History

The Phantom was created in 1936 by Lee Falk. He is generally regarded as the first hero to wear the familiar tights style costume. He also beat Batman to the blank eye balled stare. He began life as a newspaper comic strip on February 17 1936, and he continues to this day in print in many countries around the world. The Ghost Who Walks has walked longer and further than any superhero.

The Ghost Who Walks

The people of Bangalla have a myth of the Phantom, the Ghost Who Walks, and undying spirit who has battled evil for generations. In reality many men have worn the Phantom's mask, as every time the Phantom dies his son assumes the mantle. The current Phantom is the twenty first in line.

The First Phantom

The legend begins with a young sailor named Christopher Walker. Born in 1516 in Portsmouth, England he was the son of a sailor who had been part of Christopher Columbus's crew on the Santa Maria when he sailed to the Americas. In 1526 his father was now a captain and Christopher sailed with him. In 1536 the ship was attacked by pirates of the Singh Brotherhood. Christopher witnessed his father's murder before falling into the sea and losing consciousness. Both ships exploded, leaving Christopher the sole survivor of the attack.

Christopher was ashore on the beach of Bangalla where he was discovered by the Bandar tribe of pygmies who nursed him back to health. Walking on the beach some time later, he discovered the body of the pirate who had killed his father. After the vultures had finished, he raised the skull above his head and swore, "I swear to devote my life to the destruction of piracy, greed, cruelty, and injustice, in all their forms! My sons and their sons, shall follow me."

After learning the language of the Bandar tribe, he found out that they were slaves of the Wasaka tribe, who were giants to the Bandar. The Bandars who had found him was only a small that had managed to escape from the village of the Wasaka. Christopher walked into the village of the Wasaka, and asked them to set them to liberate the Bandar. They were unimpressed and took him prisoner, and offered him to the Demon God of the Wasaka: Uzuki, to decide his fate. Christopher was quickly saved by a group of Bandars before the Wasaka could do him any real harm.

Christopher learned of the Bandar myth that a man would come from the ocean to free them from slavery. He designed a costume inspired by Uzuki and went to the Wasaka village again, bringing a group of Bandar with him armed with poisonous arrows. The Wasaka thought the demon had come to life and fearfully freed the slaves.

A firm friendship had been formed between the Bandar and Christopher that would last for generations. They showed him a cave that resembled a skull, which he made look even more skull-like, which became his home. Wearing the costume, he became the Phantom and when he died, his son took over.

The Twenty First Phantom

Kit Walker, the latest Phantom, was born in the Skull Cave. He spent his early years in Bengalla, then moved to the United States where his mother, Maud Thorne McPatrick, originated. There he lived with his aunt and uncle in Clarksville, Mississippi. It was there he met his future wife, Diana Palmer. Kit was an extremely talented sportsman, and was predicted to become the world champion of many different events (even knocking out the world heavyweight boxing champion in a sparring match when the champion visited Clarksville). Even though he was able to choose practically any career he wanted, Kit faithfully returned to Bengalla to take over the role of the Phantom when he received word that his father was dying from a knife-wound.

Kit's first mission as the Phantom was to avenge his father; tracking his betrayer, Rama Singh, who had stabbed the twentieth Phantom in the back and stolen his unique gun belt. He succeeded, and recovered the belt, but was unable to capture him as Rama Singh blew up himself and his lair.