Whew! Well, readers, I am back to writing reviews.
All right, let us get to the topic of today’s post. This time I am reviewing a comic provided by Voyage Comics and Publishing! That is correct, I was given this comic to review by the company, though that has not influenced my opinion of this issue. I have made no secret of my love for superheroes, so this is right up my alley and in my wheelhouse. This is issue one of The Phantom Phoenix.**
But before we go too much further, here is the blurb for the comic:
Set in Chicago during the 1920s, Martin struggles to find his place in the world. He suffered a debilitating leg injury as a fighter pilot in World War I and is rejected by society. Without the support of family or the ability to work, Martin is a homeless veteran roaming the streets of Chicago, living off of scraps of food he finds.
That is, until he rises from the ashes.
Through a series of unlikely events, Martin discovers that his knowledge of the streets can actually help the country he fought to defend. Working in the shadows as if he was a “phantom,” he encounters criminals and crime scenes, giving the police the hints and clues they need to clean-up the streets of Chicago.
The episode begins with a bang as two of Chicago’s finest (and chubbiest) chase a thief down the streets. Although they manage to trace the crook to an abandoned building, they soon find their target trussed up with a mocking note attached. Signed by the “Phantom Phoenix,” as one of the angry cops suspected, the note is torn in half. This stranger is making a fool of the police with his good work! (Never mind that they have eaten one too many potatoes, according to the Phoenix himself….)
Martin Claver – the titular Phantom Phoenix – looks on from a nearby rooftop, chuckling at the irate cops. But his mirth is short-lived. Crime is on the rise in the Windy City and something about this string of robberies seems off, like they are connected somehow.
Heading back to his home in St. Casimir Catholic Church, Martin consults with the priest there, Father Karol. The older priest encourages him not to give up and suggests he should look more closely at the crimes. He also asks Martin to be careful as, “Evil never sleeps until it gets what it wants!”
At that same moment, on the other side of the city, crime boss Monsieur Flambeau demands to know where his money is and why it has not arrived. His sweating underling must explain that the Phantom Phoenix interrupted yet another shipment of cash. Irate, Flambeau decides the mysterious Phoenix must be dealt with – permanently!
The Phantom Phoenix Issue No. 001 is quite fun. Martin is an admirable character doing his best despite a debilitating wound from World War I and he has a genuine sense of humor. He makes his own gadgets and gear, is polite and friendly, and an all-around good guy. But we also see that he is easily frustrated and that he is not unbeatable, as Flambeau’s henchmen manage to damage his leg brace and cause him a fair bit of trouble.
Father Karol is a refreshing take on the archetype of the paternal mentor, encouraging Martin and giving him a place in which to anchor himself. The use of the church of St. Casimir as Martin’s homebase is also good, as one of the symbols of the Resurrection of Christ is none other than the phoenix. Watching Martin seek counsel from St. Joseph, the foster-father of Jesus, when he comes back from a mission is also heartening and a good show of character for him. His faith is important to him and gives him a compass by which to chart his course of action.
Even with all these good things, I do have a criticism for this issue: it is too fast paced. For my taste we do not get enough about Flambeau and his motivation nor enough of Martin’s backstory; we know that Martin is a veteran who was wounded in WWI, but we are not shown or told how he was injured. We are not shown Flambeau’s character in much depth, either, and this is particularly egregious. He lacks the flavor of villains in older superhero comics which would give them some extra scenes to demonstrate their character and thus explain why they come into conflict with the hero.
Admittedly, in this case I am thinking of Daredevil #1 (1964), which gives us a villain known as the Fixer (no relation to later supervillain[s] going by the same name), who “fixed” prize boxing fights. Fixer had Daredevil’s father murdered when Battling Jack Murdock, Daredevil/Matt Murdock’s father, won a fight which he was supposed to throw. Jack didn’t throw the fight as ordered because he knew his son was in the audience and could hear Matt cheering him on.
I do not believe that Martin and Flambeau needed any such personal connection in this story, though the brief mention of Martin’s father certainly made me think of it. Rather, what I would have liked to have seen was a hint before Martin caught the thief that the robber was working for Flambeau or worried about disappointing him, perhaps with the implication that failing the crime boss could get him killed. Instead, Flambeau comes out of left field in the middle of the comic. Even though Martin is wondering about the crimes and why they are odd, we are not shown beforehand or even in the middle of the cops’ pursuit of the petty crook that there are bigger fish to fear in Chicago’s dark underbelly. A little bit of context during the opening scenes or as a prelude to them would have solved this problem quite easily.
This lack is what makes the story feel too fast, as we get a good read on Martin but not on Flambeau, who just seems to be there to be an overarching bad guy. Flambeau’s hired hitman who is supposed to help him eliminate the Phantom Phoenix gets even less screentime and less fleshing out, which is a shame, as he seems to be a very interesting character. But we are not given enough time with him to get to know him and get a feel for just how bad and/or (dis)honorable he might be, something older comics could give in one or two brief panels before rolling on with the story and the coming conflict therein.
None of this is to say that I disliked The Phantom Phoenix. I enjoyed it quite a bit, though not as much as I enjoyed The Tale of Patrick Peyton and Champion of the Poor. These are just areas where I think the writing could have been improved and what I would like to see in the next superhero comic from the company. Superheroes seem one way from the outside but dig a little deeper and you find a knight underneath the spandex. Martin has the makings of a great knight – he just needs to face an evil knight or lord as horrible as he is good.
Beyond this critique I have nothing negative to say about The Phantom Phoenix. It is a fun story with a fantastic protagonist and great artwork, and it is sure to thrill readers, particularly the younger set. Martin is a winner for comic readers who want a true hero to cheer on and the next two issues are ones I would love to read. This is one Phoenix who will always rise to fight crime – without actually being raised from the dead by a flaming cosmic entity!
So, readers, head on over to Voyage Comics and Publishing’s site and pick up your copy of The Phantom Phoenix today. It is a worthy read and you do not want to miss it. If you have a young niece or nephew who likes comics, then you really should consider this issue. It will leave them asking for more!
**These are Voyage Comics and Publishing affiliate links. When you purchase something through them, this author receives a commission from Voyage at no extra charge to you, the buyer.
If you liked this article, friend Caroline Furlong on Facebook or follow her here at www.carolinefurlong.wordpress.com. Her stories have been published in Cirsova’s Summer Special and Unbound III: Goodbye, Earth. She has also had stories published in the Planetary Anthology Series. Another story was released in Cirsova Magazine’s Summer Issue in 2020, and she had a story published in Storyhack Magazine’s 7th Issue, Cirsova Magazine’s 2021 Summer Issue, and another may be read over at Ember Journal. Vol. 1* and Vol. 2* of her series – The Guardian Cycle – is available in paperback and ebook as well. So is her first YA novel, Debris, which can be purchased in ebook and paperback here* and here*. Order them today!
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A Song of Joy by Caroline Furlong 
Looks like a lot of fun.
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