Flash Gordon 1988 #2

The Plot: "The Pits of Doom"

Picking up immediately from the cliffhanger of #1, Flash finds himself in the heart of Ming’s capital, Mingo City.

• The Arena: Flash is forced into a trial by combat. Unlike the sports heroics of his past, he realizes that Ming’s world doesn't play by rules. He has to adapt his athletic skills to a "kill or be killed" environment.
• The Resistance: We are introduced to the underground movement against Ming. Flash meets Prince Thun of the Lion Men. In this 1988 reimagining, the Lion Men are depicted with a more biological, feral intensity rather than just "guys in fur suits."
• Zarkov's Intellect: While Flash fights, Dr. Zarkov is interrogated by Ming’s scientists. This highlights the "Tech vs. Magic" divide of this version of Mongo; Ming is fascinated by Zarkov’s primitive but effective Earth technology.
• The Princess Aura: We get our first real look at Ming’s daughter. Jurgens writes her with a layer of complexity—she is loyal to her father but clearly bored and captivated by the "outlander" Flash.