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A Phantom Shield, Papua New Guinea Late 20th century. This striking war shield is a powerful example of a unique cultural fusion that emerged in the Papua New Guinea Highlands during the late 20th century. The Phantom, the world's first costumed superhero, created by Lee Falk in 1936. The Phantom became a household name in Papua New Guinea following the 1972 launch of the comic strip in Tok Pisin by Wantok newspaper. Hugely popular, the character was even adopted in government health campaigns. During a period of renewed inter-tribal conflict in the 1980s and 1990s, Highland warriors began repainting traditional battle shields with modern imagery. Superheroes like The Phantom were not only decorative, they were seen as embodiments of strength, protection, and psychological intimidation. Although the practice has since declined, Phantom shields like this one mark a rare and compelling moment of cultural hybridity, where a Western comic book icon was indigenised and repurposed within the symbolic, spiritual, and martial traditions of Papua New Guinea. A hand-painted metal sign created from a recycled oil drum, rolled flat to form a rectangular panel. The central image features a skull rendered in bold, graphic style, flanked by the word " Danger" painted above and running vertically alongside the skull. Beneath the image appears the phrase "Phantom – The Man Who Cannot Die.”. With a cassowary at the centre top. H1790 W882 D7 mm.