The Phantom

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paw broon
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Re: The Phantom

Post by paw broon »

Yes, how soon is soon? Please.
The Keeper definitely qualifies. And I like the cut of his jib as well. Great stuff!
Thanks for the additional info. Phoenix.
I think it's also the case that Schoolgirls' Own Library stories e.g. The Grey Ghosts, were later re-done as picture stories in June & School Friend.

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Re: The Phantom

Post by Phoenix »

While we are waiting for JT, this might whet readers' appetites for his findings about The Black Sapper. The scan below is the heading picture from his very first appearance in The Rover in issue 384 (Aug. 24 1929). He is a criminal, and he uses the fantastic earth boring machine that he has developed to achieve his nefarious aims. This first series ran until issue 402 (Dec. 28 1929).
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BlackSapper.jpg

JT Mirana
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Re: The Phantom

Post by JT Mirana »

Phoenix wrote:
JT Mirana wrote:Interesting news on The Black Sapper coming soon...
How soon is soon, JT?
All being well, before the end of the month. :)

I'm such a tease!

Waiting for a press release before I spill the beans.

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Re: The Phantom

Post by Phoenix »

JT Mirana wrote:All being well, before the end of the month. :)
Oh well, at least there's only 28 days in February this year. Mind you, tomorrow is before the end of the month.
JT Mirana wrote:I'm such a tease!
You are turning comicsuk into a Primary School playground, JT. Here we are, all agog, mouths open wide in wonder and expectation, waiting for you to drop the dripping pearls of wisdom that you have collected from Mount Rover into our parched throats. How long is this sage going to make us wait?, we are starting to ask each other.
JT Mirana wrote:Waiting for a press release before I spill the beans.
We are now all agreed, it's not beans we want. And as for press releases, we've just done some of those in our gym class, so we don't want any more of those either. They tire us out and our throats get parched, so hurry up with those dripping pearls.

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philcom55
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Re: The Phantom

Post by philcom55 »

...All things come to those who wait Phoenix - even black-clad villains in mole-machines! :)

Another Masked Mystery Man I'd like to know more about is the Blue Domino who fought crime in the pages of Merry & Bright in tales written by Roy Wilson's wife G.M. Wilson - herself a prolific author of stories in the mystery and supernatural genre.

Image

- Phil Rushton

JT Mirana
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Re: The Phantom

Post by JT Mirana »

Phoenix wrote:
JT Mirana wrote:All being well, before the end of the month. :)
Oh well, at least there's only 28 days in February this year. Mind you, tomorrow is before the end of the month.
JT Mirana wrote:I'm such a tease!
You are turning comicsuk into a Primary School playground, JT. Here we are, all agog, mouths open wide in wonder and expectation, waiting for you to drop the dripping pearls of wisdom that you have collected from Mount Rover into our parched throats. How long is this sage going to make us wait?, we are starting to ask each other.
JT Mirana wrote:Waiting for a press release before I spill the beans.
We are now all agreed, it's not beans we want. And as for press releases, we've just done some of those in our gym class, so we don't want any more of those either. They tire us out and our throats get parched, so hurry up with those dripping pearls.

Mwah ha ha ha ha... :lol:

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Re: The Phantom

Post by Phoenix »

philcom55 wrote:...All things come to those who wait Phoenix - even black-clad villains in mole-machines!
That's usually true, Phil, but not in this instance, I suspect. Why the delay? Perhaps he's virtually living in the British Library, hastily mugging up on the career of The Black Sapper from their bound volumes. There are, after all, lots of serials to read. :lol: I suppose we may be lucky, and find out some time in March exactly what's going on now. And there was I thinking that the internet would transform the speed of communication round the globe. JT would appear to be going in the opposite direction. Not to worry, eh?

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paw broon
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Re: The Phantom

Post by paw broon »

Phil, you've done it again! Yet another hero to add to my card file. I have never heard of the Blue Domino and neither the British Guide nor International Hero website mention him. There are a number of Blue somethings and a fair few ----Domino characters. If you have more info./illos, and you have the time, any chance of posting some tit-bits?
I did some trawling through various comics websites but found no rumours re. Black Sapper. I hope I'm not going to be disappointed :roll: Bear in mind, J T, that it's not only British fans who await your revelation(s). The Black Sapper has fans worldwide. Well, I know of one bloke in California :shock:

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Re: The Phantom

Post by Phoenix »

paw broon wrote:I did some trawling through various comics websites but found no rumours re. Black Sapper. I hope I'm not going to be disappointed
Well, if JT doesn't come through with the goods, Paw, or his revelations don't cut the mustard, I'll just have to muscle in on his patch. Personally speaking, though, I'd much prefer him to step up to the plate.

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Re: The Phantom

Post by Phoenix »

paw broon wrote:I have never heard of the Blue Domino
It's Largo's ex-mistress working in a seedy Soho strip joint. The clue is the actual domino. It's a double sex.

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Re: The Phantom

Post by Kashgar »

Speaking of masked crimefighters what about 'The Amazing Mr X' as drawn by Jack Glass in the Dandy in 272-284 (1944/45). Denis Gifford always cited him as the first such homegrown upholder of the law to appear in any British comic.

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paw broon
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Re: The Phantom

Post by paw broon »

I found The Amazing Mr. X years ago when I borrowed a copy of D. G.'s book, which listed piles of British comics characters with illos. I forget the title. Fortunately at the time I had access to a photocopier at work and was able to take note of the costumed heroes in the book.
I'd have to do some real digging to back this up but I have a feeling he wasn't the first. Obviously not the first British hero or mmm, as we've established there were many in the story papers and pulps, but in comics? I sense further embarrassment as I should probably keep my mouth shut till I check, but, if it generates more responses, even at my expense, probably worth it. All suggestions re. British created superheroes and mmm greatfully received :D

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Re: The Phantom

Post by Phoenix »

paw broon wrote:D. G.'s book, which listed piles of British comics characters with illos. I forget the title.
I think this is the one you are referring to, Paw.
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Gifford's CCs.jpg

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philcom55
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Re: The Phantom

Post by philcom55 »

That's a hugely entertaining book, showcasing lots of fascinating characters. However, as was so often the case with Denis's comic encyclopedias, one has to be wary about some of the details. For example he states that Johnny Jett, Britain's very own 'Super Boy', made his comic strip debut in the first issue of New Hotspur, dated 24th October 1959 - yet the page of Dudley Watkins artwork shown below actually appeared in the original Hotspur way back in 1952!

Image

(If we're very good, maybe Phoenix will be able to tell us if this was based on an even earlier text series). :)

But my favourite Dudley Watkins superhero has to be Jack Flash, who was apparently so popular at one time that DC Thomson mocked up this cover with a view to giving him his own American-style comic book (albeit with a bit of help from C.C.Beck and the Big Red Cheese!):

Image

This amazing item, unearthed from the Thomson archive, is reproduced in the excellent History of the Beano: the Story So Far where it is suggested that the plan only fell through because of Britain's ongoing paper shortages during those postwar years!

Incidentally there's a two-page section in the companion volume devoted to the Dandy titled 'The Amazing Mr X: The UK's First Comic Superhero' - though like Paw I'm a bit dubious about this claim (especially if one widens the net to include text stories). It does, however, sound as though Mr X might have been the first British character to be deliberately modelled on Superman:

Image

- Phil Rushton
Last edited by philcom55 on 20 Feb 2014, 08:58, edited 2 times in total.

Phoenix
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Re: The Phantom

Post by Phoenix »

philcom55 wrote:(If we're very good, maybe Phoenix will be able to tell us if this was based on an even earlier text series). :)
No, it wasn't, Phil. The Hotspur introduced picture strip stories in September 1950, the week the page count went up from 12 to 16. There were just two in 1950, five in 1951, one of which was Johnny Jett - The Super Boy, and twelve in 1952, at which point they came to a full stop. There were a couple of others in the late fifties. Of the five in 1951, three were adaptations of text stories from The Skipper, these being Captain Zoom - The Ace Of Space, The Iron Men Of The Sea, and Leatherface. A fourth, The Iron Teacher was a favourite from The Hotspur. As far as I'm aware, Johnny Jett - The Super Boy, which ran for 21 episodes, had no previous history.

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