Fantasma is an indica from Maven Genetics, bred from Runtz and Black Diamond X. It launched as Artist Series 001, a limited-edition 7g mylar dressed in original artwork by Los Angeles artist James Haunt.
Maven built the series to put local artists on the package. Fantasma was the first drop, and the strain takes its name from the character Haunt is known for.
James Haunt and the ghost behind the name
Haunt works out of Downtown Los Angeles. His signature character, Fantasma, is a woman with white hair, grey skin and two different-colored eyes. He based her on his cat, also named Fantasma, which is Spanish for ghost.
The cat was grey and white, and the name fit his own last name. In early 2019, HEX, whose first store sat near his studio, asked Haunt to paint for its Paint The Town series. He painted a large Fantasma mural on the side of Saints Barbershop on Washington Boulevard in Venice.
Maven says it developed the strain to match Haunt's ideal creative headspace. The package carried an exclusive original piece, also titled Fantasma.
Artist Series 001 and what came next
Fantasma sold as a 7g mylar, and Maven's release page later announced its final batch. By April 2023, a Forbes profile of Maven was already pointing to the Fantasma artist series and Haunt's artwork.
The second release went to Saber, an international graffiti artist with more than 25 years on walls. That strain, Opal, launched on a Friday, July 28, with Saber's art on the bag. Maven's library lists Opal as Blue Agape × Carbon Candy.
Maven co-owner Shane said the series exists to highlight local artists the team loves and to bring their culture into the brand. Both releases now sit under Feed The Muse, Maven's banner for its creative collaborations.
Runtz meets Black Diamond X
Runtz is the candy side of the cross. Cookies Fam created it from Zkittlez and Gelato, and the Runtz crew led by Yung LB of Long Beach made it famous. It was Leafly's Strain of the Year in 2020 and flowers in about 63 days.
Black Diamond X is Maven's own indica, bred from XXX OG and Black Diamond OG. Leafly lists it at 33% THC. Leafly puts Fantasma itself at 34% THC and files it as a hybrid, while Maven classifies it as an indica.
The finished flower is striking. Maven describes galactic, royal violet buds under thick layers of frosty white trichomes. Its release notes mention a warm, spiced finish with cinnamon and clove.
A family of Black Diamond X crosses
Black Diamond X is one of Maven's most-used parents. Chroma pairs it with Prizm, and Umami Butter pairs it with Gelatti. Black Lotus crosses it with Blue Lotus, and Apples and Diamonds joins it to Golden Applez.
All of those crosses come out of Maven's San Fernando Valley rooms. At the time of the 2023 Forbes profile, the company ran three cultivation sites with 1,600 lights and six indoor harvests a year.
That same profile noted Maven was testing 140 flavor profiles, with each hunt taking 8–12 months or longer. Fantasma is one result of that pipeline, paired with an artist whose ghost gave it a name.