The Phantom the Gold Key Years 1

The 1960s comic book adventures of The Phantom return in full, glorious color! Long out of print and in constant demand these classic Phantom stories are collected in two hard cover volumes. Volume One collects eight stories. The Gold Key comic book version of the grand-daddy of costumed heroes, the Ghost Who Walks, is available again, digitally remastered to look better than the original books. Featuring cover art by famed painter George Wilson with interior artwork by Bill Lignante and stories by Bill Harris. Chock full of a extras, an in depth introduction by Phantom expert Ed Rhoades accompanied by rare original artwork. This printing will be limited to 1000 copies.

William “Bill” Harris, born on the 25th of November 1933, in Scranton, Pennsylvania, USA was a prominent American comic book writer and editor whose career spanned several decades. He is best remembered for his significant contributions to the comic book adaptations of the Phantom, a character originally created by Lee Falk. Harris’s work in the 1960s, particularly with Gold Key and King Comics, played a pivotal role in bringing the Phantom to a broader audience and solidifying its place in comic book history.
During the 1960’s Bill worked for ABC Radio before entering the comic book industry, he worked in promotions for Dell Publishing, his role at Dell provided him with valuable experience in publishing and promotions, setting the stage for his future endeavors in the comic book world.
In the early 1960s, Harris transitioned to Western Publishing, a company renowned for producing comic books under the Gold Key imprint. Between 1962 and 1965, he served as an editor at Western, overseeing a diverse range of titles. His editorial portfolio included popular series such as Boris Karloff Tales of Mystery, Bullwinkle, Doctor Solar, I Spy, the Phantom, and Popeye. His versatility in managing both licensed properties and original content showcased his adaptability and editorial acumen.

William Gaetano Lignante was an American artist notable for his varied career as a comic book illustrator, comic strip artist, animator and courtroom sketch artist. Born in Brooklyn, New York in March 1925, Lignante was in the Navy and studied art at Pratt Institute. He first drew The Phantom when he completed a strip left unfinished after the death of Wilson McCoy in 1961. He then drew the Sunday strip from August, 1961 to May 1962. He did The Phantom comic book (interior art) for Gold Key Comics, from issue 1–18; continuing the book for King Comics, through issue 28 and he also contributed to Charlton Comics, when they published Phantom issues 30-74 (although Jim Aparo did most art, as Lignante was in courtrooms by then). He had a 16-year career as an animator (layout artist) for Hanna-Barbera. Of his many illustration assignments, Lignante wrote, "None of these compare to the instant art of the courtroom. No roughs, research, conferences, assistants, editors and no time. What you see, you draw, so that the world can see it too." In the 26 years he spent as a courtroom artist for ABC Network News, he illustrated 60 trials, including those of Sirhan Sirhan, Charles Manson and Patty Hearst.[1]

William Gaetano Lignante was an American artist notable for his varied career as a comic book illustrator, comic strip artist, animator and courtroom sketch artist. Born in Brooklyn, New York in March 1925, Lignante was in the Navy and studied art at Pratt Institute. He first drew The Phantom when he completed a strip left unfinished after the death of Wilson McCoy in 1961. He then drew the Sunday strip from August, 1961 to May 1962. He did The Phantom comic book (interior art) for Gold Key Comics, from issue 1–18; continuing the book for King Comics, through issue 28 and he also contributed to Charlton Comics, when they published Phantom issues 30-74 (although Jim Aparo did most art, as Lignante was in courtrooms by then). He had a 16-year career as an animator (layout artist) for Hanna-Barbera. Of his many illustration assignments, Lignante wrote, "None of these compare to the instant art of the courtroom. No roughs, research, conferences, assistants, editors and no time. What you see, you draw, so that the world can see it too." In the 26 years he spent as a courtroom artist for ABC Network News, he illustrated 60 trials, including those of Sirhan Sirhan, Charles Manson and Patty Hearst.[1]