The Phantom #30 & Rip Kirby #7: Two Classic Adventures Return with Stunning New Covers
Shakti Comics brings back two classic favourites with The Phantom – The Rope People and Rip Kirby: Bleak Prospects – The Trap, featuring striking new cover art by Avishek Biswas.
Classic comicbook characters continue to find a new audience as Shakti Comics brings back two more memorable adventures with The Phantom #30 and Rip Kirby: Bleak Prospects – The Trap. Both releases carry the unmistakable flavour of vintage adventure and detective storytelling, while their striking new covers by Avishek Biswas immediately demand attention.
The Phantom #30 – The Rope People
Lee Falk’s The Phantom returns with The Rope People, illustrated by Wilson McCoy. The story takes readers deep into an unexplored part of the jungle, where Dr. Archer and June unknowingly enter the hidden territory of the mysterious Rope People. Living hundreds of feet above the jungle floor in the forest canopy, the secretive tribe has created a world almost invisible to outsiders.
When the expedition is ambushed, the two explorers are taken captive and the Rope People disappear into the trees without leaving a trace. It sets up exactly the kind of mysterious jungle adventure that has long been associated with the Ghost Who Walks.
This latest edition continues Shakti Comics effort to revisit classic Indrajal era material, giving Phantom fans another opportunity to experience a familiar adventure in a fresh collectible edition. The English edition features 32 glossy pages, with colours by Rudhraksha and a new cover by Avishek Biswas.
Rip Kirby – Bleak Prospects: The Trap
Alongside The Phantom comes another classic character from the world of vintage newspaper comics Rip Kirby. Bleak Prospects – The Trap is based on the story by Ward Greene, with art by Alex Raymond, and marks Story No. 7 in the series.
Rip Kirby finds himself surrounded by betrayal, corruption and hidden criminal networks, where appearances can be deceptive and every clue may lead deeper into danger. With Desmond by his side, the celebrated detective must rely on observation, intelligence and his moral judgement to navigate a case filled with psychological suspense and noir style intrigue.
The combination of Alex Raymond’s artwork and the classic detective storytelling makes Rip Kirby an especially interesting addition to Shakti Comics’ growing line-up of vintage titles. The edition comes with 44 glossy pages, colours by Nilanjan Sayed and another eye catching Avishek Biswas cover.
Two Covers, Two Classic Worlds
What makes these releases particularly appealing is how differently the two covers capture their respective worlds. The Phantom promises jungle mystery and high adventure, while Rip Kirby immediately suggests crime, investigation and classic noir suspense.
Two classic heroes. Two very different adventures. And two covers that make these editions hard to ignore.“
For collectors of Indrajal Comics, vintage newspaper strips and classic Western comics, these editions offer another chance to revisit characters who helped define an earlier generation of Indian comic-book reading. With both titles scheduled to begin shipping from 14 September 2026, they are certainly releases worth keeping on the radar. Cheers – Comics Byte!!
The Phantom the Complete Dailies 31: 1984-1986 (Phantom: the Complete Newspaper Dailies)
