The Return of FLARE Review – Heroic Publishing Brings Olympus-Sized Superhero Action

There’s something wonderfully unapologetic about The Return of FLARE, and I mean that in the best possible way. In an era where superhero comics sometimes trip over themselves trying to prove they are too cool for capes, crowns, cosmic drama, and straight-up heroic spectacle, Heroic Publishing walks in like, “Nah, we still believe in gods, champions, legacy, lightning, and a good old-fashioned challenge for the throne of Olympus.” WEPA! That is the kind of comic book energy I can respect.

The Return of FLARE centers around the next major piece of “The Challenge of the Gods,” a storyline that has been building across Flare #47, Tales of the Champions #68, and Heroic Spotlight #27, now roaring forward in the super-sized Flare #49. This is not some tiny little pit stop issue either. We’re talking about a 52-page comic that feels like it wants to reward longtime fans while still giving curious new readers something big, colorful, and mythic to sink their teeth into. The hook is beautifully classic: a divine competition to determine who becomes queen in Olympus. That alone sounds like something you should be reading with dramatic thunder cracking outside your window.

What makes this chapter stand out is the sheer scale of its cast. The lineup of contestants is wild in that “only comic books can pull this off” kind of way. Aphrodite, Artemis, Athena, Black Enchantress, Danielle Jeffries, Flare, Hermia, Kore, Nemesis Girl, Nyx, Selene, Sparkplug, Summer, Tigress, and Whiperette are all thrown into the mythological mix, plus a surprise entrant that pushes the total to sixteen competitors. That is not a tournament bracket, my friends. That is Olympus turning into the most dangerous family reunion in the multiverse. Somebody hide the good plates.

Dennis Mallonee has always understood the charm of classic superhero storytelling, and this project feels rooted in that specific tradition: big stakes, bold personalities, clear heroic identity, and a sense that good and evil still matter. That does not mean the story is simple. A challenge involving gods, superheroines, mystic power, rivalry, ambition, and destiny has plenty of room for character tension. But what I appreciate here is that the comic is not afraid of sincerity. It wants to be heroic. It wants to be adventurous. It wants to deliver that bright, larger-than-life superhero flavor that made many of us fall in love with comics in the first place.

Flare herself remains the shining center of the project, and that matters. She is not just another costume in the crowd. She carries that classic “goddess of light” presence, where the visual identity and heroic purpose feel connected. In a storyline filled with Olympian figures and powerful contenders, Flare has to stand tall not just physically, but symbolically. That’s the fun of this premise. It places her in a world where divine names have weight, but she still belongs in the conversation. That gives the story its pulse. You’re not just asking who wins. You’re asking what kind of hero deserves to stand among legends.

The art team attached to this return is stacked with talent, and that gives the whole project a celebration-style feeling. Giancarlo Caracuzzo handling the main “Challenge of the Gods” material brings the kind of expressive, dramatic superhero staging this premise needs. Mythological competition demands scale. It needs characters who look powerful, environments that feel alive, and page layouts that can carry big emotional declarations without looking stiff. From the available project materials, this feels like the right visual lane: classic superhero anatomy, strong poses, and that old-school adventure atmosphere where every panel feels like it could be part of a larger poster on a comic shop wall.

The second story is also a smart move because it gives readers another flavor of Flare. Instead of only living in the current mythic saga, the book takes us back to the early days of her superhero career with the tale of her first battle against Gargoyle. That is the kind of backup story that adds value. It is not filler. It is connective tissue. It reminds readers that legacy characters are built through moments: first battles, early fears, hard lessons, and the enemies who help define them. With Dennis Mallonee writing and Cedric Nocon and John Flaherty on artwork, that backup has the potential to bring a different texture to the issue, grounding the mythic grandeur of Olympus with a more formative superhero flashback.

And then, as if that was not enough, the project includes two previously unpublished Flare pinup pages by the late J. Adam Walters. That is the kind of archival treat longtime fans love. Comic books are not just monthly products. They are living histories. They carry the fingerprints of creators, eras, styles, and unfinished treasures that deserve daylight. Including those pinups gives the project a sense of affection for the character and her publishing history. It says this return is not only about pushing forward. It is also about honoring the road that got Flare here.

What I really dig about The Return of FLARE is how confidently it embraces its identity. This is not a comic trying to chase whatever trend is making noise this week. It knows its lane. It is heroic, mythic, a little retro, packed with characters, and proud of its universe. That may not be everyone’s flavor, but for readers who miss superhero comics that feel bold, sincere, and adventure-driven, this is a bright flare in the sky. Pun absolutely intended. I regret nothing.

Heroic Publishing’s broader mission has always leaned into the idea of superheroes striving toward something noble, even when they stumble, and that philosophy feels baked into this project. Their own mission statement says their goal is to present entertaining adventures featuring characters who truly are superheroes, and The Return of FLARE feels like a direct continuation of that belief. This is cape-and-myth storytelling with its chin up, shoulders back, and boots planted firmly on Olympus marble.

For fans of classic superhero universes, mythological contests, powerful heroines, legacy storytelling, and indie publishers keeping their worlds alive with passion, The Return of FLARE looks like a project worth supporting. It has history, ambition, a strong creative roster, and that charming comic book confidence that says, “Yes, we are putting goddesses, monsters, light-powered heroes, and a Gargoyle origin-adjacent flashback in one package. Deal with it.” That is the good stuff right there.

The Return of FLARE is a reminder that superhero comics do not always need to deconstruct the cape. Sometimes they just need to let it fly.

Kickstarter:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/heroicpublishing/the-return-of-flare

Writers: Dennis Mallonee, Wilson Hill, Steve Perrin
Artists: Giancarlo Caracuzzo, Cedric Nocon, John Flaherty, Dell Barras, Gordon Purcell, Terry Pallot, Henry Martinez, J. Adam Walters
Main Story: “The Challenge of the Gods” Book Four
Main Story Art: Giancarlo Caracuzzo
Backup Story: Flare’s first battle against Gargoyle
Backup Story Art: Cedric Nocon and John Flaherty
Pinups: Previously unpublished Flare pinup pages by J. Adam Walters
Publisher: Heroic Publishing