The Phantom is a really cool character, one I have a fondness for, to such a degree that I even really dug the admittedly-weak movie starring Billy Zane. So I'm a little baffled that not one of the Moonstone comics featuring the character have really grabbed my attention, and unfortunately this first issue of an ongoing series, while one of the stronger efforts, is no exception. There's no doubt that there are some cool action scenes in this issue, and the notion of the jungle protector becoming involved in a fight against regional terrorism is an interesting way of modernizing the pulp hero, but a better definition of the character and more of a sense that this is a first issue, instead of just another tale of a hero that everyone is supposed to be familiar with, would have made the book considerably stronger.
Raab's script relies on a little too much coincidence for my taste, and suffers from some weak transitions and a generally vague exploration of the central character. The notion of a tribal protector mantle handed down from father to son is a fascinating one, but given how many years of stories the character has had, and his traditional '30s setting, it seems like a first issue would be a good place to spell out his status quo beyond the obvious, that he's a married with children hero of the jungle. Instead of focusing in on the Phantom, though, Raab focuses on the action and the plot. Which I'm generally in favor of, except that in order to get the action started immediately, Raab introduces the villains twice. Once when the Phantom runs into them, and once when they threaten a U.N. delegation in a completely unrelated story later. Though it's not wholly unreasonable for The Phantom to encounter the villains' funding and their operation, it does feel a bit too coincidental.
While the overall plot and somewhat shallow characterization disappointed me, however, Raab does get some of the cool factor of the hero in there. His daredevil act in the beginning, and his casual, behind-the-back gunshot speak volumes about his capabilities, as does the shot of him on a horse chasing down a van full of terrorists. Though the story is set in modern times, Raab has definitely taken the pulp ethos to heart, with a heavy focus on action of the knife-throwing, gun-shooting, vine-swinging variety.
Of course, a lot of the credit for those cool scenes must go to Pat Quinn, who does some really terrific artwork here. I'm reminded somewhat of Cully Hamner's sleek, action-oriented style, but I also see touches of "animated style" guys like Mike Avon Oeming or South American guys like Eduardo Risso in the excellent use of shadows. Quinn uses some fantastic angles and storytelling techniques to make the action pop off the page, such as the "camera" looking up at the bad guy or Diana Walker on their first appearance or a use of a shadow to indicate the brutality of the violence against a major character in an important moment of the book. And Ken Wolak and Dawn Groszewski's color is lovely as well, a more basic and less shiny style than the colors seen in many comics these days that really works for the book.
I think if I had to nail down what I feel is missing from The Phantom, it's a sense of fun. Raab and Quinn have nailed the action and the sense of adventure, but aside from a couple of fairly lame quips, there's not much in terms of humor to grab onto, and when your hero is a guy in purple tights with leopard underpants on the outside, I feel like maybe a more light-hearted tone would go a long way.
