Writer – Dan Jurgens
Artist – Dan Jurgens
Inker – Bruce D. Patterson
Colours – Anthony Tollin
Letters – John Workman

Despite Flash Gordon being the titular hero and all, there might have been just a few readers who would have thought that Flash was going to burn to death in Ming’s trap. Suffice it to say, he does not and thanks to the man being a former athlete, it is the only thing that helps him to escape what might be certain doom to most. As for Dale Arden, she is not looking forward to the prospect of being Ming’s sexual plaything, anything but in fact. Yet for all her protestations, there is not a single thing she can do about it and it looks like Ming is going to get his way sooner rather than later. Dan Jurgens, who writes and illustrates this issue then goes on to provide some interesting developments in only a few pages, the first of which sees Flash gaining his freedom courtesy of Ming’s daughter. The apple does not fall far from the tree though as she is looking to use Flash much like Ming is looking to use Dale. Flash then escapes from her, steals an airship, crashes it in the desert and runs into a fight with a lion-man. Thankfully, that does not last too long as the creature is quite sentient and the two decide to team up and take the fight to Ming, though it is more of a rescue mission than a full-out assault as two men against an entire citadel full of soldiers is just a little crazy. There is quite a bit of action in this book and it is definitely welcome, keeping the book moving at a good pace and giving readers a taste of what is to come in future issues as it is inevitable that Flash Gordon and Ming face off against one another. As it turns out, the rescue plan enacted by Flash and Prince Thun, as desperate as it seems and turns out to actually be, is a success though just barely. If they had not had the element of surprise, it would have failed quite miserably. Most curious is the fact that Aura, Ming’s daughter, essentially let them escape as well, unable to pull the trigger when she could have and proving that there is something there, some feelings preventing her from doing her duty. This was a very fun issue and a great follow-up to the first. Jurgens adds a dash of humour here and there to keep things lively and leaves it on a cliffhanger once again, ensuring that readers want to come back and find out what will happen next. Good stuff all around!

3.5 out of 5