Dan Fraser and Jermayn Parker interview the man behind the NECA figurines in Djordje Djokovic. He talks to us all about the very popular figurines featuring the Phantom in the Defenders of the Earth and Original Superhero's range. You will learn how important he was to ensure NECA went ahead in the figurines being made. During this podcast, on YouTube we show a lot of photos of the process, original art and prototypes. If you love learning behind the scenes information, this is for you. It is worth the two hour listen - you won't be disappointed. You can follow Djordje Djokovic on his social platforms at @djordjedjokovicart. Some of the subjects we discuss are: Djordje Djokovic as a phan who grew up, loved the Defenders of the Earth and Phantom 2040 tv show and figurines and his favourite artists. What is special about the Phantom to him. His life calling in the figurine industry and how his graphic design skills helped him go from the "Four Horsemen" to "NECA". His thoughts on the Phantom 2040, 1996 movie and Defenders of the Earth shows, figurines and toys. What does a sculptor do? The process of the NECA Defenders of the Earth figurines. How Djordje Djokovic sold the concept of the NECA Defenders of the Earth figurines to Randy Falk? The idea behind why Zuffy was included with the Phantom in the NECA Defenders of the Earth figurine set. How Djordje Djokovic managed to sell the idea of the Defenders of the Earth figurine set to Randy Falk and NECA, The story behind the packaging and why it resembles the original Galoob figurines. Djordje Djokovic shows us the original drawings of the packaging including the Phantom for both sets. The logo design and how the new logo takes after the British version which includes Lothar unlike the Italian and Galoop design. Djordje Djokovic teases future plans with NECA and the Phantom. (Note: this would have included the Mad Cave Studios Defenders of the Earth new comic series which also features Djordje Djokovic as the cover artist). Addressing the issue on the Defenders of the Earth figurines needing a warm bath before usage and how it was fixed for the Original Superhero series. Djordje Djokovic and his experience connecting with Phantom phans, the Friends of the Phantom Sardi's luncheon and meeting Sy and David Barry. Djordje Djokovic asks us some questions about how the NECA figurines were received in Australia. Djordje Djokovic shows us some early prototypes of the NECA figurines and goes over the process from original sculpts, to molds, to China, to prototype painters, to toolers, to printing, to unpainted final prototype and then to final packaging. Please note, we recorded this podcast before the official announcement of the Mad Cave Studios Defenders of the Earth new comic series which also features Djordje Djokovic as the cover artist. So while we now all know he is one of the artists, we skirted around the discussion during the recording of the podcast. You can follow Djordje Djokovic on his social platforms at @djordjedjokovicart. If you want to chat with us, you can email us at chroniclechamber@gmail.com or via our social media profiles with your feedback at Facebook, Twitter and or Instagram. Make sure you stay with us and do not forget to subscribe and leave a review on our podcast and or our YouTube Channel.

Christian Moller reviews the Zauberstern Flash Gordon #6 which was out late May 2024 that featured the four Defenders of the Earth comic book stories. This video review also includes the special release for the 2024 Comic Salon Erlangen show that feature the same stories. " Defenders of the Earth " by Stan Lee , Bob Harras , Alex Saviuk and Fred Fredericks " Creation " by Michael Higgins , Alex Saviuk , and Fred Fredericks " Family Honor " by Michael Higgins , Alex Saviuk , and Fred Fredericks " Magical Child " by Michael Higgins , Alex Saviuk , and Fred Fredericks You can purchase these comics and other back issues of Zauberstern Phantom comics from their website . The comic convention pack is only 9.99EU and the Flash Gordon issues are the same price as the Phantom editions. While the stories are the same and it looks the same, some of the lettering and some of the translation are different in the two versions. Watch the video as I highlight some of the subtle changes. Ensure you read our interview with the publishers and editors behind Zauberstern here - Interview with Simeon Hrissomallis and Charles Bone . You will learn about the extra albums and magazines planned to be published in 2025 by Zauberstern .  Our review of the first one is now out, you can watch that on our platforms. All Zauberstern and other German comic reviews will be included in our monthly X-Band: The Phantom Podcasts. You can find out more at our website and or subscribe to our YouTube channel for more videos. If you would like to join the team and review new comics being released around the world, please contact us.

The New York Toy Fair is all online this year hence why Boss Fight Studio and now NECA are doing all their announcements in February. 2021 NECA released their first wave of the Defenders of the Earth range featuring The Phantom , Flash Gordon and Ming the Merciless which was a great success. They have now announced that Lothar , Garax & Mandrake the Magician will be joining forces in the fight of good and evil against the world. According to an interview between Joe Moore and Randy Falk , the three figurines will be out in the USA summer (Australia's winter). Below is a video of the Lothar and Mandrake the Magician figurines plus the full interview between the two - link here . It is worth a read as they talk about skull copters, sword ships and other possibilities. JM: These are three great looking figures for fans of Defenders of the Earth. The first thing everyone will want to know is, when can they expect to see Lothar and Mandrake on shelves? RF: We are hoping they will be in stock this summer! Right now, we’re making some adjustments to Mandrake’s cape and final debugging is taking place. They look fantastic and we are so excited to complete the Defenders line. JM: Since Garax looks to be earlier in development, is he coming out a little later in the year? RF: Actually, if everything goes as planned, he should be able to join Lothar and Mandrake in the same assortment. But if not, he will definitely follow shortly thereafter. JM: As we’ve seen with Flash, Ming, and The Phantom, can we expect alternate versions of Mandrake and Lothar? RF: Perhaps! It’s a question that certainly needs to be discussed as we build out our “Original Superheroes” line, which started with the classic comic strip versions of those three. JM: Following up on the previous question, Lothar and Garax had wildly different looks in the classic Defenders of the Earth toy line. Since we’ve seen classic toy versions of Ming and Flash, it is safe to say we may see classic toy versions of these figures? RF: Variants for Lothar and Garax are definitely under consideration… it would make for a fun chase or exclusive. JM: While playsets and vehicles can be tough to release in a line of 7″ scale figure, the old Defenders of the Earth toy line had some great vehicles. Are there any you’d love to tackle in the future? RF: I’d love to do the skull copter – that would be amazing! — or the Swordships. But sadly, Defenders vehicles and playsets are unlikely due to the increasing costs of tooling and production. As extraordinarily cool as these characters are, this is still a very niche specialty line. JM: Are there any figures from Defenders of the Earth you’d like to release that might be too obscure to work at retail? RF: It would be nice to add the kids and Princess Castra to the line, but the main thing we wanted to do was celebrate the 35th anniversary with modern versions of the original Galoob line. We’re heading in different directions now with the Original Superheroes line and other concepts. JM: Does the license actually allow for you to expand into some of the other characters from the cartoon, such as Kshi, Jedda Walker, Rick Gordon, etc? RF: We would have to consider it on a case-by-case basis if we decided to expand. JM: The licensor, King Features, has a large assortment of brands, such as Popeye and Cuphead. Do you anticipate expanding your licensing agreement with them to produce figures from their other brands? RF: We are definitely looking at a number of other brands and IP that fit within the Original Superheroes banner as we build that line out. Expect to see a lot of fun stuff! This is a great area to play in. JM: It’s clear there’s a huge fan base for figures from a wide variety of 1990s cartoons. Does the success of the Defenders of the Earth line, as well as the Gargoyles line, bode well for additional figures from that era? RF: Absolutely. We have covered so many of the ‘80s icons and it was the right time to move into the ‘90s. The success of and response to our Gargoyles line has been nothing short of phenomenal! And while we have already identified a number of other properties that would be a good fit for NECA, we’re always listening to our fans, so keep talking to us and we’ll keep surprising you!

Sad news that Peter Mark Richman passed away on January 14, 2021 who was an actor between 1949–2011. His credits include the NBC series, " Cain's Hundred " and in over 500 TV guest star appearances on such shows as " Murder She Wrote " " Fantasy Island " " Hotel " and " Star Trek the Next Generation ", the Watergate mini-series " Blind Ambition ," " Dempsey " and a recurred role on " Beverly Hills 90210 " and many more that we simply cannot name. Us Phantom phans will however know him more for his role as The Phantom from the " Defenders of the Earth " TV series in 65 episodes in 1986. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends.

This is the podcast a lot of phans have been waiting for. We talk to Rick Hoberg who was one of two art directors for the hit 1980's TV Series " Defenders of the Earth ". Rick sheds light on the stories behind the show from never-before-seen animation cells and artwork, progress sketches of the characters, and much more about the process and decisions of the way the characters looked in the show. We also get the inside scoop on two mysteries that have intrigued phans: why the art and animation style was different in episode " Root of Evil " and why in some promotion pieces Jedda has blonde hair. At around the 35-minute mark of the podcast, Rick shows us drawings, scans, and sketches from a bunch of artists who worked on the show, including Nestro Redondo , Rick Hoberg , Will Meugniot , Russ Heath and Nino .

Something fun for everyone. Originally planned for Christmas Day but due to some unforeseen circumstances, this has been delayed until today. We decided to split this podcast into two with each episode being the individual read along tape. Hopefully this means they can be re-listened and enjoyed as per originally. Do not forget the YouTube videos of each episode featuring the book so you can read along. Read-Along Book and Tapes from Golden Storybook (1987) featuring Flash Gordon, Mandrake, Lothar and the Phantom, along with their children, as they do battle with Ming the Merciless. Based on the Defenders of the Earth animated series. Computer Checkmate The fate of the Earth hangs on the outcome of a chess game between evil Kro-Tan's Octon computer and Flash Gordon's Dynak X computer. The Sun Steelers The "Defenders of the Earth" and their children attempting to stop the evil Ming the Merciless from stealing energy from Earth's Sun. #XBand #Podcast #DefendersoftheEarth

In some good news to end 2020 NECA has quietly announced that they will be releasing the first of their waves of the Defenders of the Earth range in February 2021. The first wave will feature Flash Gordon , The Phantom & Ming The Merciless . The second wave will consist of at least Mandrake the Magician & Lothar - no word on the third character - If we had to guess it would be Garax who was the leader of Ming's mechanical soldiers, the Ice Robots. No word if they are going to release vehicles and other accessories like they have for their other extensive ranges. It would make sense for that to wait to see if the first wave is successful which is why they have released the two main popular characters of The Phantom and Flash Gordon . We have found two websites who are currently doing pre orders and the prices are £36.95 each which is $65AU, $50US, 415sek and 40€ each. It is expected that NECA's pre order option will be available soon but you can pre order now at the following two websites: Emporium of Cool Comics and Cocktails These figurines are more expensive than the Boss Fight Studio Phantom figurines ( Purchase here ) but that is to be expected with the size difference of the two sets. It comes at the same time that Boss Fight Studio have announced that their first wave will also be available in the first quarter of 2021. After waiting decades for a descent articulated figurine, 2021 will be our year. Will you be buying just The Phantom or will you get the whole set? UPDATE: The website F Woosh has released a heap of preview images of the figurines from the first wave on their website. Thanks to 2nd Childhood Toys and Collectables for the spot of this exciting news.

Due out in October 2023 are the Monogram International Defenders of the Earth 2 inch 3D foam key chains. We at Chronicle Chamber were able to get some review copies before their release. The distributor Entertainment Earth has them available for pre order on their website in packs of either 6 for $34.99US ($55Au, 32Eu, 2,900INR and 375sek/nok) or a pack of 24 for $143.99US ($220Au, 132Eu, 12,000INR and 1600 sek/nok). My main concern is the plastic nature of the blind bags themselves, it would be better if they were made from paper so when thrown in rubbish or on the side of the road, they can degrade quicker. There are two different Phantom designs, three Flash Gordon designs, two Ming the Merciless and one of each Mandrake , Lothar , Zuffy and Garax . These are sold in blind bags which may annoy some phans, the best solution around this is to either buy the display case of 24 or buy from a secondary market. At this stage of writing you can only buy from the Entertainment Earth website. If anyone finds other sources to buy, please inform us. Link for the set of 6 packs Link for the display case of 24 packs From our research Big Bad Toys online store and the Australian Pop Cultcha store stock current Monogram International products on their stores and we expect them to stock these Defenders of the Earth keychains also. The Entertainment Earth website only provides express postage to Australia at $100+ where Big Bad Toy Store offered a lower rate when I purchased the King Comic PVC Figurines. My opinion is that these are a must buy and will be very popular by children and the younger generation. Do you like blind bags? Will you be buying them?

NECA 's reveal of making 7 inch scale figures from Defenders of the Earth in New York Toy Fair 2020 caught almost everyone by surprise. Nevertheless it was a boon for phans & this reveal, just a few months after Boss Fight Studios ' announcement of making The Phantom figures, felt like a bonus. Personally I was stoked with the NECA announcement as I much prefer my action figures to be in the 7 inch scale, over BFS ' 4 inch one. Plus I was excited to see these figures come to life specially on the base buck body, sculpted by Djordje Djokovic , being the much sought after and praised one that NECA had used for Superman , Batman and Green Lantern in their previous convention exclusives of their DC vs Aliens/Predator license. As news of the product hitting the aisle of some stores in the US 2021 trickled out, so did the horror stories of rampant quality control issues in the figures. The internet was flooded with praise for the looks of the product as well as equal amount of complains about stuck joints breaking on attempts to pose the figure. Paint scraping off the pins and pegs of joints. Suddenly the anticipation of finally owning such a detailed Phantom figure turned into anxiety. Now being owners of the figure we can confirm that the complains are very true. The Quality Control on the product is absolutely abysmal. Which is a shame considering this is probably the best action figure of The Phantom ever released. However the terrible quality control can be overcome with a lot of patience, hot water & care - and achieve very satisfactory levels of articulation & posing. We have gone through that process here. For those who want to keep their action figures sealed in package - You have nothing to worry about. Till the day you decide to take it out and pose it. Mind you, these are not considered children's toys but as adult collectibles. So they are not anyway something that can withstand the much harsher playing that a child would subject a toy to. Coming to the review, the figure and it's accessories are housed in a cardboard window box which shows off the figure and accessories well enough. The box art and design is made to evoke the original packaging design of the toys of the show that came out years ago from Galoob . Even the NECA logo is stylised to look like the Galoob logo. The back of the box has all the credits of those who were involved in the making of the figure and it's packaging. The figure irrespective of its numerous QC issues has gorgeous sculpt details. The head sculpt specially is a beautiful rendition of The stern expression of the Phantom and his cowl and domino mask. The sculpt detailing is best shown by the detailing of the Phantom rings. The Skull and the Good Mark is sculpted superbly in that tiny size onto both hands. Paintwork is subtly executed with minimal slop and bleed. The accessories are: An articulated Zuffy holding the life essence of Dale crystal. Two right fists - one with a hollow at the ring point, the other for gripping a laser gun. A laser gun. A long laser blast effect that attaches to the ring point fist. A long laser blast effect that attaches to the laser gun nozzle. A short laser blast effect for the laser gun. All accessories fit snugly and nicely and are detailed and we'll painted. The Phantom figure has a generous amount of articulation points. He has a ball jointed head, ball hinge shoulders, bicep swivel, double jointed elbows, ball hinge fists, ab crunch, waist swivel, ball hinge hips, swivel upper hips, double jointed knees, boot swivel, hinge rocking ankles and toe hinge. A whopping amount of articulation IF you manage to actually get them unfrozen and workable. Best of luck. This is the best looking Phantom figure and probably will be in a long time, and it's an absolute shame it has been marred by such quality control issues. Here's hoping NECA come good on their promise on revisiting The Phantom for a future release as they did hint on Twitter - and learn from the ghastly quality control that plagued this one.

Defenders of the Earth is back! Well not the animated series, but a new 8 part miniseries has been ordered by Mad Cave Studios with previews of the first issue being available along with pre order through retailers. With the recent exposure to Defenders of the Earth with the NECA Toys , Comics Kingdom releasing all the episodes and movies on YouTube, Monogram International keyrings and the upcoming trade paperback of the Marvel miniseries, also from Mad Cave, this upcoming miniseries is phantastic news. Mad Cave , brought the license to Flash Gordon back in July 2023 and have announced their plans for the series along with the reprint of the Marvel series back in January. Previews have been out very recently. From the previews in the League of Comic Geeks website, a synopsis, preview of the first issue and variant covers along with the creative team have been revealed. " Flash Gordon, The Phantom, Mandrake the Magician and Lothar are united again in this reimagining of the classic animated series, Defenders of the Earth. Picking up with characters and storylines from the original series, Flash confronts Ming in a final battle, only to find that even greater threats await him as his teammates as they each must confront ghosts of their past to protect their families and future ." - reads the synopsis. The previews of the first issue include the creative team with Dan DiDio (former co-publisher of DC Comics ) as the writer and Jim Calafiore ( Aquaman , Exiles ) as the artist and Carlos M. Mangual as the letterer. Three variant covers have been revealed with two normal and one incentive limited cover. The main cover (A) is done by the main artist Jim Calafiore , which also previews what kind of art to expect in the comic. Cover B is done by Djordje Djokovic , which depicts a Flash Gordon NECA figure in a old Galoob style packaging ( Djordje will be one of our next podcast interviews coming out in June 2024). The limited incentive 1:10 cover is done by Andy Clerke and depicts the Defenders in the style of the show and DVD covers. The variant covers are as follows. Interesting that the covers mention the series from "the world of Flash Gordon" which hint at the potential connection between Mad Cave 's regular Flash Gordon series, which is to be launched from June. The synopsis also hints at this. Issue #1 is slated to come out on 14 August. A few online retailers have also advertised the different variants for sale with a price of $4.99 (AU$ 7.44, €4.58, ₹415.66 and 53.48 kr) for the regular covers and $24.95 (AU$ 37.22, €22.90, ₹2078.31 and 267.39 kr) for the limited incentive variant. According to the Flash Gordon publication schedule of Mad Cave published in the latest Flash Gordon Free Comic Book Day issue (#0), the series is supposed to release monthly from August to December, with a break in November, four number of comics are to be out this year. The schedule is provided below. Nothing more about the series but more details are expected to be revealed closer to release. We are also in communication with Mad Cave Studio 's about some podcast interviews with the creators and have been teasing this announcement for the last two months on our X-Band: The Phantom Podcast . It's indeed a great time to be a phan in the US and around the world with so many publications of the Phantom. Mad Cave are now joining Moonstone in publishing our hero in the USA for 2024. If you are in the USA and would like to help us with reviews of these comics, please contact us via our email chroniclechamber@gmail.com or contact us via any of our social media platforms. Until then, Happy Phantoming.

On the back of King Features offering a Defenders of the Earth license and Mad Cave Studios releasing their new TPB featuring the comic book series , German publisher Zauberstern Comics has also announced they will be doing the same. The first issue featuring the original Marvel comics will be Zauberstern Flash Gordon #6 released from 28 June 2024. You will be able to purchase the comics from this link on their shop website . The original 1980's comic book series was written by Stan Lee and Bob Harras and penciled by Alex Saviuk and inked by Fred Fredericks . With the success of the recent Defenders of the Earth NECA  toys ( our review ) and Monogram International  keyrings ( our review ), it is only fitting that we see the re-release of the original comic stories. Fingers crossed that this leads to more Defenders of the Earth  media and merchandise, could a TV show or movie be in the near future too? Thank you to Andreas Eriksson for bring this news to our attention. If you spot other Phantom related news, please contact us via email and or our social media platforms.

Ignite your Jets... Summon the Strength of Ten Tigers... Gesture Hypnotically... Flex your Power... Because the Defenders of the Earth are returning to bookshelves in 2024! Independent publisher, Mad Cave Studios , who acquired the license for Flash Gordon in July 2023, are collecting the 1987 Marvel / Star Comics ' 4-part Defenders of the Earth series into one collected volume. This will be the first time that all four comics will be collected together. It will be distributed through Simon and Schuster who state, "Sci-fi legend Flash Gordon must team-up with the Phantom, Mandrake the Magician, and the super strong Lothar to defend planet Earth against the dark forces of Ming the Merciless. Luckily, they'll get some help from the next generation of heroes, their children!" The book is advertised as being 96 pages long, which allows for speculation into what else may be included within the covers. Alex Saviuk has stated that he still has the original unpublished art of Issue #5 (some images of which are available for viewing by our Patreons on the Phantom Preservation Project ). Including issue #5 would be a boon for Mad Cave and DotE fans alike! There is some conjecture as to the release date of the TPB with Simon and Schuster stating August 14, 2024 but Booktopia has it listed for 4th June. Needless to say we should be expecting the book to hit retailers sometime mid-year. With the success of the recent Defenders of the Earth NECA toys ( our review ) and Monogram International keyrings ( our review ), it is only fitting that we see an international TPB release of the original comic. Fingers crossed that this leads to more Defenders of the Earth media and merchandise, could a TV show or movie be in the near future too? We look forward to bringing more news on this exciting development as it happens. What would you like to see included in the Trade Paperback? The unpublished 5th issue or other unpublished art? Interviews with the creators? A brand new Defenders of the Earth story? Let us know and as always, Happy Phantoming!

Everyone is excited about the new Defenders of the Earth comic book series coming out 14 August 2024. To help capture and build on the excitement levels Mad Cave Studios have released a four page digital prologue comic for free on their website. You can download it here . This is perfect for those who have come in late and we are excited. So excited that we decided to review the four pages and look into some key take aways. Some of the the things we discuss are: Exciting to see a prologue we were not expecting Great opportunity to see what the creators would bring to the table Emotional scenes with death of Hero but pales into comparison with what Flash Gordon goes through. Mandrake feels like the natural leader trying to reason with Flash Gordon. Maybe he has to step up as Flash is struggling with his loss. In the tv show it felt like Mandrake was at times the goofy sidekick with his bag of magic tricks. Is Hero being in the story a gaff or a nod? Sets up the storyline with Phantom, Mandrake and Lothar 'defending the earth' Good not to have the kids in the prologue (explained well) as too many characters in only 4 pages This series feels more adult than the TV Show The difference with technology in the TV Show with The Phantom using revolvers and is depicted with them on the cover in the comic book series. Xanadu is under attack, unlike the TV Show where it seemed to always escape attention by Ming, Garax and their henchmen. Overall this snippet brings the excitement and is a great addition. Are you excited by this series? Have you gone back and watched the tv show to ensure you don’t miss out on potential Easter eggs? Phans keep an eye on our YouTube channel and our various platforms so you don’t miss out on the latest Mad Cave Studios Defenders of the Earth and other Phantom news. Coming up will be interviews with Dan DiDio and Jim Calafiore .

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 and Jim Calafiore the creators of the new series. We will be reviewing these comics on our monthly comics Podcast and YouTube channel and are 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: Thank you for joining us. Were you a fan of the original Defenders of the Earth TV Show? Have you found yourself going back to watch it? Jim Calafiore: Honestly, I wasn’t aware of the original series, and had to check out some videos online. They did some interesting stuff for kids programming, like Killing off Dale Gordon. CC: Were you a fan of the Phantom, Mandrake and or Flash? JC: I was of course aware of Flash and Phantom; Mandrake only marginally. And I’m a big fan of the original Flash strips, all the Alex Raymond stuff. CC: Of your previous work, is there any one example in particular you would point fans to so they can get a feel for the style you will bring to this series? JC: All of it. I have a fairly distinct style. The only changes to it I’m making are a nod to the animated series; more open line work, and a little heavier on the line weight. CC: What are you enjoying about working with these characters / this franchise? JC: Any time working on classic characters is fun; honoring what’s been done in the past, but putting my own touches on them. CC: What are you enjoying about working with Dan DiDio ? JC: Dan’s got an interesting take on this “reboot”, and is definitely not treading lightly. CC: Will your Phantom include the striped pants like the traditional comic or will you keep them off like the TV Show? Any other tweaks to the costumes we saw in the original series? JC: I’m keeping pretty close to the series reference, although the striped pants will make an appearance; just not in the way you might expect. The biggest tweak is to the kids, who are now young adults. They had VERY 80’s looks, so they needed to be updated. CC: How does it feel to work on these iconic characters and what do you feel this series will bring to the modern audience (of these characters.) JC: It’s definitely a different take, but I think that that was what the animated series tried to do. Hopefully we’re taking this a little further, and giving them personalities and issues that can relate to contemporary sensibilities. So it’s a balancing act, honoring their classic incarnations while updating them. CC: How are you approaching these characters in a modern setting? JC: We’re definitely not in the 40’s. But at the same time, I like doing things like having Flash always in his costume. And keeping Mandrake’s waxed mustache. I like the anachronistic feeling that any of them might be out of place in their new roles. CC: Thank you for your time Jim and we are all eagerly awaiting reading your take on our beloved Defenders of the Earth TV Show. You can follow Jim Calafiore  on his Instagram profile @jim_calafiore Next week we will be interviewing writer Dan DiDio . 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 Jim Calafiore  answer, email us at ChronicleChamber@gmail.com .

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 .