Frew Publications
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Comic book publishing |
| Founded | 1948 |
| Founder | Ron Forsyth, Lawford 'Jim' Richardson, Jack Eisen, Peter Watson |
| Headquarters | Australia |
Key people | Jim Shepherd (former managing director and sole proprietor), Peter Forsyth (co-owner), Judith Shepherd (senior editor), Stephen Shepherd |
| Products | The Phantom, Mandrake the Magician, Popeye, The Phantom Ranger, The Shadow, Sir Falcon, Catman, Super Yank Comics, The Suicide Squad |
Frew Publications stands as an Australian comic book publisher, primarily recognized for its enduring reprint series of The Phantom, originally created by Lee Falk. The company has also issued other titles in the past, including Falk's earlier work, Mandrake the Magician.
History
Established in 1948, Frew Publications was the brainchild of Ron Forsyth, Lawford 'Jim' Richardson, Jack Eisen, and Peter Watson, each contributing 500 Australian pounds to launch the venture. The company’s name "Frew" originates from the initials of the founders’ surnames: Forsyth, Richardson, Eisen, and Watson. However, Eisen and Watson exited the partnership prior to the release of the first issue.
Forsyth and Richardson secured a deal with Yaffa Syndicate—the Australian agent for King Features Syndicate—to produce an Australian edition of The Phantom. The contract prohibited Frew from reproducing stories that were either currently serialized elsewhere or recently featured in the Australian Woman's Mirror. Frew’s inaugural issue, titled "The Slave Traders," was released on 9 September 1948. The earliest editions lacked numbering and were printed in a landscape orientation; by the third issue, the format switched back to portrait and numbering was introduced.
From 1949 through 1958, Frew broadened its catalog to encompass series such as Popeye, The Phantom Ranger, The Shadow—an original creation unique to Australia—Sir Falcon, Catman, and Super Yank Comics. At its zenith in the mid-1950s, Frew managed around thirty different titles. Remarkably, in 1952, Frew issued The Suicide Squad, predating DC Comics’ similarly named team by seven years. However, with the arrival of numerous American comic imports during the early 1960s, Frew scaled back its publications to focus solely on The Phantom.
In November 1978, Frew introduced its first Swedish Phantom story ("The Ghost," Issue #730), followed by a second Swedish narrative in January 1983 ("The Tiger from Rangoon," Issue #763).
Jim Shepherd joined Frew as a consultant in 1987 and ascended to managing director by 1988. Alongside Peter Forsyth—Ron Forsyth’s son—Shepherd acquired full ownership of the company shares; by 1995, Shepherd had become the sole proprietor.
The publisher released its first Australian-created Phantom adventure titled "Rumble in the Jungle" (Issue #951A) in 1990, featuring artwork by Keith Chatto and a script by Shepherd. Chatto and Shepherd collaborated on two additional stories: "Return of the Singh Brotherhood" (Issue #962) and "The Kings Cross Connection" (Issue #1000). Shepherd also penned "The Search for Byron" (Issue #1131), illustrated by Glenn Ford.
Jim Shepherd passed away on 15 April 2013 at eighty years old. His wife Judith held the role of senior editor; their son Stephen remains. In 2016, ownership of Frew Publications and its license transferred to Glenn Ford and Rene White.
Frew has upheld a legacy of producing exclusive original cover artwork for its publications. Esteemed artists who have contributed covers include Tommy Hughes, Keith Chatto, Terry Welsby ("Tessa"), Glenn Ford, Antonio Lemos, Meg Coates, Terry Lee, Paul Agnew, Jason Frazer, Jeremy MacPherson, Wai-Chew Chan, Shane Foley, and Jamie Johnson.
In 2017, Frew revitalized classic characters through a new Giantsize Phantom series presenting stories such as:
- "Sir Falcon: Riddles in Armour and Black" by Shane Foley
- "The Phantom Ranger: Phantoms" by Shane Foley
- "Sir Falcon: The Stolen Chronicle" by Shane Foley
- "Planetman" by Shane Foley
- "Planetman" by Christopher Sequeira, Massimo Gamberi, and Luca Giorgi
- "The Shadow" by Jeremy MacPherson
- "The Phantom Ranger" by Felmang and Max Fish
The Phantom publication timeline
Starting in 1948, Frew Publications began producing original The Phantom comic issues in Australia, reaching an approximate circulation of 25,000 copies. By 2007, Frew's distribution figures positioned The Phantom as the leading Australian comic book in circulation and recognized it as the longest-running comic series in the country, commemorating its 70th anniversary in 2006.
1948
| Issue Number | Production Code | Official Title | Frew Working Title | Author | Illustrator |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | D9 | The Slave Traders | Enter the Phantom | Lee Falk | Raymond Moore |
| 2 | D28 | Queen Asta of Trondeley | In the Tiger's Lair | Lee Falk | Wilson McCoy |
| 3 | D29 | Mister Hog | Smashing the Crime Ring | Lee Falk | Wilson McCoy |
| 4 | D30 | Romance Pt 2 | The Phantom versus the Jewel Thieves | Lee Falk | Wilson McCoy |
| 5 | D15 | The Phantom's Treasure | The Phantom's Treasure Stolen | Lee Falk | Raymond Moore |
1949
| Issue Number | Production Code | Official Title | Frew Working Title | Author | Illustrator |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | D1 | The Singh Brotherhood Pt 2 | The Phantom's Revenge | Lee Falk | Lee Falk, Raymond Moore |
| 7 | D13 | The Game of Alvar Pt 2 | The Phantom versus the Gun Runners | Lee Falk | Raymond Moore |
| 8 | D2 | The Sky Band Pt 2 | Death to the Sky Band | Lee Falk | Raymond Moore |
| 9 | D8 | Fishers of Pearls | The Pearl Pirates | Lee Falk | Raymond Moore |
| 10 | D12 | The Seahorse Pt 1 | The Phantom versus the Spy Ring | Lee Falk | Raymond Moore |
| 11 | D12 | The Seahorse Pt 2 | On Bleak Island | Lee Falk | Raymond Moore |
| 12 | D7 | The Shark's Nest | The Shark's Nest | Lee Falk | Raymond Moore |
| 13-15 | D11 | The Golden Circle Pt 1-3 | The Phantom's Dilemma / Golden Circle Pt 2 / The Poison Gas Chamber | Lee Falk | Raymond Moore |
| 16-17 | D6, D10 | Adventure in Algiers / The Mysterious Girl Pt 1 | Adventure in Algiers / Kidnapped in Egypt | Lee Falk | Raymond Moore |
1950
| Issue Number | Production Code | Official Title | Frew Working Title | Author | Illustrator |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 | D10 | The Mysterious Girl Part 2 | Trapped Under the Sea | Lee Falk | Raymond Moore |
| 19 | S12 | The Golden Princess | The Golden Princess | Lee Falk | Wilson McCoy |
| 20-21 | S8-S9/D5 | Castle in the Clouds Pt 2 / Ismani Cannibals / Prisoner of the Himalayas Pt 1-2 | The Phantom versus the Old Man of the Mountains / The Ismani Cannibals / Kidnapped Bride / Sentenced to Death | Lee Falk | Raymond Moore, Wilson McCoy |
| 22-24 | D14/D22/D16 | Diana Aviatrix Lost Pt 1-2 / Maharajah's Daughter Pt 1-2 / The Phantom Goes to War Pt 1-2 | Jungle Victory / The Phantom's Triumph / Kidnapped Maharajah / Royal Prisoner / The Phantom Goes to War / The Red Invaders | Lee Falk | Raymond Moore, Wilson McCoy |
1951
| Issue Number | Production Code | Official Title | Frew Working Title | Author | Illustrator |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29-30 | D16 | The Phantom Goes to War Pt 3-4 | Death to the Invaders / The Hero of Oolan | Lee Falk | Raymond Moore, Wilson McCoy |
| 31-32 | S10 | Hamid the Terrible Pt 1-2 | Hamid the Terrible / The Sultan's Prisoner | Lee Falk | Wilson McCoy |
| 33-35 | D17-D18/S11 | Bent Beak Broder / The Phantom's Engagement / The Young Phantom (Childhood) | Bent Beak and the Phantom Mark / Engagement / Young Phantom | Lee Falk | Wilson McCoy |
(Note: Some entries are summarized for brevity; full listings are available upon request.)
1952
| Edition Number | Production Code | Official Title | Frew Working Title | Writer | Artist | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 41-53 | D24-D42, S1-S4, S21, S3, etc. | Titles such as Lago the Lake God, Wild Girl, League of Lost Men, Beachcomber, Princess Valerie Pt 1-2, Haunted Castle, Tiger Girl, Fire Goddess, White Monkey, Lady Luck Part 1… | Lee Falk | Wilson McCoy, Raymond Moore |
(Note: The listed titles represent select key issues; a comprehensive catalog is maintained within Frew archives.)
Editions without numbers
Certain Frew issues were released lacking numeric identifiers; archivists designated these with 'A' or 'B' suffixes according to their release sequence (for example, *65A, *76B).
Editions without cover titles
Issues numbered 43 through 47 and some others did not feature story titles on their front covers; however, official titles were retained and displayed at the beginning of the narrative.
Omitted edition
Issue number 330 was never published owing to production complications; it was superseded by edition 331. A facsimile of #330 was later issued alongside the 2019 Annual Special (#1830).
Scope exclusions
The compilation exclusively covers standalone Phantom comic books; related Frew supplementary editions and associated publications are not included.
Sources
- "Index: The First 50 Years of The Phantom", compiled by Jim Shepherd (Frew Publications, 1998)
- "The Phantom: A Publishing History in Australia" authored by Bryan Shedden