Fantomen Nr.6/2006
by Hans Lindahl
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- Death in Cyberspace
- Script: Hans Lindahl
- Art: Hans Lindahl
- First published in Fantomen Nr.7/2006 by Egmont, Scandinavia. Original cover shown on the left, thanks to Ulf Granberg.
- Message from the Publisher:
The adventure in this issue may well be the most unusual in the long history of The Phantom! Death in Cyberspace is written and illustrated by Hans Lindahl and while it is outside the mainstream of science fiction, it delves into a scientific and electronics future which might be facing everybody in the not too distant future. In many ways, Death in Cyberspace is an updated version of HG Wells' famous The Time Machine novel which was recently on the movie circuit. (Must say here that the most recent movie, despite all the high-tech effects, was not as entertaining as the original which starred Australia's own Rod Taylor!). So - The Phantom has finally moved way beyond simple, real-life adventure and occasional fantasy, into a highly advanced computer age.
I'll be fascinated to study what I know will be a massive feedback from enthusiasts! I'm expecting many questions about the appearance of Lamanda Luaga, not as the President, but as Doctor Luaga, back in his original profession as a man of medicine. Has creator Lindahl deliberately injected some sort of cryptic clue - an unexplained jump in time?
[Comment from Guran: Dr Lamanda Luaga resigned from his presidency in Frew #1429 following the controversy surrounding his illegal imprisonment of Kigali Lubanga. Luaga returned to practicing medicine at Dr Cartwright's Bengete surgery in Frew #1430.]
Lindahl hints at something else which is not only intriguing, but threatening to any future Phantom. If it becomes possible to use a computer to travel in any direction in cyberspace, wouldn't it be possible for anybody to trace the entire Phantom line and not only unravel the centuries-old mystery, but establish the exact location of the Skull Cave and the treasures it holds? Would it also not be possible for somebody to kill The Phantom's only son and thus bring the entire Phantom dynasty to an end? Obviously, this story is unfinished! So what lies ahead? The answer is at least three more episodes which will be spread through 2006 and into next year! Hans Lindahl is working on all of them. Coming up are Lost in Cyberspace parts two and three. Part two in the series will probably not appear until September 2006 at the earliest. That will be followed by part three, which is entitled, Escape from Cyberspace and will probably be ready around February or March 2007. The fourth episode is called Return to Cyberspace which appears to be scheduled for publication in Scandinavia some time in late May or early June 2007. Sadly, unless Lindahl can complete all stories ahead of time and the Egmont publishing organisation in Scandinavia decides to rush them all into print, we will have to wait! As patiently as possible!
Meanwhile, a brief preview of what's coming up in our next issue (Frew #1443, which will be on sale on 21 April). The new story is called The London Underground Murders - and as you have doubtlessly guessed, it is closely linked to the dreadful deeds of the infamous Jack The Ripper. This story will be presented in two episodes (no gap this time!) and has been written by David Bishop and illustrated by César Spadari. The name of the villain is Cutbush and as this is a period piece, you're in for a surprise. You will once again catch up with The Phantom's half brother Chris and his wife Anna. We last saw Chris and Anna in The Goddess of Death (Frew #1427 published in September last year). For Those Who Just Came In, a reminder that The Goddess of Death was the final part of the engrossing Son of the Pirate Queen series and that Chris and Anna were married in that final episode. They were then settled in London. We rejoin them in the year 1891 when The Phantom becomes involved in a new adventure which is action packed from start to finish!
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