Writer – Mark Verheiden
Artist – Luke McDonnell
Colours – Anthony Tollin
Letters – Bob Pinaha

Continuing straight off from the end of the previous issue, The Phantom has found himself in quite a predicament, a trap set by the man named Cammell. Cammell is looking to eliminate The Phantom, a thorn in his side that has become more than troublesome. Unbeknownst to Cammell, The Phantom is not that easy to kill and that thorn is going to dig itself deeper and deeper until it is impossible to remove. Mark Verheiden and Luke McDonnell play hero and villain off of each other from the first page to the last and it makes for a very compelling and exciting read. Readers know that in the end, The Phantom cannot be anything but victorious but it is in the getting there that makes it all worthwhile and the tellers of this tale do an incredible job of it. Cammell is the perfect bad guy – entitled and desperate, yet so sure of himself that he thinks he will succeed where so many before him have failed. He does everything he can to take The Phantom out of play and yet for every move that he makes, The Phantom has a counter and it is not long before Cammell is simply on the run, looking to get away before his number is finally called. This particular issue has a lot going for it, the artwork by McDonnell for one which is perfectly suited for the masked man as he stalks his prey. Previously mentioned is the writing by Verheiden which is quite excellent as he not only plays the protagonist off of the antagonist and so forth, but he makes great use of The Phantom’s history and his legacy, of his legend and so it is not only the man which scares Cammell but the mere idea of him. How can so many revere The Phantom and how can so many fear him? More to the point, is there nobody that has not heard of him for it seems like The Phantom is on the lips of everyone Cammell meets and it gets to the point where it all finally sinks in and he realizes that maybe he bit off more than he can chew. Amongst all of this, the authors of this tale take a small break to give readers a short interlude featuring Diana, The Phantom’s – Kit’s girlfriend. Diana’s heart wants one thing but reality is telling her something else and the two are currently clashing within her and she is unsure just which one of them will win out. For a second issue, this book had it all and even surpassed what the first outing had to offer. Truly great stuff.

4 out of 5