The Phantom Never Dies

The Phantom finally gets its big screen treatment! It's1996 and Hollywood heartthrob/goddamn angel Billy Zane cast as the lead. The film's director Simon Wincer takes us through its production. Meanwhile president of Village Roadshow studios Lynne Benzie takes us onto the very sound stages where the film was shot! Plus we speak to Christine Wada and Kasra Farahani – production designers on only some of the BIGGEST superhero movies & TV shows (Loki, Black Panther, Captain Marvel, Guardians of The Galaxy Vol 2) – to find out what makes a great superhero movie. King's Comics are offering 10% off The Phantom products - just use code phan10 at checkout here https://bit.ly/3GiR29d .   LINKS  Read the episode transcript here - https://bit.ly/thephantom-ep5-transcript See photos of Sound Stage 5 at Village Roadshow studios https://bit.ly/soundstage5 Rent or buy ‘The Phantom’ from Google via Youtube Rent or buy ‘The Phantom’ from Amazon Prime in Australia Follow @Maria__Lewis on Instagram   Follow @novapodcastsofficial on Instagram  MEDIA REFERENCED  Wincer, S. (1996) The Phantom [Film]. The Ladd Company, Village Roadshow Pictures, Hearst Entertainment, Paramount International. Burton, T. (1989) The Batman [Film]. Guber-Peters Company, Warner Bros. Charles, L. (2006) Borat! Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan [Film]. 20th Century Fox. CREDITS  Host, Writer, Producer: Maria Lewis Guests (in order of appearance): Simon Wincer Lynne Benzie Kasra Farahani Christine Wada Executive Producer: Elise Cooper Editor: Adrian Walton Listen to more great podcasts at novapodcasts.com.au See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Throughout history superheroes tend to have a bit of white saviour-ism about them. Which is why The Phantom’s fandom outside of a white audience is so damn fascinating! We’re exploring how our purple hero cam to be loved by Indigenous Australians. Plus we head to the West Highlands of Papua New Guinea where The Ghost Who Walks was painted onto wooden shields of the Wahgi people. Not for art, but for defense and intimidation during periods of inter-tribal fighting. King's Comics are offering 10% off The Phantom products - just use code phan10 at checkout here https://bit.ly/3GiR29d . LINKS Read the episode transcript here - https://bit.ly/phantom-ep4-transcript . ‘PhuckWit’ T Shirt from Bananalands Read ‘One of the Good Guys: Phantom Shields in Papua New Guinea’ from Te Papa Read ‘Mysteries of the Phantom wooden shield: Putting together the pieces’ from Te Papa Follow @tepapa on Instagram CREDITS Host, Writer, Producer: Maria Lewis Guests (in order of appearance): Shari Sebbens @cloudspotting . Nathan Leitch @bananalands.shop. Hunter Page-Lochard @hunterpage . Dr Kevin Patrick Nina Tonga Executive Producer: Elise Cooper Editor: Adrian Walton Field recording and podcast intern: David Cooper MEDIA REFERENCED Wincer, S. (1996) The Phantom [Film]. The Ladd Company, Village Roadshow Pictures, Hearst Entertainment, Paramount International. Listen to more great podcasts at novapodcasts.com.au See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As WWII ends the first superhero grows into a hero for more than his white audiences. After criticism Black characters were depicted as "ignorant, superstitious coloured people", Falk and The Phantom artists move to correct the racial caricatures of the early Phantom stories. Plus we dive into the impact first and second wave feminism has on the female characters of the strip, and the phenomenal global impact our purple-suited hero begins to have: with three countries in particular… Sweden, India… and Australia! And one of the most influential Phantom comic artists, now 92-year-old Seymour (Sy) Barry joins the podcast to blow your MIND with stories from this period of incredible change. King's Comics are offering 10% off The Phantom products - just use code phan10 at checkout here https://bit.ly/3GiR29d . LINKS Read the episode transcript here - https://bit.ly/thephantom-ep3-transcript . Sy Barry’s website https://sybarry.com/ Buy ‘The Phantom Unmasked' Dr Kevin Patrick Find The Phantom via Frew Publications – the comic publisher in Australia Follow @Maria__Lewis on Instagram Follow @novapodcastsofficial on Instagram MEDIA REFERENCED Reeves Eason, B. (Director) 1943. The Phantom [TV serial]. Columbia Pictures. Faiman, P. (Director) 1977-1984. The Paul Hogan Show [TV Variety Show]. Seven Network. CREDITS Host, Writer, Producer: Maria Lewis Guests (in order of appearance): Dr Kevin Patrick Valerie Falk Sy Barry “Ohm” Phantom Collector Glenn Ford Voice Actor: Harry Lambert-McDonald Executive Producer: Elise Cooper Editor: Adrian Walton Listen to more great podcasts at novapodcasts.com.au See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're taking a peek behind the mask at the lives of the men who created our purple hero. We speak to Lee Falk’s daughter Valerie about her father and his creations, take you through the lives of the early artists who worked on the strip, explore the indelible effect WWII has on the world of The Phantom – and how The Ghost Who Walks inspired resistance movements across Europe against the Nazis. Plus a little tidbit about one of the founding father’s of cinema Frederico Fellini being obsessed with The Phantom. But you’ll have to listen to find out! King's Comics are offering 10% off The Phantom products - just use code phan10 at checkout here https://bit.ly/3GiR29d .   LINKS  Read the episode transcript here https://bit.ly/thephantom-ep2-transcript . Watch ‘Valerie Remembers Lee Falk (1911-1999) Valerie speaking about her father Lee Falk Read ‘Whoever Fights Monsters: My Twenty Years Tracking Serial Killers for the FBI’ by Robert Ressler Buy ‘The Phantom Unmasked' Dr Kevin Patrick Read ‘Investigating Lois Lane: The Turbulent History of the Daily Planet's Ace Reporter’ by Tim Hanley Follow @Maria__Lewis on Instagram   Follow @novapodcastsofficial on Instagram  MEDIA REFERENCED  Reeves Eason, B. (Director) 1943. The Phantom [TV serial]. Columbia Pictures. Fellini, F. (Director) 1973. Armacord [Film]. Warner Bros Pictures, New World Pictures. ‘Britain Enters World War Two: War Comes To London’ accessed via Charlie Dean Archives from The British Council Film Collection. CREDITS  Host, Writer, Producer: Maria Lewis Guests (in order of appearance): Valerie Falk Tim Hanley https://thanley.wordpress.com/ Dr Kevin Patrick https://drkevinpatrick.academia.edu/  “Ohm” Phantom Collector Executive Producer: Elise Cooper  Editor and Voice Acting: Adrian Walton  Listen to more great podcasts at novapodcasts.com.au See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.