Spend the holidays with Flash Gordon in this amazing 2014 special from Dynamite Entertainment.
There are 3 tales in this book. Story #1 has Flash and Dr. Zarkov visiting the people of Arboria. Being Flash's first Christmas away from planet Earth, he wants to play Santa to some of his allies from the galactic war against Emperor Ming. However, to Flash's surprise, Arboria already celebrates a primitive version of Christmas and the kiddies are all ready for a nightly visit from... Jungle Jim!
Story #2 returns to Earth. Here, one of Ming's stranded Beast-Men foot soldiers is trying to survive a Central European winter all alone. It just happens to be the 4th night of Hanukkah and it just goes to show you that a little warmth, some friendship across species and a couple of latkes can go a very long way!
Our last adventure stars Dale Arden. We get glimpses of Dale's previous 2 New Years Eves and how it contrasts with her new life as a freedom fighter on the frozen planet of Frigia.
All 3 stories were fantastic. The only thing I had trouble with was instead of definitive endings, each story just bleeds into the next. That makes for a pinch of confusion and fear that maybe I've got another one of those blasted issues that has a printing order error. I also would have liked the Dale story to have Flash more involved in it. But the biggest issue for me was the seamless transitions that are secretly deceptive.
This issue has definitively peaked my interest in Jeff Parker, Evan 'Doc' Shaner and Jordie Bellaire's 2014-15 Flash Gordon miniseries. Shaner does the cover and Bellaire assists with some of the finishes. But there isn't any Jeff Parker here. Yet, if his story is 1/4 as excellent as this special, then I know that I am in for a treat.
Oh! And I must give love for the use of Jungle Jim as an alien Santa Claus. Jungle Jim was an early creation of Flash Gordon's father Alex Raymond. So to throw JJ into this special as an Easter egg was an unexpected angel topper to my tree!
Worth Consuming!
Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.
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