The Kimberly Diamonds

The Kimberly Diamonds
Start date:	May 28th, 1984
End date:	September 8th, 1984
# of strips:	90 (15 weeks)
Writer:	Lee Falk
Artist:	Sy Barry
Original colorist:	N/A
Preceded by:	"Luck and Wealth"
Followed by:	"The Embassy Siege"

"The Kimberly Diamonds" is the 154th Phantom daily story. The story was written by Lee Falk and drawn by Sy Barry.

Plot synopsis

Contains origin story. The 20th Phantom arrives at Dr. Axel's Jungle Hospital where diamond thieves are hiding. The thieves stole the diamonds from Old Man Kimberly. Old Man Kimberly intended to donate the diamonds through his will to the Mawitaan Children's Hospital. With the help of the Phantom the thieves are tried, two sentenced to death and the third to life in jail, having become murderers.

When Davo is released, he returns to the jungle to recover the Kimberly Diamonds and get revenge on the Phantom. Davo does not realised he is followed by two gunmen and the 20th Phantom has died. The 21st Phantom survives being attacked by Davo and the gunmen, then helps recover the Kimberly Diamonds and convinces the Mawitaan Children's Hospital to donate half the value of the Kimberley Diamonds to Dr Axel's Jungle Hospital.

Appearances

Recurring characters

• The 21st Phantom
• The 20th Phantom
• The 20th Phantom's wife (unnamed)
• Hero
• Devil
• Dr Axel
• The 20th Phantom's horse

One-time characters

• Old Man Kimberly
• Davo, diamond bandit
• Court stenographer
• Court guard

Locations

• Bangalla
  • Deep Woods
    • The Skull Cave
      • The Skull Throne
  • Dr. Axel's Jungle Hospital
    • Hospital well
  • Mawitaan Children's Hospital (mentioned)

Tribes

• Bandar

Organizations

• The Jungle Patrol
• "News", newspaper

Vehicles

• Car with "Jungle Patrol" on side
• Davo's Jalopy
• Gunmen's Jalopy

Items

• The Kimberly Diamonds
• The Kimberly Will

Phantom lore

• The Skull Mark
• Phantom's Good Mark, meaning "under his protection"

Behind the scenes

• Davo is sentenced to life in jail but released on parole after 20 years. This is what a "life" sentence means in English based Common Law systems.

Reprints

This story has been published in the following publications:

Australia

• The Phantom #824 (1985)
• "The Kimberly Diamonds", The Phantom #1343 (2003)

Brazil

• "Os Diamantes Kimberly", Fantasma Especial #5 (1985)

Canada

• Le Nouvelliste November 19, 1984 – February 28, 1985

Denmark

• "Kimberly-kuppet", Fantomet #264 (1986)
• Horsens Folkeblad May 2, 1986 – August 18, 1986
• Djursland May 3, 1986 – August 22, 1986
• Aalborg Stiftstidende May 27, 1986 – September 8, 1986

Finland

• "Kimberly -kaappaus", Mustanaamio 14/1985
• "Kimberly -kaappaus", Mustanaamio 18/2006
• Ilta-Sanomat February 23, 2023 – March 20, 2023

France

• "A la recherche des diamants de Kimberly", Akim #755 and "20 ans au fond d'un puits", #756 (1991)

Iceland

• Tíminn November 5, 1987 – March 17, 1988

India

• "Curse of the Kimberley Diamonds", Indrajal Comics Vol. 22 No. 43 – Vol. 22 No. 44 (1985)
• "வைர கொள்ளை" (romanized as "Vaira kollai"), Rani Comics #222 (1993)
• "The Diamond Search", Phantom #34
• "The Diamond Search", Phantom #89

Italy

• "I diamanti Kimberly", Phantom #129

Jamaica

• The Daily Gleaner May 28, 1984 – September 8, 1984

Mexico

• El Informador August 9, 1984 – November 23, 1984

Norway

• "Kimberlykuppet", Fantomet 12/1985
• Aftenposten May 13, 1985 – August 29, 1985
• "Kimberlykuppet", Serie-pocket #193 (1994)
• "Kimberlykuppet", Fantomet 17/2006

South Africa

• Die Transvaler March 20, 1985 – July 8, 1985

Spain

• "Los diamantes Kimberly", El Hombre Enmascarado #19 – #20 (1989)
• "Los diamantes Kimberly", Phantom, El Hombre Enmascarado #51 (1999?)

Sweden

• "Kimberlykuppen", Fantomen 1/1985
• Svenska Dagbladet March 27, 1985 – June 30, 1985
• Göteborgs-Tidningen August 4, 1985 – November 9, 1985
• Katrineholmskuriren October 12, 1988 – January 28, 1989
• Eesti Päevaleht November 16, 1988 – March 3, 1989
• Gefle Dagblad April 30, 1991 – August 16, 1991
• Folkbladet May 20, 1995 – September 5, 1995
• Östgöten May 20, 1995 – September 5, 1995
• Norrtelje Tidning December 27, 2000 – April 9, 2001
• "Kimberly-kuppen", Fantomen 18/2006
• "Kimberlykuppen", Den vandrande vålnaden (2024)

Turkey

• "Elmas Hirsizlari", Yeni Kızılmaske #2 – #3 (1993)
• "Elmas Hirsizlari", Yeni Kızılmaske Super Albüm #1 (199?)
• "Kimberly Elmasları", Kızılmaske #19 (2015)

USA

• The Alabama Journal May 28, 1984 – September 8, 1984 (Saturday strips published in The Montgomery Advertiser)
• Anchorage Daily News May 28, 1984 – September 8, 1984
• Anderson Independent-Mail May 28, 1984 – September 8, 1984
• The Asheville Times May 28, 1984 – September 8, 1984
• Bangor Daily News May 28, 1984 – September 8, 1984
• Baraboo News Republic May 28, 1984 – September 8, 1984
• The Birmingham News May 28, 1984 – September 8, 1984
• The Charlotte News May 28, 1984 – September 8, 1984
• Chippewa Herald May 28, 1984 – September 8, 1984
• The Citizens' Voice May 28, 1984 – September 8, 1984
• The Clarksdale Press Register May 28, 1984 – September 8, 1984
• The Daily American May 28, 1984 – September 8, 1984
• The Daily Item May 28, 1984 – September 8, 1984‎
• The Daily Journal May 28, 1984 – September 8, 1984
• The Gadsden Times May 28, 1984 – September 8, 1984
• Green Bay Press-Gazette May 28, 1984 – September 8, 1984
• Herald News May 28, 1984 – September 8, 1984
• The Indianapolis News May 28, 1984 – September 8, 1984
• Johnson City Press May 28, 1984 – September 8, 1984
• Ledger-Enquirer May 28, 1984 – September 8, 1984
• Morning Sentinel May 28, 1984 – September 8, 1984
• The News Journal May 28, 1984 – September 8, 1984
• News-Press May 28, 1984 – September 8, 1984
• Observer-Reporter May 28, 1984 – September 8, 1984
• Orlando Sentinel May 28, 1984 – September 8, 1984
• Philadelphia Daily News May 28, 1984 – September 8, 1984
• The Plattsburgh Press-Republican May 28, 1984 – September 8, 1984
• Portage Daily Register May 28, 1984 – September 8, 1984
• Press Enterprise May 28, 1984 – September 8, 1984
• Reading Eagle May 28, 1984 – September 8, 1984
• Red Bank Register May 28, 1984 – September 8, 1984
• The Rome Daily Sentinel May 28, 1984 – September 8, 1984
• The Tuscaloosa News May 28, 1984 – September 8, 1984
• The Winchester Sun May 28, 1984 – September 8, 1984
• Suffolk News-Herald May 28, 1984 – September 9, 1984
• "The Kimberly Diamonds", The Complete Newspaper Dailies: Volume Thirty-One 1984–1986 (2024)