Phantom Finds at C2E2 - Searching for The Ghost Who Walks at Chicago's Premier Comic Con
- Scott Waldyn
- 3 hours ago
- 5 min read
For Those Who Came Late…
A mainstay of classic, pulp adventure stories, The Phantom has graced syndicated newspaper strips since February 17, 1936. Though pulp scholars disagree over whether or not he was the first “superhero” (emphasis on the “super” part), it’s safe to say that The Phantom is the first costumed crime-fighter to enter the stable of heroes who would soon follow. Whereas costumed vigilantes that came after predominantly filled the panels of comic books, The Phantom would, at least in the United States, stick primarily to newspaper stories in both black and white dailies and color Sunday strips (introduced in 1939). Like Batman, he was and remains a stalwart bastion of light without powers. Unlike Batman, The Phantom’s staying power in the United States hasn’t rooted firmly outside the world of newspaper comic strips for too long.
This isn’t a testament to his character so much as it is to the pulp entertainment landscape. Many of the characteristics that define The Phantom inspired similar qualities in other heroes—both super and not—and often, when companies like Marvel and DC Comics have decided to add The Phantom to their roster, it has been tumultuous or short-lived for one reason or another. This is especially true of Marvel’s Defenders of the Earth miniseries, which was canceled mid-arc.
Watch our Defenders of the Earth trade paperback review
Around the world, The Phantom’s “phan”-dom has grown exponentially. Australia is easily home to the number one Phantom fanbase, and the hero enjoys popularity in Sweden, India, Germany, France, and many other countries.
The Beauty of Fandom
Regardless of where they are in the world, each one of these fans has a memory or a story that first made them a fan. It’s often because of a special bond between Phantom-loving family and friends or deeply rooted to a moment where The Phantom inspired solace and courage. That’s the beauty of fandom. That’s the power that pulp heroes like Kit Walker hold over people around the world. And it’s why many of us champion his name.
Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo (better known as C2E2), is one of many celebrations around the world that taps into this type of fandom. Comic book lovers and fans of all stripes and mediums come together to swap stories, engage with creators and artists, and meet new friends. For 16 years, this festival has grown from the new convention on the block, replacing the once unbeatable Wizard World Comic Con that dominated the 1990’s, to the flagship convention of Chicago. Each year it grows, welcoming a new subset of fandoms. In 2025, C2E2 surpassed its attendance record as over 100,000 fans descended upon McCormick Place in Downtown Chicago.
In the sea of Anime cosplayers, horror hounds, members of Batman’s Rogues Gallery, Spider-Men, and steampunk versions of pop icons, there was one lone Phantom fan on the hunt for anything related to The Ghost Who Walks. Quite literally—anything.
Hi, it’s me. I’m the Phantom fan.
You Don’t Find The Phantom; He Finds You
My love of The Phantom was born of two things: (1) Purple is a fantastic color for a costumed hero and (2) I caught the Billy Zane-led film at the right age. When the Moonstone series started up a few years after the film’s release, several key stories (such as the fantastic “Curse of the Phantom” in the pages of The Phantom #3 and The Phantom #4) sealed the deal.
As an avid reader of the comic book medium, it’s been a rather difficult road exploring the lore of Kit Walker. I doubt this is a unique experience for other American readers.
When publishing companies like Moonstone Books or, more recently Mad Cave Studios, take up the charge to create new stories, it can be feast or famine. When those opportunities don’t exist, hunting down back issues from various publishing companies in the United States can be a challenge.
Which is what drew me to C2E2.
In years’ past, C2E2 has been my go-to source for niche back issues for many of the other comic book titles I read. Finding back issues of Batman, The Amazing Spider-Man, or Superman is a breeze. Looking for something more artsy or obscure like The Maxx or The Mask? No problem. Even beatnik or counterculture comics from the 70s are fairly easy to find if you know which vendors to visit.
But what about the original pulp costumed avenger? What about The Phantom?
Friends, stalking for back issues of The Man Who Cannot Die is challenging, to say the least. I spent hours sifting through back issue bins, and I managed to find only a handful of titles, mostly from the DC Comics miniseries in the late 80s.
Beyond those issues, I found a total of four Hermes Press single-issue reprints, three Gold Key titles, three Moonstone books, and four Charlton Comics issues. The best assortment of the bunch, which included Gold Key, Charlton, and Moonstone, was discovered at Harley Yee Rare Comics. Graham Cracker Comics, a large, local chain that covers the greater Chicagoland area, came in second.
When it comes to C2E2’s Artist’s Alley, which is less of an alley and more of a sprawling bazaar filled with over 500 creators, searching for anything related to The Ghost Who Walks is a stretch. There is no fan art. There is no merch. I found only one artist in Alex Saviuk who had worked on The Phantom.
While known for his pencils on Spider-Man, Phantom fans will recognize Alex Saviuk as the artist whose contributions include Marvel’s Defenders of the Earth miniseries, as well as Phantom stories for Frew, Moonstone, Hermes Press, and Fantomen, among others.
You can listen to our podcast with Alex Saviuk here.
Saviuk still drafts beautiful covers for Phantom stories in Sweden, contributing a couple of covers annually. Though the output of new Phantom stories in Sweden has slowed in recent years, Saviuk’s enthusiasm for the character is as strong as ever, leaping at the opportunity to contribute to this icon.
In the vast jungle of comic-con, finding any mark or sign of The Phantom is near impossible. In the United States at least, that old jungle proverb rings true, “You don’t find The Phantom; he finds you.”
Though elusive at C2E2, US fans are on the cusp of a resurgence.
Last year, Defenders of the Earth was relaunched by Dan Didio, Jim Calafiore, and Carlos M. Mangual for Mad Cave Studios. In a recent podcast interview, Didio noted that he had a follow-up storyline already written.
Mad Cave Studios is also launching a new The Phantom series, which will kick off with issue zero on Free Comic Book Day. Ray Fawkes has been announced as the writer.
Moonstone Books is also publishing The Phantom, written by fan-favorite Mike Bullock, as a backup story to their new Bystander title.
These new titles, along with the continued publication of The Phantom strip by Tony DePaul, Mike Manley, and Jeff Weigel, have the potential of bringing this original costumed hero back into the American lexicon.
Listen to X-Band: Phantom Podcast #300 - Phans chat with Mike Manley & Jeff Weigel
From one Phantom fan to another here’s to hoping that The Phantom finds his roots in the American comic book community.
[Editors note: If you are a fan who attends comic conventions around the world and would like to be a roving reporter for Chronicle Chamber and or want to let us know of related creators attending comic conventions, please contact us at ChronicleChamber@gmail.com]
