A lot of phans are excited by the new Defenders of the Earth comic book series being released by Mad Cave Studios. To celebrate the release of issue #1 on 14th August 2024, we have had unprecedented access to Dan DiDio, Jim Calafiore the creators and the editor of the new series.
We will be reviewing these comics on our podcast and YouTube channel and planning on more access to the creators associated with this series through Mad Cave Studios. If you have a question we have missed, please email us at ChronicleChamber@gmail.com.
Chronicle Chamber: Were you a fan of the original Defenders of the Earth TV Show? Have you found yourself going back to watch it?
Dan DiDio: I remember watching some of the earlier episodes of the series, but since they originally aired in syndication, they were a little hard to find. I was working at ABC at the time and was interested in animation, so I always liked checking out any new show.
CC: Were you a fan of the Phantom, Mandrake and or Flash?
DD: I was mostly a fan of Flash Gordon after seeing the original Buster Crabbe serials when I was younger. But Phantom and Mandrake weren’t in my local newspaper, so I didn’t learn about them until later, and by then, I was already deep into Marvel and DC, so never really gave them a try.
CC: Have you checked out Dynamite’s use of these characters in their Kings Watch & Kings Cross series? Thoughts?
DD: Never had the chance to read either of the Dynamite series, even though they had some great creators involved. When those books came out, it was all DC, all the time. And when I got this assignment, I made it a point not to read them since I wanted to stay focused on the interpretations of the characters from the cartoon.
CC: Is the new series a continuation, a reboot, of the original. How does it follow the original series? Most importantly, is it a continuation of the TV show or the subsequent comic series.
DD: What’s the best way to put this? It’s a continuation, and a slight reboot that follows the original series but moves in a new direction.
Once I had the overarching premise for this book, I watched the animated series again to see where the storylines could intersect. Then, I incorporated aspects of the original show where they worked best. The goal was to use as much from the series as possible and not contradict (too much) the source material.
CC: Any clues to or previews of the story line?
DD: There’s a lot happening in this book, it starts with a rather dramatic end to the war with Ming, and has the Defenders dealing with the damage left in its wake. As the story progresses, each of the defenders has to deal with personal challenges of their own, before realizing Earth's war with Mongo isn’t really over and that this new fight might already be lost.
CC: Challenges of writing these diverse hero characters?
DD: From a story point, the tone of these characters—Flash (Science Fiction), Mandrake and Lothar (Magic/ Fantasy), and Phantom (Jungle/urban adventure)—is so different that it gets hard, at times, to find the common thread to keep them together.
Another challenge is finding time to showcase all the characters properly. When you add Rick, LJ, Jedda, and Kshin to the mix, you realize this book has a really big cast.
CC: Advantages of working with such diverse hero characters?
DD: On the flip side, because the cast is so diverse, it gives the potential for more stories and doesn’t have to rely on one theme to carry the entire series. Flash, Mandrake, Phantom, and Lothar each get their chance to shine in solo beats and the overall adventure. For me, it’s the most enjoyable part of writing this series.
CC: Impressions of Ming as a villain?
DD: He is still one of the most iconic characters in fiction. In this book, he is a catalyst but not the primary threat.
CC: Will you include any Mandrake and or Phantom villains into the storyline as well?
DD: It was essential for me to include Mandrake and Phantom’s villains from the animated series in this book. Since Mad Cave already has a Flash Gordon book, it allowed me to showcase more of Mandrake and Phantom’s world, just like the original series did.
CC: Will you include any flashbacks of past Phantoms?
DD: Past Phantoms play an important part in Phantom’s storyline. Our Phantom has been identified as the 27th Phantom, and we are introducing the Council of Phantoms, led by the first Phantom, Christopher Walker, Jr.
CC: Will the Phantom have the strength of 10 Tigers?
DD: We give a nod to that power in the first issue, and the Phantom’s story moves on from there.
CC: What are you enjoying about working with these characters / this franchise?
DD: I love being able to take the base concept of the animated series and build a new world from it. I also learned more about these iconic characters and developed a greater appreciation for them.
CC: Having previously worked on animated sci-fi television series (ReBoot, Shadow Raiders) - do you see potential to bring an animated series of Defenders back to our screens? How might a 2020s animated series be different to the 1980s (original DotE) or the 1990s (ReBoot, Shadow Raiders)?
DD: With Reboot and Shadow Raiders (War Planets in the U.S.), we had an animated series ahead of its time, and I feel the same way with Defenders of the Earth. Defenders touched on some themes not typically found in the cartoons and strived to be more than just a 30-minute toy commercial. I think a new series today has huge potential and can take these characters even further.
CC: Thank you for your time Dan and we are all eagerly awaiting reading your take on our beloved Defenders of the Earth TV Show.
You can follow Dan DiDio on his Instagram profile @dan.didio2020 and or X @TheRealDanDiDio.
Next week we will be reviewing issue #1 by the team and our new USA reviewer. Ensure you subscribe to our website, social platforms or the X-Band: The Phantom Podcast on your favourite podcast player and or our YouTube channel so you do not miss out on more Mad Cave Studios Defenders of the Earth news and reviews.
If you have any questions you would like to see Dan DiDio answer, email us at ChronicleChamber@gmail.com.
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