Mad Cave has revealed Flash Gordon: Two Worlds, a two-part original graphic novel by award-winning cartoonist Scott Chantler (Three Thieves, Squire & Knight), featuring colors by K.J. Díaz. Inspired heavily by the look of original Alex Raymond comics, and the 1930s film serials, the book takes place in an alternate reality where Flash Gordon never became a hero, and Ming the Merciless conquered Earth.
The official synopsis reads, “Ming the Merciless rules over a conquered and devastated Earth. There, a nameless laborer looks to the sky and dreams of the hero he might have been. On Mongo, the Emperor’s tormented bride, Dale Arden, cannot shake the memory of a man she saw briefly on an airplane years ago. Who was he? And why does it feel like they were meant to have met?”
The book marks the first licensed comic by Chantler. He comments, “Despite a 25-year career in comics, and fifteen books under my belt, something I’d never really done is put my stamp on a classic character. So I picked the most classic one I could think of. My late friend Darwyn Cooke had a real knack for this kind of material: he could tap into all the history, nostalgia, and playfulness of the characters while still finding something new, tough, and sophisticated to say with them. I’ve tried my best to do the same.”
Created by Raymond in 1934, Flash Gordon has starred in several comics from Mad Cave since 2024, including the main ongoing, issue #20 of which will be released on September 16. The character also continues to star in the revival of the syndicated strip by Dan Schkade, that launched in 2023.
Vol. 1 of Two Worlds will be released on November 10, 2026, in paperback and hardback respectively for $19.99, and $24.99. In the meantime, you can check out four pages from the book below:
