History ComicBook / ThePhantomStranger

* DisabledLoveInterest: Cassandra Craft, the Stranger's blind girlfriend.

->''"I am known in many realms by many names, Bartholomew Allen, but those that know me in '''your''' world call me the Phantom Stranger. I work in-between worlds, an agent of destiny and the Fates, restoring order and balance where chaos has lain her hands."''

The Stranger has an habit of appearing (and disappearing) when [[StealthHiBye nobody is looking]], like a leprechaun, which most people find very annoying. He often works with other DC and Vertigo mystics, notably [[ComicBook/{{Hellblazer}} John Constantine]], Doctor Occult and Mister E, who are known as the "Trenchcoat Brigade" (though the Stranger wears a cape, not a trenchcoat.)

One of the more unusual moments in the Stranger's publishing history involves ''ComicBook/SecretOrigins'', the 1980s anthology series that existed to provide origin stories for those characters who had never been given one before. (Inexplicably, the issue was a crossover tie-in to ''ComicBook/{{Legends|DCComics}}''.) The Phantom Stranger issue contains not one but four origin stories, each by a different writer and each giving different answers to the questions of who the Stranger is, where his powers came from, and why he [[WalkingTheEarth walks the earth]]. (Each story also gives a different answer to the question of what color the Stranger's hair was before it was white. It's the little touches...). Here are the options:

It is, of course, entirely possible that none of these are his real origin, but something else entirely is. In fact, considering both the nature of The Stranger and of the DC Universe, it's equally possible that all of them are true, plus however many others you'd care to imagine. (The ComicBook/{{New 52}} has given him a new origin, which is presumably canon for the moment; he was one of three beings punished by the gods of the [[ComicBook/{{Shazam}} Rock of Eternity]] for their sins against magic, and it's heavily implied that he's [[spoiler: [[Literature/TheBible Judas Iscariot]]]].) With the advent of the ComicBook/DCRebirth soft reboot, however, he is no longer bound by the events of New 52, and is back to being the same enigmatic fellow he was before.

Note also that the Stranger does ''not'' wear a mask -- that's just an (intentional) visual effect, the shadow of his hat on his face. However, the shadow still appears even when he's wearing a Santa hat, or even no hat at all. He's just that awesome. (His hair, by the way, is white.)

** It should be noted that in his original (1950s) appearances, he does wear some kind of overcoat, with a button-up shirt and tie. (This look can be seen in the upper-left-hand corner spot illustration on the cover reproduced above.)

* TheChessmaster

* AllEncompassingMantle: The Stranger wears a black cloak that wraps around his body when he is at rest, paired with a FedoraOfAsskicking that leaves his FaceFramedInShadow.

* BiblicalBadGuy: Specifically, what happens when a Biblical Bad Guy doesn't want to be bad anymore. [[spoiler:The New 52 reveals the Stranger is Judas. Yes, the treacherous Apostle himself.]]

* JuryOfTheDamned: The Stranger once had to defend {{Superman}} before one.

* NiceHat: He just wouldn't be the same without his fedora.

He has an unique relationship with ComicBook/TheSpectre, the only other DC character who could compared to the Stranger in terms of nature and powers. The two are quite associated to each other through continuities, though they are alternately presented as HeadbuttingHeroes, [[ArchEnemy Arch Enemies]] or even ThoseTwoGuys in ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheBraveAndTheBold''. The ComicBook/{{New 52}} upgraded their relationship by tying their origins together and having [[{{God}} The Voice]] make them unlikely (and bitter) allies.

One of the more unusual moments in the Stranger's publishing history involves ''ComicBook/SecretOrigins'', the 1980s anthology series that existed to provide origin stories for those characters who had never been given one before. (Inexplicably, the issue was a crossover tie-in to ''ComicBook/{{Legends|DC}}''.) The Phantom Stranger issue contains not one but four origin stories, each by a different writer and each giving different answers to the questions of who the Stranger is, where his powers came from, and why he [[WalkingTheEarth walks the earth]]. (Each story also gives a different answer to the question of what color the Stranger's hair was before it was white. It's the little touches...). Here are the options:

One of the more unusual moments in the Stranger's publishing history involves ''ComicBook/SecretOrigins'', the 1980s anthology series that existed to provide origin stories for those characters who had never been given one before. (Inexplicably, the issue was a crossover tie-in to ''ComicBook/{{Legends}}''.) The Phantom Stranger issue contains not one but four origin stories, each by a different writer and each giving different answers to the questions of who the Stranger is, where his powers came from, and why he [[WalkingTheEarth walks the earth]]. (Each story also gives a different answer to the question of what color the Stranger's hair was before it was white. It's the little touches...). Here are the options:

* FlatEarthAtheist: Dr. Thirteen.

Contrary to what many fans believe, the origin story that claims the Stranger is a half-fallen angel (that is, he stayed neutral during Lucifer's Rebellion and isn't welcome in either Heaven or Hell as a result) is ''not'' the Stranger's official origin, although it is the most popular (being written by Creator/AlanMoore probably didn't hurt). Nor are his powers limitless, as he has been seen struggling against magical opponents such as Tala.

* AdaptationalBadass: He seems to be relatively omnipotent, but how much of his power he is allowed or decides to use varies between continuities. This is best exemplified in his occasional personal battles with The Spectre: in the first of them, the Stranger was turned into a rodent by him (as, even with all his power, The Spectre was still unable to destroy him), while in their last struggle in the New 52, he managed to turn The Spectre into a wood statue after defending his attacks for a round.

** The Stranger was one of the members of "The Quintessence", an alliance of powerful good mystics who watched over the DC Universe... and rarely did anything else. As of current continuity, it's no longer in operation.

* RefusingParadise: At the end of the origin story that states he's the original WanderingJew, God tells him he's earned time off for good behavior and can go to heaven now, and he asks to stick around on Earth and keep helping people.