The Phantom #38
In "The Dying Ground," the Phantom faces a tense standoff in Mapoga territory, where gold hunters defy protective laws to mine the land. El Futuro, a Mapoga elder, challenges the prospectors’ leader to a test of nerve using lighted dynamite—offering a rare glimpse into the culture’s deep connection to the land and its quiet, ancient wisdom. The issue, drawn with sharp precision by Jim Aparo on the cover, captures the weight of tradition clashing with greed in a story that unfolds with quiet intensity.
Sell my copy
Have this issue — or a whole collection? Get a fair offer from us, skip the marketplace fees and the hassle.
We Buy Collections ▸Cast · 1 character
Full credits
Full plot ⚠ may contain spoilers
▸ Reveal full plot — may contain spoilers
In defiance of laws protecting a Mapoga homeland, gold hunters invade Mapoga territory. El Futuro tells the prospectors' leader that the Mapoga had once wiped out a 500-man army detachment, but are willing to tolerate the prospectors if they agree not to dynamite the fish in the streams. No fish will lead to an overabundance of insects, which will devour the vegetation. Garkin agrees if El Futuro will take part in a test of nerves with lighted dynamite. El Futuro wins, though the prospectors did not observe that he had pulled out the lighted fuse.
Plot details indexed by the Grand Comics Database (CC BY-SA).