Brandon Borzelli's Geek Goggle Reviews
Flash Gordon Invasion of the Red Sword #3
Ardden Entertainment
Deneen & Garcia
Flash Gordon returns with an action-packed and thrilling issue for the middle part of the "Invasion of the Red Sword" arc. I won't beat around the bush: this book is amazing. The arc is heating up on multiple fronts and continues to be one of the most entertaining reads out there for any genre. At this point I have no idea how Deneen is going to wrap this arc up but I'm on board regardless.
The key word for this issue is action. Essentially we have three different fronts covered in this book. The most epic scale is the actual Invasion of the Red Sword that is mostly handled by Vultan, his daughter and Dale. These scenes are terrific because they paint such a bleak picture for the city and planet. They just scream out for Flash to come to the rescue but that just isn't going to happen.
Flash is held captive by Ming as they meet up with Ruduk and his dead army on their way to unlock some very important secrets. These scenes present a lot more questions than answers in this issue and that's all I'll say about it so that the review can remain spoiler-free. However, I would like to point that Deneen isn't afraid of the long legacy of Flash Gordon as he even gets in the phrase, "king of the impossible" which I found to be brilliant.
Finally, Thun, Barin and Zarkov find themselves in even more trouble as they attempt to rescue Ming's daughter. They run into some old friends along the way that help to keep things interesting.
Perhaps the most impressive aspect of this comic book is the density mixed with the action. It seems a rarity today that a comic book moves through the scenes fluidly, but without simply throwing up splash page after splash page. Deneen has the book covering three different plotlines, but manages to tell a comprehensive story that build up the drama as well as the characters while keeping the action on overdrive. This is truly the book's strength and seems to be the exception in today's art form of comic book creating.
Garcia has come into his own with this issue's artwork. It is clear now that he has full command of all of the characters and their "looks" as multiple characters of the various races begin to pop into the story, each with their own distinctiveness. Garcia continues to impress with the action sequences in the book. The story demands high octane action and Garcia proves to be up to the task. If you are looking for a specific "look" to a fantasy comic book then I think Garcia brings the goods to the table.
Flash Gordon is an amazing book. Though this issue is the middle issue of the arc don't let that deter you from picking it up. The recap page gives you all you need to know for a starting point then the issue will completely suck you in. I haven't been disappointed with any issue of Flash Gordon from Ardden yet and this may very well be the best one to date. I can't recommend a book higher than this one.
5 out of 5 geek goggles
