The Cruel Revenge

The Cruel Revenge
Produced for:	Fantomen 22/2003
# of pgs:	31
Writer:	Claes Reimerthi
Artist:	Joan Boix
Original colorist:	Reprostugan
Producer:	Egmont Kärnan

"The Cruel Revenge" is a 2003 Team Fantomen story, written by Claes Reimerthi, with art by Joan Boix.

Plot synopsis

In January 1775, Korshir Singh, the leader of the Singh Brotherhood, is forced to execute his son, Omar Singh, because of his son's failure in "The Doomsday Weapon". Angered by this, he sends an avenger to destroy the Phantom. The avenger is Messer Grande, who the 11th Phantom revealed to have committed treason in 1757. Messer Grande dresses himself as a pest doctor to disguise his true identity.

Meanwhile, the ship that was supposed to take the 11th Phantom, his wife Renata and their son to Africa, has faced a storm and has been forced to go back to Venice.

The next day the Phantom and Diana receive an anonymous letter with a pair of theater tickets (presumably Gluck's Orfeo ed Euridice ^{[citation needed]}). At the theater they meet Comte d'Di Thanatos and his wife Aurelia who present themselves as distant relatives of Renata's. They are in fact involved with Messer Grande in a complicated plot to have the Phantom poison his own wife.

Messer Grande's original plan fails at the end. He then tries to shoot the 11th Phantom with his gun, but Renata put herself in the way and gets shot. A fight break out and a second shot is fired that cuts off a stonesword that falls down and pierces Messer Grande, killing him immidiately.

Renata dies in the arms of her husband. The 11th Phantom decides to seek up Korshir Singh. The 21st Phantom then end the story by stating that the endgame with Korshir Singh ended with the death of the 11th Phantom.

Appearances

Recurring characters

• The 21st Phantom
• Kit and Heloise
• The 11th Phantom
• The 12th Phantom
• Renata di Mascarelli
• Alarico
• Korshir Singh
• Omar Singh
• Messer Grande

One-time characters

• Giacomo
• Aurelia di Thanatos
• Comte di Thanatos

Locations

• Italy
  • Venice
• Bengali
  • Deep Woods
    • The Skull Cave
      • The Major Treasure Room

Organizations

• The Singh Brotherhood

Objects

• The Venetian doctor's mask
• The Asp of Cleopatra
• Homer's Lyre

Behind the scenes

• In Greek mythology Thanatos is the personification of Death.

Related stories

Refers to

• "The Prisoner in Venice" by Janne Lundström and Jaime Vallvé
• "The Doomsday Weapon" by Norman Worker and Kari Leppänen

Reprints

This story has been published in the following publications:

Australia

• "The Cruel Revenge", The Phantom #1367 (2003)

Finland

• "Julma kosto", Mustanaamio 22/2003

Norway

• "En grusom hevn", Fantomet 22/2003
• "En grusom hevn", Fantomets Krønike 2/2005

Sweden

• "Den grymma hämnden", Fantomen 22/2003
• "Den grymma hämnden", Fantomen Krönika 4/2009
• "Den grymma hämnden", Fantomen Christmas Album 2023