Phantom #R-06, King Reading Library- Another Tale

Phantom# R-06
1973
King/Charlton Comics
Cover: Sy Barry/ Bill Lignante
Script: Uncredited (original script by Bill Harris)
Pencils/Inks: Bill Lignante

From the same issue of King Reading Library as yesterday's post, a slightly revised version of "The Terror Tiger" ( I told you, The Phantom fights a LOT of jungle cats!) from King's Phantom #21. And speaking of Phantom #21, after a comment from the ever eagle-eyed Jungle Patrolman "The Dad Who Walks" aka Anthony, I did a little digging. Anthony spotted right away that the cover of King Reading Library R-06 was a composite of a Sy Barry Phantom piece and a piece of an interior panel by Bill Lignante. Anthony was not only dead on, but here's the Sy Barry art
in it's original context, Phantom #21!



The original Sy Barry cover from issue #21.




The composite cover from #R-06

Phantom #R-06, King Reading Library

Phantom# R-06
1973
King/Charlton Comics
Cover: Sy Barry/ Bill Lignante
Script: Uncredited (original script by Pat Fortunado)
Pencils/Inks: Bill Lignante


According to the GCD (Grand Comic Book Database) :

"The King Comics Reading Library were previously published stories but re-writtten to be accessible to younger readers or readers with limited reading skills. Giveaway to schools. Printed by Charlton, produced by King Comics." - Sort of the same principle as Spidey Super Stories.

This story was reprinted from Phantom #20 (King), 1966. The dialog has been greatly simplified and, in some cases, footnotes define "big" words for you.

So, sit back, regress to a third-grade reading level and enjoy "The Adventures of the Girl Phantom".


































I don't know how much the dialog was changed, but the idea that The 21st Phantom's great-aunt fought crime in a world with airplanes and cars seems a little anachronistic. But hey, the puzzles and the fantastic house ad on the back make it all worth while.