Is the Phantom All That Big in Australia?

[Free-Man]

A question for the YASBSers from down under. A while back, a friend of mine from online said that the old pulp hero the Phantom is far more popular in Australia than any other country.

Can anyone attest to the truthiness of this statement?

[fireSTRIKE!]

A question for the YASBSers from down under. A while back, a friend of mine from online said that the old pulp hero the Phantom is far more popular in Australia than any other country.

Can anyone attest to the truthiness of this statement?

I don't know 'bout Oz, but 'ccordin' to my bud who was born in Africa (can't remember where), the Ghost Who Walks is big around those parts... damns, I LOVES the Phantom...

[FeminineMystique]

Hmmm..if true I wonder what it is about the character that makes him so popular in the land down under?

[fireSTRIKE!]

Hmmm..if true I wonder what it is about the character that makes him so popular in the land down under?

the very first costumed hero in comics, well before Superman... :cool:

[OzBat!]

The Phantom IS big, or rather, was. He's still got fan clubs and so forth downunder. Go into any newsagent, and you will still find multiple issues of Phantom Comics, next to a few battered copies of a few marvel and dc titles (don't know who's got the newsstand distribution rights down here for those, but they've got to be losing money hand over fist).

The regular book is usually a collection from the newspaper strip story occasionally a new story. It's printed in black and white on newspaper still, too. I don't usually get the weeklies, but I never pass up the annuals. 325 pages of Phantom-y goodness!

[Weetomuncher]

I've heard that Swedish people love The Phantom and that he is the most popular superhero there even today, years after his heyday.

Apparently this was caused by The Phantom being translated into Swedish much earlier than a lot of the other superhero stories.

[Cam63]

He is popular here, yes.

[Gnarl]

He is very, very big in Scandinavia. And gets much better art than he does in the US

[Night Swordsman]

I have always loved the Phantom, but never saw the movie, which i heard so many bad reviews i decided not to go see it. I was also saddened by so much negativity over the Shadow movie(which i liked a lot) that i just knew that no one would like this one either.


I am still waiting for someone to do a really, REALLY good new Flash Gordon or Buck Rogers movie, and to remember to make it FUN.

[WhiteRose]

My local has a six foot tall Phantom statue that looms near the entrance to the store, and they're store logo in a Kangaroo in a Phantom costume with the caption 'The Ghost who hops'.

They've got a massive collection of Phantom back issues in the back of the store...I've honestly never seen the attraction to Phantom. But then, my exposure is limited to the 90s movie and the occasional Sunday Mail strip.

So...yes? He's big? I guess?

[Cam63]

His missus can tell you.

[veracity]

I have always loved the Phantom, but never saw the movie, which i heard so many bad reviews i decided not to go see it.
It's one of my favorite movies, though. I think Swanson was shocked I said she was pretty in the role. (Well, she was!) It's a feel good movie for me. It's cheesy as all hell but that's an advantage when I wanna stop being growly.

[Cam63]

They shoulda done a better job with the movie.

[veracity]

They shoulda done a better job with the movie.

Well, I have no expectations of Hollywood ever doing ANY movie well so I'm happy when something kicks ass.

I figure the lower expectations, the happier I am.

[Flâneur]

I suppose he's big, he has books in all the newsagents and there are (slightly older) shops named after him. He's not exactly notorious, though, and his presence here is easily forgotten unless you think for a moment.

[Night Swordsman]

It's one of my favorite movies, though. I think Swanson was shocked I said she was pretty in the role. (Well, she was!) It's a feel good movie for me. It's cheesy as all hell but that's an advantage when I wanna stop being growly.

Sadly, i get lonely now going to see movies alone. My two best friends do not go with me anymore(one is disabled, and does not like going to movie theaters anymore, the other now has three kids and no time<and she dosn't do babysitters.>) and i hate going to the movies alone. Makes me sad.

And yes, i cried during UP. I couldn't help it. :frown: Was the saddest movie i saw in a long long time.

I just rather go see a movie like Phantom with someone than alone.

[veracity]

Sadly, i get lonely now going to see movies alone. My two best friends do not go with me anymore(one is disabled, and does not like going to movie theaters anymore, the other now has three kids and no time<and she dosn't do babysitters.>) and i hate going to the movies alone. Makes me sad.

And yes, i cried during UP. I couldn't help it. :frown: Was the saddest movie i saw in a long long time.

I just rather go see a movie like Phantom with someone than alone.

I was like...12 when it was out the first time so I just have the DVD. I don't go to the movies cause I think they're overpriced crap. The first movie I'd seen since The Village was Australia. Cause Hugh Jackman is hot.

Never seen Up. I know, I know. Oh, well.

[OzBat!]

Comic book store chain in Australia called "Phantom Zone (http://www.phantomzone.com.au/stores.html)" which had a nice purple colour scheme and everything! Only two stores left now, they used to have one in Canberra as well, with a huge back issue list.

The Phantom (http://www.phantomzone.com.au/phantom.html) himself is a fantastic character, but I do think it needs to be a period piece, he works best in the 40s and 50s I think. I actually enjoyed the Billy Zane movie for what it was, until we got to the crappy ending, but there's lots of bigger movies I feel the same way about so I don't hold that against it.

[KJ_81]

He must do alright, because every newsagent here stocks his comic.

[Mick]

Very much so. It's almost certainly Australia's best selling comic book.



It's also one of only three I could always be sure to find on the newsstands growing up, along with Commando and 2000 AD.

[Mermaid]

Yep, i'd say so.

[Gothos]

Very much so. It's almost certainly Australia's best selling comic book.



It's also one of only three I could always be sure to find on the newsstands growing up, along with Commando and 2000 AD.

Although on principle I hate loathe and despise the tendency of psuedo-intellectuals to over-analyze entertainment works in ideological terms--

I have to say that I've always wondered what part racial politics plays in the Phantom's Aussie popularity.

Admittedly that wouldn't explain the character's popularity in Europe, particularly countries in Scandinavia, w/o a big imperialistic history.

[scout1279]

It's one of my favorite movies, though. I think Swanson was shocked I said she was pretty in the role. (Well, she was!) It's a feel good movie for me. It's cheesy as all hell but that's an advantage when I wanna stop being growly.

I like it too. Very cheesy, but fun. Also, I appreciate the fact that, while in most movies the sexy villainess would turn good because she falls in love with the hero, in The Phantom she does it because girls gotta stick together.

[tejpis]

Here in Sweden he's one of the most well-known heroes and available in almost any grocery store and newsstand.

Sidenote: Donald Duck has 1,3 million readers in our neighbor Norway, that's 1/4 of their population.

[JTPencils]

I'd think the Phantom would be the same size no matter where he goes.

[veracity]

I like it too. Very cheesy, but fun. Also, I appreciate the fact that, while in most movies the sexy villainess would turn good because she falls in love with the hero, in The Phantom she does it because girls gotta stick together.
Yes to the spoiler. THAT was a turning point in the movie for me. Because it was such a good girl moment without catty behavior over guys and still retains her not-so-good traits. You gotta admit to that, too.