Today’s Comic> The Phantom: Generations Special

Hey, it only took them until the final issue to match the cover with the story!

The Phantom: Generations special

Moonstone (2010)

The last of the Moonstone Phantom comics, this isn’t actually a comic, as any reader of this series knows. The stories are prose, all with excellent art, in periodical format.

This issue is different because it has three stories and we’ll look at them individually.

The first is by Mike Bullock, with Norm Lanting on art. “Final Roar” is the 14th Phantom’s story, or more accurately his last story, at the hands of a lion. This is my favorite of the trio not because I didn’t like #14 or anything but because we get an idea as to what goes through a Phantom’s mind when he is about to die, as all Phantoms do, to be replaced by his son so that the legend still lives. We also get a brief glimpse of what goes through #15’s mind when he takes over the mantle of the Ghost Who Walks.

The second story is from the 15th Phantom’s days, entitled “Priceless”. Justin Grey & Chris Yeoman take on the writing duties with John Toledo on art. 15 wants to give an engagement present to his beloved, but comes across diamond thieves and slavers. That part of the story is very interesting. For some reason, it decides not to stop there but to have the Phantom take the conquered and the slaves to an old temple where they’re attacked by lions living there. This part feels tacked on, as there was no reason for the Phantom not to come back later, and the story doesn’t really have anything to do with the slavers. I don’t see a point. Also, one of the editors wasn’t paying attention as, for example, Phantom’s was written as Phantom”s every time, as was every other contraction, plus he is called Phantom and not THE Phantom. Otherwise, a decent enough story.

The final tale is from the 16th Phantom as he prowls the Old West as “The Masked Cowboy”. The Cowboy is hunting a murderer in “Ghost Drum”. Arron Shaps tells how Kit comes across an old Indian woman who “prepares” him to fight the skin walker, who has killed even children. Mick Collins is probably the best artist in the set, especially the scene with the “totem animal”, and that where I hit the part of the story that felt off to me, at least as a Phantom story. Not the weakest story and has the best art, but it was the one that least impressed me as a Phantom story. As an independent story, I would have enjoyed it more.

Recommendation: If you can find this and have enjoyed this particular series, why not pick it up? It’s the most expensive of any of the non-graphic novels that Moonstone put out at $7.50, but it’s worth the money.

Tomorrow’s Comic> Tron: The Betrayal #1