Heiner Bade is a prolific German comic artist and writer, born in 1949 in Hamburg, whose career has been inextricably linked with the development of the “Team Fantomen” era of the Phantom. His formal training began at age 17 at the Hamburg College of Fine Arts, where he specialized in anatomy and graphic arts. Before settling into the comic industry, Bade’s early career was remarkably diverse; he worked as a sketch artist for the police, a fashion model, and an illustrator of discotheques.

In May 1970, he moved to Sweden to avoid the German military draft and began working as an illustrator for various publications. His first notable comic credit was the series Robert Starke for Veckans Brott in 1973. After submitting a horror comic to Serie-Magasinet, he caught the attention of the editors at Semic Press, leading to his recruitment as a core artist for the Swedish Fantomen magazine.

Bade officially debuted for “Team Fantomen” in 1975 with the story “Grigor’s Revenge,” written by Magnus Knutsson. His style, characterized by its expressive facial work and clear anatomical precision, became a staple of the Scandinavian Phantom production for over five decades. While he is most recognized as an artist, Bade is a rare talent who also wrote several of his own scripts early in his career, most notably the 1977 socially conscious story “Ku Klux Klan” and the 1976 adventure “Hero’s Adventure.”

During the 1980s and 1990s, he became one of the series’ most influential creators, frequently collaborating with legendary British writers such as Norman Worker and Donne Avenell. His 1982 story with Avenell, “The Stone Carving People,” was voted the “Best Story” by Swedish readers, a testament to his enduring popularity.

His body of work on the Phantom is expansive, appearing in publications across Sweden, Norway, Germany, and Australia. In Australia, his stories are a mainstay of Frew Publications, appearing in issues like The Phantom #1531 (“The Gandor Sect”), #1709 (“The Usurer”), and #1797 (“Frisco Frenzy”).

Bade has illustrated a wide range of themes, from historical adventures set in the 17th century to modern-day conflicts featuring the Phantom’s wife, Diana Palmer-Walker, and his loyal companions, Devil and Hero, illustrating in excess of ninety Phantom comic strip stories and at least twenty comic book covers.

He has also been a prolific cover and poster artist, contributing significantly to the visual identity of the character for publishers like Egmont and the German Bastei Verlag.

As of 2025, Bade’s legacy continues to evolve through new collaborations and reprints. In Germany, Zauberstern Comics has featured his work in their Phantom magazine, and he has recently partnered with writer Bernd Frenz on stories like “Dark Smoke over Bengali”. His career reflects the transformation of the Phantom from a classic newspaper strip character into a modern comic book hero, and he remains one of the longest-serving artists in the character’s history. His work continues to be celebrated for its ability to convey deep emotion with stories evoking tension, enjoyed by comic readers worldwide.

---