THE PHANTOM OF THE GARAGE FOR PHANTOM DETECTIVE #3

Ron Fortier has given his stamp of approval for my Phantom Detective, Vol #3 story, "The Phantom of the Garage." 

It's a phantom-vs-phantom fable, if the truth be known, but with Richard Curtis Van Loan's confidant, Jerry Lannigan, at the melodramatic core. 

The story also has some WWI, flashback action, and in addition to its Gaston Leroux nod, a smattering of Al Capone. In other words, the story's villain is a cross between the "opera ghost" and the infamous gangster. How's that for clever? 😊

I'm sure honored to be part of the next Phantom Detective edition. For now, enjoy Airship 27's existing, revival contributions at Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other reliable, literary merchants.  

AIRSHIP 27's THE PHANTOM DETECTIVE, VOL 2

Hey, folks! The long-awaited, second volume in Airship 27 Productions' The Phantom Detective revival is here!

The Phantom (Detective) is Richard Curtis Van Loan, a renown playboy who sports a domino mask (and a number of clever disguises) to investigate (and thwart) crimes. He's prompted by a building-perched beacon, which his newspaper friend, Frank Havens, activates whenever trouble strikes, ala Commissioner Gordon signaling Batman. 

This new volume includes stories by Fred Adams Jr., Carson Demmans, Gene Moyers and yours truly, Michael Housel, with themes that cover an eighty-year-old disappearance; an on-the-lam arsonist; war-veteran murders; and mutant youths. To enhance the contents, the interior artwork is supplied by the spellbinding Kevin Paul Broden and the cover by the astounding Adam Shaw. 

The stories are suspenseful, fun and do justice to a masked crusader who rose to the moralistic occasion in the 1930s and beyond.

Order The Phantom Detective, Vol 2, and while you're at it, grab Vol #1: 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1953589626/ref=pe_386300_440135490_TE_simp_item_image

and 

https://www.amazon.com/Phantom-Detective-One-1/dp/0997786892/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1700001117&sr=1-1

THE PHANTOM DETECTIVE #2: COMING SOON FROM AIRSHIP 27

Airship 27's The Phantom Detective, Vol 2 has been on the backburner for a couple years, but at long last, it's reaching completion. The volume will include stories by Carson Demmans, Gene Moyers, Fred Adams Jr. and yours truly, with artwork by Kevin Paul Shaw Broden. 

The Phantom (Detective) is, in fictional truth, Richard Curtis Van Loan, a wealthy playboy who stages his crimefighting tactics along the lines of Batman, The Green Hornet and The Spider. The Phantom Detective magazine was so popular that it outlived those of Doc Savage and The Shadow. Not too shabby. 

My contribution to the newest anthology is "The Master Youths of Janus." It references such weird tales as Village of the Damned/The Midwich Cuckoos, Twilight Zone's "It's a Good Life" and The Outer Limits' "The Sixth Finger." 

For the record, "Master Youths" includes three important, Phantom compatriots: Frank Havens (publisher of The Clarion); Muriel Havens (Frank's daughter and Van Sloan's gal) and Jerry Lannigan (a WWI chum, who believes The Phantom and Van Sloan are two different people). 

The initial, Airship 27 revival of The Phantom Detective is still available for purchase, if one should desire a reflective jump start:

https://www.amazon.com/Phantom-Detective-One-Gary-Lovisi-ebook/dp/B01MQGWQH9/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=the+phantom+detective+vol+1&qid=1623536279&sr=8-1

THE PHANTOM DETECTIVE: HOUSEL CONTRIBUTES TO VOL 2

Ron Fortier has accepted my entry for Airship 27 Production's the Phantom Detective, Vol 2! 

Ron asked me to participate in the endeavor about a month ago. From there I penned the tale and handed it over to my pal, J. Dennis Papp to edit before sharing it with Ron. Ron is now awaiting Fred Adams Jr's submission, and then the artwork (cover and interiors) will be completed. 

For the fun of it, here's a little background on the character: The Phantom Detective outlasted both Doc Savage and the Shadow in print. The well-to-do character, whose actual name is Richard Curtis Van Loan, emerged in 1933, and his alias was simply referenced as The Phantom within the pages of Thrilling magazine, though the periodical's banner likely surfaced to distinguish the crime-fighter from Lee Falk's Ghost Who Walks. There was even a comic-book series based on The Phantom Detective, where our hero wears his signature, domino mask, but also a top hat and cape; in the literary source, he sports only the mask and a fedora. 

My contribution to the saga is entitled "The Master Youths of Janus" and blends elements of Village of the Damned, It's a Good Life and the Sixth Finger. It includes three Phantom regulars: Frank Havens (the publisher of The Clarion and the only person who knows The Phantom's true identity), Muriel Havens (Frank's daughter and Van's gal) and Jerry Lannigan (a WWI buddy, who thinks The Phantom and Van are two different gents). 

I'm proud to be part of this revival venture and hope that Vol 2 inspires even more editions from Airship 27 Productions. 

In the meantime, The Phantom Detective, Vol 1 can be purchased at

https://www.amazon.com/Phantom-Detective-One-Gary-Lovisi-ebook/dp/B01MQGWQH9/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=the+phantom+detective+vol+1&qid=1623536279&sr=8-1