“The Man of the Match”, the current Phantom Sunday comic strip in publication, created by Tony DePaul and Jeff Weigel commencing on the 4th of October 2026, this strip directly follows the adventure thread which set up a tense nocturnal encounter in the jungle, the Phantom visiting Papua New Guinea, with the Phantom appearing on a warriors War Shield.

Last Sundays (1st November 2026) comic strip saw the Phantom encounter a Motu warrior displaying a war shield featuring an image of the Phantom, which can be seen below (additional information can be found HERE).

In the Phantom Sunday comic strip due to appear on King Features Syndicate digital comic website Comics Kingdom next week, to be published on the 8th of November 2026, the adventure continues with a startled Motu warrior, adorned in red facial and body markings, coming face-to-face with a figure from legend in the shadows. The warrior clutches a traditional tribal shield that prominently displays the words “MAN WHO NEVER DIE” and “MAN WHO CANNOT DIE” above a painted image of the Phantom himself.

While the previous week’s panels built up the mythos and the warrior’s terrifying discovery of the legendary figure in the dark, this upcoming strip resolves the immediate standoff through the Phantom’s trademark diplomacy, diffusing potential violence into a calm introduction. This comic strip can be seen below, with the Phantoms depiction continuing on a war shield seen in several panels.

When the startled Motu warrior comes face-to-face with the Phantom in the shadows, he cries out in shock and defiantly declares in Pidgin English (Tok Pisin), “Never… die! Man husat i no save dai!” (meaning no one saves him from dying or that he fears no death), while gripping a tribal shield that reads “MAN WHO NEVER DIE”. The warrior is even seen pointing to the war shield depicting the Phantom.

The Phantom remains entirely calm and unprovoked by the warrior’s weapon and exclamation, addressing the tense standoff smoothly, the Phantom points out that since neither of them has been speared or shot, they should “call it a night”.

In a brilliant celebration of real-world cultural history and enduring mythos, this comic strip beautifully captures the profound impact of the Ghost Who Walks through the striking depiction of Papua New Guinea war shields. As the beautifully adorned indigenous warrior encounters the legend in the jungle, holding high a shield emblazoned with his fierce portrait and the inspiring declaration “MAN WHO NEVER DIE”, the story brilliantly honors the rich intersection of local heritage and legendary heroism.

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