While not strictly Phantom, Hermes Press has recently announced that they will be also starting a collection of the Mandrake the Magician hardcover daily adventures. It will be in the same vein as their other works with The Phantom, Johnny Hazard and many others. This is Hermes Press sweet spot and they do an amazing job. Keen fans will know Titan has done something recently since 2016 but they used scans from newspaper clippings. Sabrina Herman has informed eager fans that they will be using press proofs which is the stuff that was used as the step in between original art and what you saw in newspapers. What that means is the quality will be better. Titan also did their Sunday reprints in black and white. We assume Hermes will be printing theirs in colour. The first volume will consist of the following stories. “The Cobra” (June 11, 1934 – Nov 24 1934) “The Hawk (Mandrake Meets Narda)” (Nov 26, 1934 – Feb 23, 1935) “The Monster of Tanov Pass” (Feb 25, 1935 – June 15 1935) “Saki, the Clay Camel” (June 17, 1935 – Nov 2 1935) “The Werewolf” (Nov 4 1935 – Feb 1936) Are their many Phantom phans who will also buy these?

As you may be aware, our 200th podcast is fast approaching and we wanted to make it special so we have invited all the current patreons to join us for our 200th podcast on Saturday 28th August. This is a private invite only for patreons and will be joined by Tony DePaul and Jeff Weigel (and maybe one other Phantom creator) who both need no introduction as they are amazing Newspaper, Frew and Team Fantomen creators and have their worked published in four continents. They have agreed to answer our questions by us phans during the podcast, so this is your chance to ask any Phantom related questions you may have. A couple we think that would be good questions to ask are: Will you ask about the Phantom costume changes? Will you ask Tony DePaul if he is going kill off the 21st Phantom? Do you have any other any questions? To join all you will need to do is have Zoom (click to download the program on your device) and be a patreon. Attached below is an image showing the times around the world, if you want to check your own time that is maybe not on the list, click here. If you have questions please email us at ChronicleChamebr@gmail.com. To learn more about being a ChronicleChamber Patreon, please click here.

We all know that 2020 has been a nightmare of a year – time to look forward to a brighter 2021 and what better way than with your very own Phantom diary! Practical and collectible, the 136-page Anniversary edition promises to be the best ever produced by Mallon Publishing, renowned for their Phantom publications over the past 25 years. This diary, the first product we are aware of to celebrate the 85th Anniversary of the character, is much more than just a book to record your upcoming appointments and family birthdays; it is a treasure trove of Phantom facts, trivia, and lore. The book is fully licensed through King Features and structured to explore the rich 8½ decades of Phantom history, identifying hundreds of significant moments in the newspaper strip and other licensed stories from around the world. Key events in global production, collecting, and pop culture are also included. The diary is so packed with Phantom information that many phans may well come to consider this to be a reference book more than anything else! No matter how much of a phan you are, this book promises to reveal a new depth of information about your favourite character that you will never have been aware of. Mallon has sourced input, information and images scans from phans and collectors across the globe, with over a dozen contributors to the content (including us here at the Chronicle Chamber team). While Mallon is an Australian publisher, this volume will be relevant for phans all around the world. An internationally popular Phantom artist has been commissioned to produce the cover, which will be released as soon as it has been delivered, formatted and prepared for use – watch this space! Some readers will note that the price point is higher than previous editions, which reflects the extra hours of work in creating, compiling and editing content. This is not your standard Mallon diary and should not be equated to previous publications. With three levels including the Trade Edition, Limited Edition and Special Limited Edition offer available, there will a level that suits most phans – and certainly something to add to the Christmas wish list! Bear in mind that there will only be 300 copies of the Limited Edition. It is definitely worth noting that, with the possible exception of some specialty shops, the diary will only be available online because of downturn in retail sales in these COVID times. The only way to guarantee yourself a copy of this collectible volume is to order it online. With the final content Mallon is currently seeking interest via pre-orders, which can be sent in via the order form available here.

Sammy J - Hero Complex - Northcote Town Hall - Melbourne Fringe Festival - 17th September, 2016 Prologue Where do I start? Much like the show, I'll begin at the end. I currently find myself sitting by myself on the far reaches of platform 16B at Southern Cross Station, scribbling notes into my recently purchased little pocket notebook, while I wait for another hour for the 2355 train to take me home to my loved ones. Hero Complex finished some 2 hours ago and yet I still cannot get the grin off of my face. I made the trek to the Northcote Town Hall on the famous No.86 Tram not really knowing what to expect, when I was greeted by sign at the main entrance saying to use the West Wing entrance, so I turned and followed the sign to the West Wing. It turns out that, for the unwary, the entrance seems much like a closely guarded secret, much like the waterfall in the Deep Woods. After I had circumnavigated the hall like an old Banagallan cartographer of yesteryear I found myself at the West Wing entrance... about 40 meters up from where I had started if I had just gone in the other direction! Over the next half and hour the crowd started to build and I was pleased to see a good splash of purple amongst the audience. Whether they had done this knowingly or not, their choice was appreciated by this purple shirt wearing phan... Review Upon entering the theatre my heart was warmed as we were greeted with the Good Mark of the Phantom emblazoned upon the projector screen with the 1996 movie soundtrack blasting through the speakers. It seems to be letting you know that your phandom will be protected here. Also, sitting up beside the electric piano are a number of items of Phantom merchandise, which I can't wait to see how they will be utilised in the show. Once the crowd is seated out comes Sammy J for a touch of pre-show banter with the audience- who are very responsive to everything he does. A very friendly crowd, which is what every one wants. Then the show starts. What follows is a 1 hour autobiography of 1 man's love of the Phantom, democracy and of his high school's gardener. Knowing that his audience may not be as phamiliar with our hero as others may be, Sammy gives a kind of "for those who came in late" run down in the form of a trivia night where he questions and answers a number of Phantom related phacts to help everyone start on an even keel. This segment also includes his opening song which has a major writing credit to Lee Falk. Sammy has been kind enough to offer this song to the X Band for use in the podcasts and I think everyone will get a kick out of it. From there his story starts with the end, where he teases us with half an anecdote about a Federal Policeman following him up to his attic after a little bit of crime. Sammy then rewinds to the start where he recounts experiences phans around Australia know only too well - being the only nerd at school into the Phantom. Luckily he, like many of us, is able to find a like minded soul and in Sammy's case this soul was in the form of his High School's Gardener. To say that Sammy J hero worships this man is really selling it short. He idolises him like some type of lawn mowing, compost spreading, tractor riding deity. Unfortunately his idol cannot not stay and Sammy must grow up. It is during this time of change and isolation that Sammy, much like Diana before him, gets a job with the UN and starts building strong intercontinental relationships that last even to this day. However, being diplomatic can be quite trying and Sammy finds himself in a Simon Peteresque situation which, though some good comes out of it, leaves a bad taste in his mouth. While his diplomatic and comedic career start to flourish he just can't seem to shake the memory of his Phantom loving High School Gardener. The rest you can hear at the show... What you need to know is that the show is full of fun and that while the Phantom is a central element to the performance, Sammy never alienates his audience because of it. In fact he treats the character with such love, respect and passion that I wouldn't be surprised if many of the the audience didn't go out and purchase the latest Frew the first chance they got (which is ideal as his show coincides with Frew's 80th Anniversary Issue). So, tell your Phamily, Phriends, work colleagues, passing acquaintances. Send a message out on the jungle drums... Sammy J's "Hero Complex" is contagious phun that embraces the inner geek in all of us. LONG LIVE THE PHANTOM! Sammy J's Hero Complex is now playing as part of the Melbourne Fringe Festival until Saturday, 1st October. Where: Northcote Town Hall When: 8pm (except Sundays when its 7pm) Running Time: Approx. 1 hour Rating: PG - a little bit of swearing - used very sparingly Transport: The no. 86 tram stops right out the front Tickets: Full: $32, Concession/ Groups of 4+/ Cheap Tuesday: $27, Available from: https://melbournefringe.com.au/ #SammyJ #HeroComplex

The National Library of Australia has been creating digitized copies of significant publications from Australia's history for some time now and has just recently archived the complete print run of The Australian Women's Mirror. As many phans would know, the Australian Women's Mirror was the first publication in Australia to print The Phantom strip and this occurred in the September 1st, 1936 issue on page 49 (as seen above). This is an incredible piece of Phantom history and I am sure that phans everywhere will appreciate the work that the NLA has done to preserve this piece of history for generations to come. If you'd like to browse the entire collection of The Australian Women's Mirror click here. If you'd prefer to go straight to the September 1st, 1936 issue click here. Happy Phantoming! #AustralianWomensMirror #NationalLibraryofAustralia

The Melbourne International Animation Festival begins next week, running from the 14th to the 23rd of June. To kick off the festival MIAF, in conjunction with the Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI), are presenting an Australian Student Showcase on 14th June at 5:30pm. The Student Showcase is an opportunity for young and upcoming animators to present their work to a wider audience. In exciting news for Phantom phans, one such work on show this year is "Homework", the Kid Phantom animated short produced by Dr Paul Mason's university students last year. This is a wonderful opportunity to present our favourite hero to a new audience as well as a great chance for phans to see the film which is still only being shown on the festival circuit. If you're in Melbourne next Thursday, be sure to check it out - think of it as a warm up for Supanova that weekend. It really is a ripper little Phantom film, and we certainly encourage you to see it as soon as you are able. Chances to do so have been few and far between, so get there if you can! To whet your appetite, our review of the short film is here or you can see the trailer for it here. What: Kid Phantom animated short "Homework" being screen at the Australian Student Showcase to commence the Melbourne International Animation Festival Where: ACMI Federation Square (Flinders Street) Melbourne When: 5:30-7:00pm Thursday 14th June Price: Full $19 Concession $16 ACMI Members $15 Mulit-Session Passes available - buy your tickets now - CLICK HERE #KidPhantom #DrPaulMason

A quick post highlighting a recent update to the King Features' comics kingdom website in regards to how you read the Sunday Phantom strip on a mobile device. 1. The Phantom has moved in the A-Z listing. The Phantom used to be under P for Phantom but is now under T for The Phantom 2. Once you are on the Sunday Phantom strip (if you are doing this on a day other than Sunday you will need to click the arrows to get to the correct day) click on the strip 3. The strip will now be presented horizontally giving the reader the ability to scroll through the comic. I have found this to be an excellent feature for ease of use. From memory it was tried in the past but it kept bugging out on my phone. When I tried it to read this week's Sunday strip it worked a charm. Attached also is a video demonstrating the new and improved use of reading the Sunday strip on the mobile. As always... Happy Phantoming! #ComicsKingdom #mobile #Sundays #JeffWeigel

"There are times when the phantom leaves the milk and drinks his cuppa black like an ordinary man"..... New Jungle Saying Every one needs a new mug and what better with our hero, The Phantom on it? Ikon Collectables have produced several high cost items and the new heat changing mug is a great low cost collectable affordable for all budgets. Christmas 2020 is all set with this mug now out and the new puzzle released from 1 December 2020. What makes the purchasing even easier is that Sanity Music is now stocking these present ideas at their 150+ shops Australia wide. Get down to either Sanity, your local Australian comic shop and or Ikon Collectibles online to order this mug (and their puzzle).

A good couple of years after playing the prototype at Supernova-Sydney under the guiding eye of its creators Dale Maccanti and Alex Wynnter, I came home to find the unassuming cardboard box sitting on my desk, just egging me to crack it open to check out the goodness inside… And oh the goodness! I have been able to indoctrinate my youngest with my love of all things Phantom so together we cracked open the box to reveal the spoils of many years of work by Alex and Dale and the Crew at Frew. The excitement in my child’s voice as he opened the box can only be likened to something like Christmas or a birthday, and I must say I was getting a thrill out of it too. With my pledge I received the accompanying TPB along with the Waldo Universe Card and everything was packed snug and securely in the box. On top, the Waldo card. Now Frew had released a version of the Waldo card earlier but for those keen on having the same thing as others, yet unique, may be pleased that the two cards do have differences, in regards to the accompanying images and title. It’s not a big thing but it is a difference. Next out of the box is the Trade Paperback (full review here). This book collects the original Scandinavian stories of the Princess Sin Saga written by Norman Worker with art by Georges Bess as well as the Frew commissioned prequels, written by game co-creator Dale Maccanti with art by Jason Paulos. In addition to these stories the TPB also contains a brand new sequel to the Princess Sin Saga created by Julie Ditrich and drawn by Wendell Cavalcanti. I’m really looking forward to reading this and seeing how they have added to and resolved the story. At first glances the book looks impressive with its cover matching that of the game. The full colour pages are also a highlight. There is a PG rating on the cover so please ensure you read it before passing it on to your child to ensure its appropriate for your family. Last, but certainly not least, out of the box is the game itself. The quality of this product can not be understated. This is not some $10-$15 game you can pick up at your local department store. Everything shouts quality. From the printing, to how solid the materials are, everything seems made to be impressive and to last. My son was particularly taken aback by the figurines and was immediately drawn to the Kid Phantom. We’re very grateful that that stretch goal was reached. I go into more detail about the other elements of the game in the accompanying video, but needless to say, our first reactions are whole heartedly positive and we look forward to many hours of playing this game together. Happy Phantoming!

About a week ago, we reported on Sy Barry's appearance at the Big Apple Comic Con in New York. Now, here is a much closer insight - from a phan who actually attended! Duncan may have been there on a mission, but he certainly took the time to take in all the Phantom opportunities. We know you will enjoy this report from the newest junior member of the ChronicleChamber team, roving reporter Duncan Munro. Over the weekend of 14th & 15th April at the Penn Plaza Pavilion on 7th Avenue New York, Mike Carbonaro again hosted his renowned comic and pop culture event, the Big Apple Comic Con. While significantly scaled down from larger US cons, the 2018 BACC still held some treasures for Phantom phans able to make their way to the venue. The highlight for any Phantom phan over the weekend was the appearance of legendary Phantom newspaper strip artists Sy Barry. Sy only attended on the Saturday, but he sure squeezed a lot of phan time into one day. As well as offering signings and selling prints and original Phantom dailies and Sundays, Sy attended a panel discussion with peers Ramona Framon and long time collaborator Joe Giella, who worked alongside Sy on numerous occasions on strips such as Flash Gordon and The Phantom, with the pair penciling and inking for each other to cope with the excessive workloads of strip artists at the time. The panel, hosted by comic and book writer Danny Fingeroth, gave precious little time for three such prolific and experienced artists to capture almost 200 years of artistic career between them. Away from the panel discussion Sy was not taking commissions, but lucky attendees had the opportunity to see him in action as he masterfully rendered some head sketches while an enthralled crowd watched on. Sy was a consummate gentleman paying service to fans young and old. He is masterful storyteller, a joy to watch and an honour to meet. Also present at the convention was writer Peter David, who penned the 1989 four issue DC run of The Phantom with Joe Orlando and later worked with Sal Vellutto on the Hermes The Phantom single issues which would eventually become the Danger in the Forbidden City trade paperback. And finally Marvel powerhouse Jim Steranko, perhaps best known for his Captain America pages and covers, was larger than life as he entertained old and new fans and provided support and guidance to aspiring artists bold enough to share their early work with him. Jim's link to the Phantom is a beautifully crafted Trading Card for the Dynamic Series and a more risque print of a female in the Phantom costume - well partly in it - which was available for purchase at Jim's convention booth. The Big Apple Comic Con provided many an unexpected surprise for the keen eyed attendees as generations of comic talent and fandom met under one roof. Original Daily and Sunday art from Sy Barry's 30 plus year run on The Phantom strips can be purchased via his son David on www.sybarry.com. Joe Giella is contactable via Facebook, and his son manages sales of his work for him. #SyBarry #PeterDavid #JoeGiella #DC #SalVelluto #HermesPress #TradingCards

On September 5th, 2014, a new statue was installed in Stockholm, Sweden. It is called Vem är Mr Walker?(“Who is Mr Walker?”) and is created by Swedish artist Jan Håfström. Håfström has for several years created acclaimed artwork inspired by The Phantom comic strip and specifically The Phantom’s alter ego Mr Walker. Among Håfström’s previous Phantom-inspired works is the stamp from the Faroe Islands. The newly installed statue is made from aluminium, is 7 metres tall and weighs almost 2000 kilograms. It is in different colors depending on from which direction you look at it, red on one side and blue on the other. It depicts Mr Walker running, in the style of Wilson McCoy, who was the Phantom artist when Håfström, now aged 77, became a Phantom fan. The statue is located in Järnvägsparken (The Railroad Park) next to Stockholm’s Central Station. News reports from Swedish media: Dagens Nyheter on the making of the statue Dagens Nyheter report from the installation Aftonbladet after the official opening #WilsonMcCoy

Egmont has produced a set of stories under the header “Fantomen Kids”, i.e. “Phantom Kids”. The first story is released on October 8th, in Fantomen 21/2015. As the name implies, the focus will be on the Phantom’s children, twins Kit and Heloise. The storyline will consist of three 8-page episodes, and it is written by veteran writer Jens Hansegård and drawn by newcomer Jan Bielecki. While the Phantom is away, Kit and Heloise are trained by jungle warrior Ituri. At the same time, armed criminals enter the Llongo village. Editor Mikael Sol states that he hopes Fantomen Kids eventually can become a separate Phantom publication aimed at younger readers. This is not the first time Egmont has produced stories that are out of the ordinary. Since 2014, Egmont has produced several short stories by new artists – often drawn in a style unlike typical Phantom stories, and with a focus on the supporting cast from the Phantom’s world. These short stories are: “Heloise on Adventure”, art by Kim W. Andersson (2 pages) “Hzz takes a walk”, art by Karl Johnsson (1 page) “Dangerous Waters”, art by Kim W. Andersson (2 pages) “Mysterious Fog”, art by Kim W. Andersson (2 pages) “Stolen Cargo”, art by Kim W. Andersson (4 pages) “Kit and the Panther Queen”, art by Karl Johnsson (4 pages) “Whoever digs a pit…”, art by Elin Jonsson (4 pages) “Alone is…”, art by Lars Krantz (4 pages) “The Man in the Darkness”, art by Elin Jonsson (6 pages) “At the End of the Desert”, art by Cristiano Crescenzi (4 pages) #PhantomKids #Fantomen #Egmont

Frew’s Phantom issues 1747 & 1749 will contain a new 2-part story with artwork by Alex Saviuk, an epic titled “1943” set in that year and starring the 20th Phantom in France during World War II. To mark this occasion, here are some words from the artist himself! ChronicleChamber: You have had two stints as Phantom artist for Egmont. What had changed in the period between them (if anything)? Both regarding the way you work in general and the way Egmont’s production of Phantom stories is handled. Alex Saviuk: When I started my editor was Ulf Granberg and I was able to obtain contact information for him from the late Ed Rhoades who was the chairperson for the fan group called The Friends of the Phantom. My first issue for Ulf i actually sent him the original artwork by Fedex mail to Sweden since i did not have an oversized scanner, but thankfully all following issues were scanned and the artwork remained here in my studio. Generally, I would receive a script via email with a deadline date and unless I had any specific questions, there was little additional communication. My last issue for Ulf was in 2006 and i never was offered another script citing the fact that sales were down and so were the number of original stories printed and that Egmont had to remain loyal to their stable of European artists, which I completely understood, but I always would send the occasional email that if Ulf ever needed a fill-in story drawn should someone get in deadline trouble i would be available. That never happened so I did not draw another Phantom story until 2012. When Ulf retired and the editorial reins were given to Hasse Lindahl and Claes Reimerthi, Ed Rhoades informed me of that and i immediately sent out a notice to Hasse and Claes that i would love to draw stories for them if they were available. Coincidentally, Hasse replied that they were going to contact me anyway, because i was high in their list of artists to call to do some new material again. My first story for them was “The Devil Camp” and I have been busy there ever since. Communication, especially with fellow artist Hasse was more frequent which I enjoyed.I enjoy working with the current editor Micke Sol and we do communicate quite frequently, as well.If anything has changed on the production end, it’s the coloring going from mostly flat colors to some digital tones, and for the most part I like it. CC: You have worked on a variety of characters for many different publishers. What are the pros and cons of the Phantom in your opinion? AS: The pros of working on the Phantom are that he is a great literary iconic character that i have loved since childhood –and that goes WAY back to when my father introduced me to him with the Sunday newspaper stories over half a century ago! I became familiar with the artistic genius of Sy Barry and could not wait from Sunday to Sunday to marvel at his beautiful drawings which made Lee Falk’s stories so much more enjoyable and exciting for me. The cons? Some may say that in this digital high tech world of ours The Phantom does not fit in well with his jungle setting while riding a horse with his sidekick wolf Devil. If that’s the case, then don’t read the Phantom! But they do not know what fun they are missing! Parts of this text were first published in Fantomen 16/2015. For a detailed list of Alex Saviuk’s Phantom related work, see his PhantomWiki biography. #AlexSaviuk #Frew #Egmont #UlfGranberg #EdRhoades #FriendsofThePhantom #HansLindahl #ClaesReimerthi #SyBarry #LeeFalk #Fantomen

Lasse Åberg’s Museum in Bålsta (near Stockholm, Sweden) is hosting a big Phantom exhibition. A big section is dedicated to Phantom artist Wilson McCoy – referred to as “The Grandfather of Pop Art”. It includes both original artwork, as well as large reproductions of McCoy’s art along with behind the scenes details. In addition, the exhibition features Phantom inspired art by Swedish artists Jan Håfström, Kristina Elander, Marie-Louise Ekman och Carl Johan de Geer. As if that wasn’t enough, there’s even a small Skull Cave at the Museum for the youngest visitors! The exhibition opened on March 30 and is available until October 2, 2016. For more information, visit the Museum’s website. #WilsonMcCoy

It's been a short seven months since the Kickstarter for Mickael Lyck's 'The Phantom: The Card Game' was successfully funded, and against all odds in the midst of a global pandemic, the game has started arriving for Australian backers. Our understanding is that this could well be the first delivery outside continental Europe, but it will be by no means the last. Dedicated backers should start checking their Kickstarter updates, their emails and their mailboxes diligently as the finished product is on its way. The video below shows a very excited Australian unboxing. A full review of the game, together with all its collectible qualities, will follow once we've got our head around all the rules. If you want to find out more information about the game, check out Mikael Lyck's website here and the Kickstarter campaign can be found here.