The Phantom vs. The Sky Band #1 by Mad Cave Studios

The U.S. based publishing house Mad Cave Studios will be releasing a new one-shot comic book featuring the Phantom.

Titled ‘The Phantom vs. The Sky Band‘, this new one-shot comic book has started appearing for preorder online, a new comic book published by Mad Cave Studios. This edition markes an innovative new comic book featuring the Phantom against the all-female air pirate gang known as ‘The Sky Band‘, complementing their established series of, ‘The Phantom‘ and ‘Defenders of the Earth‘ comic books.

For Those Who Came In Late…

The Sky Band is a notorious group of all-female air pirates that first appeared in the very first daily Phantom comic strip story to be published in US newspapers in 1936, ‘The Singh Brotherhood‘. Created by Lee Falk and illustrated by Ray Moore, they are recognized as one of the first “Amazon Brigade” style organizations in comic history, predating mainstream feminist movements in the medium.

Lee Falk proceeded to elaborate on The Sky Band in the second daily story published in United States newspapers, subsequent to the conclusion of the ‘The Singh Brotherhood‘ comic strip storyline. This second daily story, aptly designated the title of ‘The Sky Band‘, was written by Lee Falk and illustrated by Ray Moore, and was published from the 9th of November 1936, until the 10th of April 1937.

Operating from their secret headquarters on the “Isle of Herons“, the group specializes in “Air Mail Piracy“, using seaplanes and advanced aviation tactics to hijack cargo planes and rob them of their valuables. Their presence added a unique layer of intrigue to the series, as the 21st Phantom often found himself in the unusual position of battling an entire army of women whose ruthless efficiency was matched only by their loyalty to their cause.

The group is most famously led by Sala, a cunning and charismatic leader whose relationship with the Phantom is defined by a complex “femme fatale” dynamic. While initially serving as a high-ranking member under the Baroness, Sala eventually took command of the Band herself. Throughout various story arcs, including the classic 1941 “Return of the Sky Band”, the group transitions between being cold-blooded villains and reluctant allies.

Sala frequently experiences a romantic tension with the Phantom, even saving his life on occasion, which often sparks jealousy from his longtime love, Diana Palmer. This internal conflict between her criminal ambitions and her admiration for the the Phantom has made the Sky Band and Sala enduring figures in the lore, appearing in everything from the 1980s Defenders of the Earth cartoon to the 1996 live-action film, with Catherine Zeta-Jones playing the part of Sala.

This new all original story and artwork comic book will contain 40 full color pages and is authored by Ray Fawkes, illustrated by Federico Sabbatini, colored by Juancho Velez and lettering by Taylor Esposito, due for released on the 22nd of April 2026.

The description seen in online advertisements reads:

THE PHANTOM’S JUSTICE IS SWIFT AND ETERNAL! The Sky Band entered the Phantom’s domain when they took blood money to carry the Singh Brotherhood into Bangalla. They thought their helicopters would make them untraceable¸ immune. Now the mercenaries-for-hire will face the Phantom’s wrath. Those who survive…will be irreparably MARKED.

The two front cover variants of The Phantom vs. The Sky Band #1, published by Mad Cave Studios, offer contrasting perspectives on a high-stakes confrontation between the Phantom and his classic aerial adversaries, The Sky Band. Cover A, illustrated by Federico Sabbatini, is a dynamic, action-oriented piece featuring the Phantom leaping through the air amidst a fiery explosion, with a tactical helicopter looming in the background under a full moon. In stark contrast, Cover B, by Freddie Williams II and Andrew Dalhouse, presents a more dire scene from a low-angle perspective, showing a bloodied Phantom grounded and gritting his teeth in the foreground. He is being held at bay by a determined, blonde-haired woman, likely a leader of the Sky Band, who stands before a landed helicopter wielding an assault rifle, with a pile of skulls nearby emphasizing the lethal stakes of their encounter.

Although the front cover indicates that this is edition number one, the comic book is being advertised as a one-shot publication, with no further editions in this series anticipated after this release.

The Phantom vs. The Sky Band one-shot comic book, which will be available in both physical and digital formats, is yet to be listed on the Mad Cave Studios website, found HERE.