The Flame Pearls Pt.5: The Ghost Ship

The Flame Pearls Pt.5: The Ghost Ship
Start date:	December 29th, 1940
End date:	April 20th, 1941
# of strips:	17 (17 weeks)
Writer:	Lee Falk
Artist:	Phil Davis
Preceded by:	"The Flame Pearls Pt.4: The Amazons"
Followed by:	"The Flame Pearls Pt.6: The Witch of Tago"

"The Flame Pearls Pt.5: The Ghost Ship" is the 18th Mandrake Sunday story. The story was written by Lee Falk and drawn by Phil Davis.

Plot Summary

Mandrake is on a scientific expedition to the South Pacific, looking for flame colored pearls. After passing through the Strangler Straits, they are attacked by a sea monster. Then the Argos comes upon a fishing-boat, drifting with all the fishermen asleep on the deck. When they wake up they tell about a mysterious Ghost Ship.

Appearances

Recurring characters

• Mandrake
• Lothar

One-time characters

• Colonel Barton
• June, daughter of Colonel Barton.
• The doctor on Argos.
• Captain Beeker, on Argos.
• Captain Gar, on the Ghost Ship.
• Gretel, Gar's lovely daughter.
• Jim, in love with Gretel.

Locations

• South Pacific.
• The Strangler Straits.

Vehicles

• S.S.Argos, Colonel Barton's yacht.
• The Ghost Ship.

Behind the scenes

• The main title for this story is taken from the strip of April 14th, 1940 (Next Week: "The Flame Pearls"), while the sub title is lifted from the plot.
• The "Flame Pearls" story is a retelling of an ancient Greek myth; "Jason and the Golden Fleece".

Reprints

This story has been published in the following publications:

Brazil

• "O Navio Fantasma", Novo Gibi #1813 (1953)

Finland

• "Tulihelmien mysteeri (V): Aavelaiva", Mustanaamio #14 (1992)

France

• "Le vaisseau fantôme", Mandrake #329 (1971)

Italy

• "Il vascello fantasma", Mandrake #3 (1971)

Norway

• "Ildperlene, Spøkelseskipet", Fantomet #10 (1992)

Spain

• "El Navio Fantasma", Merlin el Mago Moderno #16 (194?)

Sweden

• "Eldpärlorna", Allers Familj-Journal
• "Mysteriet med eldpärlorna del 4: Dödens sund", Fantomen #9 (1992)

USA

• King Comics (1942)