The rainbow of Phantoms

Did you know that comic character The Phantom's costume is a different colour in different parts of the world? In Australia, we are familiar with the Ghost Who Walks, Man Who Cannot Die, etc. wearing purple togs. However, in NZ, he dresses in brown. Depending on the artist/publisher/country, The Phantom's cossie has been red, blue, black, grey and possibly more shades that I haven't seen. There are various explanations for this variety, the main being that the comic strips were originally B&W, leaving the hue of the costume somewhat open to interpretation. However, the peculiarities of printing processes and regional preferences have also contributed to the rainbow of Phantoms. This inconsistency doesn't bother me. Rather, I believe it adds to the mystery of a hero who is many men in one.