El Hombre Enmascarado Gun & Holster set (‘El Hombre Enmascarado’ is the name of the Phantom in Spain) was released by Editorial Dólar in Madrid, Spain in 1964. The complete life-size set contains 2 guns, a skull encrusted Phantom belt with attached gun holsters, a Phantom mask plus a Phantom ring. These items are attached to a colorful card and wrapped in clear see-through plastic.
In 1964, Editorial Dólar released its fifth comic book series featuring the Phantom titled Colección Heroes Modernos containing 75 editions, coming to an end in 1965. We see either a letter ‘A’ or/and the wording ‘Series A’ on the front cover, indicating that this series contains Phantom comic strips. Series ‘B’ contain Flash Gordon comic strips and Series ‘C’ containing a mix of 12 comic book characters, such as Mandrake the Magician and Prince Valiant.
Colección Heroes Modernos editions number 1 and 2 in the El Hombre Enmascarado ‘A’ series can be seen below.
We find 4 different advertisement for the El Hombre Enmascarado Gun & Holster set, all on the outside back cover of comic books ranging from edition numbers 21 thru to number 31, and also on the final edition, number 75.
Located on the inside back cover of the above noted editions, we see instructions on how to order the El Hombre Enmascarado Gun & Holster set. The reader is required to cut out 4 Phantom tokens (seen on the bottom right of the advertisement) and mail them to the publisher, Editorial Dólar with the readers details on a mail-away coupon.
Inside Back Cover Translation:
MASKED MAN – It is a careful reproduction of his two automatic pistols (the pistols of the Phantom) made of rigid plastic, life-size, encased in two magnificent gun holsters, as well as the famous Phantom ring, the legendary mask and a Skull belt. All set in a splendid full color package, and wrapped in transparent plastic. Now your younger family members will be able to play and expand with these perfect reproductions of the heroes arms. There is no danger that they can cause harm. The pistols seem authentic, well-made but do not fire. These gun sets will later be put on sale in all toy stores in Spain, at the retail price of 120 pesetas. Due to the limitation of stocks for this campaign for the Friends of the Phantom, we ask everyone DO NOT SEND MONEY NOW, because if your order could not be served, we will have to refund you, and thus to avoid hassles DO NOT SEND MONEY NOW, save for four coupons! If your request can be met, we will notify you in advance, and then we will serve your order, sending yours in a package, or refund of its amount, the gun set with the weapons. In other words, you will only have to pay, to the postman, when he delivers the package containing the gun set. But if you are interested in being one of the chosen ones, within these special conditions for the “FRIENDS OF THE PHANTOM”, send us how much before your request, accompanied by the four coupons; Send it by mail to Editorial DOLAR, San Bernardo, 67- Madrid.
To do this, use the coupon that appears on the back covers of the notebooks, and the bulletin that we reproduce below so that you can cut or copy and send us in writing (if possible in printed letters). Hurry, to ensure possession of these magnificent sets. Send to EDITORIAL DOLAR San Bernardo, 67 MADRID.
Gentlemen: I send a note to reserve, if possible, A SET, with the weapons of the Phantom, under the special offer that you make for the “FRIENDS OF THE MASKED MAN”, which I will pay when I receive it, at my address, at reimbursement of the amount, Pras, 300, – sinatra gusto, I enclose the 4 coupons that testify to me as “Friend of the Masked Man”. 420, – pesetas But previously, for all the readers who are friends of HOMERE ENMASCARADO we have here a special offer:
The orders that are passed to us, accompanied by a minimum of four coupons, such as those reproduced at the bottom, will have the option to receive the aforementioned sets at the special price of “Friends of the MASKED MAN” of 300, pts.
Orders, to be taken into consideration, must be received by this Editorial before next OCTOBER 15, accompanied by the four coupons, Noting that if they do not arrive before this date, or they come without being accompanied by the four coupons, cannot be considered, and therefore will not be served.
We want to warn that what we are offering is as a GIFT PRICE to “the FRIENDS of the Masked Man, and therefore, it has to be limited only to them. Hence, we ask for the four coupons. But even so, and taking into account that as a favor price (since it represents a gift of 120-pe hedges in each unit) the quantity will be limited, and we will not be able to serve as many orders as we wish.
For all the above, naturally, people who do not meet the requested requirements are excluded from this option to buy. But with the people who meet the requirements, we possibly cannot serve them or all of them, once stocks are exhausted.
Editorial Dólar also notify it’s readers that the El Hombre Enmascarado Gun & Holster set would be available to purchase in retail stores at a later date, and not only via the mail-away coupon with tokens.
It should also be noted that illustrations of products were often advertised prior to the final production of items, with such illustrations commonly being different to the final product and packaging.
The El Hombre Enmascarado Gun & Holster set is extremely rare. The only known example to exist is in Bob Griffin’s Phantom collection.
Below we see a copy of the colorful card the various Phantom items were attached to, plus the skull encrusted Phantom belt with attached gun holsters (amongst various other Phantom collectibles).
Thank you Christopher Smith for assisting with images and information.
The Phantom 