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Flash Gordon
October 8, 2014, Mt. Laurel, NJ: Dynamite enjoyment is pleased to reveal the January 2015 introduce of King, an legendary comic book event that marks the 100th anniversary of King features Syndicate, the print syndication business had by The Hearst Corporation. The celebratory event will bring history’s a lot of popular comic strip heroes – Flash Gordon, Mandrake the Magician, prince Valiant, The Phantom, as well as Jungle Jim, to comic books with five miniseries that develop to a grand crossover in May. Helmed by top-tier skill as well as increasing stars of the comic book industry, each introduce problem of the King event features an interlocking cover by acclaimed artist Darwyn Cooke (DC: The new Frontier, Catwoman).
The innovative teams of the King event include writers Ben Acker as well as Ben Blacker with artist Lee Ferguson on Flash Gordon; Eisner-Award champion Roger Langridge with artist Jeremy Treece on Mandrake the Magician; writer (and line editor) Nate Cosby with artist Ron Salas on prince Valiant; writer Brian Clevinger with artist Brent Schoonover on The Phantom; as well as writer Paul Tobin with artist Sandy Jarrell on Jungle Jim.
Darwyn Cooke skillfully brings a sense of visual solidarity to the five diverse ideas of King as its primary Cover artist. With his retro-chic style sense, popularized on such titles as DC: The new Frontier, will Eisner’s The Spirit, as well as Batman: Ego, Cooke is the best option for producing a linking cover montage for every #1 debut issue.
In addition to the Cooke interlocking covers, each #1 problem in the King line will function two Variant Editions: one featuring the artwork of Rob Liefeld, as well as the other from Ron Salas. Liefeld is the sensational artist understood for such bestselling titles as X-Force, Deadpool, as well as Youngblood, while Salas is a rising star in the comic industry, thanks in part to his work on the hot dream Thief: Escape series. The range of creative styles from Cooke, Liefeld, as well as Salas, with each contributing covers across the whole line, supplies fans with a lot more chances to take pleasure in visual cohesion of the shared universe.
While the King event serves as a landmark event of King features Syndicate’s century of publication, the event likewise marks the very first feature-length experience of Lothar – longtime ally of Mandrake the Magician – in his guise as the new Phantom, a function vacated in 2014 upon the final thought of Jeff Parker as well as Marc Laming’s acclaimed Kings enjoy miniseries. lastly taking the spotlight that the character has so long deserved, Lothar inherits the tradition of The Ghost who Walks as the current in a line of unrelenting jungle protectors.
Flash Gordon #1, by Ben Acker, Ben Blacker, as well as Lee Ferguson, sees the classical area hero (and antecedent of such characters as star Wars‘ Luke Skywalker as well as Star-Lord of Guardians of the Galaxy) included in a cosmic heist as well as when once again – together with Dale Arden as well as Dr. Zarkov – in the crosshairs of tyrant Ming the Merciless. As always, Flash Gordon proves to be anything however “just a man.”
Co-writer Ben Acker says, “We like composing larger-than-life area adventures so much that getting to do actual-for-real Flash Gordon feels like a reward for something. Characters with this type of history around them – you look at what Davies did with Dr. who or at the Daniel Craig Bond – you have to be true to what’s come before, however the stories as well as characters have to feel fresh as well as contemporary. This incarnation of Flash is all about boundless energy as well as the inability NOT to fight the great fight, while this incarnation of Ming is so pervasively, institutionally evil that a star war between them seems inevitable to me.”
Mandrake the Magician
Mandrake the Magician #1, by Roger Langridge as well as Jeremy Treece, puts on an legendary show for all comers, with the traditional stage magician utilizing his sleight-of-hand as well as true magic to counter the danger of witch physicians as well as demons.
Roger Langridge says, “With the Mandrake newspaper strip ending last year as well as going into reruns, I’m thankful the old kid has discovered a house in comic books where his adventures can continue, now in panels significantly larger than a postage stamp. I believe Mandrake as well as I are a great fit: he has a occupation as a stage entertainer, which is a style I seem to keep coming back to, as well as yet when I utilized to checked out Mandrake as a kid, I always had a sneaking suspicion that he had far higher powers than simple hypnotism as well as was regularly holding them back. perhaps they frightened him! I liked that there was this implied other side to him that we only caught looks of. It’s rather a privilege to be enabled to bring on telling Mandrake’s adventures. I’m taking pains not to contradict the history of the strip, while at the exact same time keeping it fresh as well as easily accessible to newer readers; I want this version of Mandrake to be for all his fans, both new as well as old, taking what went before as well as building upon it. We’re looking ahead to checking out a few of those held-back powers, as well as perhaps discover out why he doesn’t like utilizing them – as well as what occurs when he does!”
Artist Jeremy Treece says, “Working on a history-lush residential property such as Mandrake is such an extraordinary opportunity. You have a character that has spawned lots of similar characters in the comic book media such as Zatara, physician Strange, as well as others. As an illustrator, the visuals you are able to pull out of just Mandrake alone are something that I presume any type of artist would like to be a part of. Not to mention the strong supporting characters such as Lothar, Narda, or his nemesis, the Cobra! My really hopes are that checking out the world of Mandrake outside of comic strips, radio shows, as well as serials, we can truly welcome a whole new set of eyes on the characters, as well as I hope that the faithful followers will likewise take pleasure in the steps ahead into that world as well.”
Prince Valiant
Prince Valiant #1, by Nate Cosby (Cow Boy) as well as Ron Salas, brings the King features mainstay from comic strips to the comic book medium. An Arthurian hero who dares any type of adventure, prince Valiant’s most current will bring him face-to-face with sorcerers, rival knights, as well as an unforeseen shift with time.
Nate Cosby says, “Prince Valiant will attempt any type of adventure. Our handle Val is a skilled young person with boundless energy as well as thirst for life… however he’s an outsider, an outcast. He doesn’t seem to in shape as a knight, so his life is a never-ending quest to discover his true purpose.”
“My like of prince Valiant stems mostly from the art,” states artist Ron Salas. “Hal Foster’s work on prince Valiant is immense – from character work, interesting fights, as well as battle scenes; to outstanding vistas of mountain ranges, forests, as well as marshlands; to grand imposing castles from Arthur’s time. It’s his work – as well as the work of the artists that complied with him – that influences as well as intimidates me, as well as forces me to do my finest work. I am exceptionally honoured to be complying with in their footsteps in my own way, forging a prince Valiant of my own.”
The Phantom
The Phantom #1, by Brian Clevinger as well as Brent Schoonover, reintroduces the daring adventurer Lothar in his new guise as The Ghost who Walks, as he explores the birthright of a heroic lineage – one not his by blood, however by heroic deed.
Writer Brian Clevinger says, “I believe it’s excellent that Lothar gets to be The Phantom. This person has no direct connection to the legacy, however he aspects it, as well as he’s the very best person around for preserving it. This outsider’s point of view lets him concern what it indicates to be The Phantom as well as it lets us play around with what its ancient tradition indicates in the 21st century.”
Regarding the plot of The Phantom, Clevinger explains, “It’s the very first time in 200 years that around the world market has stopped. Old powers are displaced, new ones are on the rise. Greed as well as cruelty are everywhere. as well as Lothar’s gonna be up against people who understand a lot more about The Phantom than he does. however I believe he’s wise sufficient to utilize that against them. We likewise get to restore the Bandar as well as see exactly how they’ve been influenced by The Phantom considering that assisting to invent it 500 years ago.”
“I am extremely ecstatic to be working on The Phantom. The comic strip was one of my very first introductions to cartooning as a kid,” states artist Brent Schoonover (Adventures of Superman). “He’s always been on my ‘Comic book container List’ of characters to draw in an official capacity. So to not only draw the character, however likewise get to do something progressive (i.e. Lothar taking the mantle of one of the longest running tradition superheroes in the industry), it’s a genuine honor. I can’t wait on people to inspect out what we have in store for The Phantom.”
Jungle Jim
Jungle Jim #1, by Paul Tobin (Bandette) as well as Sandy Jarrell (Meteor Men), welcomes visitors to satisfy a warrior who is as much a force of nature as the forest around him. A hunter with enigmatic abilities, the very first problem promises an uncanny origin for visitor enjoyment… in addition to an extraterrestrial turn-of-events as well as an unnatural menace of the simian variety.
“When I was born, my parents looked at me as wellas said, ‘There’s a kid who’s going to compose stories about affable rogues in pith helmets,’ as well as with Jungle Jim, I’m lastly satisfying my legacy,” states writer Paul Tobin. “Even better, being a part of the treasure trove of the King features Syndicate puts me solidly in a world of extraordinary adventure, as well as to add to it by tossing Jungle Jim onto the world Arboria, as well as pitting him against Ming the Merciless as well as a few other surprises. Luckily, visitors will discover that Jungle Jim has a few surprises of his own, as well as that he lives as much as his name a lot more than ever before.”
Artist Sandy Jarrell says, “I gotten my very first King comics when I was five, as well as am thrilled to be drawing one now. I’m having a blast with the King material, very first in Flash Gordon #5 as well as now with Jungle Jim. Paul’s story is excellent fun — I get to draw the Arborian jungle, animals, animal men, blue women, as well as Jungle Jim, both in as well as out of a pith helmet. In as well as out of clothes altogether, actually. just you wait.”
“This is genuinely an event that took 100 years to tell — the most expansive King features cross-over ever, as well as we’re pleased to be the publisher who brings it to the fans,” states Dynamite CEO/Publisher Nick Barrucci. “This event leads to new adventures for these excellent heroes!”
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