Flash Gordon: Zeitgeist #9
Publisher: Dynamite
Writer: Eric Trautmann
Artist: Ron Adrian
Cover: Alex Ross
Be very careful what you wish for, because you just might get it. No one is experiencing that more than Flash Gordon right now. With the successful overthrow of Ming the Merciless, the other races of Mongo are poised to destroy one another. So Flash turns to the only person that can help him in this time of uncertainty. Klytus. The right hand man of Ming is now helping Flash, but to what end, and what is the endgame going to be that will undoubtedly be Flash’s undoing?
Trautmann gives a very in depth description of the essence of Mongo and its people through the eyes of Klytus. While he explores the effect of Ming’s imprisonment, we’re treated to some bits of Klytus’s origin, as well. A welcome surprise to those that realize that this character was not part of the original newspaper strip back in the 30s and 40s. All of this fleshes out one of the most interesting and fun issues in this series so far. Flash is also a bit more prominent during this story, which is refreshing a bit since he’s been overshadowed by his supporting cast for most of the series.
The visuals are by Ron Adrian who handles the tension, deceit, and action throughout the issue quite well. Since he has already spent time on Merciless: The Rise of Ming, he had no problem keeping the look of Mongo and its people consistent with what we’ve already seen. There are a few standout panels such as the bore worms crawling through Klytus’s face and Ming’s floating head. Though we do get a couple of scenes that appear a bit rushed, the overall look of the book is still strong.
With this updated version, Trautmann has kept the heart and essence of what propelled Flash Gordon to greatness over seventy years ago while making it very accessible to the modern day audience. Whether you’re a Flash Gordon fan or a sci-fi/fantasy enthusiast, this is a title worth checking out issue after issue!
Infinite Speech
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