Flash Gordon

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For other uses, see Flash Gordon (disambiguation).

Flash Gordon is a science fiction comic strip originally drawn by Alex Raymond, first published on January 7, 1935. It was created to compete with Buck Rogers.

In 1995, the strip was one of 20 included in the Comic Strip Classics series of commemorative US Postal Service postage stamps.

Contents 1 Plot summary 2 Strip bibliography 3 Films 3.1 Film Serials 3.2 1936 Film 3.3 1980 Film 3.3.1 References 3.4 Parody 3.5 Future Films 4 Television 4.1 Flash Gordon 1954-55 4.2 The New Adventures of Flash Gordon 1979-80 4.3 Buck Rogers 1979 4.4 Defenders of the Earth 1986 4.5 Flash Gordon 1996 5 Radio Serials 6 Comic Books 7 Flash Gordon Strange Adventure Magazine 8 Novels 9 Inspirations 10 Reprints 11 DVD Releases 11.1 Film Serials (1936, 1938, 1940) 11.1.1 Buster Crabbe: Flash Gordon (1936) 11.1.2 Flash Gordon’s Trip to Mars (1938) 11.1.3 Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe (1940) 11.2 Flash Gordon (1954-55) 11.3 The New Adventures of Flash Gordon (1979) 11.4 Flash Gordon (1980) 11.5 Defenders of the Earth 11.6 Flash Gordon (1996) 12 References 13 External links 13.1 Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe

[edit] Plot summary

The comic strip followed the adventures of the eponymous Flash Gordon and his companions Dr. Hans Zarkov and Dale Arden. The story begins with Dr. Zarkov's invention of a rocket ship, in which the three of them make a journey to the planet Mongo, where they are stranded. Mongo is inhabited by a number of different cultures, some quite technologically advanced, that have been falling one by one under the domination of the vicious tyrant Ming the Merciless.

Each region of Mongo is analogous to regions on Earth. Arboria ruled by Barin and his Tree Men, is a lush forest region. Frigia is a frozen polar region. Tropica is logically a tropic region. There are undersea kingdoms and a flying city ruled by Prince Vultan of the Hawk Men. There are many sentient species on Mongo including lion-men represented by Prince Thun and Shark-men ruled by King Kala.

The three Earth people are befriended shortly after their arrival by Prince Barin, rightful heir to the throne that Ming has taken. Ming banishes Prince Barin and his followers — including Ming's own daughter, Princess Aura, Barin's bride — to the forest realm of Arboria, and the three join in Barin's quest to topple Ming.

[edit] Strip bibliography

• Sunday, Alex Raymond, 1934 - 1943
• daily, Austin Briggs, 1940 - 1944
• Sunday, Austin Briggs, 1944 - 1948
• Sunday, Mac Raboy, 1948 - 1967
• daily, Dan Barry, 1951 - 1990
• daily, Harry Harrison, writer, 1958 - 1964
• Sunday, Dan Barry, 1967 - 1990
• Sunday and daily, Ralph Reese & Bruce Jones, Gray Morrow, 1990 - 1991
• Sunday and daily, Thomas Warkentin, 1991 - 1992
• Sunday, Richard Bruning, Kevin VanHook, Thomas Warkentin, 1992 - 1996
• Sunday, Jim Keefe, 01/1996 - 03/2003

See also List of Flash Gordon comic strips.

[edit] Films

[edit] Film Serials

Flash Gordon was featured in three serials starring Buster Crabbe: Flash Gordon (1936), Flash Gordon's Trip to Mars (1938), and Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe (1940).

[edit] 1936 Film

Main article: Flash Gordon (1936 film)

[edit] 1980 Film

Main article: Flash Gordon (film)

The 1980 film Flash Gordon stars Sam J. Jones in the title role and also features Melody Anderson as Dale Arden, Topol as Dr. Zarkov, Max von Sydow as Ming, Timothy Dalton as Prince Barin, Brian Blessed as Prince Vultan, and Ornella Muti as Aura. Although not a critical success, the film is noted for its musical score, which was composed and performed by Queen .

The film is noted for being camp, and as such has acquired a cult status amongst students, sci-fi fans, and others. Many of the film's lines are quotable, and often tongue-in-cheek, and this knowing sense of humour contributes heavily to the collective affection with which the picture is remembered. A good example is the performance of the actor Brian Blessed, who 25 years later is still most often remembered by the British public as the Hawkman character 'Prince Vultan', despite many more serious, dramatic roles in film, theatre and television. The plot of the film is based loosely on the first few years of the comic strip, and includes a film version of the famous Alex Raymond Sunday page, "Flight of the Hawkmen".

[edit] References

The official expanded bio for the Transformers character of Anti-Blaze makes a reference to the Flash Gordon movie when he refers to Earth as an "obscure body in the S-K system", a line used in the opening of this film.

[edit] Parody

A semi-pornographic parody called Flesh Gordon was released in 1974. It became a cult classic and was followed in the 1989 by Flesh Gordon Meets the Cosmic Cheerleaders.

In The Return of Megaton Man, comic-book superhero Megaton Man has a relative named Flash Megaton, who bears a close resemblance to Flash Gordon.

In the Duck Dodgers cartoon, released in 2003, the character of Captain Star Johnson has traits of Flash Gordon.

The 2006 short film Captain Valedor makes various references to Flash Gordon, notably the costumes.

Recently on Sesame Street, Oscar The Grouch reads to Slimey, his pet worm, a chapter from their favorite bed-time story "The Adventures of Trash Gordon." Trash Gordon is played by Roscoe Orman's character Gordon.

[edit] Future Films

In 2004, Stephen Sommers, director of Van Helsing and The Mummy, purchased the movie rights to Flash Gordon. As of February 2006, there is no cast for a new movie installment. A summer 2007 release date has been rumoured, but not confirmed.

[edit] Television

[edit] Flash Gordon 1954-55

Steve Holland, starred in a 1954-1955 TV series which ran for 39 episodes and is, to date, the only live-action TV series based upon the character. The series had the distinction of being filmed in West Berlin, less than a decade after the end of World War II. It was recut into a movie in 1957.

[edit] The New Adventures of Flash Gordon 1979-80

In 1979, Filmation produced an animated series simply entitled The New Adventures of Flash Gordon, based on the comic strip and the first season is remembered as one of the better efforts of the studio.

The 1979 animated series was released first, but the made-for-tv movie, Flash Gordon, the Greatest Adventure of Them All was made first, and the tv series endlessly reused footage from the movie, while eliminating more adult material, including a subplot involving Hitler and sexually suggestive imagery (such as Emperor Ming's harem, although it does appear in the DVD release of the series).

[edit] Buck Rogers 1979

In the third episode of the 1979 television series Buck Rogers in the 25th Century entitled Planet of the Slave Girls, an old veteran fighter pilot named Brigadier Gordon (portrayed by Flash Gordon film actor Buster Crabbe), responds to Rogers after doing some impressive flying, "I've been doing this sort of thing since before you were born, Captain." The character (as well as the casting) was meant to imply that the character was indeed Flash Gordon.

[edit] Defenders of the Earth 1986

In the 1986 cartoon Defenders of the Earth, Flash teamed up with fellow King Features heroes The Phantom and Mandrake the Magician in 65 episodes. This series took extreme liberties with the character, revealing that he and Dale Arden had conceived a son, Rick Gordon, who is in his mid-teens when the series begins. Dale has her mind torn from her body by Ming in the first episode and is preserved in a crystal, which Rick is able to recover and give to his father. Dale is reborn on Earth as Dynak X, the strategic battle computer of the Defender's base Monitor Earth.

Whilst Flash vows he will restore Dale to her human form, later episodes of the series see him openly flirting and embracing other women, in one case developing a relationship with the android Kala in the episode "Flesh and Blood", Kala is killed at the conclusion of the episode when she sacrifices her life to save the Defenders.

[edit] Flash Gordon 1996

In 1996, Hearst Entertainment premiered a Flash Gordon (TV Series) animated television series. This version turned Flash and Dale into hover-boarding teen-agers.

[edit] Radio Serials

In 1935, the strip was adapted into The Amazing Interplanetary Adventures of Flash Gordon, a 26 episode radio serial that followed the strip fairly closely, except for the last two episodes when Flash and his friends meet Jungle Jim, another Alex Raymond character.

A second serial, The Further Interplanetary Adventures of Flash Gordon, apparently ran through 1936.

[edit] Comic Books

Over the years, several publishers put out Flash Gordon Comics based on the classic strip.

• David McKay Publications King Comics #60-120, 132, 148 (1941-48)
• Dell Comics Four Color Comics #10, 84, 173, 190, 204, 247, 424, 512; Flash Gordon #2 (1945-53)
• Harvey Comics #1-5 (1950)
• Gold Key Comics #1 (1965)
• King Comics #1-11 (1966-67)
• Charlton Comics #12-18 (1969-70)
• Gold Key Comics #19-27 (1978-79)
• Whitman #28-37 (1980)

Also, these companies may have run Flash Gordon backup strips in other titles they published.

In 1988, DC Comics produced a modernized version of the comic strip. It featured Flash as washed up basketball player who finds new purpose in life on Mongo, Dale who is an adventurous reporter who is just as capable as Flash, and a gray-skinned Ming who is less of an Asian stereotype.

The series ran for a planned nine issues and was left with an open-ended conclusion, probably in hopes that it would have been popular enough to start a regular comic run. Though Mongo was not a threat to Earth in this series, Ming had every intention of becoming one once he coerced Dr. Zarkhov into designing the needed ships.

In 1995, Marvel Comics did a two issue series with art by Al Williamson, in the style of the Flash comics he had done for King and others.

[edit] Flash Gordon Strange Adventure Magazine

In 1936 the first, and only, issue of a would be series of Flash Gordon Strange Adventure Magazine was published. The novel was entitled The Masters of Mars and written by the otherwise unknown James Edison Northford. The pulp was based more or less on the comic strip story lines, and included illustrations reminescent of Alex Raymond's artwork. On the back pages a second installment The Sun Men of Saturn is promised, but, of course, never saw print.

Even though the series did not take off, the one issue of Flash Gordon Strange Adventure Magazine has become a much sought after item for pulp magazine collectors.

[edit] Novels

The first novel based on the strip, Flash Gordon in the Caverns of Mongo was published in 1936 by Grosset & Dunlap. The credited author was Alex Raymond. Like the pulp magazine of the same year, it failed to launch a series.

In 1973 Avon books launched a six book series of adult-oreinted Flash Gordon novels: The Lion Men of Mongo, The Plague of Sound, The Space Circus, The Time Trap of Ming XIII, The Witch Queen of Mongo, and The War of the Cybernauts

In 1980 Temp books releases a series: Massacre in the 22nd Century, War of the Citadels, Crisis on Citadel II, Forces from the Federation, Citadels under Attack, and Citadels on Earth,

[edit] Inspirations

In his youth, George Lucas was a fan of the Flash Gordon serials, and once wanted to adapt it to the screen as part of his modern-day myth. Dino De Laurentiis, who owned the rights, was not interested in Lucas' interpretation, so Lucas wrote Star Wars instead,^{[citation needed]} which borrowed liberally from the serials. The opening expository roll-up that appeared in episodes of Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe became the now-famous opening crawl of each Star Wars episode. Flash Gordon and Dale Arden inspired not only Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia, but also their parents, Anakin Skywalker and Padmé Amidala.^{[citation needed]}

The famous Tauntaun character from Star Wars was also directly inspired by a similar creature from the snow world of Princess Aura.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Reprints

The Alex Raymond Sunday strips have been reprinted by several publishers, notably Nostalgia Press, Kitchen Sink Press, and Checker Book Publishing Group. The Kitchen Sink and Checker versions are in color, Nostalgia Press did one in black and white and the others in color. The Mac Raboy Sundays have been reprinted by Dark Horse in black and white. The Dan Barry dailies have never been entirely reprinted, but the early years were published by Kitchen Sink and the stories written by Harry Harrison are reprinted in Comics Revue from Manuscript Press. Tempo Books published 6 massmarket paperbacks reprinting strips from the 1970s in the 1980s. Some of the Austin Briggs dailies were reprinted by Kitchen Sink Press.

• Flash Gordon on the Planet Mongo (1934-35), Nostalgia
• Flash Gordon in the Winter World (1935-37), Nostalgia
• Flash Gordon Escapes to Arboria (1937-39), Nostalgia
• Flash Gordon vs Frozen Terrors (1939-41 ?), Nostalgia
• Flash Gordon Joins the Power Men (1941-43 ?), Nostalgia

• Mongo, Planet of Doom (1934-35), Kitchen Sink Press ISBN 0-87816-114-7
• Three Against Ming (1935-37), Kitchen Sink Press ISBN 0-87816-120-1
• The Tides of Battle (1937-39), Kitchen Sink Press ISBN 0-87816-162-7
• The Fall of Ming (1939-41), Kitchen Sink Press ISBN 0-87816-168-6
• Between Worlds at War (1941-43), Kitchen Sink Press ISBN 0-87816-177-5
• Triumph in Tropia (1943-44), Kitchen Sink Press ISBN 0-87816-199-6

• Flash Gordon: The Dailies by Austin Briggs 1940-1942 Volume 1, Kitchen Sink Press ISBN 0-87816-172-4
• Flash Gordon: The Dailies by Austin Briggs 1940-1942 Volume 2, Kitchen Sink Press ISBN 0-87816-187-2

• Flash Gordon The Complete Daily Strips 1951-1953, Kitchen Sink Press ISBN 0-87816-035-3

• Flash Gordon: Volume 1 (1934-35), Checker Book Publishing Group ISBN 0-9741664-3-X
• Flash Gordon: Volume 2 (1935-36), Checker Book Publishing Group ISBN 0-9741664-6-4
• Flash Gordon: Volume 3 (1936-37), Checker Book Publishing Group ISBN 1-933160-25-X
• Flash Gordon: Volume 4 (1938-40), Checker Book Publishing Group ISBN 1-933160-26-8
• Flash Gordon: Volume 5 (1940-41), Checker Book Publishing Group ISBN 1-933160-27-6
• Flash Gordon: Volume 6 (1941-43), Checker Book Publishing Group ISBN 1-933160-28-4
• Flash Gordon: Volume 7 (1943-45?), Checker Book Publishing Group ISBN 1-933160-20-9

• Mac Rayboy's Flash Gordon, Volume 1, Dark Horse Comics ISBN 1-56971-882-2
• Mac Rayboy's Flash Gordon, Volume 2, Dark Horse Comics
• Mac Rayboy's Flash Gordon, Volume 3, Dark Horse Comics ISBN 1-56971-978-0
• Mac Rayboy's Flash Gordon, Volume 4, Dark Horse Comics

• Amazing Adventures of Flash Gordon, 6 volumes (mix of dailies & Sundays from 1970s), Tempo Books

[edit] DVD Releases

Flash Gordon has been released to DVD under a variety of titles and in both edited and non-edited versions. The serials and 50's TV show have no shortage of public domain DVD releases.

[edit] Film Serials (1936, 1938, 1940)

[edit] Buster Crabbe: Flash Gordon (1936)

• Flash Gordon : Space Soldiers. (245 minutes)
• Flash Gordon : Spaceship to the Unknown. Hearst Entertainment, Inc., 2002. (edited to 98 minutes)

[edit] Flash Gordon’s Trip to Mars (1938)

• Flash Gordon’s Trip to Mars (2-Discs). (299 minutes)
• Flash Gordon : The Deadly Ray From Mars. Hearst Entertainment, Inc., 2002. (edited to 97 minutes)


[edit] Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe (1940)

• Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe. (234 minutes)
• Flash Gordon : The Peril from Planet Mongo. Hearst Entertainment, Inc., 2002. (edited to 91 minutes)

[edit] Flash Gordon (1954-55)

• Flash Gordon (2-Discs). (180 minutes, only 8 episodes)

[edit] The New Adventures of Flash Gordon (1979)

US - BCI Eclipse

• The New Adventures of Flash Gordon : The Complete Series (4-Discs). (600 minutes)

UK - Hollywood DVD LTD

• The Adventures of Flash Gordon - Castaways In Tropica
• The Adventures of Flash Gordon - Blue Magic

[edit] Flash Gordon (1980)

On May 6th 1998 Universal released the movie, but it quickly went out of print.

• Flash Gordon (111 minutes)

[edit] Defenders of the Earth

US - BCI Ecplise

• Defenders of the Earth - Complete Series Volume 1 (5-Discs) 33 Episodes
• Defenders of the Earth - Complete Series Volume 2 (5-Discs) 32 Episodes (Spring 2007)

UK - Hollywood DVD LTD

• Defenders Of The Earth - The Story Begins

UK - Delta Music PLC

• Defenders of the Earth Movie (3-Discs)
• Defenders of the Earth vol 1
• Defenders of the Earth vol 2
• Defenders of the Earth vol 3
• Defenders of the Earth Movie - Prince Of Kro-Tan
• Defenders of the Earth Movie - Necklace Of Oros
• Defenders of the Earth Movie - The Book Of Mysteries

[edit] Flash Gordon (1996)

Lion's Gate on September 21st 2004, released 3-4 episode DVD's of Flash Gordon (1996) and Phantom 2040.

• Flash Gordon: Marooned on Mongo - The Animated Movie (97 minutes)

[edit] References

• In the musical play The Rocky Horror Show, and its movie adpatation, the opening song Science Fiction/Double Feature references many classic films, including the line: "And Flash Gordon was there in silver underwear."

[edit] External links

• Alex Raymond's Flash Gordon at Checker Book Publishing
• Flash Gordon at King Features
• Big Cartoon DataBase: The New Adventures of Flash Gordon
• Toonopedia entry
• Larry "Buster" Crabbe Biography - the first real Flash Gordon
• Roaring Rockets: The Flash Gordon Serials
• Flash Gordon: Space Soldiers (1936) at the Internet Movie Database
• Flash Gordon: Rocketship (1936) at the Internet Movie Database
• Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe (1940) at the Internet Movie Database
• Flash Gordon (1954) (TV-Series) at the Internet Movie Database
• The New Animated Adventures of Flash Gordon (1979) (TV-Series) at the Internet Movie Database
• Flash Gordon (1980) at the Internet Movie Database
• Flash Gordon (1996) (TV-Series) at the Internet Movie Database
• Flash Gordon (2006) at the Internet Movie Database
• Flash Gordon in Comics Revue
• Epguides.com's Episode Guide for the 1954 Flash Gordon TV Show.
• "King of the Impossible" - fustar.org discusses Flash Gordon (1980)
• Database and cover gallery Flash Gordons various comic book adaptations
• Holloway Pulp Hero page, featuring extensive information on the various adaptations of the character, including pulps, novels and radio plays
• Free to download Space Soldiers Conquer The Universe cinema serial

[edit] Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe

The original Buster Crabbe serials, online.

• Chapter 1 (Windows format) (Public Domain)
• Chapter 2 (Windows format) (Public Domain)
• Chapter 3 (Windows format) (Public Domain)
• Chapter 4 (Windows format) (Public Domain)
• Chapter 5 (Windows format) (Public Domain)
• Chapter 6 (Windows format) (Public Domain)
• Chapter 7 (Windows format) (Public Domain)
• Chapter 8 (Windows format) (Public Domain)
• Chapter 9 (Windows format) (Public Domain)
• Chapter 10 (Windows format) (Public Domain)
• Chapter 11 (Windows format) (Public Domain)
• Chapter 12 (Windows format) (Public Domain)