In October last year, we reported on some of the items Phanfare had listed on their Drawing Board, and among them was a BBQ apron.
At the time we wrote, "While the Phantom apron (and, we are told, matching mitt) has been on Phanfare's Drawing Board since May, there has been very little commentary around it. Hopefully this is something we could see available for sale before the next time Father's Day rolls around!"
Well it turns out our hopes have come to fruition as the apron and matching oven mitt have been released to the public and are now available for purchase!
Featuring a classic sculpted torso, flattering waistline and muscular legs, the apron will turn every phan into a comic strip hero! The oven mitt, with a striking Skull Ring and purple cuff, seems a very suitable companion piece. Whether worn on their own or as a set, these are sure to be great conversation starters at many social gatherings.
Indeed, Frew Crew member Rene White almost broke the Internet a few nights ago when he posted an image of himself modelling the set! With over 100 likes and dozens of comments, reception from phans suggests this apron set should well be a best seller!
To purchase the Apron and Oven Mitt set, head on over to the Phanfare website ($44 with free shipping). At the very list, make sure you post the link to your kids to set yourself up for a phantastic Father's Day.
Or maybe, just maybe, you might be lucky enough to find one in your Local Comic Store, like this one (below), spotted in Heroes HQ, Ballarat.
Meanwhile, we have also heard an update about the long-awaited Phantom Gallery Series 2 Trading Card set!!
Despite the promo card that appeared mid-last year with Frew's 80th Anniversary Special (#1763) promising that the set would be available by Christmas 2016, we are now five months later and no cards in sight! However, it seems that they might finally be on the horizon.
From a statement on the Phanfare Facebook page: "First of all let me express my apologies for the delay which has largely been out of my control...I also appreciate your keenness and patience - it will be worth it. This has been a TWO YEAR project and it will be worth it, trust me.
While it is a little disappointing that these cards are a few months behind schedule, it's probably best to keep these things in perspective. After all, the Phantom Gallery Series 1 cards were released over 20 years ago. Another month or two to wait for Series 2 surely won't make that much of a difference! We will post sneak peeks of the Chase cards etc in the upcoming weeks up until the release."
Phanfare proprietor Glenn Ford tells us, "All artwork is in from all artists!!! Chase cards are going to printer next week, base cards the week after, for mid-year release."
We know that one of those artists is Sal Velluto, who told us all in December last year that 12 pieces of his work had been submitted for the set.
All this only serves to further whet the appetite for the first set of genuine Phantom trading cards in the Internet communication age. Hopefully most phans are really looking forward to the trading element in the modern world, perhaps with plenty of 1 for 1 swaps on PhantomCollector and the other various Facebook groups. It is amusing to imagine cards zinging around the country in the mail as phans complete their sets!
