The Phantom Insider 3

Tony DePaul and Paul Ryan have been subtly making Lee Falk, the creator of the The Phantom, a recurring character. Over the past few years, Lee Falk has appeared in the strip as a narrator. He always talks directly to the reader (see: The Phantom Insider -- Revealed!) either summing up what's happened in the current story arc, or introducing a new storyline.

In a recent sequence, Falk's New York City address was cited. (click on image to enlarge)

And now Mr. Falk stands outside his residence to summarize the action. He looks quite dapper with his skull head cane (referencing the Phantom's skull ring) and amulet (the same skull symbol as on the Phantom's belt buckle).

It's a sequence that works on three levels:

1) Those with little knowledge of the strip get a synopsis.
2) Those who have been reading the strip will recognize the background as one of the story locations, and will get added meaning from the sequence.
3) Those who are comics scholars will recognize Lee Falk and get the full flavor of the homage.

Sure, you can read a comic strip in a few seconds. But see what you're missing?