Editing Phantom Stranger (section)

==Publication history==
===Volume 1===
The Phantom Stranger first appeared in an eponymous six-issue [[comics anthology]] published in 1952 and was created by [[John Broome (writer)|John Broome]] and [[Carmine Infantino]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Irvine|first= Alex|authorlink = Alexander C. Irvine|editor-last = Dolan|editor-first = Hannah|chapter= 1950s|title = DC Comics Year By Year A Visual Chronicle|publisher=[[Dorling Kindersley]]|year=2010 |location= London, United Kingdom|isbn= 978-0-7566-6742-9 |page= 69|quote = In his first series, the Phantom Stranger often made his appearances to debunk supernatural-seeming events, and the inaugural issue established this theme from the outset with stories...from writer John Broome and artist Carmine Infantino.}}</ref>

===Volume 2===
After an appearance in ''[[Showcase (comics)|Showcase]]'' #80 (February 1969), he received another series beginning May–June 1969<ref>McAvennie, Michael "1960s" in Dolan, p. 133: "Sixteen years after he faded into obscurity, the Phantom Stranger rematerialized in ''Showcase'' #80 (February 1969) before making his way back into his own series".</ref> that lasted until February&ndash;March 1976.<ref>{{cite book|last1= Overstreet|first1= Robert M.|title= [[Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide]]|edition= 49th|publisher= [[Gemstone Publishing]]|date= 2019|location= Timonium, Maryland|pages= 928|isbn= 978-1603602334}}</ref> The ''Showcase'' appearance and the first three issues of ''Phantom Stranger'' consisted of reprints from both the 1950s title and the "[[Doctor Thirteen|Dr. 13: Ghost-Breaker]]" feature from the last nine issues of ''[[Star Spangled Comics]]'' at the same time, with new, brief framing sequences. These had Dr. Thirteen, certain that the Phantom Stranger was an impostor, determined to expose him.

Beginning with issue #4 (November-December 1969), the series began featuring all-new material, with stories produced by [[Robert Kanigher]], [[Len Wein]], [[Jim Aparo]], [[Neal Adams]], [[Tony DeZuniga]] and others. In these stories, while the Stranger's past remained a mystery, the writers added a semi-regular cast of characters for him. A demonic sorceress named [[Tala (comics)|Tala]]<ref>{{cite comic| writer= [[Robert Kanigher|Kanigher, Robert]]|penciller= [[Neal Adams|Adams, Neal]]|inker= [[Bill Draut|Draut, Bill]]|story= There Is Laughter in Hell This Day!|title= Phantom Stranger|volume= 2|issue= #4|date= November–December 1969}}</ref> would become his archenemy; an alchemist/sorcerer named Tannarak<ref>{{cite comic| writer= [[Gerry Conway|Conway, Gerry]]|penciller= [[Jim Aparo|Aparo, Jim]]|inker= Aparo, Jim|story= Death... Call Not My Name!|title= Phantom Stranger|volume= 2|issue= #10|date= November–December 1970}}</ref> was first an enemy and would later assist him against the [[Dark Circle]];<ref>{{cite comic|writer= Kanigher, Robert; [[Len Wein|Wein, Len]]|penciller= Aparo, Jim|inker= Aparo, Jim|story= A Child Shall Lead Them!| title= Phantom Stranger|volume= 2|issue= #20|date= July–August 1972}}</ref> and a blind [[psychic]] named Cassandra Craft<ref>{{cite comic|writer= Wein, Len|penciller= Aparo, Jim|inker= Aparo, Jim|story= Like a Ghost from the Ashes|title= Phantom Stranger|volume= 2|issue= #17|date= January–February 1972}}</ref> would assist him. The stories hinted at a romantic attraction between the Stranger and Craft, but he eventually left her, deciding she could not be part of his life, convincing her he had been killed in their final battle against the Dark Circle.<ref>{{cite comic|writer= Wein, Len|penciller= Aparo, Jim|inker= Aparo, Jim|story= Apocalypse|title= Phantom Stranger|volume= 2|issue= #24|date= March–April 1973}}</ref> She eventually learned differently and turned up occasionally. Doctor Thirteen, dropped along with the reprints, was given a back-up series here as of #12 (March-April 1971) which morphed into "The [[Frankenstein (DC Comics)|Spawn of Frankenstein]]" in #23 (January-February 1973).

The second volume originally ended with the forty-first issue in November 1975, cover dated March 1976. In January 2010, a forty-second issue was added to the second series during the ''[[Blackest Night]]'' event, effectively a [[one-shot (comics)|one-shot]].

===Saga of the Swamp Thing===
A backup series in ''Saga of the Swamp Thing'' #1-13 featured The Phantom Stranger. Most of those short stories were written by Mike W. Barr; one was written by Paul Levitz. These were mostly morality tales in the style of The Phantom Stranger vol. 2, without connections to the character's Bronze Age continuity with Batman or the Justice League. One two-part story explicitly connected with the continuity of vol. 2, continuing the story of Tannarak. 

After the backup series ended with #13, the Stranger appeared in the main story of Saga of the Swamp Thing #14. After Saga of the Swamp Thing became Swamp Thing volume 2 written by Alan Moore, the Stranger became an occasional recurring character, as Swamp Thing became more involved with the afterlife and the mystical world.

===Volume 3===
The Stranger also starred in a miniseries in 1987. This series portrayed him as an agent of the [[Lords of Chaos and Order|Lords of Order]]. They temporarily stripped the Stranger of his powers, due to his desire to continue a battle against the [[Lords of Chaos and Order|Lords of Chaos]]. This went against the wishes of the Lords of Order, who had believed a victory by darkness over light was necessary and preordained. This series featured [[Eclipso]] as an agent of Chaos.<ref>{{cite journal|last= Greenberger|first= Robert|author-link= Robert Greenberger|title= The Paul Kupperberg ''Phantom Stranger'' Interview|journal= Back Issue!|issue= #92|pages= 44–50|publisher= TwoMorrows Publishing|date= October 2016|location= Raleigh, North Carolina}}</ref>

===Action Comics Weekly===

During the period 1988-89 when Action Comics became the anthology Action Comics Weekly, one rotating strip featured The Phantom Stranger. It explicitly continued the continuity of The Phantom Stranger Volume 2.

The story of Volume 2 and the Action Comics Weekly strip was resolved in Neil Gaiman's proposed  story concluding the whole of Action Comics Weekly. This was published years later as the non-canonical in ''[[Green Lantern/Superman: Legend of the Green Flame]].'' In this story, the Stranger claims that he belongs to no group, including the servants of the Lords of Order. The Lords of Order threaten to strip him of his powers, and he leaves, claiming that he shall continue to wander.

===Volume 4===
The Phantom Stranger received a new ongoing series in September 2012 written by [[Dan DiDio]] and drawn by [[Brent Anderson (comics)|Brent Anderson]].<ref name="Rogers6812">{{cite web|url=http://www.newsarama.com/comics/dc-new-52-four-series-didio-phantom-stranger.html |title=DC Adds Four to New 52, Including DiDio's ''Phantom Stranger'' |first=Vaneta |last=Rogers |date=June 8, 2012 |publisher=[[Newsarama]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120611151650/http://www.newsarama.com/comics/dc-new-52-four-series-didio-phantom-stranger.html |archive-date=June 11, 2012 |url-status=dead |access-date=June 10, 2012 |quote= Written by [Dan] DiDio with art by Brent Anderson, ''The Phantom Stranger'' will spin out of the character's recent appearances in ''Justice League'' and DC's Free Comic Book Day story.|df=mdy-all}}</ref> This series was retitled as ''Trinity of Sin: The Phantom Stranger''<ref>{{gcdb series|id= 75232|title= Trinity of Sin: The Phantom Stranger}}</ref> as of issue #9 (Aug. 2013) and cancelled as of #22 (Oct. 2014).<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=52911|title= Six DC Titles to End in August, Including ''Birds of Prey'' and ''Superboy''|first= Albert|last= Ching|date= May 19, 2014|publisher= [[Comic Book Resources]]|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20141004093120/http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=52911|archive-date= October 4, 2014|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref>

===Justice League membership status===
The Phantom Stranger is better known for his role as a supernatural assistant to other heroes, such as the [[Justice League]]. His status as either a full, reserve, or honorary member of the League is debatable. After a vote of the majority of the team in ''Justice League of America'' #103, they offered him membership, with Superman declaring the Stranger "a member" without qualification, though he left before accepting. This issue was part of an unofficial [[metafiction]]al [[Intercompany crossover|crossover]] with [[Marvel Comics]], spanning titles from both of the major comics companies. Beginning in Marvel's ''[[Amazing Adventures]]'' #16 (by [[Steve Englehart]] with art by [[Bob Brown (comics)|Bob Brown]] and [[Frank McLaughlin (artist)|Frank McLaughlin]]), the story continued in DC's ''Justice League of America'' #103 (by Len Wein, [[Dick Dillin]] and [[Dick Giordano]]), and is concluded in ''[[Thor (Marvel Comics)|Thor]]'' #207 (by [[Gerry Conway]] and penciler [[John Buscema]]). Each comic featured writers Steve Englehart, Gerry Conway, and Len Wein, as well as Wein's first wife [[Glynis Oliver|Glynis]], [[List of comics creators appearing in comics|interacting with]] Marvel or DC characters at the [[Rutland Halloween Parade]] in [[Rutland (city), Vermont|Rutland, Vermont]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.comicsalliance.com/2010/10/30/rutland-halloween-parade-marvel-dc-crossover/ |title=The Rutland Halloween Parade: Where Marvel and DC First Collided |last=Larnick |first=Eric |date=October 30, 2010 |publisher=[[Townsquare Media|ComicsAlliance]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120111094055/http://www.comicsalliance.com/2010/10/30/rutland-halloween-parade-marvel-dc-crossover/ |archive-date=January 11, 2012 |url-status=dead |access-date=December 5, 2011|df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2010/10/01/comic-book-legends-revealed-280/ |title=Comic Book Legends Revealed #280 |last=Cronin |first=Brian |date=October 1, 2010 |publisher=[[Comic Book Resources]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120116162032/http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2010/10/01/comic-book-legends-revealed-280/ |archive-date=January 16, 2012 |url-status=dead |access-date=December 5, 2011|df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{Gcdb issue|id= 25821|title= ''Amazing Adventures'' #16 (Jan. 1973)}}<br>{{Gcdb issue|id= 25700|title= ''Justice League of America'' #103 (Dec. 1972)}}<br>{{Gcdb issue|id= 25851|title= ''Thor'' #207 (Jan. 1973)}}</ref> The Phantom Stranger has at least twice asserted his membership status when other Leaguers challenged his input, during the vote on the League's re-admission of [[Wonder Woman]]<ref>{{cite comic|writer= [[Martin Pasko|Pasko, Martin]]|penciller= [[José Delbo|Delbo, José]]|inker= [[Tex Blaisdell|Blaisdell, Tex]]|story= Will the Real Wonder Woman Please...Drop Dead!|title= Wonder Woman|issue= #222|date= February-March 1976}}</ref> and during the crossover with ''The [[Avengers (comics)|Avengers]]''.<ref>{{cite comic|writer= [[Kurt Busiek|Busiek, Kurt]]|penciller= [[George Pérez|Pérez, George]]|inker= Pérez, George|story= Book Three: Strange Adventures|title= [[JLA/Avengers]]|issue= #3|date= December 2003}}</ref> In contrast, many in-story accounts of League membership fail to include the Stranger; when Zatanna was admitted as a member, Superman and Hawkman clarified that the 12-member limit in the League's charter had been rewritten previously to admit Hawkgirl as the 13th.<ref>{{cite comic|writer= Conway, Gerry|penciller= [[Dick Dillin|Dillin, Dick]]|inker= [[Frank McLaughlin (artist)|McLaughlin, Frank]]|story= The Reverse-Spells of Zatanna's Magic|title= Justice League of America|issue= #161|date= December 1978}}</ref> Writer Len Wein commented on the Phantom Stranger's relationship with the JLA in a 2012 interview stating that the character "only ''sort of'' joined. He was offered membership but vanished, as per usual, without actually accepting the offer. Over the years, other writers have just assumed [he] was a member, but in my world, he never really said yes".<ref>{{cite journal|last = Riley|first = Shannon E.|title = Flashback: 22,300 Miles Above Earth A Look Back at the JLA's 'Satellite Years'|journal= [[Back Issue!]]|issue = #58|page= 14|publisher = [[TwoMorrows Publishing]]|date = August 2012|location= Raleigh, North Carolina}}</ref>