Fantômas

In early 20th century France, a series of audacious crimes are being committed by an unknown criminal called Fantômas, who seems to be able to change shape and place supernaturally. Inspector Juve searches for him obsessively.


Souvestre and Marcel Allain's creation "Fantômas" is the pinnacle of pulp brilliance. He's one of the great literary super-villains, a shadowy crime-lord who "spreads terror" for the absolute pleasure of it. He doesn't want to rule the world. He makes his living from crime, but clearly enjoys the notoriety his crimes bring him. In a sense, Fantomas is a break-point between the fantastic qualities 19th century pulp, and the down-to-earth crime fiction of the mid-20th century.