The Phantom Movie novel was published by Avon Books in the USA in June 1996. The book is a novelization of the same year’s film adaptation of Lee Falk’s classic comic strip. Authored by Rob MacGregor, the book expands upon Jeffrey Boam’s screenplay, offering readers a more in-depth exploration of the story and its characters. The book is licensed by King Features Syndicate and was distributed throughout the USA and Canada.
The paperback book is published in black and white and comprises of 246 pages, measuring 10.5cm x 17.5cm. This novel explores the lore of the Phantom in greater depth, presenting expanded scenes and enhanced character development that are absent in the film. Significantly, it provides a more thorough backstory of the origin of the Phantom, thereby enriching the narrative for both new readers and long-standing enthusiasts.
The cover contains an image of actor Billy Zane, who played the part of the Phantom in the movie, which was co-produced by The Ladd Company, Village Roadshow Pictures and Hearst Entertainment, distributed by Paramount Pictures. The front and back cover of the book can be seen below.
The back of the book describes the contents as:
Legend tells of a young boy who watched his father die at the hands of the Singh Brotherhood, a gang of pirates. later on the skull of his father’s killer, the boy swore vengeance – dedicating his life and the lives of his descendants to fighting his life and the lives of his descendants to fighting piracy, greed, injustice, and cruelty in all its forms. He was the first.
Four centuries have passed. And Kit Walker is the twentieth to don the costume of his fabled ancestor and take charge of his mysterious jungle home, the Skull Cave. For as long as the evil taint of the powerful Sengh Brotherhood poisons the earth, one champion will stand against them: the one who is called The Ghost Who Walks… The Phantom.
The book adaptation of The Phantom Movie was skillfully translated into German and subsequently published by Goldmann in Germany in 1998. The format and content are consistent with the edition released in the United States by Avon Books in 1996, albeit with a smaller print run in comparison to the original publication.
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