The transition of authors contributing to Lee Falk’s iconic comic strip The Phantom, which was first published in United States newspapers on 17 February 1936, constitutes a significant milestone in the history of newspaper adventure strips.

Tony DePaul: The Longtime Keeper of the Legacy

Tony DePaul has been the primary narrative engine behind The Phantom syndicated newspaper comic strip for over two decades.

• Background: Prior to entering the comic world full-time, DePaul spent more than 20 years working as a journalist. He initially began writing Phantom stories in 1993 for the Scandinavian publisher Egmont (Fantomen in Sweden), where his acclaimed stories won multiple awards in Europe.
• Taking the Reins: Following the death of the Phantom’s creator Lee Falk in 1999, DePaul was brought on by King Features Syndicate to script the official daily and Sunday newspaper comic strips.
• Impact & Style: DePaul is widely celebrated by Phantom fandom for respecting the deeply established lore, such as the lineage of the 21 Phantoms, the Jungle Patrol, and the Skull Cave, while injecting modern pacing, high stakes, and political intrigue into the ongoing daily and Sunday story arcs.

Alex Segura: The Newly Announced Story Writer

Alex Segura is an acclaimed novelist and comic book creator announced the new story writer on The Phantom.

• Background: Segura is a veteran of both crime fiction and mainstream comic books. He gained widespread recognition for his award-winning noir novel Secret Identity (which won the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Mystery/Thriller) and his Pete Fernandez mystery series.
• Comic Credentials: Segura has an extensive background writing across major publishers:
  • Marvel & DC: Scripts for Star Wars (including Battle of Jakku), Spider-Society, The Question: All Along the Watchtower, Superman, and Archie Comics.
  • Classic Strips & Noir: Segura co-wrote the high-profile noir relaunch of Dick Tracy alongside Michael Moreci and has penned stories for the recent Phantom 2040 webcomic series.
• What He Brings: Given Segura’s deep expertise in classic noir, detective fiction, and iconic legacy properties, his involvement brings a fresh, hardboiled crime-and-pulp sensibility while continuing the storied lineage of the original superhero adventure strip.

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In a social media post, Alex Segura announces his appointment as the new Phantom comic strip writer, and gives thanks to the hard work put in by Tony DePaul. The post reads:

The news is out! I’ll be taking over writing the daily and Sunday strips for The Phantom, with amazing artists Mike Manley and Jeff Weigel.

I’ll have lots more to say about this as we get closer to our December launch, but in the interim, I want to give outgoing writer Tony DePaul a huge congrats on an unparalleled 27-year run writing The Ghost Who Walks. I’ve been a fan of the strip for some time, and Tony’s Phantom expertise, spot-on characterization, and knack for grounding the hero in today’s world is visible every day.

These are big shoes to fill and I know Phantom phans new and old will be watching. I’m only one of a handful of writers to handle the strip (and, believe, the first Latino!) and I approach it with the reverence and humility the Phantom deserves.

Looking forward to talking more. In the meantime, hats off to Tony. This is very much his well-earned moment.

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