DEFENDERS OF THE EARTH #1 – New Comic Review

DEFENDERS OF THE EARTH #1, by Mad Cave Studios on 8/14/24, catches up with the D.O.E. four years after the end of the Great Mongo War to find new challenges blossoming on Earth.

Credits:

• Writer: Dan DiDio
• Artist: Jim Calafiore
• Colorist: Juancho!
• Letterer: Carlos M. Mangual
• Cover Artist: Jim Calafiore (cover A)
• Publisher: Mad Cave Studios
• Release Date: August 14, 2024
• Comic Rating: Teen
• Cover Price: $4.99
• Page Count: 34
• Format: Single Issue

Covers:

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Analysis of DEFENDERS OF THE EARTH #1:

First Impressions:

Defenders of the Earth #1 has… potential. When you round up a collection of the world’s greatest pulp action heroes for a new adventure, what’s not to love? However, this first issue doesn’t live up to its potential, so you’re left feeling ambivalent after turning the last page.

Plot Analysis:

Defenders of the Earth #1 begins with a brief prologue depicting the events of the last day of Earth’s war with Mongo. Fighting side-by-side, Mandrake the Magician and the Phantom believed they were about to meet a bitter end. Without warning, Mongo’s onslaught of mechanized soldiers fell silent, and Flash Gordon appeared with the severed head of Ming the Merciless to declare victory over Mongo.

Nothing gets the blood pumping like dropping into the middle of a heated battle with recognizable heroes at the moment when all hope is lost. Writer Dan DiDio launches the adventure on an energetic and memorable note.

Four years later, the Earth is rebuilding much faster than anyone hoped. We catch up with Rick Gordon (Flash Gordon’s son) entering the city and DoE headquarters to share a meal with his father to commemorate the anniversary of his mother’s death. Sadly, Rick finds troubling developments in the city as security details round up the homeless, Rick’s unfettered access to DOE headquarters has been revoked, and his father appears to be too swept up in the rigors of a public spokesperson’s role to make time for his friends or son.

Trouble in paradise, indeed. DiDio uses Rick Gordon as the reader’s avatar to notice all the little things wrong with life after the war. Small nuances that only Rick would catch become glaringly obvious, which heightens the atmosphere of suspicion that something stinks. Unfortunately, new readers get thrown into the deep end of Defenders lore with sprinklings about past relationships, past happenings, and all the side characters. In short, the emotional impact of the tensions won’t make sense unless you know all the side characters.

Elsewhere, Lothar and his son, L.J., continue packing in preparation for their move back to the Seven Nations to address a growing schism. Despite Lothar’s efforts to convince Mandrake to join them, the magician refuses for now, opting to resume his life’s work as a performer. Likewise, the Phantom is eager to return to Africa, but his wartime injuries prevent him from traveling.

DiDio heaps trouble on top of trouble with the hints that the Seven Nations are in turmoil and the Defenders are going their separate ways. Without pointing to a specific problem or root cause, the growing pile of little problems gives you the impression of a dark presence working behind the scenes, especially when so much of the Earth’s accelerated reconstruction is due to Ming’s son, Kro-Tan.

The issue concludes with a mother’s love, a shocking rumor involving the Phantom, and the dangers of sibling rivalry.

Overall, Dan DiDio presents all the pieces needed to show readers that at least one threat is working behind the scenes to undermine Earth’s fragile peace. However, the nature of the threat isn’t clear since most problems could be chalked up to run-of-the-mill bureaucracy, and new readers may struggle if they don’t know all the side characters.

Artwork and Presentation:

Dan DiDio’s script is generally solid, barring the down points mentioned above, but the main weak point of this issue is the art. To be clear upfront, we’ve seen much worse art, even from the Big 2, but the art here lacks detail, precision, and refinement, particularly with the color application.

Lines are frequently “squiggly,” regardless of wide shots or close-ups, and the color feathering for highlights and contours is practically non-existent. You can tell the colors were applied digitally with a brush size much too big for the required details, so it looks sloppy.

Art Samples:

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The Bigger Picture:

Series Continuity:

Defenders of the Earth #1 is a continuation of the 1986 cartoon that relies heavily on background knowledge of the main characters, their side characters, their history together, and their relationships. Odds are you’ll have at least a passing familiarity with the Phantom and Flash Gordon, but if you haven’t seen the cartoon, you’ll struggle with this issue.

Final Thoughts:

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DEFENDERS OF THE EARTH #1 is a solid piece of pulp entertainment that picks up from the events of the 1986 cartoon to foreshadow a growing threat to Earth behind the scenes. Dan DiDio’s script accurately captures the voices of the characters and builds a palpable sense of unease concerning a potential conspiracy. That said, the issue relies too heavily on intricate knowledge of the ’86 cartoon, which may be a turn-off for new readers, and the art is subpar.

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