This issue is the third in the ‘Collectors Replica Series’ and reprints issues 193, 192 and 191 from 1961.
No. 193 contains the second publication of the 1951 Sunday story ‘The Rope People’ with art by Wilson McCoy. The story was only slightly edited for this and future issues. This story was originally published in issue 104 in 1956. Its stable companion back then was the once only published short daily story ‘The Wisdom of Solomon.’ ‘Wisdom’ was highly sought after by collectors for many years. Unfortunately when issue 104 was to be reprinted in No. 193 ‘Wisdom’ could not be used, most likely the art was damaged or lost, and the old guard at Frew had to quickly find a replacement. Issue 194 was to be ‘Queen Asta of Trondelay’ so the publisher used as much of the early part of this story as possible to fill in for the lost ‘Wisdom of Solomon’ and now the partner for ‘The Rope People’ became part one of ‘Queen Asta of Trondelay’ and remained so for many years. The complete ‘The Rope People’ was published by Jim Shepherd in issue No. 1209 in Frew’s 50th Anniversary Issue in 1998.
Compare ‘The Rope People’ with the 1980 daily story ‘The Tree House’ complete in No 1101. Lee Falk changes history when the Phantom tells Rex about the Rope People “a strange place.. where my father first met my mother!” Instead of our Phantom repeating his ancestor’s feats it is now his father performing the tasks. ‘The Rope People’ are the 26th jungle tribe to be named by Lee Falk and the Hermit Giant is the 14th giant to face the Phantom. Phantom to Guran “Who are the Rope People?” Guran “Deep in the jungle, beyond roaring waters, dangerous folk. No tribes go near them, for they eat human flesh.”
No. 192 features two stories with art by Wilson McCoy. First is the second publication of the 1956 daily story ‘U-Town,’ first published in issue 102 in 1956. The second story is the second publication of the 1952 Sunday story ‘The Female Phantom’ which first appeared in the same issue 102. ‘U-Town’ has a famous first for a daily story ‘There are times, the natives say, when the Phantom leaves the jungle – and walks thru the town like an ordinary man. This is one of those nights.’
‘The Female Phantom’ also has a few firsts when Guran calls Diana ‘Queen of the Deep Woods’ and the chronicles of the Phantom plus the clothes closet which contains the costumes of the Phantom’s ancestors, are seen for the first time. This story has the first reference to a female Phantom and the second reference to ‘Kip!’ The first time ‘Kip’ used for the Phantom’s name is in the 1944/45 Sunday story ‘The Childhood of the Phantom.’ ‘U-Town’ and ‘The Female Phantom’ were published by Jim Shepherd complete for the first time in issues 1192 and 1219.
The final story in this third replica series No. 191 features the 1956 daily story ‘The Grove of the Sleeping Giant.’ This story with art by Wilson McCoy was originally published in issue 105 back in 1956. Idaho is the first of the giants with no strength an idea Lee Falk would use again several times. Idaho is also the 21st giant to face the Phantom. This story also features a new legend ‘A great giant, tall as a mountain, the Phantom flew thru the air like a bird – and whopped him!’ The Itongo tribe are the 31st tribe to be named by Lee Falk. ‘The Grove of the Sleeping Giant’ was published complete for the first time in issue 1244.
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