FLASH GORDON #1, by Mad Cave Studios on 7/24/24, begins a new era with Flash Gordon on the ropes after the destruction of Mongo sends our hero to the inescapable Planet Death.
Credits:
- Writer: Jeremy Adams
- Artist: Will Conrad
- Colorist: Lee Loughridge
- Letterer: Taylor Esposito
- Cover Artist: Will Conrad (cover A)
- Publisher: Mad Cave Studios
- Release Date: July 24, 2024
- Comic Rating: Teen
- Cover Price: $4.99
- Page Count: 32
- Format: Single Issue
Covers:
Analysis of FLASH GORDON #1:
First Impressions:
Between Mad Cave Studios, Dynamite Comics, and Titan Comics, this title is one of the top IPs on our most-anticipated list. From comic strips to the Funimation cartoons to the 1980 cult hit film, few pulp properties have the same brand recognition as Flash Gordon.
“Verily, verily, I said unto thee,” Jeremy Adams, “Do NOT #$%&@ this up!” Does Jeremy Adams heed the gospel according to Comical Opinions? In large part, yes.
Plot Analysis:
Flash Gordon #1 begins with a disorienting scene inside a prison cell where we find the titular hero strapped to an inclined examination table. A Synthoid robot enters and administers nourishment via spider-like robots that inject prisoners with nutrients. Flash Gordon is now a resident of Planet Death.
Disorienting is right. Writer Jeremy Adams doesn’t give readers an ounce of setup or preface to ground the context. You’re thrown in cold. On the one hand, that feeling of disorientation matches and connects the readers with Flash Gordon since he has no recollection of how he got into his present predicament. On the other hand, it’s generally not good practice to make the reader do work to figure out what’s happening.
After an undetermined period, the Synthoid returns to add a new prisoner to Gordon’s cell. Daranek is a healer who was arrested for high crimes and treason, and rants about the mistake everyone is making. He only meant to save Dale Arden and the Alliance from Ming’s mercenaries. Daranek’s litany of ramblings gives Flash an array of puzzle pieces about what’s happening with Dale and Earth, stirring him to formulate a plan of escape.
Jeremy Adams smartly introduces Daranek as the exposition machine to bring the reader up to speed on the worlds and characters outside Flash’s cell. In large part, Daranek fulfills his purpose and adds sidekick flavor to Flash’s adventure once the duo starts working together.
When the Synthoid returns to administer one of the scheduled sustenance injections, Flash gambles his lie by flailing at the last instant and forcing the needle to sever one of his arteries. When the Synthoid undoes Flash’s bonds to render aid, Flash quickly attacks the robot and frees Daranek before he passes out, banking on Daranek’s skills as a healer to save him. What follows is a frantic escape through armed lizard men, tentacled monstrosities, and dangerous tunnels.
The issue concludes with news of Flash’s escape reaching the throne room of Asteroid Mingo, but an unexpected character now sits on the throne.
It shouldn’t be a surprise that once the action kicks in, Jeremy Adams sprints through the comic with energy and excitement that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Adams is one of the best superhero writers at DC (for as long as they can hold onto him), so the full-on display of heroic storytelling here is exactly what we were hoping for.
Artwork and Presentation:
This issue is our first exposure to artist Will Conrad on any title, whether it’s with Comical Opinions or our friends at Weird Science, and we hope to see more of Conrad’s work in the future. Conrad’s style makes fantastic use of texture and shadow to give the surroundings a dramatic mood while rendering the characters in powerful detail. In a lot of ways, Conrad’s style is reminiscent of Jonathan Lau, which is a high compliment in our book.
Further, Conrad’s outstanding pencils/inks are enhanced greatly by Lee Loughridge’s exceptionally detailed and intricate coloring application.
Art Samples:
The Bigger Picture:
Series Continuity:
Readers coming into this series for the first time may wonder where it fits in the Flash Gordon canon. The answer is “Later.” Jeremy Adams and Mad Cave start the series with the assumption that the reader already knows Flash Gordon and his cast of characters, both allies and villains, well enough to figure out that the events in this issue take place sometime after the defeat of Ming and the downfall of Mongo.
There is no specific source material to point to for new readers to get a primer, but if you watch the 1980 film, that story will give you most of what you need here.
Final Thoughts:
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FLASH GORDON #1 resurrects the pulp action hero for a new generation when Flash Gordon is forced to escape Planet Death to save Dale Arden. Despite a disorienting start (possibly by design), Jeremy Adams’s script gradually picks up steam to reach a super-strong second half and a killer cliffhanger. Plus, Will Conrad’s art, amplified by Lee Loughridge’s exquisite coloring, looks fantastic.
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