Treasure of the Skull Cave

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Treasure of the Skull Cave
Start date:	May 20th, 1962
End date:	October 28th, 1962
# of strips:	24 pages
Writer:	Lee Falk
Artist:	Sy Barry
Preceded by:	"Queen Samaris XII"
Followed by:	"The Astronaut and the Pirates"

"Treasure of the Skull Cave" is the 60th Phantom Sunday story and the first drawn by Sy Barry. It was originally published in American newspapers from May 20th, to October 28th, 1962.

The story was written by Lee Falk and drawn by Sy Barry. A remake by Dick Wood and Bill Lignante was published in the Phantom comic book by King Comics (see "The Treasure of the Skull Cave").

Contents 1 Plot Summary 2 Reprints 2.1 Argentina 2.2 Australia 2.3 Brazil 2.4 Canada 2.5 Colombia 2.6 Denmark 2.7 Finland 2.8 France 2.9 Hungary 2.10 India 2.11 Ireland 2.12 Italy 2.13 New Zealand 2.14 Norway 2.15 Panama 2.16 Portugal 2.17 Sweden 2.18 Turkey 2.19 United Arab Republic 2.20 United Kingdom 2.21 USA 2.22 West Germany 2.23 Yugoslavia

Plot Summary

A swindler and a smuggler are caught for the umpteenth time and end up in the same cell as an African man named Bubba, who tells them about the Phantom Treasure. The smuggler has smuggled to some quite powerful people (a general of some kind) so they soon escape together and make plans together with the general to take possession of the treasure, though everyone plan to fool the others.

Swargo (the smuggler) and Bubba is dropped in the jungle and set to use nerv gas to kill all the Bandars. Swargo, however, is very curious about seeing the treasure before the killing and manages to be brought to the Skull Cave by calling to the Phantom and then telling him that he and his friend Bubba had been attacked by natives and Bubba had told him to call for the Phantom before he died.

The Phantom the shows the Great Treasure Room, with such unique objects as the Excalibur, King Arthur's sword, the Laurel wreath of Caesar, the cup of Alexander the Great, and the snake that bit Cleopatra. Not realising their true value, Swargo feels very disappointed and refuses to see the Small Treasure Room. Swargo hurries back to Bubba hand says that the entire treasure is rubbish, something that Bubba refuses to believe as his own uncle had seen it, a fight is to ensue when the Phantom shows up and take them captives.

The signal that the nerve gas has been released is sent and a helicopter with the rest of the gang lands in front of the Skull Cave and is quite soon taken captive by the Bandars, since everyone fear their poisonous arrows. The Phantom then shows the same objects to the general as he later showed to Swargo, when the general realises that Swargo thinks the stuff is just rubbish, he is utterly angered as he knows that they are priceless. The Phantom then shows the Small Treasure Room, the room that Swargo did not want to see; it is filled with a more convential treasure.

The gang is then taken away and will never again see the Skull Cave, nor its treasure.

Reprints

This story has been published in the following publications:

Argentina

• "El tesoro de la cueva", El Fantasma #49 (1963)

Australia

• The Phantom #382 (1968)
• The Phantom #545 (1974)
• The Phantom #736 (1982)
• The Phantom #1000 (1992)
• The Phantom #1498 (2009)

Brazil

• "Os Três Ladrões", Fantasma #76 (1963)
• "Os Três Ladrões", Fantasma #239 (1976)

Canada

• Le Soleil May 19, 1962 – October 27, 1962
• La Patrie May 20, 1962 – October 28, 1962

Colombia

• El Tiempo September 2, 1962 – February 10, 1963

Denmark

• "Guldtørst", Fantomet #54 (1975)
• "Angreb på kraniegrotten", Sy Barry Søndagshistorier 1962-1964 (2001)

Finland

• "Kultakuumetta", Mustanaamio 14/1974
• "Hyökkäys pääkalloluolaan", Mustanaamio Year Album 1984
• "Hyökkäys pääkalloluolaan", Mustanaamio 7 – 10/1999

France

• "Le trésor des aieux", Les héros de l'aventure - Extra issue Christmas 1967
• "Le trésor des aieux", Sélection Héros de l'aventure #1 (1969 or 1970)
• "Le trésor de la caverne du crâne", Le Fantôme #441 (1973)
• "Le trésor de la caverne du crâne", Le Fantôme Album #48 (undated; 1974)
• Le Fantôme: Le Justicier de la Jungle (1974)

Hungary

• "Merénylet a halálfejes barlang ellen", Fantom Album

India

• "Phantom Treasure", Indrajal Comics #11 (1965)
• "The Ancient Cave of Splendour", Indrajal Comics Vol. 21 No. 29 – 21 No. 30 (1984)
• "Phantom Treasure", Phantom #3
• "Phantom Treasure", Phantom #66
• "Mandai ottu maligai", Rani Comics #148
• Pujabarshiki 1995

Ireland

• Sunday Independent June 10, 1962 – November 18, 1962

Italy

• "Il tesoro degli avi", L'Uomo Mascherato #27 (1963)
• "Il tesoro degli avi", Serie Cronologica #55 (1973)

New Zealand

• The Phantom #485 – #486

Norway

• Vi menn 5-25/1963
• "Attak mot dødningsskallegrotten", Fantomet 3/1971
• "Gullhunger", Fantomet 12/1974
• "Kampen i Hodeskallegrotten", Fantomet Year Album 1984
• "Attakk mot hodeskallegrotten", Fantomet 13 – 16/1999
• "Attakk mot dødningsskallegrotten", Krønikebok #28 (2006)

Panama

• The Star & Herald ?, 196?

Portugal

• "A Gruta do Tesouro", Selecções #25 (1963)
• O Fantasma: O Justiceiro da Selva (1980)

Sweden

• "Attacken mot dödskallegrottan", Fantomen 13/1966
• "Guldhunger", Fantomen 5/1974
• "Attacken mot Dödskallegrottan", Fantomen Christmas Album 1984
• "Attacken mot dödskallegrottan", Sy Barry - en jubileumskrönika 1961-1991 (1991)
• "Attacken mot Dödskallegrottan", Fantomen 13 – 16/1999
• "Attacken mot Dödskallegrottan", Sy Barry Söndagsäventyr #1 (2001)

Turkey

• "Büyük Soygun", Kızılmaske #242 - #244 (1978) - without the first two weeks
• "Büyük Soygun", Kızılmaske Süper Albüm #32 - without the first two weeks
• "Büyük Soygun", Kızılmaske Süper Albüm #34 – #35 - without the first two weeks

United Arab Republic

• "كنز الشبح" (romanized as "Kinz Alshabah"), Samir #412 – #423 (1964)

United Kingdom

• "The Phantom Treasure", TV Tornado #1 – #8 (1967)

USA

• San Antonio Light May 20, 1962 – October 28, 1962
• The Phantom Sundays Special Edition #3 (1990)
• Comics Revue #162 (1999; the first page only)

West Germany

• "Die Schatzjäger", Phantom #8 (1974)
• Topix #11 (ca 1977)
• "Der Schatz des Dschungelherrn", Phantom #9 (ca 1980)

Yugoslavia

• "Благо у Фантомовој пећини", Politikin Zabavnik #1038 (1971)
• Super EKS Almanah #4 (1980)