iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Dan Schkade @danschkade.bsky.social · 13/10/2026

Funnily enough, I did actually reference this panel — along with the original 1938 storyline it appeared in — during this year's FLASH GORDON anniversary way back in January:

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Dan Schkade @danschkade.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

This page gets cited as the point where John Byrne decided to stop working with Chris Claremont — apocryphally, Byrne thought Claremont's dialogue undermined Colossus' strength. I find this to be a fascinating instance of one guy approaching fiction with calipers while another shows up with tequila

Colossus, full metal skin and everything, hauls a stump out of the ground with a chain, saying "by Lenin, either my heart with burst and my steel body crack--"

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Dan Schkade @danschkade.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

A textless high-res version of panel four, for the dictator-punching enthusiasts in the audience:

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Dan Schkade @danschkade.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

Correct! They've had one confirmed on-panel fight, plus a lot of chessplay before and after.

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Dan Schkade @danschkade.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

I can't get over this da share z0ne ass sign they made

Some idiot Republicans thought they had a dunk so good they made a giant "graphic design is my passion" poster of it, only to immediately put it down again out of shame

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Dan Schkade @danschkade.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

My guy Blake caught me working at the bar tonight. You can tell it's candid because of my slack face in the final image when I realize I'm being photographed like a 1950s car lot owner whose wife thinks he's having an affair

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Dan Schkade @danschkade.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

PRIMETIME. I had a lot of fun with this. I could see it being compared to NIGHTCRAWLER, but what it really made me think of was last year's THE SMASHING MACHINE or maybe even THE IRON CLAW— men trapped in their own mythology, terrified of the failure and irrelevance that might be waiting outside it.

Robert Pattinson as Chris Hansen in PRIMETIME

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Dan Schkade @danschkade.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Lil mama got me going Robot Mode

A steve ditko character smirking as he opens his jacket to reveal that he is in fact a robot

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Dan Schkade @danschkade.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Hey Lady Daredevil With Glasses do you like alternative rock

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Dan Schkade @danschkade.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Wait, this is a bad joke, we all know what Bullseye actually does when he has a headache

Bullseye starts killing random new yorkers because a brain tumor is making him see everyone as Daredevil

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Dan Schkade @danschkade.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

SUNDAY AFTERNOON BONUS: Designs for Adrane's Tropica look, along with a fascist grunt, a revolutionary grunt, and an old freedom fighter with some tricks up his sleeve.

FLASH GORDON's Adrane, a buff hawkwoman with a big ass sword

A Tropican Sovereign Guardsman, the standard enemies for this arc

Tropican Resistance Fighter, a shrouded stealth fighter with a katar-like trap dagger

Gundar, a smiling grizzled warrior in black, red, and green desert adventurer gear

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Dan Schkade @danschkade.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

On this Batman Day, here's three of my favorite Dark Knight deep cuts: BATMAN/TARZAN: a gnarly globe-trotting Elseworlds with a very cool Catwoman THE MONSTER MEN/THE MAD MONK: a retelling of two Golden Age tales with a 2000s twist BIRTH OF THE DEMON: A sweeping, mythic Ra's Al Ghul origin story

Three Batman trade paperbacks spread out on my arm — BATMAN/TARZAN: CLAWS OF THE CAT-WOMAN, BATMAN AND THE MONSTER MEN, and BATMAN: BIRTH OF THE DEMON

Batman and Tarzan grapple against a vivid Chris Chuckry gradient background in this page from Ron Marz and Igor Kordey's BATMAN/TARZAN: CLAWS OF THE CAT-WOMAN

Batman snarls in our faces through a busted windshield in this Matt Wagner and Dave Stewart splash from
BATMAN AND THE MAD MONK

A young Ra's Al Ghul makes his first heel turn in this flashback sequence from Dennis O'Neil and Norm Breyfogle's BATMAN: BIRTH OF THE DEMON

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Dan Schkade @danschkade.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

This one is Rick Burchett drawing a Chuck Dixon script in the one-shot BANE

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Dan Schkade @danschkade.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

-The new season starts in late October -Dale usually wears pants for practical reasons, but she branches out. She's wearing shorts in today's episode, in fact -Flash's red shirt is an editorial mandate, so I made it a bespoke piece of armor to justify him always wearing it. Not always, though:

A movie-inspired outfit for Flash's duel with Queen Fria

Shark City trunks and helmet for Flash's duel with Deep Chief Kala

Incognito traveling clothes for Flash, Aura, and Bones Malock's perilous journey back to the Capital City.

Sky City work clothes during Flash and Bok's time working in the furnaces.

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Dan Schkade @danschkade.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

FLASH GORDON (2023-current) FAQ: -It's in its own continuity, though primarily based on the initial Raymond years -I color and letter the strip as well as writing and drawing it -There are no printed collections, but we hold out hope -The new character I'm most Down Bad for is Velle, obviously

The ambassador/legal expert sharkwoman Velle converses with Flash Gordon at a bonfire.

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Dan Schkade @danschkade.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

LATE NIGHT BONUS — As some have requested, here's the full, uncropped version of this unused promo art:

Unused promo art of the cast of my run on the FLASH GORDON daily strip. Clockwise from top left: Adrane, Flash Gordon, Doctor Hans Zarkov, Bok, Empress Aura, Dale Arden, and Queen Fria. We also see Sky City and a couple Frigian airships.

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Dan Schkade @danschkade.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

Last month we passed a milestone without my realizing: I have now done over ONE THOUSAND STRIPS since I took over FLASH GORDON in 2023. I cannot thank you all enough for reading, discussing, and sharing the comic these past few years. Truly the best gig I've ever had. Much, much more to come ⚡

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Dan Schkade @danschkade.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

I've gone to see two new movies this month: TONY and SPIDER-MAN BRAND NEW DAY, both about sullen curly haired young men learning not to lie to hot brunettes with boyfriends. I'll probably watch the former again at some point — it's got a nice soundtrack, great shots of seafood, and Stavros Halkias

Dominic Sessa as young Anthony Bourdain in TONY

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Dan Schkade @danschkade.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

LOVING the warm reader reception Hollo's been getting this week. The general idea of "The depth gauge guy from Waterworld becomes Zatoichi" has been in my head for a while and I'm glad people are into it

The Depth Guage guy from WATERWORLD, a pitiful old man who lives in a slowly depleting tank of oil

Still from THE TALE OF ZATOICHI, in which a blind swordsman fights off a pack of attackers.

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Dan Schkade @danschkade.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

I've never been a Hal Jordan guy but Kyle Chandler's whole Paddy's Pub Time Lord thing is totally working for me

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Dan Schkade @danschkade.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

We can't dwell on it TOO much or the whole thing starts to fall apart, but every once in a while we pause to nod at it. Every One Of Us means Every One Of Us, and when Flash can't live up to that, it haunts him. It should haunt the strip too, just a little bit.

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Dan Schkade @danschkade.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

Not necessarily — it's mostly me trying to maintain a vaguely "Batman: The Animated Series" level of violence for the strip. When it comes to characters killing other sentient beings, especially when our heroes do it, I either stylize it or have it happen between panels. And both always sparingly.

Flash Gordon cuts down his opponent, Wolfang, who's no soft batch himself.

Velle dives into the water to save Flash Gordon from Chief Kala, her blade raised...

...and in the subsequent strip, Flash and Velle emerge from the water as Kala's lifeless body bobs to the surface.

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Dan Schkade @danschkade.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

Thursday afternoon FLASH GORDON BTS: Design sketches for Fria's Dead Lands look and The Fire Wights, who ended up being a little bigger and boxier in the final strip. Super fun to draw, these guys. Shame they aren't nicer.

Costume design for Queen Fria in the current FLASH GORDON storyline. She wears a black undersuit with the greaves from her Snowsteel armor and her broken arm in a white sling.

Design sketch for the Fire Wights that're currently menacing Flash Gordon and Queen Fria.

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Dan Schkade @danschkade.bsky.social · 15/08/2026

The award's just for LAVENDER JACK making it to print, but let it not go unsaid that it wouldn't exist in any medium without its wonderful colorist @jennmanleylee.myatproto.social, whose Season One wrap gift to me — this drawing of Abbey Quarrell and Ducky — has been displayed on my shelf for years.

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Dan Schkade @danschkade.bsky.social · 15/08/2026

Big mail day here: Webtoon sent me this quite nice publication award for LAVENDER JACK VOLUME 1, while @darkhorse.com sent me my proof copy of VOLUME 2! Which came out terrific. You can get one for yourself September 29th. The comic, I mean, I don't think the award's for sale. I can ask.

A solid glass award in the shape of a book commemorating the publication of LAVENDER JACK VOLUME 1

The front cover to LAVENDER JACK VOLUME 2: The Black Note, a sinister figure in a red-eyed helmet, reaches a clutching metal hand towards the reader. Below stand our three heroes -- tough cop Honoria Crabb, the devil-masked Lavender Jack, and the spymaster housemaid Ducky.

The back cover to LAVENDER JACK VOLUME 2

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Dan Schkade @danschkade.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

There have been a couple polite requests for clean versions of today's panels, which I'm happy to oblige. I thought this was a pretty good Fria face in the final panel, so I'm glad you agree.

Queen Fria, a sci-fi fantasy regent in silver armor, emerges from a pile of damaged and destroyed robots to look out at the smoldering wreckage of Sky City. Flash Gordon and his allies Adrane and Bok bring their various air convenances in for a landing. Upon seeing them, Fria snaps out of shock and into her default mode: decisive leader.

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Dan Schkade @danschkade.bsky.social · 08/08/2026

Because Ming is a patient man who's not afraid of running out of time — and:

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Dan Schkade @danschkade.bsky.social · 05/08/2026

Listen, strokes/folks etc, but "Batman Begins > Barry Lyndon" should trigger a wellness check

A twitter post reading:

"Interstellar > 2001: A Space Odyssey
Oppenheimer > Dr Strangelove
Dunkirk > Paths of Glory
The Odyssey > Spartacus
Inception > The Killing
The Dark Knight > A Clockwork Orange
Batman Begins > Barry Lyndon

Please never compare Kubrick to Nolan ever again"

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Dan Schkade @danschkade.bsky.social · 05/08/2026

I came across this drawing I did five years ago. Very little in my house has changed since then.

A cartoon of my early bird girlfriend Jackie being quite productive in the mornings and me being quite shambly

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Dan Schkade @danschkade.bsky.social · 02/08/2026

Sunday bonus: Various design sketches (some rougher than others) for this latest FLASH GORDON storyline, FIRE IN THE SKY

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Dan Schkade @danschkade.bsky.social · 02/08/2026

Casual acquaintance who just talked about playing Meccha Chameleon asks "what about you, are you playing anything right now?" leaving me a maximum of 30 seconds to describe Disco Elysium before it affects the vibe

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Dan Schkade @danschkade.bsky.social · 31/07/2026

An old Doc Samson I found in my digital archives while I was looking for something else. What a great character, in concept and quite often in execution. A real Hulk's Hulk.

Doc Samson, gamma-powered super-psychiatrist, a large jacked man with long green hair.

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Dan Schkade @danschkade.bsky.social · 29/07/2026

Not that our boy Vultus has ever been presented as a particularly sympathetic figure:

The elderly, dementia-stricken King Vultus (father of Prince Vultan and figurehead ruler emeritus of the Hawkmen) rages at Dale Arden, mistaking her for his son, in this Flash Gordon strip written and drawn by Dan Schkade

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Dan Schkade @danschkade.bsky.social · 29/07/2026

Shout out to @sandyjarrell.com for his initial depiction of Prince Vultus (eventual King of the Hawkmen and father of Prince Vultan) as a spoiled bully who's hatable enough to nudge a man to become merciless.

General Ming faces down the young Prince Vultus in this Flash Gordon strip drawn by Sandy Jarrell with a script by Dan Schkade

A smug Prince Vultus comes to negotiate with a broken King Rolin as a fuming, plotting Ming looks on in this Flash Gordon strip drawn by Sandy Jarrell and written by Dan Schkade

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Dan Schkade @danschkade.bsky.social · 27/07/2026

Oh totally -- Ming himself cited her as "the most capable battlefield commander on Mongo", so I wanted to make sure we keep showing that in action.

Ming the Merciless outlines Queen Fria's leadership qualities in this excerpt from a 2026 FLASH GORDON strip

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Dan Schkade @danschkade.bsky.social · 24/07/2026

As requested, plus a few extras for the road 🦅

Adrane from FLASH GORDON puts on her armor.

Adrane from FLASH GORDON practices with her big sword as her situationship Bok looks on from the next room.

Adrane from FLASH GORDON talks to her mother about Bok like he isn't in the room.

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Dan Schkade @danschkade.bsky.social · 22/07/2026

A nice clear version of Tuesday's big Prince Vultan panel, by popular request:

FLASH GORDON's Prince Vultan holds up his warhammer as he bellows for his fellow Hawkmen to dive into the fray.

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Dan Schkade @danschkade.bsky.social · 14/07/2026

Indeed — our Sulpha is a bit of a composite character, combining the poison-breathing Sky City dweller of the original comics and the red-eyed female scientist of the cartoon.

Flash Gordon and Prince Thun confront the sacred dragon Sulpha in this 1934 Alex Raymond strip.

A still of Sulpha, a dinosaur-like scientist, from the 1990s FLASH GORDON cartoon

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Dan Schkade @danschkade.bsky.social · 12/07/2026

Sell your book in five words: "Poirot versus Batman, everybody's gay"

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Dan Schkade @danschkade.bsky.social · 10/07/2026

The Lizard goes starkers in this one, presumably because early CGI struggled a bit with realistic fabric, which tended to come off very fondant-y

CG Curt Connors transforms into the Lizard

CG Lizard fights a reptilian femme fatale

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Dan Schkade @danschkade.bsky.social · 10/07/2026

Unbelievable find at the comic shop today — 2002's SPIDER-MAN: QUALITY OF LIFE, written by Greg Rucka with CG illustration by Scott Sava. I remember being absolutely transfixed by the preview pages of this thing. A total product of the post-Y2K go-for-broke era of Marvel in the very best way.

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Dan Schkade @danschkade.bsky.social · 06/07/2026

TOMORROW! 9PM EASTERN! Tune in to watch me and three of my fellow GIANT-SIZE X-MEN 100 PROJECT contributors draw some Mutants — drawings that will subsequently be auctioned off to support creators in need! Question for the class: which X-Man do you want to see me sketch?

A physical copy of The Hero Initiative's GIANT-SIZE X-MEN 100 PROJECT hardcover.

My and Stuart Sayger's sketch covers (Colossus and Wolverine, respectively) in The Hero Initiative's GIANT-SIZE X-MEN 100 PROJECT hardcover.

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