Issue 1727 - Replica Series No 5, 2015
$5.25
This is the fifth Issue in Frew’s ‘Collectors Replica Series’ and reprints Issues 187, 186 and 185 from 1961.
No. 187 contains part one of Lee Falk’s 1940 daily story ‘The Seahorse’ with art by Ray Moore. This story was discussed in the previous edition of the Collectors Replica Series. Briefly Frew first published this story in Issues 10 and 11 back in 1949. It was reprinted in The Issues 100 and 101 and then this Issue 187 and 188. As mentioned previously all Issues from number 100 were censored until the story was finally published complete in Issue 953A.
Note: Diana’s mother is now named ‘Lily’ by Uncle Dave. Dave says “Diana, you’re in love with a strange man, who’s more legend than fact. He’s regarded by millions as an immortal superman. In many places his word means life or death.” When Diana’s mother asks Dave where The Phantom is, his reply is a classic legend in Phantom history “Where do lights go when they are turned out? Men have claimed to have seen him in a dozen places at once. He’s a will-of-the-wisp.”
No. 186 contains the 1955/56 daily story ‘Queen Sansamor and the Sixth Man’ drawn by Wilson McCoy. This story was previously published by Frew in issue No 99.
Note: Sansamor offers a prize of over a million dollars to the best fighter to beat her champion. Phantom “I must find out more about Queen Sansamor – who lets men fight to the death for her amusement.” Sansamor’s guards think The Phantom has changed into a wolf, an idea Lee Falk would utilise again in Wilson McCoy’s last daily story ‘The Werewolf.’ Cali looks up The Phantom in the ‘Book of Legends’ “Phantom also known as Ghost Who Walks said to be immortal. Nemesis of pirates, etc.. His sign is a skull mark! Natives claim he can take on shape of animals such as a wolf!” In a very dramatic scene the captured Phantom meets another masked man – the Queen’s unknown, undefeated champion! an executioner! ‘Queen Sansamor was published complete in Issue 1244.
No. 185 contains the first Frew publication of the almost new 1960 daily story ‘The Gurk Twins’ with art by Wilson McCoy. Lee Falk obviously had a good laugh with this story which contains many interesting components. It is a good mark story showing the first good mark sign shaped like an X and features the first ‘fake’ good mark sign. The Jungle Patrol feature at the start but soon disappear reappearing at the end of the story. It is also a Jungle Olympics story and The Phantom gives Diana her first horse ‘Lady.’ In total The Phantom will give Diana four horses! The Gurk Twins are called ‘butterfly bandits! and ‘moth maulers!’ by locals. The Gurk Twins are the 27th and 28th giants to face The Phantom.
The Phantom has heard of the Gurk twins – barroom brawlers, hoodlums. An unwritten jungle law – The Phantom will never refuse a challenge (almost an old jungle saying). The twins receive the skull mark, one says “…the skull mark – won’t come off.” The Phantom replies “It’ll wear off – in a few years.” The Phantom gives the twins a chance to win the trophy by entering the Olympics but they are soon found by the committee to be ‘not qualified.’
The Gurk twins are offered two alternatives, first to feed and water a thousand horses, which they learn is hard work, or help Dr Meeks catch butterflies, they choose butterflies. The 1960 Jungle Olympics are won by the Wambesi who carry off The Phantom trophy full of jewels for four years, until the next Olympics. ‘The Gurk Twins’ was published complete in Issue 1187.
Barry Stubbersfield
Phantom Historian
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