The Phantom aka The Ghost Who Walks Discussion

[Hopeless]

So after the discussion of an inverted Phantom of the Opera maybe its time we discussed the purple bodysuit champion hailing from the wilds of Africa!

So with a Billy Zane movie and attempted mini-series froma year or so ago I guess only the Flash Gordon, Mandrake, Phantom and co animated series that I can recall... anyone know of any other tv series based on this character or involves his dynasty?

[TheEmerged]

There was a French animated cartoon named Phantom 2040. The animation was horrible. No, worse than that. The writing? Uneven, in the same way as Star Trek: Original Recipe. And by that I mean the parts that stunk REALLY stunk, and the parts that worked WORKED.

[Terraoblivion]

All I know about the Phantom is that it was inexplicably beloved by kids, equally inexplicably hated by teachers and entirely unreadable in Denmark in the 50s. Well, okay, I also know that it had a marvelous pink and smudgy white colorscheme. The colors were fixed to standard black and white by the 70s, but it was still just as unreadable and ridiculously racist. It was still inexplicably talked about for something that plain bad.

[Aotrs Commander]

Well I know he's the lord of the jungle, beast call him brother and he apparently stalks people.

...

What?

[Frozen_Feet]

I recently rediscovered Phantom, and really liked the mythos build around the main character, the imaginative action and all the historical in-jokes.

Though as Terra noted, it's treatment of minorities is a bit dated, especially if you read the early stories. But calling the Phantom racist is a bit unfair, especially if talking of modern stories that tend to have very well researched historical backgrounds.

[Hattish Thing]

The Phaaaaaantom of the Opera is there... Inside your... :smallconfused:

<.<

>.>

Oh.

....

.......

Well, nothing to do here. :smalltongue:

[Hopeless]

So did anyone watch the Phantom mini series produced a few years ago?

Was wondering how that fared...

[Rockphed]

The comic strip ran in my local paper growing up. I never followed it well enough to understand what the heck was happening. Well, except that it was the adventures of an immortal and unaging wearer of a purple body suit.

Seriously, you would think that his kids would be more than 10 years old by now, but they were 10 when I was 5 and were 10 the last I saw of the strip, 5 years ago. And I am more than 10 myself.

Also, his disguise is hopelessly horrible. I mean, really? The trenchcoat and sunglasses of anonymity (http://www.schlockmercenary.com/2001-01-08)? Nobody looks inconspicuous in those. And he wears his bodysuit all the time. How did he manage to woo and marry anyone, much less father children. Is the body suit purple because it came that way, or because he never takes it off for a washing?

[Cen]

Oh god no... I remember watching this film... It was literally the very worst film I've ever seen. It wasn't even 'so bad it's good' or 'so bad it's funny' type. It was 'so bad it's awful', and discouraged me from digging any more into franchaise.

[Frozen_Feet]

Also, his disguise is hopelessly horrible. I mean, really? The trenchcoat and sunglasses of anonymity (http://www.schlockmercenary.com/2001-01-08)? Nobody looks inconspicuous in those. And he wears his bodysuit all the time. How did he manage to woo and marry anyone, much less father children. Is the body suit purple because it came that way, or because he never takes it off for a washing?

To be honest, the bodysuit was originally supposed to be grey. The goofy colors are a printing error that stuck. Also, he was the first masked hero. I'd say he can get away with trenchcoat and sunglasses of suspiciousness. :smalltongue:

As for getting a girl? He met the girl when he was still a civilan and a soaring athlete. Besides, they guy is conventionally pretty handsome, goofy fashion sense aside. And he is filthy rich. :smalltongue:

As for the film... it really doesn't do the franchise justice. Even though I didn't personally find it horribad, it was still too goofy for my tastes.

[BWR]

The costume has traditionally been a medium-to-dark shade of blue in Scandinavia.
Makes it look at least slightly better.

[Frozen_Feet]

Also as a commentery, in tales chronicling past generations of the Phantom, the Phantoms have often worn period-appropriate disguise over the costum, including even a full-blown knightly plate armor. So it's not always just spandex and a trenchcoat.

[Aotrs Commander]

What it is people have got against the purple? It's no stupider than most other super-hero costumes...

I've always associated purple with Imperial Rome myself...

[Cen]

What it is people have got against the purple? It's no stupider than most other super-hero costumes...

I've always associated purple with Imperial Rome myself...
It's not very sneaky colour, you see.

[TheThan]

The miniseries is decent, they “update” it a little, they give him an armored suit (its still purple though) and give him a big organization to back him up by feeding him information, providing him a private gulfstream to fly around in etc, so he can actually do what he does.

I love pulp adventures and well, The Phantom IS pulp adventure, and I LOVED the Billy Zane movie, sure it’s not high art, but I still get a kick out of watching it.


I found a 1940s era serial on Youtube. I should see if I can dig up the link.

Ho! here is the start:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9OhpclRNYO0

[Avilan the Grey]

Oh god no... I remember watching this film... It was literally the very worst film I've ever seen. It wasn't even 'so bad it's good' or 'so bad it's funny' type. It was 'so bad it's awful', and discouraged me from digging any more into franchaise.

What film? There never was a film. *Lalalalalalala* can't hear you.

Also, The Phantom is not purple. He is dark blue.
When first printed in color here in Sweden there was a mistake and he turned out blue. It stuck, and the comics are still printed with a dark blue suit here. Some people even say this contributed to his popularity, since blue just looks better than bright purple.

Also, just like with Disney comic books in Italy, The Phantom has a separate Scandinavian writing team that writes at least half the comics printed in Sweden.


It's not very sneaky colour, you see.

Not in daylight. At night? Very much so. Purple is one of the colors that works best, but dark red is the very best in the dark. Medium grey is also very good.


The miniseries is decent, they “update” it a little, they give him an armored suit (its still purple though) and give him a big organization to back him up by feeding him information, providing him a private gulfstream to fly around in etc, so he can actually do what he does.

So in other words it is RUINED FOREVER. Because THEY CHANGED IT AND NOW IT SUCKS.

Seriously though I think it goes against the feel of the character. But then so does other things, like the two surviving cavemen and the island called Eden with vegetarian fish eating lions and tigers. I always skipped those stories growing up.

[turkishproverb]

So did anyone watch the Phantom mini series produced a few years ago?

Was wondering how that fared...

You mean the 2 part pilot?
From Scifi/Syfy?

It...didn't work.


Oh god no... I remember watching this film... It was literally the very worst film I've ever seen. It wasn't even 'so bad it's good' or 'so bad it's funny' type. It was 'so bad it's awful', and discouraged me from digging any more into franchaise.

Watch the Syfy pilot. It's worse.

[snoopy13a]

The Phantom was one of my favorite comic strips as a kid. Although I liked it because it was kinda tacky. The highlight was when a storyline finally wrapped up and a new one began. It would start with: "For those who came in late . . ."

The Sunday paper would have a different storyline in color.

[TheThan]

So in other words it is RUINED FOREVER. Because THEY CHANGED IT AND NOW IT SUCKS.

Not so much ruined forever. But it is a bit different, and since people typically hate things that are different, I can see where a lot would hate it.

But then a lot of the changes make a certain amount of sense, like incorporating (super) modern body armor into the costume, he’s not actually immortal, so it makes sense he’d upgrade the suit with armor.
Now I’m not saying the show is high art or anything, but it’s watchable.
The jist of the character is still intact though, and that's at least good.

I much prefer the billy Zane movie, it's got that classic pulpy adventure feel to it that really fits the character.