannot let artists do anything, but provide some instructions to replicate images from various sources, and generate a new one.  Having said all these things, ban, artist protests, legality issues and all, the AI revolution in the art industry is inevitable. Just like the Industrial revolution, we are witnessing the AI revolution, and it is not just art, soon we will see the impact of this new technology in other areas of society. We can regulate it, refine the laws to protect the work of artists from being “consumed” by these AI engines without their consent. But we cannot stop AI from being the largest producer of artwork in the near future. The artists community will struggle, and the most impacted individuals are the students or new upcoming artists, still trying to learn and hold their foot into this world. We need to accept the fact that AI is not going away, and with regular enhancements, soon it may not need to “consume” or learn from other artist’s artwork. An AI engine can use free available artwork to create its dataset, and use that to create new original artwork against simple prompts. Maybe some AI engine companies will pay some artists to create and provide artwork for their AI to consume and enhance the capabilities. It looks like we can address the ethical and legal part related to these new AI engines, but the fact remains that there is a strong future of AI generated art. And this future is not very bright for lots of existing artists as they will find less assignments due to AI taking over the majority share of their workload. There will be non-artist people or companies that will get these assignments, and will run past multiple prompts to generate multiple new artwork in a short span of time. You may still need some artist to do touch-up or editing on the AI generated artwork, but the work and pay for these artists will be very less. Similar changes have already happened in other fields that have disrupted the entire industry and taken away almost the entire job of those communities. The manual work of craftsmen like carpenters or blacksmith is replaced with machines creating all kinds of stuff much faster and cheaper. A similar creative example would be photography. With today’s mobile phone camera and tons of filters, anyone without any knowledge of photography can become a professional photographer. High end video cameras in your mobile phone have resulted in many individuals creating really good content videos without any knowledge of video shooting or editing. Any new technology or tool will create some disruption in the existing way of doing things. Even in the field of art, the introduction of tools & processes like Photoshop, digital colouring had impacted the existing artist, as the new generation of artists were much more efficient and started providing faster results using these new techniques. It was obvious that the majority of new assignments went to these new generation artists.   The Pros and Cons of AI in Creative Fields There are arguments for and against the use of AI in creative fields, as communities are very vocal on this topic. There are merit in both side’s arguments, so let’s discuss some of the key arguments on this topic. Arguments in support of the Use of AI in Creative Fields 1. Efficiency and Productivity AI tools can save artists time and effort by automating certain parts of the creative process. For example, AI can quickly generate visual ideas, assist in color correction, or help artists test various design options. This means artists can focus on refining their final pieces, making their workflow faster and more efficient. 2. Expansion of Creativity AI can serve as a creative partner, inspiring artists to think outside their usual box. By offering unexpected combinations of styles or elements, AI tools help break creative blocks. In fact, many digital artists already use AI to experiment with concepts they wouldn’t have considered otherwise. 3. Democratization of Art Previously, making high-quality digital art required specialized skills and expensive software. Now, thanks to AI tools, anyone with access to a computer or smartphone can create impressive visual content. This opens the door for more people to engage in creative work, regardless of their background or expertise. Arguments Against the Use of AI in Creative Fields 1. Lack of Originality Critics argue that AI-generated art lacks the emotional depth and originality that comes from human creativity. While AI can imitate styles or techniques, it cannot replicate the feelings and personal experiences that make traditional artwork so meaningful. 2. Copyright and Ownership Concerns The ownership of AI-generated art is a complex legal issue, with questions arising about whether AI can hold copyright. Since AI models are trained using existing images (often without explicit permission from creators), there is concern about the potential for copyright infringement. Artists argue that their work is being used without consent, and some believe that AI is unfairly profiting from their creations. 3. Job Displacement There is concern that the rise of AI-generated content could devalue the work of human artists. If AI can create stunning artwork in seconds, will people still be willing to pay for art created by human hands? Many worry that AI could lead to fewer job opportunities for designers and visual artists. Legal Landscape and Ethical Considerations A key issue with AI-generated images is copyright. Who owns the rights to an image created by AI? Is it the artist who trained the AI, the AI itself (if it could hold rights), or perhaps no one at all? The U.S. Copyright Office has taken a clear stand: it does not grant copyright to fully AI-generated works. This decision was reinforced in a recent case involving an artist who used AI to create a graphic novel. The Copyright Office ruled that because the images were generated entirely by AI, they could not be copyrighted, as copyright is reserved for works created by humans. However, this decision has been met with both support and criticism. There have also been legal cases involving AI training data. For instance, some artists have sued companies that create AI tools for using their copyrighted images without permission during training. These cases highlight the need for clearer guidelines on how AI tools should gather and use data. To address these issues, it is essential to develop clear legal frameworks that define ownership, licensing, and liability related to AI-generated content. Additionally, ethical guidelines can help ensure that AI is used responsibly and in a way that benefits both artists and society. What Laws Need to Change? There is currently a lack of clear legal frameworks around AI in creative industries. This requires brainstorming and detailed discussions, but here are some areas where laws could evolve for sure. 1. Data Usage Regulations AI models should be trained on data that has been properly licensed or that falls under public domain. Laws could be introduced to ensure that artists' work is protected from being used without their consent. 2. Attribution Rights If an AI tool uses an artist’s work to generate new content, the original creator could be given proper credit. Legal frameworks could ensure that artists are recognized or even compensated when their work is used as training data. 3. Ethical Guidelines for AI in Art Governments and industry leaders could work together to establish ethical guidelines for the use of AI in creative fields. These could include best practices for transparency, artist compensation, and copyright compliance. Embracing AI as a Tool If the artists need to survive, they need to learn this new tool, and adapt accordingly. Rather than viewing AI as a threat, artists can leverage it as a powerful tool to enhance their creativity. By understanding how AI works and experimenting with different tools, artists can explore new possibilities and push their boundaries. They have the capability to edit and update the AI generated results, to make it way better than any non-artist producing it from an AI engine. I will quote an example of photography. You can experiment and click nice professional looking photos using your mobile camera and filters, but you know that for any professional job, you need to hire a real professional photographer. This is going to be the ruleset for the artist community as well. Any client willing to get the artwork done, will be hiring real professional artists, not some kids who can experiment and will have no control on the outcome. So, in order to survive, the existing artists need to be in control of AI tools and able to produce artwork according to their client’s need, no matter if that is generated using AI, or manually, or a mix of both. This is only possible when they start using AI as a helping tool, and then enhance the results using their existing artistic skills. AI can also be used for tasks such as generating ideas, creating sketches, or adding special effects. Here are some ways artists can use AI effectively. 1. Idea Generation AI tools like DALL·E or MidJourney can help artists quickly generate ideas, concepts, or rough sketches to build on. This saves time and can inspire new directions for projects. AI can also be used to quickly generate rough concept art for any project, to showcase the idea with client, and get feedback, even if the final output will be created later by artist, using their preferred mode of creativity. 2. Automating Repetitive Tasks AI can assist in automating time-consuming tasks like photo editing, color correction, or pattern generation, allowing artists to focus on the more creative aspects of their work. This can help artist not just in reducing the delivery time, but also in putting more time/effort on specific subject, enhancing overall results. 3. Collaboration Artists can collaborate with AI tools to create hybrid works. This can lead to innovative styles and approaches, blending human creativity with AI’s ability to process vast amounts of information quickly. As we know AI generated images are experimental, and may not be able to fulfil the requirement. So, with artist’s own capability, the AI’s initial result can be enhanced, and adopted to the actual requirement, leading in faster delivery. Conclusion AI is undoubtedly reshaping the creative landscape, especially in image artwork. While it offers powerful tools that can enhance creativity and make art more accessible, it also raises significant concerns about copyright, ownership, and artistic integrity. Moving forward, it’s crucial to strike a balance between innovation and respect for artists’ rights. As AI continues to evolve, it is crucial for artists, policymakers, and technologists to work together to shape its future. With appropriate legal reforms, ethical guidelines, and thoughtful integration, AI can become a valuable tool for artists, rather than a competitor. By embracing AI, artists can not only safeguard their work but also expand their creative horizons. In the end, you call for its boycott, you blame it for plagiarism, you sue them, but you simply can’t ignore these AI tools. Although AI's current capabilities are akin to rudimentary software like MS Paint, but its evolution promises increased sophistication akin to industry-standard tools like Photoshop. This technology will get more and more enhanced over time. So, it is better to accept this new force and use it to your advantage. Consequently, it is imperative to engage in open discussions and enact regulatory frameworks conducive to ethical and legal AI utilisation. Simply vilifying AI-generated art fails to address underlying concerns, necessitating collective efforts to navigate the ethical landscape of AI in art. Written by: Binay Kumar Pandey Email: bkpandey@gmail.com FB: https://www.facebook.com/bkpandey/ Disclaimer: While not directly involved in the art field, I empathise with the concerns expressed by artist friends. Open dialogue is essential for dispelling misconceptions and addressing anxiety surrounding AI's role in art. [Editors note: We thank Binay Kumar Pandey  for his opinions.  This article are his opinions and have been unedited by Chronicle Chamber. Each member of Chronicle Chamber have their own views on this matter like majority of the article's readers. We hope this article will bring about an open discussion on this topic. We would also suggest listening to our podcast on the subject with Phantom artist Grange Wallis .]

As first announced here in August 2024 , the Phantom album celebrating Phantom stories by Italian artists is now out for sale on their website for €8.90. The book was announced to be released 20 October 2024 and a week later on their website. Buy your copy via the Editoriale Cosmo website here Originally this was going to be a mini series but for some reason, it is only going to be a one-off which is a pity. The stories are printed in black and white, costs €8.90 featuring a cover by Angelo Todaro which was originally printed by Frew in issue 1780. The comic will feature 7 stories, six are by Angelo Todara and one short story by Massimo Gamberi . It also features an interview on Angelo Todara  one of the artists featured in this book. At this stage, the book is only available to ship inside Italy. We have made contact to see if there is an option or way to ship into other countries. The stories that feature in the book are: " La Venere della giungla " (" Venus of the Jungle ") by unknown Fratelli Spada creator and Angelo Todaro " Lo stregone testardo " (" The Stubborn Sorcerer ") by Angelo Todaro " Il ricatto della misteriosa Honglong " (" The Honglong Kidnapping, Part 1 ") by Angelo Todaro " Nel covo della Honglong " (" The Honglong Kidnapping, Part 2 ") by Angelo Todaro " Shangri-La " by Pidde Andersson and Angelo Todaro " L'eredità del tamburo di Timpenni " (" Legacy of the Drummer ") by Andrew Constant and Angelo Todaro " Il Phantom del futuro per sempre " (" Forever ") by Andrew Constant and Massimo Gamberi It is worth noting that Angelo Todara  has the artwork for some of these stories still for sale and you can contact him on his website for more information and prices. If you hear about anything Phantom related that we have missed or would like to join the team, please email us at ChronicleChamber@gmail.com  and or contact us via our social media platforms.

As announced on social media, the Phantom Video Game digital pre order will be open on 25 November 2024. There are two options which really suit the gamers but also the hard core Phantom collectors. You will be able to pre order at their website Digital Pre Order Information (PS5, Xbox, Switch, Steam) - these start Nov 25th for digital and will run through December. They will have TWO awesome packs available. Throughout November until pre order, they will be teasing out all the different exclusive art. Digital release will be 25 February 2025. Physical Pre Order Information Pre Orders for the physical copies will be open in February 2025. Updates will go on their website and social platforms which include more details on the Mega Phan Pack which includes collectors box, prints, digital extras and limited variant covers. Other merchandise including shirts, a Phantom on a motorcycle vinyl statue will be announced soon. We have seen an exclusive sneak peak of the statue and you will love it.

In association with San Diago Comic Con on 5th February to 9th February 2025, they will be hosting a comic con on a cruise ship. It will be four days of comic con and cruise fun all joined together as one with a stop at Conzumel, Mexico on 7th February 2025. You can go to their website to book and find out more What makes this event potentially phun for Phantom phans is that through King Features , The Phantom along with Flash Gordon and Popeye will be celebrated. It will be days before the Phantom's 89th birthday and Flash Gordon 's anniversary for the 1980 film. At this stage no further information on the celebrations have been announced as of yet. When we know more, we will announce it on our platforms. Some of the guests have already been announced and can be found at their website , at the time of writing (October 2024), there are no other Phantom related confirmed guests. You can follow the announcements at their website and or social media platforms ( Facebook , Instagram and X ). If you find other Phantom related news including comic conventions with a Phantom theme, please let us know via our email ChronicleChamber@gmail.com .