Chapter by Chapter features me reading one chapter of the selected book at the time and reviewing it as if I were a reviewing an episode of a TV show or an issue of a comic. There will be spoilers if you haven’t read to the point I have, and if you’ve read further I ask that you don’t spoil anything further into the book. Think of it as read-along book club.

Joe Gentile, the other editor of this anthology, is a busy guy. In addition to founding Moonstone, the comic/novel publishing company responsible for this book and the various Phantom comics I was reviewing until Dynamite took the license (no, I’m still not over the “berry juice” nonsense–does he wear an actual costume yet?), Gentile is an author and comic writer as well as owner of the “Amazing Fantasy” chain of comic book stores. He wrote a team-up story with Sherlock Holmes and Kolchak the Night Stalker. Like I said, busy.

So the question is what will he bring to this Phantom story? And what about Rafael Nieves? He’s a busy writer himself. Let’s check their story out.

Devil At My Side

by Joe Gentile and Rafael Nieves

I don’t know if Devil’s origin story was ever given in the newspaper strips, but the writers give one here. It’s actually a pretty good story, but too short of one to really talk about, probably the shortest in the book, although I don’t know how you’d make it any longer. While spoilers do happen in this article series, with this anthology of short stories there’s only so much I want to say.

I do question some of the names. This may show how little I know about African naming styles, especially in the more tribal areas, but B’Toi and G’Wanna? Are those actual names? And maybe it’s the comic fan in me and knowing these two work in comics but there’s a guy named Cala’bak. I’m not the only one making a DC Comics/Fourth World link here, am I? Also, someone kept hitting the “Enter” key too much. There are

paragraphs that kind of look like this. Also, the “about the author” section appears on the next page, despite having plenty of room on the page before it. Gentile’s an editor and publisher; he shouldn’t need the other editor to spot that.

Overall, I like this origin for Devil and wouldn’t mind seeing it become official.

Next Time: “No Ghosts Need Apply”, by Win Scott Eckert

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• Chapter By Chapter: The Phantom Chronicles V2 – I Of The Storm
• Chapter By Chapter> The Phantom Chronicles V2: Night Visitor To Bangalla
• Chapter By Chapter: The Phantom Chronicles V2 – A Man of His Word
• Chapter By Chapter: The Phantom Chronicles V2 – Justice Delayed