The Phantom #74
Published by Charlton and © by King Features, January 1977
Title: “The Phantom of 1776”
Synopsis: The Phantom of 1776 travels to colonial America to free Africans who were under his protection.
Writer: Don Newton
Artist: Newton
Review: Despite a great deal of promise, this Phantom story set at the dawn of the American Revolution ultimately falls short of satisfying. To be fair, that’s a pretty appropriate reflection of the national origin story that serves as the outing’s backdrop. The Ghost That Walks is in literal White Savior mode here, but his heroic reach falls short of the reality of the era. Heroism and idealism both prove insufficient for the historic moment. Not insufficient is the art of Don Newton. Despite the occasional awkward page design, Newton is a perfect fit for this title.
Grade: B
Second opinion: “A fine morality play.” – Gary Usher, It’s a Fanzine #48, Winter 1998/99 … “One of the better Bicentennial stories put out in 1976.” – FantaCo’s Chronicle’s Series Annual #1, 1983 … “Arguably the best Bicentennial comic to be published.” – The Slings & Arrows Comic Guide (second edition), 2003
Cool factor: That iconic Don Newton cover bumped up this issue’s grade.
Not-so-cool factor: The legacy of a slavery will forever be a complicated stain on this nation’s founding ideals.
Notable: Last Charlton issue.
Character quotable: “I succeeded only partially, but what I’ve seen gives me hope that the blot of slavery will someday be forever wiped clean.” – The Phantom
Editor’s note: This review was written May 9, 2026.
