Flash Gordon #20 (Mad Cave Studios, 9/16/26): Writer Dan Abnett & artist Manuel Garcia send Flash on a hunt to find Director Gamble, encountering unbeatable monsters, but salvation comes from a surprising arrival. Abnett’s script combines action, romance, and horror for a better experience than the previous issue. Verdict: A solid Flash Gordon adventure.
Credits:
- Writer: Dan Abnett
- Artist: Manuel Garcia
- Colorist: Ceci De La Cruz
- Letterer: Taylor Esposito
- Cover Artist: Joe Quinones (cover A)
- Publisher: Mad Cave Studios
- Release Date: September 16, 2026
- Comic Rating: Teen
- Cover Price: $4.99
- Page Count: 32
- Format: Single Issue
Covers:
Analysis of Flash Gordon #20:
First Impressions:
If you’ve read our review of issue #19, you’ll know that the snarkiness and meandering plot were a downer, so I wasn’t looking forward to more of the same. However, I was pleasantly surprised by the turnaround in this issue.
Recap:
In Flash Gordon #19, Flash and his ERA colleagues confronted a hulking Mortifact brute whose armor was impervious to blasters, but Flash used his sword to cut the restraints on the creature’s helmet and created an opening to defeat it. Meanwhile, Director Gamble’s arrogant attempt to negotiate with the Queen of the Mortifacts nearly got him and his allies recycled, until Dale Arden smoothed over his blunder and used the opportunity to get close enough to take the Queen hostage. With both teams reunited, they returned to the surface to investigate new intel revealing that the Mortifacts recycled themselves to survive against the far more powerful creators of the planetoid, the Gliktar, also known as the Hiberghosts.
Plot Analysis (SPOILERS):
Flash Gordon #20 picks up immediately from the last issue. Flash and his allies search for Director Gamble, who we saw was surrounded by Hiberghosts in the last issue. The team splits up and searches, with no results. Flash uses the lull in the action to tell Dale how he feels about her, thanks to Harlo’s urging.
Suddenly, Director Gamble appears, albeit in rough shape, in the area where an E.R.A. member finds Gamble’s translator. Flash and Dale support the injured Gamble just as the Hiberghosts arrive. The beasts are impervious to ray guns and physical attacks. They also emit strange beams of energy that obliterate the humans.
From there, it’s an all-out race to get away from the Hiberghosts. When all seems lost, the Hiberghosts are temporarily flattened by a large ray-beam blast. Vultan, Barin, and Aura arrive in a spaceship to whisk the fleeing humans away to safety.
How is the story in Flash Gordon #20?
What the…?!? Where did Vultan, Barin, and Aura come from??? What was a fairly lackluster script from Dan Abnett suddenly gets urgent, exciting, and crowd-pleasing in rapid succession. We were down on the previous issue because the conflict with the Mortifacts resolved in an unsatisfying manner, and the cliffhanger teased more of the same. Instead, Abnett delivers a chase with real stakes, kinetic pacing, and a cool ending.
That said, the rekindling of the Flash/Dale romance took too long to get to where it was obviously headed, and Gamble’s escape from the Hiberghosts is never explained because it happens off-panel. Issue #20 is still a significant improvement, but the flaws are almost as significant.
How is the art in Flash Gordon #20?
The artwork by Manuel Garcia and Ceci De La Cruz, however, is just as mixed as issue #19. Garcia’s action is good to great; the panel composition is excellent, and the flow reads well.
That said, wide shot panels lose considerable detail, rendering background characters as little more than blobby stick figures. Furthermore, De La Cruz’s coloring is washed out in several panels, and the contrasts (highlights and undertones) regularly don’t match the lighting sources.
Characters
Flash largely takes center stage, with his competing love interests coming up as close second. Flash’s snarky comebacks are toned down, and he shows a rare moment of vulnerability with Dale. Likewise, Dale responds favorably to Flash’s openness and partners with him during Gamble’s rescue. It feels like old times, in a good way.
Originality & Concept Execution
Dan Abnett’s completely original story is just that, even if it’s not the best. Flash makes sense as a daring fish out of water in the world of Mongo. An adventuring astronaut investigating a space anomaly threatening Earth lacked the pulpy charm that made Flash stories so great. Abnett’s ending finds a way to bridge the two in a way that hopefully pays off the wait.
Pros and Cons
Art Samples:
The Scorecard:
Writing Quality (Clarity & Pacing): 3/4
Art Quality (Execution & Synergy): 2/4
Value (Originality & Entertainment): 1.5/2
Final Thoughts:
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Flash Gordon #20 is a marked improvement over the previous issue, when readers get a healthy dose of action, urgency, and much welcome cameos. Abnett teases a return to the Flash adventures we love, and the art team’s output is serviceable, albeit lacking in spots.
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