The Phantom #19
In "The Astronaut and the Pirates," the Phantom steps in to restore order when the tyrannical Bababu seizes power from the elected Dr. Luaga. Commissioned by the U.N., the Ghost Who Walks must navigate a trial by combat between the two rivals, unaware that the seemingly outmatched Luaga holds a hidden skill that could turn the tide. Written by Dick Wood and illustrated with crisp detail by Bill Lignante—both inks and pencils on the cover—this 1966 adventure blends political intrigue with unexpected martial prowess, all in a 12-cent comic from King Features.
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Bababu, who has overthrown the freely-elected Dr. Luaga, terrorizes the country. The Phantom, commissioned by the U.N., captures him and reluctantly acquiesces when the chiefs insist on trial by combat between the two rivals. The scholarly, slightly-built Luaga is clearly over-matched, but the chiefs know what neither Bababu nor the Phantom know... that Luaga is an expert at judo.
Plot details indexed by the Grand Comics Database (CC BY-SA).