The Black King

"The Black King" is a 2013 Team Fantomen story, written by Jens Hansegård, with art by Kari Leppänen.

Plot synopsis

The 5th Phantom returns to southern Italy, a country plagued by bubonic plague, to search for his love Juliana.

Recurring characters

One-time characters

Real-life characters

Locations

Organizations

According to this story, the mother of the 5th Phantom died in the Skull Cave in 1656. But the 5th Phantom's mother died during his birth in 1626 Plague Infected, so this must be the first appearance of his stepmother.
The 5th Phantom's love interest Juliana della Bartolo is 22 years at the time of this story, so she is not the orphaned Italian opera singer that was the 5th Phantom's wife and the mother of his son the 6th Phantom (10 years old at the time of this story).
The story is set in 1656 with Juliana living from 1634-1656.
The story takes place during the Naples plague which began in April 1656.
The story "My Swedish Enemy" is said to take place in April to July of 1656, but the future 6th Phantom says that he is "almost 12 years old" which could mean the year should be 1657 or 1658 instead. However, this story also includes an appearance of his mother, the Italian opera singer. Her appearance in a story set in April to July 1656 (or 1657, or 1658) complicates the 5th Phantom's affair with Juliana in 1656.
In the story Father Aldo thinks he sees Lucifer when the Phantom first appears. This makes more sense picturing a red Phantom of Italy than a purple one of Frew or a blue one of Fantomen.
The secret knock to get into the Garduna headquarters is "three knocks then two then three again" 3-2-3.

This story has been published in the following publications: