The Chronicle Chamber reports that India’s Regal Publishers are celebrating their second year anniversary by issuing a special edition of The Phantom comic book.
To celebrate their two year anniversary, Regal are releasing a special #25 issue with 164 pages instead of the normal 56 page issues they have been releasing for the past year. As per all their issues, this is in full colour.
Retail price is 800INR with a special pre order price of 720INR which is 10US, $15AU, €10 and 100 sek/nok.
The comic book contains four Sunday adventures of The Phantom comic strip.
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“The Wiseguy” by Tony DePaul and Terry Beatty
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“The Rat Must Die” by Tony DePaul and Jeff Weigel
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“Vigil at Phantom Head” by Tony DePaul and Jeff Weigel
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“The Visitor” by Tony DePaul and Jeff Weigel
Those stories are originally from the years 2016 – 2021. From The Phantom Wiki:
It is worth noting that “The Rat Must Die” is the longest Sunday story and this will be the first time “The Visitor” will have been published in comic format including before Frew and Fantomen.
Regal are really upping the game with their publications that some other publishers could learn from with the cover printing in a laminated softcover with glue binding and all 164 pages on beautiful gloss paper stock.
The Phantom © King Features Syndicate.
Regal Publishing’s 48-page comics run about $2.50 US.
Since mass market paperback comic strip books no longer exist…
I would love to see an American publisher issue regular 48-56 page comic books reprinting daily and Sunday comic strips. Maybe King Features could revive their comic book division with Prince Valiant, The Phantom, Popeye, Flash Gordon, Mark Trail, The Brilliant Mind of Edison Lee, and others. An occasional King-Sized Special issue would be great.
Andrews McMeel has a publishing arm. Alley Oop, Frazz. Lio, Rip Haywire, Luann, Over the Hedge, and more that are not currently getting paperbacks could fill a comic book imprint.
Tribune Contents Agency has access to printing presses and cheap (well, not so cheap anymore) newsprint and new Dick Tracy, Gasoline Alley, Brewster Rockit, Broom-Hilda, and Gil Thorp strips; and oldies like Annie and Brenda Starr with 21st Century stories never reprinted.
Yeah, it’s a pipe dream … but still I dream.