Welcome, readers! Here you’ll find this week’s releases from Titan Comics! I’m still a huge fan of Heroes, so this week makes me extremely happy. Add in some Doctor Who and it’s a done deal! Check all the new titles out here below!

Flash Gordon: Zeitgeist #9
Plot & Script by Eric Trautmann
Plot & Art Direction by Alex Ross
Art by Ron Adrian
Colors by Slamet Mujiono
Letters by Simon Bowland
Cover by Alex Ross
Dynamite Entertainment
Release Date: January 30, 2013
Cover Price: $3.99

In Flash Gordon: Zeitgeist #9, things really start to change as far as the dynamic of the story goes. At this point, Ming is defeated and everyone on Mongo is at peace…or so we think. This issue is FULL of twists and turns and cliffhangers. Just like a Flash Gordon comic should be.

Eric Trautmann continues to do a fantastic job of keeping us on the edge of our seats. Just when we think that the next two issues of this series are going to have a nice, quiet wrap-up, he takes us on a WHOLE different adventure for Flash & company. This issue is mostly political in nature, but it’s not without its share of action scenes, which are pretty spectacular. We also check back in with the Mongoan task force that’s fighting the war on Earth. All in all, things are kind of starting to wrap up, and this issue was a great penultimate chapter. VERY strange alliances are made, secrets are discovered, new events are set in motion, and you won’t believe who the new Emperor of Mongo turns out to be. All in all, an issue full of surprises and high adventure!

Flash Gordon: Zeitgeist #8
Plot and Script by Eric Trautmann
Plot and Art Direction by Alex Ross
Art by Daniel Indro
Colors by Slamet Mujiono
Letters by Simon Bowland
Covers by Alex Ross and Francesco Francavilla
Dynamite Entertainment
Release Date: January 2, 2013
Cover Price: $3.99

Flash Gordon: Zeitgeist #8 focuses almost exclusively on one of the most underrated characters in the Flash Gordon mythos – Dr Hans Zarkov. Now, we could argue that Zarkov is the one who’s responsible for the whole situation that Flash and company are in, but that’s besides the point.

Writers Eric Trautmann and Alex Ross take a time out from the nonstop action to give us a pretty cool character study in this issue. Turns out, Hans Zarkov is a pretty interesting guy. Honestly, you only get a couple panels of the other characters, but this issue is about Zarkov trying to outwit Ming’s control that he has over the device that can get them all home. I LOVE the back story that the writers gave the character. It really lets you know how and why he came to be in the circumstances that he’s in in the beginning of the series. Not only that, but it’s really interesting. And a good, solid story. They also manage to sneak in a good amount of action.

Flash Gordon: Zeitgeist #7
Plot & Script by Eric Trautmann
Plot & Art Direction by Alex Ross
Art by Daniel Indro
Colors by Slamet Mujiono
Letters by Simon Bowland
Covers by Alex Ross & Francesco Francavilla
Dynamite Entertainment
Release Date: November 7, 2012
Cover Price: $3.99

Flash Gordon: Zeitgeist #7 is, quite literally, a tour de force. And I don’t even know what that means. But whatever it means, I’m sure it can be used to describe this issue. It’s by far the best of the series to date, and that’s saying something. Now, if Dynamite could only figure out how to get this book out on time…

Writers Eric Trautmann and Alex Ross have a love of these characters that almost rivals…. me. I can’t tell which of the two is the bigger fan of Flash Gordon. There’s some FANTASTIC Easters eggs thrown into this book from previous incarnations of Flash Gordon, ranging from the 1980 live action movie (look at that cover!) to the 1979-1980 cartoon series by Filmation. This is the epic conclusion of the first storyline, and it’s not without its shocks and surprises. I have to admit, the story plays a little too close to the feature film for my tastes; I wish it would’ve been a little more original, but it’s still a great ending to an awesome first arc. Just about every single loose end is tied up, and what’s left open will have your imagination running wild the moment you close the back cover.

Flash Gordon: Zeitgeist #5
Plot & Script by Eric Trautmann
Plot & Art Direction by Alex Ross
Art by Daniel Indro
Colors by Slamet Mujiono
Letters by Slamet Mujiono
Covers by Alex Ross, Paul Renaud & Francesco Francavilla
Dynamite Entertainment
Release Date: June 13, 2012
Cover Price: $3.99

Flash Gordon: Zeitgeist #5 is a big-budget action movie contained within a single issue comic book. Honestly, this book is one of THE most action-packed comics out there right now, and if you’re not reading it, you’re really missing out. Another FANTASTIC issue by Eric Trautmann. Now, I know in my reviews that I’ve given almost sole credit for the writing on this book to him, but that’s only because I have no clue as to what degree Alex Ross was involved in the plot. Either way, it totally works and I’m not going to look a gift horse in the mouth.

This issue takes place both on Mongo and on Earth, and as I said before, this really reminds me of a big budget sci-fi movie in comic form. You can HEAR the dialogue coming out of the characters’ mouths. You can SEE the action, explosions, and other worldly adventures in your mind. This, is truly a great comic for anyone who wants to escape reality for 15 minutes. Without going into spoilers, there’s some pretty important things that take place in this issue and a moment that we all knew was coming, yet Trautmann still manages to shock us with it when it happens.

Flash Gordon: Zeitgeist #4
Plot & Script by Eric Trautmann
Plot & Art Direction by Alex Ross
Art by Daniel Indro
Colors by Slamet Mujiono
Letters by Simon Bowland
Covers by Alex Ross, Paul Renaud, and Francesco Francavilla
Dynamite Entertainment
Release Date: March 28, 2012
Cover Price: $3.99

Flash Gordon: Zeitgeist #4 is why action/Sci-Fi comics were invented. Yes, I’m a total sucker for Flash Gordon, but that actually makes it HARDER to impress me when it comes to the property. I’ve seen SO many Flash Gordon reincarnations that have fallen so flat, and reading this book is a welcome return to one of my favorite super heroes ever.

Writer Eric Trautmann lays it on pretty thick in this issue. Talk about jam-packed!!! This is truly an old fashioned cliffhanger serial in comic book form. With a cliffhanger on almost every page, it’s a thrill a minute read that will have you biting your fingernails as you read it. What I love about this book is that every character is off on their own adventure, yet the story still weaves together.

Flash Gordon: Zeitgeist #3
Plot & Script by Eric Trautmann
Plot & Art Direction by Alex Ross
Art by Daniel Indro & Ron Adrian
Colors by Slamet Mujiono
Letters by Simon Bowland
Covesr by Alex Ross, Paul Renaud, and Francesco Francavilla
Dynamite Entertainment
Release Date: February 15, 2012
Cover Price: $3.99

Reading Flash Gordon: Zeitgeist #3, I’m reminded why I love the character so much. It’s the ultimate fish out of water story, except the fish knows how to fight and has a sword and ray gun.

Since both Eric Trautmann amd Alex Ross are credited with the story, I guess I have to praise them both for coming up with, really, what this book is supposed to be. Remember movies like Raiders of the Lost Ark or Back to the Future 2, when there was a cliffhanger almost every two minutes? Imagine that kind of story, in comic form, and that’s what you have here. Absolutely edge of your seat reading. New characters are introduced, there’s danger everywhere. THIS is why the phrase “page-turner” was coined.

Flash Gordon: Zeitgeist #2
Plot & Script by Eric Trautman
Plot & Art Direction by Alex Ross
Art by Daniel Indro
Colors by Slamet Mujiono
Letters by Simon Bowland
Covers by Alex Ross, Paul Renaud, and Francesco Francavilla
Dynamite Entertainment
Release Date: January 4th, 2012
Cover Price: $3.99

Wow. I didn’t think it was possible that Flash Gordon: Zeitgeist #2 could get any better or more exciting than the first issue. Yet, the creative team proved me wrong. I think it’s a secret plot by them and Dynamite to get us all to wet our pants with excitement. And, it’s working.

If licensed comics got the respect they deserved, writer Eric Trautman would be a superstar. The writing on this book is unbelievable. The action starts inside the front cover and doesn’t stop until the last page. Just like last issue, Trautman packs SO MUCH into each page and panel that you’re going to want to read this issue a couple of times just to make sure you’ve gotten everything there is to get.

Flash Gordon: Zeitgeist #1
Plot and Script by Eric Trautmann
Plot and Art Direction by Alex Ross
Art by Daniel Indro
Colors by Slamet Mujiono
Letters by Simon Bowland
Covers by Alex Ross, Paul Renaud, Francesco Francavilla, and Wagner Reis
Dynamite Entertainment
Release Date: November 30th, 2011
Cover Price: $1.00

Flash Gordon: Zeitgeist #1 is really the perfect first issue. It introduces the characters and the world and gives you a sense of where the book is, and at the same time, will have you very anxious for the next issue.

With a plot by Alex Ross and Eric Trautmann, the issue is perfectly scripted by Trautmann. There’s a number of nods to previous incarnations of Flash Gordon, from the 1980 live-action movie to the incredibly done animated movie Flash Gordon The Greatest Adventure Of All produced by Filmation in 1982. And while this issue is sort of a love letter to these other Flash Gordon medias, it’s never distracting and it won’t take anything away from readers who haven’t seen them. It only provides cool Easter eggs for those of us that have.