Man or Myth
When you get right down to it, the Phantom is almost like the poster child for old-school pulp adventure heroes. He never dies, but he is forever changing with the times. The difference between him and someone like the Rocketeer or the Shadow is that while those two always remain the same man in each new incarnation, the Phantom is a mantle that is passed from father to son endlessly.
This means that each new take on the character is a different person, with a different personality, strengths, and weaknesses from the last. It is a built-in mechanism to keep the character in line with the times and to keep things fresh and exciting.
The Shot Heard Around the Jungle
This story arc, up until this point, has very much been like the movie Die Hard set in the jungle, with the Phantom in the role of John McClane. In this issue, we turn that concept on its head. The Phantom is potentially fatally wounded by a gunshot very early in the issue, so he is out of commission from literally page two of the book.
This change means two things. First, up to this point, the narration has consisted of the internal thoughts of the Phantom, but that is no longer the case. Second, his trusted friend and ally Guran must step up to help both his friend and his captive village. Moving Guran into the spotlight gives the whole story a very different feel. Now it is like a scenario where John McClane was taken out by injuries sustained and his sidekick character has to pick up where he left off.
The sidekick, in this case Guran, is trained and determined, but he has not literally been born for this like the Phantom has been. Therefore, it is a very different struggle for him. While Guran tries to deal with the Singh soldiers who are trying to find and finish off the Ghost Who Walks, the partner of the Phantom, Diana, is doing her best to save his life. Hopefully they are both successful, for Asif Singh, leader of the Singh Brotherhood, has given the Phantom an hour to surrender himself, or else the lives of the children of the village will be forfeit.
Faithful Friend
Shifting the lead to Guran was a good move that gives this book a shot in the arm. The Phantom getting shot on page two and spending the rest of the book out of commission is a very bold storytelling move, especially since the book is still in its first arc. Therefore, kudos to the creative team for that decision. Guran is an interesting character. He has clearly been raised in the same environment as the Phantom, so they share many of the same experiences and skills. However, Guran is an ordinary man who does not have the weight of legacy and a legendary mantle hanging over him. Furthermore, he seems a little more willing to kill than the Phantom is, so his personal code of honor appears to be different as well.
Diana still does not seem to get much characterization other than that of a loving partner, although now she can add the ability to remove bullets and sew up gunshot wounds to her list of traits. Unless the Phantom dies, then that skill remains her primary contribution. Her characterization is very shallow and one-note so far. This is honestly quite accurate to the old pulps, but that does not mean that it is interesting or compelling in any way. If the writers want to give her more focus going forward, then she needs to have more of a distinct personality.
Support System
Writing duties are once again the purview of Ray Fawkes, who seems to be finding his footing with the character and the setting now. He is taking a few more risks in his storytelling. The shift in the narration from the internal monologue of the Phantom to a traditional omniscient narrator works well to change the tone of the book while our lead is out of commission and fighting for his life. The narration is written in the classic pulp style, which means it is a little overwritten and over-the-top, but not too much so. It works well.
The artist for this issue is again Russell Olson, and his style works very well for this book. He has an almost cartoony kind of feel, which is an interesting counterbalance to some of the violence and darkness on the page. Additionally, the full-page image of the Phantom getting shot by a sniper is a great page. It is one where you can feel a change in the air as the hero of the jungle is taken down.
This creative team has gelled well, and as a bonus, they have completed four issues in a row together. This is sadly a rarity today. If they can continue to produce work like this without missing issues, they will be a team to keep an eye on.
Kobiyashi Maru
It looks like the next issue will be the end of this arc, which is a good move. This issue did a lot to turn things around and change the trajectory of the book to one that is a little more interesting. However, five issues on a Die Hard pastiche is still more than enough. There are interesting elements in play that should lead to an epic conclusion to this arc and the hostage situation contained within. It is good that the book is bringing the first story to a natural conclusion before it gets too long in the tooth and things start to fall apart.
If you have not checked out The Phantom yet, this is a good, solid issue to do so with. It is an interesting take on the Die Hard scenario while taking the story in directions beyond what you would expect for such a tale. If you were already checking out the book and were starting to see your interest wane a bit, this issue should go a long way toward recapturing your attention. Although he looks to be down for the count right now, the Ghost Who Walks will be back again, one way or the other. Let us hope he gets back on his feet before it is too late and that you are here to greet him.