Title: Defenders of the Earth Volume 1: A World Divided (TP)
Publisher: Mad Cave Studios
Writer: Dan Didio
Artist: J. Calafiore
Colorist: Juancho!
Letterer: Carlos M. Mangual
Price: $ 17.99 US
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
Website: www.madcavestudios.com
Comments: This collects issues one to four of the series.
Mandrake and the Phantom fight an army of a thousand ice soldiers. Lothar joins them and then Flash makes a grand entrance. The war on Mongo is over and won. Now four years later on Earth.
All the players are introduced nicely. The possible villain Kro-Tan. Rick is Flash’s son and his relationship with his dad could be better. What is up with his mother? That’s a mystery begging to be answered.
Lothar and his son are returning to Africa.
The Phantom has previous injuries which are not explained. How serious are they? When will he be back to one hundred percent?
All but the Phantom have children and sons. Jedda is mentioned as a person a female that the Phantom knows. Plus in Africa another Phantom maybe walks the jungles.
Hanging out with these legendary figures is thrilling. Yes, they are classic older characters and no less interesting than they always have been. We slowly begin to see how their children fit in. They are all vastly differentthann their fathers.
It is impossible to tell exactly where this series is going but you sure want to be wherever that is.
The Phantom and Mandrake meet up. They do talk about Kor-Tan and the state of the world. Of course, a fight breaks out too.
Flash is visiting Kro-Tan, Ming’s son. He seems to be doing good for the planet Earth. Yet no way can you or anyone forget he is Ming’s son.
Most of the maincharacterss seem to have a son.
Now is Bangalla there are two Phantoms now. An uncle anniecece. The niece is the daughter of the Phantom in America. We learn something new about the current Phantom the real one.
The team is split up into different locations each team. For the most part, they are just looking around.
Seeing all these heroes who have been around a long time is great only here they do not seem at their best. They to come together as a team. As the Defenders of the Earth.
The team members are having trouble with Mandrake’s secret dealing with the Phantom. We do learn the secret here and it is one that severly limits the Phantom. Mandrake’s house of Xanadu is full of mysteries. One room is new and what it holds will blow your mind. Wow this Phantom is fearless as he stands up for what he believes in. These scenes are the best part of this issue.
Castra is trying to get her claws in Flash. She has plans for him. You can not tell if she has changed and is on the side of good or not. She wants what she wants and expects to get it.
The art looks flat,t, especially on the faces.
Rick Gordon finds himself in trouble. Who is Octon? We, ll he does know the ice soldiers and finds himself outnumbered.
The scenes with Mandrake and the Phantom do have an intensity occuring between them yet you can tell they are still the best of friends.
Mandrake and the Phantom have a secret between them and it is huge. How will this be resolved?
It is wonderful to see these heroes in action and the children of some of them as well.
Rick Gordon is about to die when he shows up his dad, Flash Gordon. Things start to get exciting and move faster. The action just keeps coming as father and son chat. Flash brings a hi-tech sky cycle and this bike can move. This cycle is a beautiful sleek design that you can easily see is built for power.
Flash and his friends are trying to find out what is going on and who is behind it all. Kro-Tan te has worked his way into control on Earth is using that control. He controls the President and is using him to go after Flash.
The art on the faces is a bit rough it could be more defined.
Mandrake has a few surpises for the Pantom and Flash. It is beautifully done having Flash back in his first space ship. It may be old style sci-fi in design yet it is a thing of beauty. Mandrake is not the only one with surprises, Ko-Tan has one to.
It is great to see the team back together again and working as a team. These traditional heroes stand up to and surpase many of todays newer ones. Flash, Phantom they never needed super powers to win the day and still do not. They have a hero’s soul and heart.
Its off to Africa where the entire team can meet up. Yes Flash Gordon is going to save the world once more!