Currently appearing on King Features Syndicate digital comic website Comics Kingdom, is the Phantom Sunday story titled “The Man of the Match” which commenced on the 4th of October 2026. This story is written by Tony DePaul and illustrated by Jeff Weigel.

This adventure sees the Phantom visit Papua New Guinea which is located in Oceania in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea. The comic strip due to be published on Sunday the 1st of November 2026 will feature an interesting illustrations, with the Phantom appearing on a warriors War Shield.

The comic strip sees the Phantom interacting with an indigenous warrior from Papua New Guinea in a jungle setting. In the panels, the warrior, adorned in traditional feathered headwear and body paint, encounters the Phantom and holds up a traditional war shield emblazoned with a striking portrait of the Phantom alongside the bold declaration, “MAN WHO NEVER DIE”. The strip playfully bridges the comic’s fictional mythos with real-world cultural history.

The comic strip can be seen below.

The Phantom famously appears as art on traditional war shields created by indigenous groups like the Wahgi people in the Central Highlands of Papua New Guinea. This unique artistic tradition, it’s believed, took root after American servicemen stationed in the region during World War II shared their comic books and magazines with local communities.

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Additional information on Papua New Guinea War Shields featuring the Phantom can be found HERE

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