The Phantom:
A Publishing History in Germany

The German translation of The Phantom is nice and simple ... Phantom. Understandably, the first Phantom comic published in Germany did not appear until after the end of World War II. Since then, there have been many attempts to establish Phantom comic books on the German market, notably in the 1970s, when there were several commercially successful publications. However, the audience for The Phantom gradually declined, and there have been no Phantom comic books published in Germany since 1984.

Below is a list of the various German Phantom publications. By clicking on the publication title, you can find more detailed information and story indexes. If anyone has further information on the missing items we would appreciate your help in completing the lists: please email your contributions.

Title:	Phantom-Heft
Publisher:	Aller Verlag
Year:	Apr 1952 - Apr 1955
Artist:	Moore, McCoy
# of issues:	1952: 1-10, 1953: 1-26, 1954: 1-11, 1955: 1-2
Size:	18.5cm x 25.5cm

This title featured several newspaper strips (mainly King Features). The Phantom was published in the following issues:
   1952: 1, 6-10
   1953: 1-3, 5, 7, 13, 15-19, 21, 23, 25
   1954: 1-3, 5, 6, 8-11
   1955: 1-2
All issues have been reprinted in recent years by Hethke Verlag.

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Title:	Buntes Allerlei
Publisher:	Aller Verlag
Year:	Jan 1953 - Aug 1954
Artist:	Moore, McCoy
# of issues:	1-47 (1953), 1-17 (1954)
Size:	18cm x 25cm

This title featured lots of newspaper strips and other comics. The Phantom appeared in #1 to #42 in 1953.
All issues have been reprinted in recent years by Hethke Verlag.

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Title:	Phantom
Publisher:	Semic Press
Year:	Oct 1966 - May 1969
Artist:	McCoy, Barry (#26 only)
# of issues:	1-26
Size:	17cm x 26cm (b/w)

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Title:	Mandra
Publisher:	Semic Press
Year:	1967-1968
# of issues:	1-6
Size:	17cm x 26cm

This title ("Mandra" = Mandrake) featured several KFS characters. The Phantom appeared in #1 and #2.

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Title:	Blitz Gordon
Publisher:	Semic Press
Year:	1967-1968
# of issues:	1-6
Size:	17cm x 26cm

This title ("Blitz Gordon" = Flash Gordon) featured several KFS characters. The Phantom appeared in #2 and #3.

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Title:	Comics - Weltbekannte Zeichenserien
Publisher:	Carlsen Verlag
Year:	1971-1975
Artist:	Barry, Moore, McCoy
# of issues:	1-5, 7-8
Size:	24cm x 34cm

This title featured lots of newspaper comics. The Phantom appeared in #1, #2 and #5.

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Title:	Super
Publisher:	Moewig Verlag
Year:	Nov 1971 - May 1973
Artist:	Moore, Barry
# of issues:	1-18
Size:	21.4cm x 29cm, 52pp

This title featured several comic characters. The Phantom appeared in issues # 8 and #16.

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Title:	Kelter Abenteuer
Publisher:	Kelter Verlag
Year:	1974-1976
# of issues:	1-(>50)
Size:	11.5cm x 18cm

This series translated all of the Avon paperback novels.

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Title:	Phantom
Publisher:	Bastei Verlag
Year:	Jul 1974 - Aug 1983
Artist:	various
# of issues:	1-238 (red/b/w)
Size:	21.5cm x 29cm, 52pp

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Title:	Phantom Pocket Books
Publisher:	Bastei Verlag
Year:	1976-1979
Artist:	various
# of issues:	1-15
Size:	13cm x 18cm, 164pp

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Title:	Topix
Publisher:	Bastei Verlag
Year:	1976-1978
Artist:	Barry
# of issues:	1-29
Size:	21.3cm x 28.9cm, 52pp

This title featured several comic characters. The Phantom appeared in #7, #11 and #23.

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Title:	Phantom Spezial
Publisher:	Bastei Verlag
Year:	Feb 1980 - Jan 1982
Artist:	Spanish (?) studio artists
# of issues:	1-49
Size:	18.1cm x 26.1cm, 32pp

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Title:	Phantom Pocket Books - Series 2
Publisher:	Bastei Verlag
Year:	May 1980 - Nov 1984
Artist:	various
# of issues:	1-25
Size:	13cm x 18cm, 100pp

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Title:	Sprechblase
Publisher:	Hethke Verlag
Year:	May 1976 - present
Artist:	Moore
# of issues:	1-present (>170)
Size:	21cm x 28.5cm

This still running magazine features both articles and comics stories. Phantom Sunday pages were published in #29, #30, #32, #33, #35 and #37 (1980-1982). All stories featured in Sprechblase were later compiled into a single book (see next item).

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Title:	Phantom
Publisher:	Hethke Verlag
Year:	1982
Artist:	Moore
# of issues:	1
Size:	21cm x 30.5cm (hardcover, b/w), 112pp

© 2003 KING FEATURES SYNDICATE, INC. THE HEARST CORPORATION

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