Although the pulp magazine was called The Phantom Detective the character was referred to as The Phantom in the stories. Like so many depression era do-gooders his true identity was Richard Curtis Van Loan, an independently wealthy man. He was orphaned at a young age inheriting wealth from his parents. In the first few issues of the title, the Phantom is introduced as a world-famous detective, whose secret identity is only known by one man - confidant Frank Havens, the publisher of the Clarion newspaper. Before World War I, he lead the life of an idle playboy, but during the war he became a pilot and destroyed many German planes in combat.
After the war, Van Loan had a difficult time returning to his old life and at the suggestion of his father's friend, Havens, he sets out to solve a crime that had stumped the police. After solving it, he decided he had found his calling.
In a turn that will seem familiar to fans of certain superhero comic characters, he trained himself in all facets of detection and forensics, and became a master of disguise and escape. In time, he makes a name for himself as the Phantom gaining the respect of police agencies around the world.
I discovered the character through reprints and find his adventures to be fine pulp reading. I return to the series on occasion and am rarely disappointed in the thrill-ride nature of the mysteries. The name of the writer is a pseudonym so I never know who really penned the various tales but there is a consistently high level of quality across the dozen or so I've been able to read.
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