Walt Whitney was a New York City news reporter who wrote a gossip column called 'On Broadway.' It frequently made fun of law enforcement who failed to catch criminals and because of this Walt was unpopular with the police. He also served as a radio reporter in his early appearances. What most people didn't realize was that he secretly was the crime fighter Bob Phantom, whose names came from a stage magician who did a great disappearing act. From ''Top-Notch Comics'' #15 onward, he was assisted by Jinx Friday, an awkward but clever girl who became his secretary and (not much later) his girlfriend. His first recurring enemy was professional criminal Trigger Slumm, who reappeared to work for Ah Ku, a Chinese femme fatale and self-proclaimed princess of crime, who would go on to become his nemesis.

Bob Phantom's powers included invulnerability and teleporting by disappearing in a cloud of smoke and then reappearing somewhere else.

* Blue Ribbon Comics #2-3
* Top-Notch Comics #3-25

*Bob Phantom was the first costumed hero published by MLJ.
*Bob Phantom's civilian identity may have been based on [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Winchell Walter Winchell], a popular radio host and America's first gossip columnist.

*[http://www.toonopedia.com/bobphan.htm Toonopedia]
*[http://www.mightycrusaders.net/handbook/bobphantom.htm Mighty Crusaders Handbook]
*[http://www.dpccomics.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/theamericancomicshop/goldenagedatabase/index.php?search=Bob+Phantom Golden Age Heroes Directory]
*[http://www.internationalhero.co.uk/b/bobphant.htm International Hero]
*[https://comicvine.gamespot.com/bob-phantom/4005-32329/ Comicvine]
Category:Comic Book Characters
Category:Heroes
Category:MLJ Characters
Category:1939 Debuts
Category:Harry Shorten - Creator
Category:Irv Novick - Creator
Category:Archie Characters
Category:DC Characters
Category:Whitney Family Characters
Category:Reporter Characters
Category:Ghost Themed Characters
Category:Teleporting Characters
Category:Protagonists
Category:Male Characters
Category:Mighty Crusader Characters
Category:Gwandanaland Characters
Category:Facts On File Characters

Bob Phantom

Walt Whitney was a New York City news reporter who wrote a gossip column called 'On Broadway.' It frequently made fun of law enforcement who failed to catch criminals and because of this Walt was unpopular with the police. He also served as a radio reporter in his early appearances. What most people didn't realize was that he secretly was the crime fighter Bob Phantom, whose names came from a stage magician who did a great disappearing act. From ''Top-Notch Comics'' #15 onward, he was assisted by Jinx Friday, an awkward but clever girl who became his secretary and (not much later) his girlfriend. His first recurring enemy was professional criminal Trigger Slumm, who reappeared to work for Ah Ku, a Chinese femme fatale and self-proclaimed princess of crime, who would go on to become his nemesis.

All data from the awesome folks at Marvel.