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Phantom makes a comeback

P.T.Jyothi Datta

NEW DELHI, July 3

THE `Ghost Who Walks' is back. For all those who grew up on a staple diet of Lee Falk's creation of the man who cannot die, the guardian of the Eastern dark - the Phantom will continue to stalk the Deep Woods, with his faithful wolf-dog, Devil, and horse , Hero.

The Phantom comics, re-launched globally by Denmark-based Egmont International Holdings, has re-entered the Indian markets, courtesy Indian Express Egmont Publications (IEEP) that would publish and distribute the comics in the country.

Mr. Uday Mathur, CEO of IEEP, told Business Line that the Egmont group, the largest publisher of comics for children in Europe, was looking to tap the potential of the Asian market, following the saturation of the European market, where it had a strong p resence.

In keeping with the Phantom reputation, as ``the man who cannot die'', Phantom comics in the country too, has had more than one life. In its heyday, in the '60s and '70s, Phantom stalked the children's reading market, courtesy Indrajaal comics, from the Bennett & Coleman Co. Later, Delhi-based Diamond Comics acquired the licence.

Phantom then went out of circulation for about five years, following the death of its author. The original rights continue to be with the US-based King Features and IEEP has now acquired the licence to publish Phantom comics for the Indian market, he sai d.

``Despite its strong presence in the juvenile comics segment in Europe, Egmont International had started looking at the Asian market about seven years ago, following saturation in the European market. More attention was focused upon China, Japan, Thailan d, Hong Kong and India and subsequently, IEEP was set up about three years ago,'' said Mr. Mathur.

Unwilling to divulge details on the revenues of the company, he said, ``The trend in the publishing industry is that companies do not breakeven too early. However, IEEP hopes to break-even this year.'' And, bolstering this growth are its plans to double volumes and increase titles.