Starting to appear online for pre-order is a new comic book series by USA based publisher Moonstone Books, which is due to contain a backup comic strip story featuring the Phantom.

The comic book series is titled ‘Bystander’, with edition number one scheduled for release on the 28th of May 2025. This comic book will contain 32 full color pages measuring 7 x 10 inches.

This issue introduces a new creator-owned series by writer Steven Grant, with internal art illustrated by Sergio Ibanez. The storyline centers on a mysterious figure known as the Bystander, who becomes entangled in a web of fear, crumbling alliances and betrayals.

In addition to the main story, the issue features a backup comic strip story starring the Phantom, marking the return of writer Mike Bullock to the character in a noir-style adventure.

Pre-order advertisements describe the series as:

Master storyteller Steven Grant has a new creator owned series with Moonstone, with art & cover by Sergio (Kolchak) Ibanez! In a remote desert town where no one goes, a decade-long conspiracy nears its ultimate payoff… until a stranger appears, making no moves, but revealing nothing. Soon fears run rampant, alliance crumble and betrayals are exposed-and at the eye of the tempest, is a Bystander.

And don’t miss the return of Mike Bullock on a new noir Phantom tale as the second feature!

Two cover variants will be released by Moonstone Books, which both feature the Phantom on the front covers. Cover 1A is illustrated by Sergio Ibanez (seen below left), with cover 1B, a EC Comics homage incentive variant, illustrated by Joel Naprstek (seen below right).

Further information regarding the Phantom story to be published within is yet to be released by Moonstone Books, including samples of internal pages.

The series can be found featured on the League of Comic Geeks website HERE

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