Lets take a moment to remember the great Lee Falk (April 28, 1911 - March 13, 1999), the creator of the Phantom and Mandrake the Magician. From the start of these strips, the final days of his life, he wrote these strips. Indeed, Wikipedia reports that, while in the hospital room where he would pass, he would take off his oxygen mask to dictate scripts. In addition to the creating and writing the Phantom and Mandrake, Falk was a playwright and theatrical director and producer, working with such great performers as Marlon Brando, Charlton Heston, Paul Newman, Chico Marx, and Ethel Waters. The Phantom has been one of my favorite comics characters since I first saw him in a Cleveland newspaper. And that was even though I only saw him on Saturdays, the one day my father would bring home a newspaper. From the Gold Key comic books to the current strips being written today, the Phantom has always been a part of my life. I even buy and read the Australian Phantom comics which reprint stories from other countries. Falk was a masterful storyteller. His inventive tales of adventure created an entire universe around the Phantom and his ancestors. His later tales reflect the growth of democracy in that universe, featuring strong African men and women in vital positions and occupations. So heres a tip of the top hat to Lee Falk with thanks for all the great stories and characters...and for his inspiration to a young Tony Isabella.
Posted on: Mon, 28 Apr 2014 06:39:43 +0000
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