The Epidemic

The Epidemic
Start date:	February 12th, 1962
End date:	June 16th, 1962
# of strips:	108 strips (18 weeks)
Writer:	Lee Falk
Artist:	Sy Barry
Original colorist:	N/A
Preceded by:	"The Slave Market of Mucar"
Followed by:	"The Wharf Rats"

"The Epidemic" is the 83rd Phantom daily story. The story was written by Lee Falk and drawn by Sy Barry. It was ghost-pencilled by Bob Forgione.

Plot synopsis

When an epidemic rages through the Bangallan jungle, the United Nations sends teams of doctors to help. Nurse Diana Palmer is among the volunteers, seeing her opportunity to serve but also get close to her love interest, the Phantom. Unfortunately romance is also strong among the Monkey Mail chimps so our hero doesn’t get her message. Months pass and the UN team wins over the sceptical Wambesi tribe, but the Witchmen fear the usurping of their power and plot a scheme to tear modern medicine out of the jungle. How can Diana and the team survive the accusations of blasphemy and Moogoo’s dreaded trial by fire?

Appearances

Recurring characters

• The 21st Phantom
• Diana
• Guran
• Hero
• Devil
• Lily Palmer
• Dave Palmer
• Colonel Weeks
• Lamanda Luaga
• Dr. Kirk
• Bobo

One-time characters

• Hoff
• Gigli
• Stein
• Koko (mentioned)

Locations

• USA
  • New York
• Bengali
  • Deep Woods
    • The Skull Cave
  • Witchmen's Peak (as Bald Peak)
  • Morristown
    • Box 7
  • Wambesi village

Tribes

• Bandar
• Wambesi
• Llongo (mentioned)

Organizations

• UN
• The Jungle Patrol

Vehicles

Related stories

Refers to

• "The Slave Market of Mucar" by Lee Falk and Sy Barry

Reprints

This story has been published in the following publications:

Argentina

• "Prueba de fuego", El Fantasma #52 (1963)
• "Enfermera de la O.N.U.", Fantasía #141 (1970)

Australia

• "The Epidemic", The Phantom #220 (1962)
• "The Epidemic", The Phantom #349 (1967)
• "The Epidemic", The Phantom #510 (1973)
• "The Epidemic", The Phantom #690 (1980)
• "The Epidemic", The Phantom #1032 (1993)
• "The Epidemic", The Phantom #1560 (2010)
• "The Epidemic", The Phantom #2025 (2026)

Brazil

• "Missão na Selva", Fantasma #72 (1962)
• "A Peste", Fantasma #276 (1978)
• "A Epidemia", O Fantasma Omnibus: Os Ratos do Porto e Outras Histórias (2022)

Canada

• The Moncton Transcript February 12, 1962 – June 16, 1962
• Le Nouvelliste February 12, 1962 – June 16, 1962
• L'Action catholique June 15, 1962 – October 23, 1962 (from August 16, 1962 in L'Action)

Denmark

• Aalborg Stiftstidende May 1, 1963 – September 16, 1963
• Horsens Folkeblad February 14, 1964 – June 25, 1964
• Hejmdal April 15, 1964 – July 31, 1964
• "Oksegudens mysterium", Fantomet #2 (1971)
• "Oksegudens mysterium", Fantomet #331 – #332 (1991)

Finland

• "Epidemia viidakossa", Ilta-Sanomat October 13, 2014 – November 6, 2014
• "Epidemia", Legenda (2020)

France

• "...et l'Ombre apparut", Les héros de l'aventure #46, "Attention, Diana!", #47 and "L'ordalie des flammes", #48 (1968)
• "La vente aux enchères", Akim #713, "La femme lointaine", #714 and "Le tribunal du feu", #715

Germany

• "Die Epidemie", Phantom #1 (2023)
• "Die Epidemie", Phantom #83 (2024)

Greece

• "Το είδωλο του τρόμου" (romanized as "To eidolo tou tromou"), Velos #80 and "Η εκδικηση του θεου Κουρα" (romanized as "I ekdikisi tou theou Koura"), #81 (1970)
• "Η δοκιμασία του καυτού θανάτου" (romanized as "I dokimasia tou kaftou thanatou"), Fantom #7 (1977)

Hungary

• "A Mogu rejtélye", Fantom #1 (1988)
• "A ragály", Fantom: A napilapcsík gyűjtemény (1961-1963) (2024)

Iceland

• Tíminn August 29, 1962 – January 15, 1963

India

• "Trial by Fire", Indrajal Comics #110 (1970)
• "Trial by Fire", Phantom #4 (1990)
• "அவள் தொடுத்த அம்பு" (romanized as "Aval thoduttha ambui"), Rani Comics #150 (1990)
• "The Epidemic", The Phantom #35 (2024)

Italy

• "…E l'ombra comparve", L'Uomo Mascherato #22 and "L'ordalia delle fiamme", #23 (1962)
• "…E l'ombra comparve" and "L'ordalia delle fiamme", I Classici dell'Avventura #60 (1964)
• The Phantom 1961-1963 (2024)

Jamaica

• The Daily Gleaner February 12, 1962 – June 16, 1962

Mexico

• El Informador June 4, 1962 – October 8, 1962

New Zealand

• The Phantom #471 – #474

Norway

• Aftenposten July 13, 1963 – November 15, 1963
• "Oksegudens fall", Fantomet 6/1970
• "Moogoos hevn", Fantomet 1/1972
• "Okseguden", Fantomet Spesialalbum #2 (1987)
• "Okseguden", Fantomet Spesial #5 (1999)
• "Oksegudens fall", Krønikebok #25 (2005)
• "Oksegudens fall", Fantomet Kronologisk #14 (2020)
• "Moogoos hevn", Fantomet Kronologisk #27 (2023)

Portugal

• "A Justiça de Mugú", Mundo de Aventuras #784 – #787 (1964)

Spain

• El Correo June 29, 1963 – August 30, 1963
• "Mugù", El Hombre Enmascarado #6A and "El juicio del fuego", #7A (1964)
• "Mugù" and "El juicio del fuego", Album de El Hombre Enmascarado (1965)
• "Mugù" and "El juicio del fuego", El Hombre Enmascarado Biblioteca Eterna #2 (1970)
• "Epidemia en la jungla", El Hombre Enmascarado #20 (1975)
• "La epidemia", The Phantom - El Hombre Enmascarado #1 (2018)

Sweden

• Svenska Dagbladet August 20, 1963 – December 24, 1963
• Katrineholmskuriren February 25, 1964 – July 6, 1964
• Nerikes Allehanda July 9, 1964 – November 12, 1964
• Göteborgs-Tidningen ?, 1964 – ?, 1964
• "Oxgudens mysterium", Fantomen 12/1964
• "Moogoos hämnd - Mysteriet med den falske guden", Fantomen 3/1971
• "Oxguden", Samlade Serierariteter: Oxguden/Skeppsråttorna (1986)
• "Oxgudens mysterium", Den vandrande vålnaden 3/1996
• Upsala Nya Tidning January 24, 1999 – May 31, 2000 (last strip missing)
• "Oxgudens mysterium", Fantomen - Den inbundna årgången 1964, Del 3 (2014)
• "Oxgudens mysterium", Legend (2020)
• "Moogoos hämnd - Mysteriet med den falske guden", Fantomen - Den inbundna årgången 1971, Del 1 (2022)

Turkey

• "Orman Salgını", Kızılmaske #148 – #150 (1976)
• "Orman Salgını", Kızılmaske Albüm #45 – #46 (197?)
• "Orman Salgını", Kızılmaske #21 – #22 (198?)
• "Orman Salgını", Kızılmaske Süper Albüm #6
• "Orman Salgını", Kızılmaske Süper Albüm #63 – #64
• "Orman Salgını", Kızılmaske Büyük Albüm #18
• "Salgın", Kızılmaske #1 (2013)

United Arab Republic

• "الطريق الغامض" (romanized as "Altareeq Alghamed"), Samir #354 – #362 (1963)

United Kingdom

• "Trial By Fire", The Phantom Illustrated Comic #18 (1962)

USA

• The Alabama Journal February 12, 1962 – June 16, 1962
• The Alliance Times-Herald February 12, 1962 – June 16, 1962
• The Asheville Times February 12, 1962 – June 16, 1962
• The Atlanta Constitution February 12, 1962 – June 16, 1962
• Bangor Daily News February 12, 1962 – June 16, 1962
• The Beaver County Times February 12, 1962 – June 16, 1962
• The Birmingham News February 12, 1962 – June 16, 1962
• Bradford Era February 12, 1962 – June 16, 1962
• Bucks County Courier Times February 12, 1962 – June 16, 1962
• Carthage Evening Press February 12, 1962 – June 16, 1962
• Charleston Daily Mail February 12, 1962 – June 16, 1962
• The Charlotte News February 12, 1962 – June 16, 1962
• Chattanooga Daily Times February 12, 1962 – June 16, 1962
• The Cincinatti Post February 12, 1962 – June 16, 1962
• Courier-Post February 12, 1962 – June 16, 1962
• The Daily Advance February 12, 1962 – June 16, 1962
• The Daily Item February 12, 1962 – June 16, 1962
• The Daily Standard February 12, 1962 – June 16, 1962
• The Decatur Daily February 12, 1962 – June 16, 1962
• Delaware County Daily Times February 12, 1962 – June 16, 1962
• Denton Record-Chronicle February 12, 1962 – June 16, 1962
• The Evening News February 12, 1962 – June 16, 1962
• The Gadsden Times February 12, 1962 – June 16, 1962
• Gloucester County Times February 12, 1962 – June 16, 1962
• Green Bay Press-Gazette February 12, 1962 – June 16, 1962
• The Greensboro Record February 12, 1962 – June 16, 1962
• Hanford Sentinel February 12, 1962 – June 16, 1962
• Herald News February 12, 1962 – June 16, 1962
• The Jersey Journal February 12, 1962 – June 16, 1962
• Johnson City Press February 12, 1962 – June 16, 1962
• Laurel Leader-Call February 12, 1962 – June 16, 1962
• The Leaf-Chronicle February 12, 1962 – June 16, 1962
• Ledger-Enquirer February 12, 1962 – June 16, 1962
• The Lima News February 12, 1962 – June 16, 1962
• The Miami News February 12, 1962 – June 16, 1962
• Morning Press February 12, 1962 – June 16, 1962
• Morning Sentinel February 12, 1962 – June 16, 1962
• Morristown Gazette Mail February 12, 1962 – June 16, 1962
• The Oneonta Star February 12, 1962 – June 16, 1962
• Philadelphia Daily News February 12, 1962 – June 16, 1962
• The Plattsburgh Press-Republican February 12, 1962 – June 16, 1962
• The Pocono Record February 12, 1962 – June 16, 1962
• Portage Daily Register February 12, 1962 – June 16, 1962
• Reading Eagle February 12, 1962 – June 16, 1962
• Red Bank Register February 12, 1962 – June 16, 1962
• Richmond Times-Dispatch February 12, 1962 – June 16, 1962
• The Rome Daily Sentinel February 12, 1962 – June 16, 1962
• Rome News-Tribune February 12, 1962 – June 16, 1962
• Sandusky Register Star News February 12, 1962 – June 16, 1962
• The State February 12, 1962 – June 16, 1962
• Syracuse Herald Journal February 12, 1962 – June 16, 1962
• The Times Recorder February 12, 1962 – June 16, 1962
• Tonawanda News February 12, 1962 – June 16, 1962
• Uniontown Morning Herald February 12, 1962 – June 16, 1962
• The Washington Reporter February 12, 1962 – June 16, 1962
• The Winchester Sun February 12, 1962 – June 16, 1962
• Sentinel-Age March 4, 1962 – June 17, 1962 - without the first two weeks
• La Opinión March 20, 1962 – July 10, 1962 (first five strips missing)
• The Indianapolis News April 16, 1962 – June 16, 1962 (the second half only, missing strip from April 17, 1962)
• "The Epidemic", Comics Revue #263 – #268 (2008)
• "The Epidemic", The Complete Newspaper Dailies: Volume Seventeen 1961–1962 (2019)

West Germany

• "Die verratene Patrouille", Phantom #50 (1976)
• "Die verratene Patrouille", Phantom Super-band #4

Yugoslavia

• "Завидљиви врач" (romanized as "Zavidljivi vrač"), Politikin Zabavnik #1049 (1972; without the first week)
• "Sud vatre", Stripoteka #402 (1976)
• "Sud vatre", Denis #232 (1980)