Guardian of the Eastern Dark

Guardian of the Eastern Dark
Start date:	April 4th, 1977
End date:	August 13th, 1977
# of strips:	114 strips (19 weeks)
Writer:	Lee Falk
Artist:	Sy Barry
Original colorist:	N/A
Preceded by:	"The Proposal"
Followed by:	"The Tyrant of Tarakimo"

"Guardian of the Eastern Dark" is the 134th Phantom daily story. The story was written by Lee Falk and drawn by Sy Barry.

Plot synopsis

Curious about the origins of his cerimonial title of "Guardian of the Eastern Dark", The Phantom speak with Old man Mozz. He learns how two of his predecessors intervened in the region, stopping first human sacrifice to Zaal and then slavery. He also learns that crime still happens in the Eastern Dark, now in the form of drug production and trade, and decide to put a stop to that as well.

Appearances

Recurring characters

• The 21st Phantom
• The 9th Phantom
• The 7th Phantom (mentioned)
• French queen, wife of 7th Phantom (mentioned)
• The 14th Phantom
• Old man Mozz
• Guran
• Rex
• Devil
• Hero
• Diana Palmer-Walker

One-time characters

• Rino
• Prince of Zaal city
• High Priest of Zaal

Locations

• Bangalla
  • Deep Woods
    • The Skull Cave
      • The Chronicle Room
• The Eastern Dark

Tribes

• Bandar

Organizations

• The Council of Jungle Chiefs
• UN

Deities and idols

• Zaal

Old Jungle Sayings

• Phantom hand quicker than eye can see.
• Phantom rough on roughnecks.

Related stories

Referenced in

• "The Eastern Dark" by Lee Falk and Sy Barry
• "Enitan" by Mike Bullock, Silvestre Szilagyi, and Sergio Mulko

Reprints

This story has been published in the following publications:

Argentina

• "La droga y el Dios durmiente", El Fantasma Nueva Serie #1 (1980)
• "El dios Zaal", El Fantasma Nueva Serie #11 (1981) - without the first week

Australia

• "Guardian of the Eastern Dark", The Phantom #632 (1978)
• "Guardian of the Eastern Dark", The Phantom #1012 (1992)
• "Guardian of the Eastern Dark", The Phantom #1481 (2007)
• "Guardian of the Eastern Dark", The Phantom #1910 (2022)

Brazil

• O Globo July 4, 1977 – November 12, 1977
• "As Trevas Orientais", A Lua-de-Mel do Fantasma (1978)
• "As Trevas Orientais", Fantasma Album (Edição histórica) (1979)
• "As Trevas Orientais", A Saga do Casamento (2011)

Canada

• Le Nouvelliste August 11, 1977 – December 28, 1977

Denmark

• Djursland December 22, 1978 – May 8, 1979
• Horsens Folkeblad January 26, 1979 – June 14, 1979
• Aalborg Stiftstidende February 1, 1979 – June 18, 1979
• "Mørkets vogtere", Fantomet #110 (1979)
• "Mørkets vogtere", Fantomet Krønike #10 (1996)

Finland

• "Pimeyden vartijat", Mustanaamio 4/1978
• "Pimeyden vartijat", Mustanaamio 14/2003
• "Itäisen pimeyden vartija", Ilta-Sanomat April 6, 2021 – May 10, 2021

France

• "Zaal cruelle idole", Phantom, Le Fantôme Spécial #14 (1978)

Hungary

• "A keleti sötétség őrzője", Kockás 2020/7

Iceland

• Tíminn October 30, 1977 – March 30, 1978 (the last strip was printed twice, on March 29 and 30, 1978)

India

• "Demons from the Dark", Indrajal Comics #319 – #320 (1979)
• "கீழ்த்திசை சூனியம்" (romanized as "Keezh Thisai Sooniyam"), Muthu Comics #93 (1979)
• "The Saviour's Wrath", Indrajal Comics Vol. 26 No. 17 (1989)
• "உயிர் குடிக்கும் மாய சிலை" (romanized as "Uyir kudikum maya silai"), Rani Comics #267 (1995)
• "கீழ்த்திசை சூனியம்" (romanized as "Keezh Thisai Sooniyam"), V Comics #25 (2025)

Italy

• "Le tenebre d'Oriente", Phantom Selezione #11 (1978)
• "Il Cupo Oriente", Phantom #344

Jamaica

• The Daily Gleaner April 4, 1977 – August 13, 1977

Mexico

• El Informador July 18, 1977 – November 26, 1977

Norway

• Aftenposten November 30, 1977 – April 17, 1978
• "Mørkets makter", Fantomet 5/1978
• "Mørkets vokter", Fantomets Krønike 3/1990 (part only)
• "Mørkets vokter", Fantomet 14/2003
• "Mørkets makter", Krønikebok #9 (2003; part only)

Papua New Guinea

• Papua New Guinea Post-Courier September 8, 1978 – February 20, 1979

Portugal

• "Traficantes de Droga", Mundo de Aventuras #220 (1977)

Spain

• "El guardian de las tinieblas orientales", El Hombre Enmascarado #50 – #51 (1978)
• "El guardian del Oscuro oriente", Phantom, El Hombre Enmascarado #1 (1997?)

Sweden

• "Mörkrets väktare", Fantomen 21/1977
• Svenska Dagbladet January 14, 1978 – June 2, 1978
• Göteborgs-Tidningen May 6, 1978 – September 19, 1978
• Nerikes Allehanda January 22, 1979 – July 7, 1979
• Folkbladet August 29, 1980 – January 14, 1981
• Östgöten August 29, 1980 – January 14, 1981
• Katrineholmskuriren June 12, 1981 – October 23, 1981
• Eesti Päevaleht August 5, 1981 – December 12, 1981
• Upsala Nya Tidning March 6, 1990 – July 23, 1990
• Norrtelje Tidning February 17, 1992 – July 30, 1992
• Fantomen Krönika 4/1995 (part only)
• "Mörkrets väktare", Fantomen 14/2003
• "Mörkrets väktare", Fantomen 25-26/2024

Turkey

• "Karanlık Doğunun Kabusu", Kızılmaske #237 – #240 (1978)
• "Karanlık Doğunun Kabusu", Kızılmaske Albüm #73 – #74 (197?)
• "Karanlık Doğu", Kızılmaske Albüm #130 – #131
• "Karanlık Doğu", Kızılmaske Süper Albüm #48
• "Karanlık Doğunun Koruyucusu", Kızılmaske #13 (2014)

United Kingdom

• Birmingham Evening Mail October 8, 1977 – February 21, 1978

USA

• The Alabama Journal April 4, 1977 – August 12, 1977 (Saturday strips missing)
• The Asheville Times April 4, 1977 – August 13, 1977
• The Atlanta Constitution April 4, 1977 – August 13, 1977
• Bangor Daily News April 4, 1977 – August 13, 1977
• Baraboo News Republic April 4, 1977 – August 13, 1977
• Beckley Post Herald April 4, 1977 – August 13, 1977
• The Birmingham News April 4, 1977 – August 13, 1977
• Bradford Era April 4, 1977 – August 13, 1977
• Bucks County Courier Times April 4, 1977 – August 13, 1977
• The Charlotte News April 4, 1977 – August 13, 1977
• Charleston Daily Mail April 4, 1977 – August 13, 1977
• Chippewa Herald April 4, 1977 – August 13, 1977‎
• The Clarksdale Press Register April 4, 1977 – August 13, 1977
• The Daily American April 4, 1977 – August 13, 1977
• The Daily Item April 4, 1977 – August 13, 1977
• The Daily Journal April 4, 1977 – August 13, 1977
• Delaware County Daily Times April 4, 1977 – August 13, 1977
• The Gadsden Times April 4, 1977 – August 13, 1977
• Green Bay Press-Gazette April 4, 1977 – August 13, 1977
• Herald News April 4, 1977 – August 13, 1977
• The Indianapolis News April 4, 1977 – August 13, 1977
• Johnson City Press April 4, 1977 – August 13, 1977
• The Leaf-Chronicle April 4, 1977 – August 13, 1977
• Ledger-Enquirer April 4, 1977 – August 13, 1977
• The Morning News April 4, 1977 – August 13, 1977
• Morning Press April 4, 1977 – August 13, 1977
• Morning Sentinel April 4, 1977 – August 13, 1977
• The News Item April 4, 1977 – August 13, 1977
• The News Journal April 4, 1977 – August 13, 1977
• News-Press April 4, 1977 – August 13, 1977
• Observer-Reporter April 4, 1977 – August 13, 1977
• Orlando Sentinel April 4, 1977 – August 13, 1977
• Philadelphia Daily News April 4, 1977 – August 13, 1977
• The Plattsburgh Press-Republican April 4, 1977 – August 13, 1977
• Portage Daily Register April 4, 1977 – August 13, 1977
• Reading Eagle April 4, 1977 – August 13, 1977
• Red Bank Register April 4, 1977 – August 13, 1977
• Republican Herald April 4, 1977 – August 13, 1977
• The Rome Daily Sentinel April 4, 1977 – August 13, 1977
• Rome News-Tribune April 4, 1977 – August 13, 1977
• The Tuscaloosa News April 4, 1977 – August 13, 1977
• Uniontown Morning Herald April 4, 1977 – August 13, 1977
• The Winchester Sun April 4, 1977 – August 13, 1977
• Suffolk News-Herald April 4, 1977 – August 14, 1977
• "Guardian of the Eastern Dark", The Complete Newspaper Dailies: Volume Twenty-Six 1975–1977 (2023)

Yugoslavia

• "Grad krijumčara", Denis #189 (1979) - the last seven weeks only
• "Заалове ватре" (romanized as "Zaalove vatre"), Politikin Zabavnik #2105 and "Заточеници Таракиме" (romanized as "Zatočenici Tarakime"), #2106 (1992; edited together with "The Tyrant of Tarakimo" in part 2)