Now that we’ve reached the midway point of this crossover, is it still something worth following?  Read on to find out.

The official description from Dynamite:

Jeff Parker (Batman ’66, Agents Of Atlas, Thunderbolts) and Marc Laming (Planet Of The Apes, Splinter Cell) propel further into their epic event! Phantom, Mandrake and Flash Gordon have gone through hell to stop The Cobra from reaching the Kings Watch, but the mastermind pulls one last deception on them all…and gets exactly what he seeks! Now the forces of the universe turn against us and unleash a fate that changes the world…

I can’t help but admit how much I’m enjoying this event book.  It’s not perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but the creative team has succeeded in updating these aged properties while keeping their core mechanics more than functional.  If that isn’t enough to impress you than consider this: they even allow their divergent spirits enough room to intersect without feeling forced.  In short: this is absolutely a must buy.

Jeff Parker astonishes with a script that’s sure to grip an already engaged audience.  I have to say I’m entirely floored by this concept, and the way the author has kept so much of the obviously corny elements while successfully introducing them in a way that doesn’t diminish the sensibilities of a modern arc.  We have some earned moments of comedy, terror and revelation as the march toward the final moments of this continuing nightmare barrels forward in all the best possible ways.

The art by Marc Laming matches the quality of the script, as each of these icons get that proper amount of attention and detail.  The blending of their worlds might have seemed like a lofty enough task, but he’s also required to update and alter them, and to the talent’s credit he takes it in stride.  With only some very minor fluctuations, the visual component of this odyssey works beautifully in unison with the text.

Kings Watch #3 is a fine example of what can be done with the right team and a bold company at their back.  Recommended.

4/5