X-Band: The Phantom Podcast

For almost 90 years, The Phantom has been thrilling phans worldwide. But who exactly are the phans? In collaboration with King Features and several publishers, we at Chronicle Chamber aim to find that out, with the Phantom Phan Census 2025!

This global census is a chance for YOU to share your Phantom story, from how you first discovered the legend to what you want to see in the future - whether it’s a new movie, TV series, or more comics! Plus the opportunity to gather information on how you read your Phantom comics & stories, what you like and what you want to collect.

Take the census now: https://www.chroniclechamber.com/phan-census

Why Take Part?

Responses will be published on Chronicle Chamber, and King Features Studios (KFS) will review them to help guide phuture Phantom-related decisions.

We’re running random prize draws for all participants while the census is open, with awesome Phantom goodies donated by KFS, Chronicle Chamber & publishers from around the world.

This census builds on Kevin Patrick’s academic study (The Phantom Unmasked), which explored Phantom phandom in worldwide. Our intent is to (hopefully) repeat this census every 5 years to track how Phantom readership, collecting, and interests evolve.

What’s in the Census?

• Your Phantom Origin Story – How did you first become a fan?
• Reading & Collecting Habits – Do you read the daily strips, collect rare comics, or love Phantom figurines?
• Your Phantom phavourites - Who are your favourite characters and creators? Which is your favourite Phantom generation or story location? 
• Future of The Phantom – What do you want to see next? A new movie? A TV series? More comics?

Don’t miss out - be part of Phantom history! Take the census now: https://www.chroniclechamber.com/phan-census

Disclaimer: Participation is completely voluntary & anonymous. Identifying details (e.g., names, emails) are only collected for prize draws, not for marketing, and providing them is optional. You may exit the survey at any time.

Some of the Prizes

The prizes will be drawn every fortnight and include: 

• Video game digital passes for Switch, Steam and PS5
• Hermes volume daily 1 (Donated by KFS)
• Boss Fight Studio figurines Hero & Pirate (Donated by KFS)
• 3x Coins (Donated by KFS)
• Assorted comics (Donated by KFS & others)
• BBQ apron set (Donated by Frew)
• Carton of Gallery set 2 Trading Cards (Donated by Frew)
• Puzzle (Donated by Frew)
• Copies of the 2024 and the future 2025 Prince Rex softcover albums (Donated by Egmont Sweden)
• Still working on some other prizes with other publishers including a free subscription to Comics Kingdom

We love comments and feedback from the Phantom phans from around the world. You can either email us, leave your comments at our YouTube Channel, and or leave them at our social media platforms in Facebook, Twitter and or Instagram. 

Make sure you stay with us and do not forget to subscribe and leave a review on our podcast and or our YouTube Channel. 

Support the show

What better way to escape the world's troubles with weather patterns and political upheaval dominating our life than spending time with us as we review everything Phantom from February 2025. We review comics from Australia and Germany, catch up on the newspaper adventures printed on Comics Kingdom and discuss every bit of Phantom related news from around the world.

We love comments and feedback from the Phantom phans from around the world.

If your one of the phans who can only listen to some parts of the podcast, below is a timeline of what we discussed.

Daily / Sunday Adventures Progress

• Daily #268 - "The Spark" by Tony DePaul and Mike Manley: 1 Min
• Sunday #196 - "The Princess of Songhai" by Tony DePaul and Jeff Weigel: 20 Mins

Australia (Frew Comics)

• Frew #1989: 27 Mins
  • "Deadly Conspiracy" by Norman Worker and Georges Bess
• Frew #1991: 31 Mins
  • "The Devil Road" by Lee Falk and Wilson McCoy
  • "The Impostor" by Lee Falk and Ray Moore
  • "The Toad Men" by Lee Falk and Wilson McCoy
• Frew #1990: 34 Mins
  • "The Lost Valley: Maelstrom" by Felmang
• Frew #1992: 47 Mins
  • "The Lost Valley: Two Princesses" by Felmang
• Giant Size #32: 55 Mins
  • "The Haunted Mine" by Giorgio Cambiotti and Lamberto Lombardi

Germany (Zauberstern Comics)

• Zauberstern #17: 59 Mins

News from around the world

• Tony DePaul’s health (link): 1 Hr, 2 Mins
• The Phantom video game updates: 1 Hr, 4 Mins
• Moonstone news (link): 1 Hr, 9 Mins
• Mad Cave Studios announce artist Russell Mark Olson (link): 1 Hr, 11 Mins
• Mad Cave Studios Defenders of the Earth news (link): 1 Hr, 13 Mins
• Preview of Aristocrat Gaming pokie machine (link): 1 Hr, 15 Mins
• Voting for best cover and adventure published in Fantomen 2024 (link): 1 hr, 18 Mins
• Shatki Comics at Kolkata book fair (link): 1 hr, 20 Mins
• Australian Comic Convention Dates (link): 1 hr, 21 Mins

We can only report and discuss what we have seen or been told, We may miss something especially conventions in your corner of the world with Phantom related guests. Please let us know of them so we can promote them on our website, socials and podcasts. We are looking for reviewers who can review comics from India, Sweden, Finland, France and Italy. If you would like to join the team with regular reviews, please contact us.

Make sure you stay with us and do not forget to subscribe and leave a review on our podcast. 

Support the show

The 2025 Frew annual deserves a stand alone review and we spend a good 70 minutes dissecting it. The theme for this years annual is a monster theme with 8 stories with a mixture of colour & black and white over 220+ pages. What do we like, what do we not like and what rating do we give it? Listen and or watch and find out. Do not remember to let us know what you agree and or disagree with. 

Annuals are nothing new from around the world with British comics publishing them in hardcover albums during the 1950’s to the 1980’s as well as other countries publishing them. Frew published their first annual in 1991 and it was an instant hit. 

Frew published their first one in 1991 and it was an instant hit. Rumours are that it sold out overnight and many collectors bought dozens as investments. Ever since, Frew has released an annual. Bar the odd year (3?), a replica edition of the Frew comics have been released. Loved by some and loathed by others but they are a staple along with the annual.

Since the Frew Crew has stood in the gap left by Jim Shepherd, they have released themed annuals with War, artists, Girl Phantom, Cowboy Phantoms, Animals of Edan and now its The Phantom vs The Monsters.

For those who want to cherry pick there way through the podcast, we have listed what we disscused and the time stamps. We would however suggest you listen / watch to the whole podcast ;)

• History & background of the Frew annuals: 2 Minutes
• Overall thoughts on the annual: 4 Minutes & 30 Seconds
• Stories
  • "The Ghost and the Wolves" by Andrew Constant and Jason Paulos: 17 Minutes & 30 Seconds
  • "Nema" by Andrew Constant and Jason Paulos: 24 Minutes
  • "Looking Back" by Andrew Constant and Giancarlo Caracuzzo: 29 Minutes
  • "Golem" by Johan L. Borgnes and Hans Lindahl: 36 Minutes
  • "Kuma the Creature" by Felmang: 40 Minutes & 30 Seconds
  • "The Mummy's Curse" by Janne Lundström and Jaime Vallvé: 50 Minutes
  • "The Vampire in Carpatia" by Ulf Granberg and Jaime Vallvé: 54 Minutes & 30 Seconds
  • "Creature from the Black" by Dean Rankine and Marcelo Baez: 1 Hour
• Our score of the annual: 1 Hour, 4 Minutes & 30 Seconds

We love comments and feedback from the Phantom phans from around the world. You can either email us, leave your comments at our YouTube Channel, and or leave them at our social media platforms in Facebook, Twitter and or Instagram. 

Make sure you stay with us and do not forget to subscribe and leave a review on our podcast and or our YouTube Channel. 

Support the show

Happy birthday to the Phantom & happy anniversary to us celebrating our 300th podcast. We wanted to share the celebration with the Phantom! 

We were joined by Jeff Weigel and Mike Manley the newspaper story artists. Tony DePaul, unfortunately had to cancel due to some health reasons which we briefly cover during the podcast and or you can go to our website for more information.

To help celebrate this milestone with us, we were joined by some of our patreon supporters, CC contributors and other fans from around the world. We had representatives from Brazil, USA and Australia join us and we hope they had as much phun as we did.

If your one of the phans who can only listen to some parts of the podcast, below is a timeline of questions and other topics what we have discussed.

• Introductions: 1 Minute
• Why do we not see the Phantom drinking milk anymore and drinking alcohol?: 4 Minutes
• Tony DePaul and King Features choosing on what to 'keep' and what to rework in phandom: 12 Minutes
• The creators history with the character & their research: 18 Minutes & 30 Seconds
• Do you have a preference drawing period or modern stories?: 25 Minutes
• Why did Jeff Weigel change the Phantom's costume for past Phantoms: 32 Minutes
• Will Mike Manley be using the new Jeff Weigel designs of the Past Phantom?: 37 Minutes
• Other changes to the Phantom costume with the utility belt and the change out of the Mr Walker trench coat: 38 Minutes
• Do you have any input on the sizes of how the strip appears on different mediums from phones to newspapers?: 44 Minutes
• Will we be seeing a new direction of a romantic element introduced to the newspaper stories?: 52 Minutes
• Will "The Spark" Daily newspaper story that is current, be the coming of age story for Kit? 58 Minutes
• How important it is to have an interest in a wide range of art styles & direction: 1 Hour & 5 Minutes
• How learning how to paint landscapes has helped Mike Manley draw his jungle backgrounds: 1 Hour & 13 Minutes
• If you where in charge of King Features, what is the one thing you would do?: 1 Hour & 16 Minutes
• What will happen with the Phantom as it nears public domain?: 1 Hour & 22 Minutes
• What do you think will be your greatest legacy to the character?: 1 Hour & 26 Minutes
• Goodbyes: 1 Hour & 31 Minutes

We love comments and feedback from the Phantom phans from around the world. You can either email us, leave your comments at our YouTube Channel, and or leave them at our social media platforms in Facebook, Twitter and or Instagram. 

Make sure you stay with us and do not forget to subscribe and leave a review on our podcast and or our YouTube Channel. 

Support the show

We are padding out our episodes as we want to release our 300th podcast with the Phantom's birthday. This will be 299B where we discuss the latest comics from around the world including Australia, USA, Sweden and Germany. Unfortunately due to the Frew 2025 Annual being delayed, we will be doing a 299C episode in a weeks time for the annual. We may have stolen the A and B issues from Frew but never had a C issue lol.

If your one of the phans who can only listen to some parts of the podcast, below is a timeline of what we discussed.

Australia (Frew Comics)

• Frew #1986: 6 Mins
  • "The Breakout" by Tony DePaul and Mike Manley
  • "Dungeons Undone" by Tony DePaul and Mike Manley
  • "The Journey Home" by Tony DePaul, Mike Manley, Bret Blevins and Jeff Weigel
• Frew #1987: 22 Mins
  • "The Island of Rada Mandi" by unknown Fratelli Spada creator, Giorgio Cambiotti and Lamberto Lombardi
  • "A Madman in the Jungle" (Prose Story) by unknown Fratelli Spada creator
  • "The Disappearance of Karina" by unknown Fratelli Spada creator, Giorgio Cambiotti and Lamberto Lombardi
  • "The Flood" (Prose Story) by unknown Fratelli Spada creator

USA (Mad Cave Studios)

• Defenders of the Earth #4: 47 Mins
  • “Whiplash” by Dan DiDio and Jim Calafiore

Sweden (Fantomen)

• Fantomen 25&26-2024: 57 Mins
  • "Resan hem" ("The Journey Home") by Tony DePaul, Mike Manley, Bret Blevins and Jeff Weigel
  • "Tågligan" ("The Train Gang") by Donne Avenell and César Spadari
  • "Mörkrets väktare" ("Guardian of the Eastern Dark") by Lee Falk and Sy Barry

Germany (Zauberstern and Zack)

• Zauberstern #16: 1 Hour, 2 Mins
  • "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
• Phantom Spezial #1: 1 Hour, 6 Mins
  • "Woduros Geheimnis" ("Woduro's Secret") by Claes Reimerthi and Graham Nolan
  • "Das Löwenkopfäffchen" ("The Lion's Head Tamarine") by Claes Reimerthi and Graham Nolan
• Zack #1:  1 Hour, 9 Mins
  • "Die verschwundenen Base Jumper" ("Captured from Above") by Bernd Frenz and Janusz Ordon
  • "Gefährliche Wasser" ("Dangerous Waters") by Bernd Frenz and Janusz Ordon

You can email us at [email protected] or chat with us via our social media profiles with your feedback at Facebook, Twitter and or Instagram. 

Make sure you stay with us and do not forget to subscribe and leave a review. 

Support the show

We are padding out our episodes as we want to release our 300th podcast with the Phantom's birthday. This will be 299A as we discuss the latest Daily and Sunday stories that are running in newspapers and on the Comics Kingdom website. We will also discuss all the related Phantom news.

If your one of the phans who can only listen to some parts of the podcast, below is a timeline of what we discussed.

Daily and Sunday Newspaper stories

• Daily 267: "The Skull and Jaw": 2 Mins
• Daily 268: 11 Mins
• Sunday 195: "The Princess of Songhai": 22 Mins

Phantom news 

• Mad Cave Studios #0 cover (link): 28 Mins
• Moonstone comics update (link): 33 Mins
• Hermes Daily volume #33 out now: 34 Mins
• Phantom on the USA Comic Con Cruise: 35 Mins
• KFS Tea Fougner moves on: 37 Mins
• Signed NECA Phantom figurine comp (link): 39 Mins
• Steve playing the Phantom video game (link): 40 Mins
• Vote for Fantomen 2024 best story (link): 46 Mins
• 22nd Phantom saga returns in 2025 (link): 48 Mins
• Mythos new Brazilian book: 56 Mins
• Editions Dante new TPB: 57 Mins
• Fantomet new TPB (link): 59 Mins
• Shakti Comics 2025 calendar (link) & book fair: 1 Hour
• Mallon diary out: 1 Hour, 3 Mins
• Phantom at Brickvention (link): 1 Hour, 4 Mins
• Fan fiction prose Phantom adventures (link): 1 Hour, 8 Mins

You can email us at [email protected] or chat with us via our social media profiles with your feedback at Facebook, Twitter and or Instagram. We love comments and feedback from the Phantom phans from around the world. We would love to have your input on the following topics:

• Do you like shorter newspaper newspaper stories?
• Do you like seeing the For Those Who Come In Late origin retellings?
• Do you like the Walkers crest?
• Do you like the comic cover by Greg Smallwood?
• Are you excited by the new Mad Cave Studios and Moonstone comic series?
• When do you think Hermes will stop their volume reprints?
• Who is going on the USA Comic Con Cruise?
• Have you voted for the Fantomen best story for 2024?
• Would you like to see an ongoing 22nd Phantom storyline?
• Do you like reading the Phantom in prose?

Make sure you stay with us and do not forget to subscribe and leave a review on our podcast. 

Support the show

Some phans will know that every year we review and discuss EVERYTHING that has been released from the year before and give our opinions on it. In 2024 there were 112 comics released over 14 countries from around the world and close to 30 different Phantom products released for phans to buy. That means every week, there is at least two Phantom comics and or items to purchase to add to your collection.

It is not easy to do this under two hours. Get your milk stout ready and join us.

We love comments and feedback from the Phantom phans from around the world. You can either email us, leave your comments at our YouTube Channel, and or leave them at our social media platforms in Facebook, Twitter and or Instagram. 

The Tale of the Tape:

KFS - USA

• 4 Daily stories (1x started in 2023)
• 2 Sunday stories (1x started in 2023)

Frew - Australia

• Regular issues: 26 (1961-1986)
• 47 stories total
• 66 in 2023, 54 in 2022, 58 in 2021, 60 in 2020, 69 in 2019. Less than in the previous 6 years
• Giant Size Phantom: 4 Issues. 7x Phantom related stories (8x in 2023. 4x in 2022)

Fantomen - Sweden

• 19 Regular Issues, 3 TPBs, 4 Replica HC books, 1 HC collection, 1x Phantom in X9 magazine.
• 34x stories in 2024. 13x repeat and 21x new. Less new stories than last two years

Hermes Press - USA

• 2 Daily (nothing since July)
• No Sunday HC books since May 2021

Comics Revue - USA

•  6 issues (2x with Phantom covers)

Mad Cave Studios - USA

• 4 issues
• 1 TPB

Regal - India

• 4 regular issues of English series

Shakti - India

• 3 issues (1 issue in 3x languages)

Zauberstern - German

• 6 Regular issues

Wick - German

• 2 Regular issues

Other German Series

• Mitton HC & SC book
• Zack
• ECR (1x HC, 7x regular & 1x supplement)

Other Countries

• Norway (1x Year Album)
• Finland (2x Softcover Albums)
• Spain (1x Daily reprint HC)
• Italy (1x Daily reprint HC & 1x TPB)
• France (1x TPB & 4x comics - 1x with Phantom cover)
• Brazil (1x HC)
• Denmark (1x HC)
• Greece (1x TPB)
• Hungary (1x HC)
• Irish (3x Digital comics & 1x Annual)

Total 14x countries
Total 112x comics
Total 22x brand new stories

Thanks to Christian, Mikael, Scott and Seuj who have helped us give a better world wide review of 2024. Below is a list of what we all vote on and give our views on what is the best from around the world in 2024.

• Best Frew Cover
• Best Frew Cover Survey Results
• Best Fantomen Cover
• Best Indian Cover
• Best German Cover
• Best USA Cover
• Best Other Comic Covers
• Best Writer
• Best Story Artist
• Overall Best Story published by Frew
• Best Story published by Frew Survey Results
• Overall Fantomen Best Story
• Best Fantomen Issue
• Overall Best Indian Story Published
• Best Indian Issue
• Overall German Best Story Published
• Overall German Best Issue
• Best Frew issue
• Best Frew Issue Survey Results
• Best merchandise new in 2024
• Best Chronicle Chamber moment
• Overall reflection on 2024
• What will be the big news of 2025?

Do not forget to subscribe and leave a review on our podcast.

Support the show

Some phans will know that we have reviews of all of the Mad Cave Studios Defenders of the Earth Series up on our YouTube Channel and website but we wanted to conduct a mid series review with the whole extended team. Join Stephen East, Dan Fraser and Jermayn Parker with our USA reviewer Scott Waldyn. 

We love comments and feedback from the Phantom phans from around the world. You can either email us, leave your comments at our YouTube Channel, and or leave them at our social media platforms in Facebook, Twitter and or Instagram.

Some of the discussion points we discuss are: 

• The Phantom being a Ghost Who Walks
• Council of Phantoms. Do we like it? Do we hate it? Is it real?
• Does this Phantom behave like our Phantom or any Phantoms we have read in the chronicles?
• We discuss the oath of the Phantom being my 'son and their sons will follow' or should it be 'descendants'? 
• If the DotE Phantom is the 27th. Kurt would then be the 28th, If the DotE Phantom becomes the Phantom again, will that make him the 27th or 29th? 
• Was shrinking the mansion so Mandrake can take it in his pocket a clever way to get around the Phantom’s quandary? 
• Zuffy's transformation into a laughable character to someone with bite.
• Lothars ex wife is mentioned. Dale is seen at end of issue 4. No mention yet of the Phantom’s wife and or Nardia.
• With the future Mad Cave Studios sand alone series. Would we like to see it outside the DotE arc? 
• Do you like the series? What do you like and do not like?
• What do you think will happen in the next four issues?

We love comments and feedback from the Phantom phans from around the world. Do you like the series? The artwork? The plot? Or you have opinions on where the story will be going, please let us know. You can email us at [email protected] or chat with us via our social media profiles with your feedback at Facebook, Twitter and or Instagram. 

Make sure you stay with us and do not forget to subscribe and leave a review on our podcast and or our YouTube Channel. 

Support the show

We have fallen behind again with our monthly comics and news podcasts so this will be Episode 296B where we discuss and review the latest comics from around the world including Australia, USA, Norway, Sweden and Germany. There is 11 comics in total we will go through.

We love comments and feedback from the Phantom phans from around the world. At the bottom of the article, we list some talking points we would love to have your input on. You can either email us, leave your comments at our YouTube Channel, and or leave them at our social media platforms in Facebook, Twitter and or Instagram.

If your one of the phans who can only listen to some parts of the podcast, below is a timeline of what we discussed.

Frew (Australia)

• Frew #1982: 4 Minutes
• Frew #1983: 15 Minutes & 30 Seconds
• Frew #1984: 26 Minutes
• Frew #1985: 33 Minutes
• Operation Domino storyline: 40 Minutes & 30 Seconds

Mad Cave Studios (USA)

• Defenders of the Earth #3: 54 Minutes
• Defenders of the Earth #4: 1 Hour & 1 Minute

Egmont

• Fantomen 222&23/2024: 1 Hour & 11 Minutes
• Fantomen 24/2024: 1 Hour & 16 Minutes
• Fantomen 25&26/2024: 1 Hour & 19 Minutes
• Norway Year Album: 1 Hour & 23 Minutes

German Comics

• ECR #91: 1 Hour & 28 Minutes

You can email us at [email protected] or chat with us via our social media profiles with your feedback at Facebook, Twitter and or Instagram. Remember if you comment, you automatically go into our draw for a monthly competition of free Chronicle Chamber swag.

We love comments and feedback from phans from around the world and would love to have your input on the following topics:

• Was Prince Dar too dumb in Frew 1982? Did he remind you of the Lee Falk princes from the Misty Mountains?
• Which is the biggest bug bare? The Phantom getting knocked in the head or creators introducing new tribes?
• Does your copy of Frew #1984 have the correct pages and order or is it mixed up like Dan's and Jermayn's?
• Do you recognise this bad guy from the “The Black Ghost” storyline?
• Did you enjoy the Operation Domino storyline? Would you like to see the stories published together? Do you think it would be a good story for Team Fantomen or other publishers to publish?
• Do you like Fabio Alves art style? Would you like to see more Phantom from it?
• Do you generally like filler stories? Do they work better as stand alone fillers or multi part ones?
• Did you like The Phantom receiving an American passport and tying in Diana with part 7 and 8?
• What comics do you have from around the world? Do you like seeing reviews of other comics from around the world?
• What did you think about the Michael Thoor story? Do you see it as a Phantom story?
• Do you think the "To Wrack and Ruin at Gravelines" story works better read as one long story like it is presented in the Norway 2024 year album?

Make sure you stay with us and do not forget to subscribe and leave a review on our podcast and or our YouTube Channel.

Support the show

We discuss the latest Daily and Sunday stories that are running in newspapers around the world and all the related Phantom news that has been released around the world.

We love comments and feedback from the Phantom phans from around the world. At the bottom, we list some talking points we would love to have your input on. Remember if you comment, you automatically go into our draw for a monthly competition of free Chronicle Chamber swag.

Below is a timeline of what we discussed.

Daily & Sunday Newspaper story progress

• "The Avarice has Landed": 2 Min
• "The Skull and Jaw": 10 Min
• "The Princess of Songhai": 20 Min

Phantom news from around the world

• Mad Cave Studios announce new series (link): 27 Min
• Potential new collector card series (link): 34 Min
• Phantom Video Game Pre Orders open (link): 48 Min
• New Phantom products on the Comics Kingdom website (link): 52 Min
• Phantom on the USA Comic Con Cruise (link): 57 Min
• The Phantom returns to Australian in 2025 (link): 59 Min
• Frew Phile cards to end (link): 1 Hr, 2 Min
• Frew Cyber Monday sale: 1 Hr, 7 Min
• New KFS agents for Australia/Oceania (link): 1 Hr, 10 Min
• Greece Phantom comic now on sale (link): 1 Hr, 13 Min
• Swedish comic Agent X9 12/2024 feat Phantom story (link): 1 Hr, 16 Min
• Paul Mason & Dean Rankine win Comic Book Artists Stanley Award for 2024 (link): 1 Hr, 17 Min

You can email us at [email protected] or chat with us via our social media profiles at Facebook, Twitter and or Instagram. Would love to have your input.

• Did you like the 'abrupt' ending to the "The Avarice has Landed"?
• What deeper meanings did you read into the "The Avarice has Landed" story?
• Can you handle the Phantom drinking alcohol or do you prefer him as a teetotaler?
• Are you looking forward to Mad Cave Studios new Phantom series?
• Would you buy any of the Saturday Morning Cartoon collector card series?
• Did you purchase any Phantom items using the 10% discounts on the Comics Kingdom or Frew website?
• Did you like the Frew phile card series?

Do not forget to subscribe and leave a review on our podcast. 

Support the show