On Monday the 27th of January a New Phantom Adventure begun in the Dailies. This adventure is thus far untitled but the opening two days has seen a wealth of information flood in regarding not only the 1st Phantom but his ancestry!
For those of us in Australia who read Frew comic books in the 80s and 90s, we are very familiar with the "For those who came in late" motif as it was included on the inside cover of a vast number of issues. It is a trope that was also often used by Lee Falk when reminding readers of the genesis of The Phantom.
Tony DePaul last told the origin story in Daily #215, "The Twins' Futures". This origin retelling ran for a week from September 14 to 19, 2015.
For this current retelling Tony will be stretching the origin story out over 2 weeks and if the first two days are anything to go by, those panels are going to be ripe with new information.
We here at Chronicle Chamber often have fun trying to derive the meaning behind the language Tony DePaul uses in his strips as well as trying to predict where his stories will lead. For this article, I will investigate what may be of significance regarding the Walkers' ship that was attacked by the Singh Pirates in 1536 as well as the Walker crest/ coat of arms.
The opening panel on Day 1 lets readers in on some information regarding the ship that Kit Walker and his father, Christopher, made their fateful journey on.
The type of ship: Carrack
According to Wikipedia, a Carrack was a carvel-built ocean going ship which was large enough to be stable in heavy seas and able to carry large cargo and provisions needed for very long voyages. Just the type of vessel one would need to round the "Cape of Storms", known today as "The Cape of Good Hope". The carrack was one of the most influential ship designs in history.
The name of the ship: Matilda
In Australia the name Matilda is synonymous with the country's Women's National Soccer (or Football for our European friends) team. It is also well known through the quintessential bush ballad, "Waltzing Matilda" which was penned by Banjo Patterson in 1895, and is often coined as Australia's "Unofficial National Anthem". However, all names have meanings and according to behindthename.com the name Matilda signifies "Strength in battle".
On Day 2 we get to see the Walker family crest, or coat of arms. There are many elements to a coat of arms and after trawling through the Armorial Gold Heraldry Symbolism Library I will do my best to explain the symbolism as I see it.
Helmet (or Helm)
Placed at the top of the shield, the helmet indicates the rank of a family. A closed helmet viewed in side profile as this one is, represents a squire or gentleman. If gold bars were included on a helmet in this position it would represent the rank of Nobleman.
Purple
The colour purple represents royal majesty, sovereignty and justice.
Blue
Blue denotes truth and loyalty. Azure, a shade of blue, represents truth divine. It was the symbol of divine eternity and of human immortality.
Astrolabe
For the astrolabe in the bottom of the crest I have used information as it pertains to its successor, the Sextant, as I could not find much information regarding the symbolism of the astrolabe. What I could find, though brief, correlated with the sextant. The Sextant represents adventure and the discovery of new horizons; an emblem of direction, watchfulness, guidance and protection. The sextant is also closely associated with progress, because it expands the boundaries of knowledge and extends the limits of understanding.
At first, I thought that the creature on the Left was a Griffin, but on closer inspection I judge it to be a Dragon, even though its body and legs are not scaled. I will include the heraldry information for both
Dragon
Its head is that of a serpent, with a forked tongue and ears. The body is that of a lion, but it is represented scaled, and the large wings are webbed and pointed, which resemble those of a bat. The legs are also scaled, and the feet are represented with webbed talons. The dragon is the most valiant of all living creatures because of its sharpness of sight and therefore it symbolises the defender of treasure and worldliness.
The Anglo-Saxon word "dragon" is derived from the Greek, "drakon" (which is a derivative of the word, "derkesthai"), which means "to see clearly". This hints at the Dragon's gift of prophecy, maybe Old Man Mozz should incorporate the Dragon into his own coat of arms! Another translation of Dragon from the Greek, according to author Jess Zafarris (bachelor of English Literature, masters of Journalism and Mass Communication), is "the one with the (deadly) glance". [Those who look upon the Phantom's face will die a horrible death - Old Jungle Saying]
Today we often think of Dragons as bringing destruction and chaos, however the dragon, to some cultures, was an emblem of good fortune and perfection.
Griffin
This chimerical creature has the head, wings, and talons of an eagle with the body of a lion, and is said to express the ideal combination of swiftness, strength and intelligence. Historically the Griffin has been emblematic of valour, vigilance and death defying bravery. Guillim, an often-quoted heraldic writer says this about the Griffin, "(it) sets forth the property of a valorous soldier whose magnanimity is such that he will dare all dangers, and even death itself, rather than become captive." This creature is as old as the time of the Phoenicians, was sacred to the sun, and kept guard over hidden treasures. It is symbolic of watchfulness, courage, perseverance, and rapidity of execution.
Horse
The Horse is a symbol for loyalty and devotion, such as the faith it has with its master, and it also represents the warrior spirit, bravery and courage. Heraldic writers say that Horses (and those who used it as an emblem) represented the readiness for all employments for king and country.
In regards to the diagonal lines that are shown in the blue section of the shield, I could not find anything solid about it's symbolism. Perhaps it was just an artistic choice?
One may say that the name of the ship, as well as the symbolism within the Walker Crest provides a great amount of foreshadowing on who Kit Walker and his descendants will become. When asked, Tony DePaul had this to say about the symbolism of the crest...
"I scripted the astrolabe to suggest the maritime history of the Walkers, and scripted the knight’s helmet to suggest matters of the battlefield, a martial connection to great events in English history. The colors, yes, that was scripted to suggest that the colors and pattern of the costume didn’t come out of nowhere but were inspired by the marooned Kit’s memory of his family crest.
I scripted the rampant horse to suggest that the Walkers had an affinity for horses. Gave Mike the option of a rampant dragon or lion for the other side of the shield."
So Mike was given the choice of either a rampant (on its hind legs) dragon or lion and went with dragon. If he had gone with the lion then it would symbolise the following...
Lion
An emblem of majesty, strength and justice, military might and deathless courage, the Lion was indeed a foe to fear. The lion is also a emblem of the resurrection; according to tradition, the lion's whelp is born dead, and remains so for three days, when the father breathes on it and it receives life. Another tradition is that the Lion is the only animal of the cat tribe born with its eyes open, and it is said that it sleeps with its eyes open; although not completely true the lion does sleep watchfully and lightly
As you can see, many of the Phantom's tropes can be traced back to these symbols included in these first two days of the latest retelling of the origin story. The direction that Tony DePaul has given Mike Manley in his depiction of the crest, as well as the name of the ship, suggest one who is deeply in tune with Phantom lore. Even when his ideas are based in another direction they still hold true to what many may say are vital elements of The Phantom.
Has exploring the Walker's Family Crest inspired you to investigate the symbols on your own family's crest? Do you enjoy these additions to the Phantom lore that Tony DePaul, Mike Manley and Jeff Weigel are creating? Do you agree with my interpretation of the symbols or do you have other suggestions? Please let us know in the comments.
As always,
Happy Phantoming!
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