Classic fantasy characters are thriving in the pages of monthly comic book series published by Dynamite Comics.  Look for Flash Gordon, The Phantom and Mandrake the Magician, brought together for the first time this month in Kings Watch. 

You’ve likely heard of Flash Gordon and The Phantom but you might not be familiar with Mandrake the Magician.  Mandrake is a character created by Lee Falk in 1934–before he created The Phantom.  A magician using hypnosis, psychic and telekinetic powers, he was the feature character in a King Features Syndicate comic strip written by Falk for 65 years–from 1934 to 1999.  Some historians refer to Mandrake as the very first comic superhero.

Kings Watch adds yet another classic team-up monthly to the enormous catalog of classic characters maintained by Dynamite today, including The Lone Ranger, Green Hornet, The Shadow, Bionic Man and Bionic Woman, Zorro, Red Sonja, Buck Rogers, and Ms. Fury.

A strange magnetic interference in the atmosphere…  People across the planet are having strange nightmares of the end of the world…  Giant dinosaur-like beasts appear from the East African jungle to encounter The Phantom on horseback…  Mandrake is pursuing something called the “Kings Watch” off the northern coast of California…  In New York City, a modern-day Dale Arden learns of a space flight by wealthy businessman’s son Flash Gordon with scientist Dr. Zarkov…   Issue #1 sets up the characters for future issues, but how will they all come together?  And what exactly is the Kings Watch?

Kings Watch is written by Jeff Parker, with art by Marc Laming, and vibrant color work by Jordan Boyd.  Look for Kings Watch in comic books stores this week.

C.J. Bunce
Editor
borg.com