The Phantom #4
(W) Ray Fawkes (A) Russell Olson (L) Taylor Esposito
DEADLIER THAN A COBRA’S STRIKE!
The Phantom has eaten away at the forces of the Singh Brotherhood — but the soldiers are seemingly endless, and the people of the Bandar village are still under threat. There’s an old jungle saying… ‘The Phantom never dies.’ Asif Singh will put it to the test. The battle grows desperate in the newest installment of Ray Fawkes and Russell Olson’s stylish epic!
The Phantom #3
(W) Ray Fawkes (A) Russell Olson (L) Taylor Esposito
HIS WRATH IS SWIFTER THAN THE WIND!
And it’s coming for the Singh Brotherhood! Even the most hapless soldier knows the lore of The Ghost Who Walks — and only their arrogant leader is convinced the stories are false. Now that he’s threatened the village of the Bandar, The Phantom’s closest friends and allies, Asif Singh will learn just how real the legend is.
Blue Palo Verde
(W) Ray Fawkes (A) Rimanti (C) Rifan Kartakusumah (L) Frank Cvetkovic
An ex-con searches for her missing father in a cultish oasis town called Promise in this folk horror tale set against the backdrop of the American Southwest.
Newly released from prison, Kristine Woods discovers that her father has disappeared into a mysterious town hidden in the New Mexico desert. When she arrives to the town of Promise, though, she doesn’t find an average Southwestern town but an oasis of blossoms and lush greenery in the desert… and a sheriff that wants her gone by sunset! Now, it’s up to Kristine to find her father and rescue him from the unnatural threat of this bizarre town and its inhabitants, even as something even more ominous and powerful lurks beneath the surface. What is she willing to give to protect not only her father but the community she’s found?
Eisner Award-nominated writer Ray Fawkes (One Soul, Gotham by Midnight) and visionary artist Rimanti Nurdarina invite you to explore the town of Promise and the secrets it holds in this atmospheric folk horror tale of dread and redemption set against the splendor of the American Southwest.
The Phantom #3
(W) Ray Fawkes (A) Russell Olson (L) Taylor Esposito
HIS WRATH IS SWIFTER THAN THE WIND!
And it’s coming for the Singh Brotherhood! Even the most hapless soldier knows the lore of The Ghost Who Walks — and only their arrogant leader is convinced the stories are false. Now that he’s threatened the village of the Bandar, The Phantom’s closest friends and allies, Asif Singh will learn just how real the legend is.
Blue Palo Verde #5
(W) Ray Fawkes (A) Rimanti (C) Rifan Kartakusumah (L) Frank Cvetkovic
Kristine must face off with the blood thirsty Sheriff Whitlock, as she makes the ultimate decision: whether to stay with her father in Promise as penance or seek the freedom she has been wanting for years…The hotly anticipated folk-horror story of dread and redemption concludes in October 2025!
The Phantom #2
(W) Ray Fawkes (A) Russell Olson (L) Taylor Esposito (CA) Freddie Williams II
THE PHANTOM NEVER DIES! But no one said anything about his friends and family. When drugrunners of the Singh Brotherhood lose a valuable shipment in the jungle, it’ll be the villagers of Bandar who pay the price. But the Brotherhood thinks the Phantom is a myth. They’re about to taste the cold fist of reality. Ray Fawkes and Russell Olson’s stylish new era continues in another pulse-pounding issue!
When a violent gang of smugglers stubbles on an idyllic Bandar village, the peace that the Phantom has brought to the African nation of Bangalla will suddenly shatter. It will take all of the Phantom’s many skills — and allies — to restore it. The Phantom #1 returns almost 90 years after his debut with a new series and a new publisher and it’s… a rough start.
Written by Ray Fawkes, the Phantom is back! Created by Lee Falks in 1936, the character has had starts, restarts, movies, and more over the decades since his debut. The latest series feels like it attempts to mix up some of that history as far as style and delivery, giving a somewhat pulp adventure debut that drops readers into the action. The first issue revolves around a crashed plane, packed with drugs, and the owner and gang who want it back. It builds things up to a clash between drug dealers and a village with The Phantom there to help save the day. In other words, it’s a rather predictable story that has some pulp adventure aspects to it but offers little that’s new, different, or all that exciting.
Fawkes’ narrative is interesting with narration that bounces between first and third person for a reading experience that feels a bit odd and stilted at times. The Phantom recounts his initial encounter with a crashed plane to Diana as he gets patched up, generally dumping readers into the action. Things are generally explained enough so readers can understand what’s going on, who matters, and get the general details though specifics aren’t one for this issue. If you want an origin, this isn’t it. Instead, there’s fights, threats, and a cliffhanger ending. All of it is pretty standard for this type of comic mining the classic style of it all with few updates.
The art is decent. Russell Olson is joined by Taylor Esposito on the lettering and the look of the character and comic has a bit more of a Chris Samnee vibe to it than the classic pulp style. It looks good and the action is entertaining. But, the art also gives it a bit of a playful feel to it, diminishing the danger of the various situations. The style would be great for a more swashbuckling, ancient temple, dangerous traps type of story. But, drug dealers, and threats of mass murder doesn’t quite fit the style.
The Phantom #1 isn’t bad but it also is rather odd. The narrative focus seems to jump around a bit and the story overall doesn’t deliver much that’s new. It also doesn’t lean into its classic pulp vibes enough instead, it just kind of is. A find comic to read but when there’s so much out there now, it doesn’t deliver anything new or exciting to stand out.
Story: Ray Fawkes Art: Russell Olson Letterer: Taylor Esposito
Story: 6.5 Art: 7.0 Overall: 6.5 Recommendation: Pass
Mad Cave Studios provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review
Purchase: Zeus Comics – Kindle
Blue Palo Verde #4
(W) Ray Fawkes (A) Rimanti
(C) Rifan Kartakusumah (L) Frank Cvetkovic
Kristine has met the secret behind the town of Promise…a mysterious and powerful woman! However, Sheriff Whitlock will do everything he can to make sure Kristine doesn’t come between him and this woman. Kristine must choose between the freedom she has been searching for since leaving prison or staying in Promise with her father…The hotly anticipated folk-horror story of dread and redemption continues in September 2025!
The Phantom #1
(W) Ray Fawkes (A) Russell Mark Olson
(L) Taylor Esposito (CA) Freddie Williams II
THE GHOST WALKS AGAIN! The Phantom returns! Created by Lee Falks in 1936, the Phantom is one of the first costumed super heroes in history, with untold influence on pop culture. Now, critically-acclaimed creators Ray Fawkes and Russell Olson revive the character for fans old and new. When a violent gang of smugglers stubbles on an idyllic Bandar village, the peace that the Phantom has brought to the African nation of Bangalla will suddenly shatter. It will take all of the Phantom’s many skills — and allies — to restore it. The most exciting series of the year starts here!
Blue Palo Verde #3
(W) Ray Fawkes (A/CA) Rimanti (C) Rifan Kartakusumah (L) Frank Cvetkovic
While Kristine learns a lesson in trust from her father, Sheriff Whitlock and the strange secret of the town of Promise are closing in on her from both sides. Whichever way she turns, her life will be forever changed. Can she survive the choice? The hotly anticipated folk-horror story of dread and redemption continues in August 2025!
