Australia and Sweden have their branch of the LFMBEC, Supanova Sydney has a Chronicle Chamber lunch and USA has their annual phan meet up at Sardi's. Every meeting is different and has it owns uniqueness - Sardi's is no different.
On the 8th of June 2019 in New York the FOTP (Friends of the Phantom) group had another lunch with three Phantom artists in attendance in Sy Barry (with his wife Simmy), Luke McDonnell (DC Phantom artist) & Keith Williams (Daily Inker & Moonstone Artist). Pistol Pete the founder and Jaime Diaz where two other known phans who attended.
Below is a photo gallery from the lunch with photos supplied by phans Pete Klaus & Jaime Diaz from the lunch.
The FotP lunches started in 1990 and the first event included Lee Falk, Jim and Judith Shepherd, Phantom historian Bob Griffin, founder Pete Klaus, the late Ed Rhoades plus others. The event went for two hours as all that attended soaked up every minute and story from Lee Falk. Sardi's was one Lee Falk's favourite local restaurants.
Lee Falk and many other artist / creators have attended the lunches including Alex Saviuk, Sy Barry, Luke McDonnell, Lou Manna, Keith Williams, Ulf Granberg just to name a few. Jim & Judith Shepherd always attended and many other Australians in Bradley Peach, Gary Horne and William Higgins have also attended over the years.
Like all phan catch ups gifts are usually swapped and given away with Pete always playing the part of Santa Claus ensuring everyone goes away with nick knacks to add to their collection.
The above photo is from Lee Falk's last dinner with Friends of The Phantom at Sardi's in New York. Falk was presented with his third and last cane from FOTP, with a Phantom head in bronze. The previous canes had a Mandrake head and a white Phantom head respectively.
In talking with both Pete and Ed two gifts at Sardi's stand out among the rest - the above walking cane was one and the other gift that stands out to this day in Pete's memory was an original hand painted Phantom Bust sculpture, by renounced sculptor Ruben Procopio to Sy Barry.
Like most phan events please note, there is no 'open invitation' or ticket you can buy from a ticketing company. It is run and organised by devoted Phantom phans and is invite only.
We thank Pete Klaus and Jaime Diaz for the photos and Pete & Ed for the information, photos and stories from these events from the last 30 years.
