The Prisoner of the Himalayas

The Prisoner of the Himalayas
Start date:	February 7th, 1938
End date:	June 18th, 1938
# of strips:	114 (19 weeks)
Writer:	Lee Falk
Artist:	Ray Moore
Original colorist:	N/A
Preceded by:	"Little Toma"
Followed by:	"Adventure in Algiers"

"The Prisoner of the Himalayas" is the fifth Phantom daily story. The story was written by Lee Falk and drawn by Ray Moore.

Plot synopsis

The Phantom stops a marriage between Diana Palmer and "Bob", whom Lily, her mother, had convinced her to marry. He is then tasked by Scotland Yard to investigate the country of Barogar, where he discovers the Maharajah's physician, Count Bart, has covered up the Maharajah's death by natural causes, kidnapped his son, Rajah Gar, and planned to wed the Princess Karene while usurping power from the young Rajah in order to rule the country. The Phantom upsets the Count's plans with the help of Captain Dudley of Colonial Services and Shiva, a woman in love with Count Bart.

After Rajah Gar is rescued and restored to power, pity is taken on Count Bart and he is exiled from the country where he can build an honest life with Shiva.

Appearances

Recurring characters

• The 21st Phantom
• Diana
• Devil
• Guran (mentioned)
• Mrs. Palmer
• Gar of Barogar
• Princess Karene

One-time characters

• The Count
• Jerry
• Bob
• The Maharajah of Barogar
• Count Bart
• Captain Dudley
• Shiva
• Burdiv
• Shan

Locations

• India
  • Bengal
  • Bombay
  • Delhi
  • Barogar
  • Himalaya
    • Tibaw Pass
• Suez
• France
  • Havre
  • Paris
    • George III
• China
  • Hong Kong
• Australia

Organizations

• Scotland Yard

Behind the scenes

• Diana's mother makes her first appearance, and meets the Phantom for the first time. Her name is given as Mrs. E.V. Palmer
• Four men propose to Diana – The Count, Jerry, Bob, and the Phantom. Diana even gets engaged to Bob, but the Phantom appears at her wedding, and snatches her away from the ceremony.

Related stories

Refers to

• "Little Toma" by Lee Falk and Ray Moore
• "War in the Jungle" by Lee Falk and Ray Moore

Reprints

This story has been published in the following publications:

Argentina

• Tit-Bits #1583 – #1613 (1939-40)

Australia

• "Diana's Wedding", The Phantom #2 (1938; excerpts only)
• "The Rajah of Barogar", The Phantom #3 (1939)
• The Phantom #21 – #22 (1950)
• The Phantom #122 (1957)
• The Phantom #227 – #228 (1962–63)
• The Phantom #931A (1989)
• The Phantom #1249 (2000)
• The Phantom #21 and 22 replica, included with The Phantom #1653 (2013) and #1684 (2014)
• The Phantom #1885 (2021)

Austria

• "Der Gefangene des Himalaya", Phantom – Die Klassiker #3 (2025)
• "Der Gefangene des Himalaya", Phantom – Die Chroniken #1 (2026)

Brazil

• "O Mistério do Marajá", A Gazeta ?, 1938 – ?, 1938
• "O Mistério do Marajá", O Globo Juvenil #109 – #161 (1938)
• "O Mistério do Marajá", Álbum O Globo Juvenil #3 (1938)
• "O Mistério do Marajá", Fantasma #49 (1961)
• "O Prisioneiro do Himalaia", Fantasma Extra #7 (1971)
• "Missão Inadiável!", O Fantasma #14 (1971)
• "Missão em Barogar", Fantasma #331 (1983)
• "Missão Inadiável", Fantasma - Edição Histórica #33 (1997)
• "O Prisioneiro dos Himalaias", Crônicas do Fantasma #5 (2021)
• "Prisioneiro dos Himalaias", O Fantasma Omnibus: Piratas Aéreos e Outras Histórias (2022)

Denmark

• "Himalayas store Mysterium", Skipper Skræk 1/1938 – 4/1938 - the last two weeks only

Finland

• "Himalajan vanki", Mustanaamio 22/2010
• "Himalajan vanki", Ilta-Sanomat November 27, 2015 – January 4, 2016
• "Himalajan halki", Mustanaamio & Diana – Rubiinihäät (2017)

France

• Aventures 23-41/1938
• "Mission secrète", Aventures et Mystère #16 and "Le prisonnier de l'Himalaya", #18 (1939)
• Aventures et Mystère #8 and "Prisonnier de l'Himalaya", #17 (1947)
• "Le diabolique comte Bart", Le Fantôme Spécial #8 and "La reconquête de Barogar", #9 (1964)
• "Le Prisonnier de l'Himalaya", Le Fantôme Vol. 3 1938 – 1939 (1985)

Italy

• "Il ratto di Diana", L'Avventuroso #184 – #200 (1938)
• "Il ratto di Diana", Collana Albi grandi avventure #6 (1938)
• "Il ratto di Diana", Collana Albi grandi avventure #22, "Il tradimento di Shiva", #23, and "La riconquista di Barogar", #24 (1946; redrawn by unknown local artist)
• "Il ratto di Diana", Albo Azzuro #4 (1952)
• "Il diabolico conte Bart", L'Uomo Mascherato #5bis (1959; redrawn by unknown local artist)
• "Il diabolico conte Bart", L'Uomo Mascherato Super Albo #55 (1963)
• "Il prigioniero dell'Himalaya", L'Uomo Mascherato #1 (1971)
• L'olimpo dei fumetti #7 (1971)
• "Il ratto di Diana", "Il tradimento di Shiva", and "La riconquista di Barogar", Collana Albi grandi avventure Vol. #3 (1975)
• "Il prigioniero dell'Himalaya", Phantom #1 and "La sfida del conte Bart", #2 (1977)
• Il fumetto #3 (1978; excerpts only)
• "Il prigioniero dell'Himalaya", Phantom #6 (1991)
• "Il prigioniero dell'Himalaya", Phantom Raccolta #2 (1993?)
• "Il prigioniero dell'Himalaya", Phantom #120
• "Il prigioniero dell'Himalaya", I classici del Fumetto di Republica #15 (2003)
• "Il ratto di Diana", The Phantom #1 (2014)

Mexico

• Paquito #10027 – #10030

Portugal

• " O Prisioneiro dos Himalaias", Mandrake & Fantasma - Os Clássicos da Banda Desenhada #23 (2004

New Zealand

• The Phantom #82 – #85

Norway

• "Fangen i Himalaya", Det første Fantomet - Fangen i Himalaya (1981)
• "Fangen i Himalaya", Fantomet 21/2010
• "Fangen i Himalaya", Rubinbryllupet (2017)

Portugal

• "O Prisioneiro dos Himalayas", Jornal do Cuto #46 – #63 (1972)
• "O Prisioneiro dos Himalayas", Mandrake & Fantasma - Os Clássicos da Banda Desenhada #23 (2004)

Spain

• "El misterio del Barogar", El Hombre Enmascarado #12 and "El prisionero del Himalaya", #13 (1941)
• "El prisionero del Himalaya", El Hombre Enmascarado #013 and "El misterio del Barogar", #014 (1960)
• "El prisionero del Himalaya", El Hombre Enmascarado #3 and "El misterio del Barogar", #4 (1971)
• "El misterio del Maharajà", El Hombre Enmascarado #42 (1977)
• "El prisionero del Himalaya", El Hombre Enmascarado #2 (1981)
• El Tebeo #10 (1990; excerpt only)
• "El prisionero del Himalaya", El Hombre Enmascarado #39 – #40 (1990)
• "El prisionero del Himalaya", The Phantom - El Hombre Enmascarado #8 (2020)

Sweden

• "Fången i Himalaya", Den förste Fantomen - Fången i Himalaya (1971)
• "Fången i Himalaya", Fantomen 22/2010
• "Fången i Himalaya", Rubinbröllopet (2017)

Switzerland

• "Le destin de Diana", Le Prisonnier de l'Himalaya (1981)

Turkey

• Çocuk Alemi #1 – #30 (1952)

USA

• The Monessen Daily Independent February 7, 1938 – June 18, 1938
• The Nassau Daily Review-Star February 7, 1938 – June 18, 1938
• The Rome Daily Sentinel February 7, 1938 – June 18, 1938‎
• The Winchester Sun February 7, 1938 – June 18, 1938‎
• Ace Comics #47 – #54 (1938)
• The Prisoner of the Himalayas (1969)
• The Prisoner of the Himalayas (1976)
• "Prisoner of the Himalyas", Comics Revue #166 – #180 (1999-2001)
• The Complete Newspaper Dailies: Volume Two 1937–1939 (2010)

Yugoslavia

• "Fantom u Indiji (Tajna maloga Tome razjašnjena)", Hrvatski dnevnik June 12, 1938 – November 13, 1938
• "Фантом против демона" (romanized as "Fantom protiv demona), Truba #43 – #55 (1938; redrawn by unknown local artist and edited together with "Little Toma")
• "Фантом у Скотланд Јарду" (romanized as "Fantom u Skotland Jardu"), Mika Miš #292 – #335 (1939)
• "Фантом у Скотланд Јарду" (romanized as "Fantom u Skotland Jardu"), Zabavnik #68 – #69 (1940)
• Pegaz #7 (1978)
• "Alijev karavan", Biblioteka Nostalgija #7 (1988)