The Phantom figure was produced by Cosmec in Italy in 1978. The figure is part of the Novità Fury toy line which was primarily focused on generic western and equestrian toys, also producing licensed and unlicensed variations of famous characters to ride the horses.
Cosmec was a quintessential Italian manufacturer of the 1970s “rack toy” era, a period defined by inexpensive, plastic-blister-packed toys sold in convenience stores and supermarkets rather than dedicated hobby shops. Based in Italy, the company specialized in high-volume production of injection-molded plastic figures and vehicles. They were known for creating eclectic toy lines that often blended original concepts with licensed (or sometimes loosely interpreted) pop culture icons, such as Superman and The Phantom, to maximize their appeal across European and international markets.
The company gained significant traction with its “Novità” (Novelty) branding, specifically the Novità Fury line. While many Italian toy firms of the time focused on high-end dolls or die-cast cars, Cosmec found a niche in kinetic, action-oriented plastic toys. Their signature “galloping” mechanism was a staple of their output. By using a standardized horse mold and swapping out the rider, ranging from generic cowboys to legendary heroes like L’Uomo Mascherato, Cosmec was able to export its products globally, reaching major US retailers like Gimbels (Gimbels was a major American department store, a chief rival to Macy’s).
Like many mid-sized European toy manufacturers of that decade, Cosmec eventually faded from the consumer toy market as the industry shifted toward massive global conglomerates and more complex electronics in the 1980s. Today, the company is primarily remembered by collectors of “Obscure-o” toys and international superhero variants. Their pieces are valued for their charmingly non-standard paint schemes and the unique snapshot they provide into how global characters were adapted by regional manufacturers before the era of strict, uniform global branding.
The Phantom produced in the Novità Fury toy line was sold with a full color card backing in a clear see-through plastic blister-pack, void of print on the back. The card art shows a cowboy, reflecting the “Fury” line’s western roots, even though the figure inside is a comic strip character. The Phantom is depicted holding a pistol and features the signature mask and cowl. The mold is relatively simple, typical of late 1970s “dimestore” style toys that relied on basic articulation and bright colors.
The Phantom is produced in a vibrant red suit with contrasting bright blue boots and a black belt and gun holsters, a color scheme that deviates from the standard purple to reflect regional European publishing trends of the era. He is sculpted holding a black semi-automatic pistol, ready for action while mounted atop his jet-black stallion, “Fury”.
Found at the base of the backing card is the manufactures logo “Cosmec” alongside the words “Made In Italy” and is also marked with “ref. 471”, which collectors use to catalog the different variations within the Novità Fury series.
The set’s primary play feature is the mechanical horse, which is designed with a “galloping” function activated by pressing down on the animal’s hindquarters. The horse is equipped with a white plastic saddle and bridle, providing a sharp visual contrast to the dark plastic of the mount. The instructions on the front of the card (printed in Italian, German, French, and English) explain that the user should “press the back and release” to make the horse move forward.
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