Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Review of High Seas Hjacker(The Governor and Suzie):A 1943 Phantom Daily

In last few days I was reading many Phantom strips,mostly from Falk's earliest creations, and one SPECIAL of those was D019:High Seas Hijacker(The Governor and Suzie).
Matter of fact,I've heard about these strip among Phans many times,but somehow couldn't find time to read!Now,after finished this strip,only one thing I can say:WHY THIS KINDA STORIES NEVER RE-TOLD IN LATER PART OF FALK's GLORIOUS JOURNEY?? This is worth repeating,in place of many substandard plots!! :-)
Now,this adventure begans in a cargo ship,SS HARVEY,which was planned to hijack in the mid sea.Our Phantom was a passenger in that cargo and whole operation carried out by a couple of ladies,and Suzie was one of them.But they were mere assistants of master-mind, the General who was in fact the Governor of his own country - and secretly a Pirate by profession!!
The story was a fascinating(& long) one where Phantom had to nab the gang in a quite hard way!BUT,the part which made this adventure a pretty special was how Suzie,being one of the members of that hijackers,literally helped Phantom in his mission,well knowing if he nabs the gang,it means severe punishment for her too!! Well,like other girls,she was also madly in love with the Phantom and despite having many chances to help Governor's soldiers to nab the Ghost Who Walks(and also free herself),she couldn't managed ever!
In the climax,Suzie was shot by the Governor as she tried to shield the Ghost Who Walks - in order to save him and that was a fatal shot indeed!! In the whole adventure,from the beginning, she was curious to see Phantom's real face which she couldn't managed until in her last few moments,when she requested him for once last time, Phantom couldn't turned down her last wish. It was one of the rarest moments where Phantom shows his original face to a stranger and what a fitting moment IMHO!!!
In short, a thriller in it's own grade and a fitting climax without much melodrama,I loved this daily from my core!! :))

So buddies, let me know your views AND for your convenience,I'm putting a d/l link which already available in Prabhat's all-Phantom-strip post.Please read it and let us know what you felt.... :-)

Cheers! (and this file is NOT p/w protected...so enjoy!!)
DOWNLOAD D019:Governor and Suzie