TROND SÄTRE – JULY 23, 2019 – http://www.serienett.no  

This summer, the Phantom gets another chance in Norway, in the form of a comic book with new stories.

NOTE: The sub-sign knows many more of those involved in the story “Phantom Mask,” and this is therefore not considered on par with the rest of the content

Then it turns out that the Phantom still has more life in Norway, in the style of the actual Phantom legend. For a while, it’s two books (or thick albums … the border between these two can be a bit fluid), one in July, and one in October. Furthermore, from that point on, the Phantom of the future in Norway is still uncertain (especially considering that the series also disappears from more and more Norwegian newspapers), and depending on the sales figures for these first two books.

Summer book consists of two new stories layers for the Swedish Fantomen blades, ein saman edited newspaper story (Sunday pages) by Tony DePaul and Jeff Weigel, and a partial Norwegian produced history Former only are published on the Irish publisher Lightning Strike.The last one, “The Phantom’s Masks” should be important in the promotion, especially since it takes place in Norway and until then Varg Veum has an important supporting role. In the city is the first story, “The Butterfly Man”, written by Claes Reimerthi and the drawing by César Spadari, which both adorns the cover and has the title on the back. We are talking here about a little interesting gangster story that goes quickly and routinely through the usual genre tropes. Strictly speaking, this does not seem like the right series to have to front a new Phantomets venture, although one of the summer birds on the front has a dauding head on their backs never so soft.  

That the villain is a passionate summer gatherer is the only detail in history that makes it stand out in any way, but contributes in that way to emphasize how generic the narrative wholeness is. Editing the drawings of Spadari, which performs well in the album format, makes it worth reading.

While “The Butterfly Man” might have become a little interesting, some history had more room to unfold, the problem with story number two, “The rat must die!”, Is that it goes too softly is idle. One inmate in Boomsby talks a little too loudly that he intends to silence a conspiracy, and the Phantom must help him escape and testify before he is killed by the other prisoners. The escape lasts for nearly 25 pages with meaningless crocheting between the Phantom and Rotta before we get something similar to an action again in the last half.

With “Fate Pit”, writing by Carlstrom & Carling and the drawing by Ruiz & Martinez, the new Fantomet book is finally starting to get a little interesting. It probably helps that there is no talk of a gangster story yet, and that the series goes a little deeper into the Phantom mythology. An ambitious Singh pirate commander tries to combine slave trading and death squads with political blackmail, but gaps in his face as he tries to pull in his family’s arch enemy. Again, history might need more space, but it actually feels more complete and satisfying than the equally short “Summer Man”.

When so much is said, both the drawings and the colors in the “Destiny Pit” are a little too wet and round. Coincidentally, I have had to compare with the Swedish magazine print of the same story, and it looks better. So I know that this largely owes the Norwegian pressure.

All in all, I could wish for more variation in theme when the Phantom finally made several pages available again. Two out of four stories revolve around witness protection, to be judged. “Phantom’s Masks” is the curiosity that needed to come in Norwegian, but the series that comes with it seems random composition. Although I appreciate that it is not yet a book of reprisals. And the Spirit That Goes gets at least one more chance; I have a little more faith in the upcoming fall edition, which, in addition to drawing the Phantom into historical events, can also offer Heloise’s confrontation with the Nomad.