Carlos Morales
Mad Cave Studios is proud to announce DEFENDERS OF THE EARTH: DARK DESTINY, a bold new chapter in the legacy of King Features’ legendary heroes. Written by Dan DiDio (OMAC, Metal Men, Ancient Enemies), with art by Alex Sanchez (Star Wars, Godzilla vs. Power Rangers), colors by JUANCHO! (The Phantom, Endless Night), letters by Carlos M. Mangual (Shazam!, Batman vs. Robin), and covers by Marco Santucci (Captain America), Vasco Georgiev (Xena: Warrior Princess), and retailer incentive by Bob Quinn (Captain America, Champions), this miniseries unites Flash Gordon, The Phantom, Mandrake the Magician, and Lothar for their most dangerous mission yet!
THE DEFENDERS ON TRIAL!
Mongo is a shattered empire—and it’s at least partly Flash Gordon’s fault. The Defenders of the Earth may have saved their home planet, but Mongo paid a hefty price for Ming the Merciless’s games. Now the tolls come due—and it’s the Defenders who will pay it.
And while the Defenders face their former friends and allies, their offspring face challenges of their own. Determined to find Rick’s missing mother, Dale, the Gordon child, and his friends K’Shin, Zuffy, LJ, and Jedda investigate a former secret base held by the son of Ming. Kro-Tan may be gone, but the danger is not. A fan-favorite villain goes after the Second Gen Defenders!
“I was excited to write Defenders of the Earth for one more story,” said Dan DiDio. “In this mini-series, we built on events from the earlier series and took the Defenders on their first adventure on the planet Mongo, where we brought back a fan favorite from the animated series. I also looked forward to working with Alex, whose art perfectly captured the alien world and its races.”
“I was very excited to be working on this project and alongside such a talented creative team,” said Alex Sanchez. “I have been a Flash Gordon and Defenders of the Earth fan since the movie and cartoon series from the eighties. This was a pro bucket-list accomplishment I got to cross off, and I already enjoyed the wonderful narrative Dan crafted. It was action-packed, expertly paced, and with intelligent dialogue. I was honored to be along for the ride with the entire Mad Cave personnel.”
Dark Destiny raises the stakes for both generations of heroes. While Flash Gordon, The Phantom, Mandrake, and Lothar stood trial for the devastation left in the wake of Ming’s downfall, their children set out on a dangerous mission of their own—searching for Dale Gordon and uncovering threats once thought vanquished. Packed with courtroom intrigue, fractured alliances, and a fan-favorite villain targeting the next generation, this series delivers high drama, pulse-pounding action, and emotional depth that proves why the Defenders of the Earth legacy still thrills.
Defenders of the Earth: Dark Destiny #1 arrives in comic shops and digital platforms, including Mad Cave’s series subscription bundle, on December 10, 2025. Preorder through your local comic shop or directly from Mad Cave.
