The Phantom:
A Publishing History in India

by Bryan Shedden with thanks to E.R. Bhoopathy Sargunar.

Rani Comics

(1990-present)


#143
#198
#308
#376
#391
#447

It is believed that the Rani Comics are currently the only Phantom comics in regular publication in India (excluding the reprints by Egmont India). Starting in about 1990, Rani Comics began including The Phantom in their regular series of fortnightly comics, published in the Tamil language. The first Rani comic to feature The Phantom was #143. Between 1990 and 1998, typically every second edition of Rani Comics featured The Phantom, and since then it has been roughly every 6th edition. Rani comics are pocketbook size (190mm x 135mm) and sold for Rs.2 originally, gradually increasing to the current price of Rs.5. They feature an unusual layout with landscape format covers, the staples along the long top edge of the cover, and the pages inside usually in portrait format like a regular comic. This requires the reader to rotate the comic 90 degrees after looking at the front cover. Occasionally, the cover was in portrait format like a regular comic book (eg. 164, 189, 210, 236, 238, 264, 280, 282, 310, 328, 376, 402, 434, 440, 460). Rani Comics were published in black & white until 2003, when colour was introduced, the comic increased to 84 pages (from 68), and the price raised from Rs.4 to Rs.5 (Aus$0.18, US$0.12). These are without doubt the world's cheapest Phantom comics, which are much more affordable for Tamil readers than the Egmont India books. The colour pages were actually scanned from old Indrajal comics! The cover artwork was locally produced, and the covers on issues 357 to 447 featured an unusual combination of drawings overlaid on photographs of background scenery. A detailed list of the contents of all Rani Comics featuring The Phantom is provided below. The stories are almost exclusively daily & Sunday strips from the Sy Barry era onwards, although a handful of Wilson McCoy stories (306, 312, 314, 316, 344) and even a Moore/McCoy story (330) have been published.

No.PagesRsTamil TitleCodeOriginal English Title
141682ragasiya police 000??
143682pei kaduS82The Gooley-Gooley Witch
146682ratha katteri??
148682mandai ottu maligaiS60Treasure of the Skull Cave
150682aval thoduttha ambu??
154682aalkadulukki adiyil??
156682visithira paravaikal??
158682mudhalai theevu??
160682maya murasuD87The Drummer of Timpenni
162682ratha katteri??
164682thappi odia kaithikalS127The Escaped Convicts
166682manaviyai kanomD90The Bad Ones
168682neruppu kakkum kazhuguS63The Giant Bird of Gandor
170682athiradi pen??
172682silanthi valai??
176682kadathapatta nadigai??
178682pazhi vangum gorillaS62Old Baldy
180682arai en 7??
182682kuthirai vettai??
184682uyir kudikkum malaiS67The Veiled Lady
186682vellai ilavarasiS64The Founding of the Jungle Patrol
188682meen manithanD95The Sea God
189842sathikarar nagaramD93Bullets' Town
191682yanai payyanD99The Rogue Elephant
194682marana kadal??
196682mayamai maraintha vimanamS76The Hijackers
198682kadathapatta ilavarasiS69The Golden Sands of Keela Wee
200682vichitra kullarkalS73The Little Ones
202682athiradi siruvanS68Rex King
204682kattile galataD105The Jungle Home
206682marana kugai??
208682kadalil kavizhntha kappal??
210682nalliravu kollaiD100Rex and the Trophy Thieves
212682kattu manithanS124The Forest Giants
214682vanamohiniD158The Lake Lady
216682kadal puthayalS126Sunken Treasure
218682puli vettai??
220682kadathal kootam??
222682vaira kollaiD154The Kimberly Diamonds
224682kottaikul vettai??
226682karil vedigunduD160The Tarashima Terrorists
228682kadathal vettaiS86The Smugglers
230682abaya payannamD110Prince Bular of Tulana
232682vangi kollaiD113The Mysterious Passenger
234682pei theevuD112The Fence
236682kolaikara kullanD119The Giant of Kaluga Pass
238842thalai vetti koottamD118The Keeper of the Peace
240682kattukkul pudhayalS93Phantom Treasure
241682por kasu pudhayal??
242682maya muthiraiS85The Good Mark of the Phantom
244682kadal kottaiD117The Tanker Jackers
246682soonyakaranD116The Witchman
248682kallanukku kallanD120The Trial of Patrolman Zokko
250682pei kottaiS87The Massacre
252682abaya kappalD157Drug Busters
254682.5vana veli arakkanS98The Blue Giant
256682.5mosadi kumbalD125The Normal Life
258682.5thanga manalS97The Golden Beach
260682.5kambi neetiya kaithigalD146The Hostages
261843vettai karanD152Visit to Baronkhan
262683kolaikara padaiD127T
264683kappal kollayarD131SS Blitz
265683abaya kaithikalD137The Three Bandits
266683maya muthiraiS100The Stolen Ring
267683uyir kudikum maya silaiD134Guardian of the Eastern Dark
268683meendum dinosarS101The Swamp Dragon
270683theeyil erium penS78The Golden People
272683kooli padaiD163The Man-Thing
274683irumbu koonduD138Return to Tarakimo
276683kappal kollayarS103The Delta Pirates
277683kanamal pona rocketS61The Astronaut and the Pirates
278683vettai karanS102The Hunters
280683marana pugaiS133Death from the Sky
282683marma silaiD124The Curse of the Sacred Image
284683kolaikara kuranguS77The Missing Link
285843vanchaga ethiriD153The Necklace of Solomon
286683poli kadithamD111Yes
288683car gunduD160The Tarashima Terrorists
290683pambu penD161The Snake Goddess
292683enge ilavarasi??
294683ilavarasanai kanomD159Ruler of Baronkhan
295683thanga theevuS120Golden Sands of Keela-Wee
296683kolaiveri koottamD97The Crime School
297843marma kadithamD156The Presidents
298683marma kumbalD145Gooroo's Jungle Muggers
300683rettai kolaialiD148The Return of Gooroo's Mob
302683kolaikara rani??
304683vedhala maramS92The Golden Wood
306683yaar payyanS53Childhood of The Phantom
308683rettai thuppakiD151Ughland
309843mayakariD150Queen Karola of Kula-Ku
310683abaya nagaramD149Tale of Rex Pt.2
312683uyir kakkum muthiraiS52Conley's Good Mark
314683marana pallathakkuD67The Valley Of No Return
316683uyir kudikkum chediS51The Plant God of the Massau
318683vazhipari kollaikaranD139Jungle City
320683pei veeeduS145The Lookout
322683rathakatteriD121Vampires of Koqania
324683kadalil midhandha ilavarasiS95Little Girl
326683thanga vettaiD185Raiders of the Eastern Dark
328683therdhalil kollaikararkalD186Mr Big
330683mottai thalai manthiravaathiS21The Haunted Castle
332683sura vettaiD169Master of Eden
333843thalai vetti mannanD177The Attilan Mystery
334683pei manithanD170Attack of the Witchmen
336683thanga malai ragasiyamD175Prince Rex and Princess Alicia
338683ratham kudikkum siruthaiD176Blackie
340683vichitra theevu??
342683rowdy rajaD166Rex: Prince of Baronkhan
344683singa siruvanS57Fluffy
346683yaar antha siruvanD149Tale of Rex Pt.1
357683?D193The Dakk Pirates
361683ratchasa manithan??
375683kadathalkaragal??
376683yaar kuttravaliD182The Phantom Cowboy
381683kadathal dinosaur??
383683marana irauD190The Shaman
391683Vedi GunduD195Terror at the Opera Pt.1
402683dum dum dumD87The Drummer of Timpenni
408683kal kottaiD194The Albee
413684pei koottamD196The Ghost Wall
421684TheeviravaathigalD195Terror at the Opera Pt.2
424684poli mannanD200The Secret City
429684kolaikara gorillaD201Valley of the Gorillaman
434684kattu peiD189The Silks of Emira Pt.2
434684?D190The Shaman
437684marma dhadi??
440684helicopter kollayarD204The Animal Collector
442845thanga kaalaiD118The Keeper of the Peace
447845manitha peiD139Jungle City
450845pen mayaviD133The Proposal
460845?D98Deadman's Point

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Bryan Shedden / guran@deepwoods.org
Last updated 4 April 2004