The Phantom we see in this title is a hero for those who can’t fight for themselves. The victims are children who are forced to work in diamond mines under ruthless tormentors in Africa. Not a whole lot happens in this issue, but I haven’t read the five issues leading up to it (this is part six) to necessarily get the full impact. The dialogue is minimal, so the story relies heavily on the action and visual elements to pull you in.
I like how a lot of comics these days give the reader a short summary of events leading up to the the issue you’re reading. Regardless of when you jump in you get a decent idea of what is going on. This book doesn’t do that, and hurts it as a result. My attention wasn’t held well until there was a “smidge” of attention given to a government thug with some sort of hi-tech weapon. This guy will undoubtedly have a run in with the Phantom somewhere down the line. I would like to see more focus on what is going on in the government, and how the Phantom is involved in fighting that battle rather than taking out some thuggish diamond miners.
Eduardo Ferigato’s pencil has a common feel to it. It doesn’t stand out, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. I read through the book without having any second thoughts about how things looked. The style is very “cartoony” and would work well if this was an animated Phantom story!
Script: 5/10
Art: 7/10
Parental Concern: Yellow for mild language and violence, suitable for the kiddos!
The Last Phantom #12, written by Scott Beatty and drawn by Eduardo Ferigato, can be found at your local comic book store on February 29, 2012, from Dynamite!
