Frew Publications based in Sydney, Australia have achieved an amazing milestone, publishing a continuous Phantom comic book series since the 9th of September 1948, marking it’s 75th Anniversary this year.

Frew Publications was established as a publishing house by Ron Forsyth, Jim Richardson, Jack Eisen and Peter Watson. The first letter of each of their surnames was used to create the company name, FREW.

The commencement of the Phantom comic book series in Australia was a gamble for Frew Publications at the time, evidence of this uncertainty of how the Australian public would take to the Phantom is seen with edition number 1 and number 2, with a comic book number omitted on these first 2 editions. From comic book number 3, a comic book number is published on the front cover.

‘Enter The Phantom’, issue number 1, went on sale on the 9th of September 1948, containing the Phantom story ‘The Slave Traders’ at a price of sixpence. Issue number 2, titled ‘In The Tiger’s Lair’, contained the story ‘Queen Asta of Trondelay’, also at a price of sixpence. It’s believed that the titles on the comic covers were different/changed to the titles of the comic strips to making the story sound more exciting and appealing to the comic book buying public in Australia. These 2 comics were printed in landscape format (which was unique at the time) with color printed only on the front covers and 2 staples holding the pages together on the left side of the comic.

Fast-forward to 2023, we continue to find a Phantom comic in newsagents on a fortnightly basis in Australia. In-excess of 1951 editions have been released over the past 75 years, a milestone not shared by another publishing house releasing a comic book character in a continues unbroken series.

To mark this 75th Diamond Anniversary, Frew Publications have released a special edition 180 page Phantom comic book published in full color, edition number 1952. Choosing to look forward instead of backwards, this edition steers away from publishing classic comic strips and instead features stories and art styles from the modern era.

We find 8 Phantom comic strip stories published within this special edition by a large number of artists and creators, plus an informative feature on the history of Frew Publications written by Kevin Patrick (author of the book, ‘The Phantom Unmasked: America’s First Superhero‘ published in 2017).

Unlike other countries who have seen Phantom comic book series published on-and-off by a myriad of publishers, Phantom fans in Australia have been lucky by the continuous release of Phantom comic books, in a format which has remained relatively unchanged for the past 75 years by Frew Publications.

Not to also mention that Phantom comics are sold in the majority of newsagents throughout all corners of Australia, making them extremally accessibly at a competitive price.

A big CONGRATULATIONS must be extended to the ‘Frew Crew‘ and a continued successful formula of tremendous work put in at Frew Publications.

KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK!!!

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