FLASH GORDON #9, by Mad Cave Studios on 5/14/25, unveils the real reason behind Dale’s odd behavior when a new threat emerges to break the old gang apart again.
Credits:
- Writer: Jeremy Adams
- Artist: Tom Derenick
- Colorist: Lee Loughridge
- Letterer: Taylor Esposito
- Cover Artist: Will Conrad, Lee Loughridge (cover A)
- Publisher: Mad Cave Studios
- Release Date: May 14, 2025
- Comic Rating: Teen
- Cover Price: $4.99
- Page Count: 32
- Format: Single Issue
Covers:
Analysis of FLASH GORDON #9:
Recap:
When we last left the Savior of the Universe in Flash Gordon #8, Flash re-partnered with his old allies, Barin and Aura, to infiltrate Dale’s wedding to Ming’s son, Aton. When Flash wound his way to the preparation chambers of the palace to find Dale, he doesn’t receive the warm welcome he was expecting.
Plot Analysis:
In Flash Gordon #9, Flash takes a long, hard look in a mirror. Dale leaps to attack Flash with a dagger she hid in her room. Flash defends himself against her attacks, but it’s clear from her words that Dale either doesn’t remember Flash or her memory of him is twisted. Suddenly, Aton’s guards barge into the room, forcing Flash to jump out of the nearest window with Dale in his arms. Luckily, Vultan and Talon swoop in to save them from a fatal fall.
As the foursome flies away, Flash deduces that Dale is an imposter. He forces the woman to take him to the real Dale, trapped in a dungeon cell. The foursome breaks through the cell door and rescues Dale. She explains she raced to save Flash when Mongo collapsed from the Unraveler. During the cataclysm, Dale caught sight of a mirror universe where the woman now acting as Dale emerged. The imposter saved Dale, Flash, and Ming, promising to keep them alive in prison as long as Dale obeyed her wishes.
In the weeks that followed, the mirror version of Dale from another universe used advanced technology and the information she forced from Dale to save the people of Mongo and rise to the level of empress. Now, the reunited heroes race to evade Aton’s forces with the mirror Dale as their prisoner while searching for a doomsday device the imposter has been building since she arrived.
First Impressions:
I like Flash Gordon #9 a lot, but I don’t love it for one simple reason. The big twist isn’t well-defined. Jeremey Adams dispels the mystery brewing since Flash Gordon #1 with a common trope in science fiction, but the logistics of the reveal are too vague to be fully satisfying.
Artwork and Presentation:
Who is the better artist in this series – Will Conrad or Tom Derenick? Thankfully, you don’t have to choose because Derenick’s style is close enough to Will Conrad’s that they both look great. If Conrad returns to the title or Derenick remains for good, either way, this series looks great. The hero figures and poses are powerful, Derenick’s inks are thoroughly detailed to give you a rich visual experience, and Lee Lughridge’s colors are rock-solid. The colors could have a little more pop, but the application, shading, and contours are amazing.
Art Samples:
Story Positives & Negatives:
The Positives:
Nothing screams serialized melodrama adventure like Flash Gordon in his prime. Jeremy Adams gives you everything you want – from saving the damsel in distress to a race through a palace to evil royals. Adams pays homage to everything that made Flash Gordon famous in an exciting, fun-filled adventure.
The Negatives:
The minor letdown is the unsatisfying twist. You could count on Dale not being herself, so inventing a doppelganger Dale from another universe is a perfectly sci-fi-ish twist. That said, it’s not satisfying because Adams doesn’t explain how such a thing happened. Dale run through the chaos, she sees a split vision, and then evil Dale is just there. Sure, you could argue that a better explanation is coming. For now, it feels like hand waving.
Final Thoughts:
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FLASH GORDON #9 dispels the mystery behind Dale’s evil behavior on the eve of her forced wedding to Aton. Jeremy Adams’s reverent take on the classic pulp hero gives you all the action, adventure, and melodrama you could want, and Tom Derenick’s artwork is superb. That said, the big twist is described but not explained, so it fails to satisfy.
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