Flash Gordon

Flash Gordon is a science fiction property that began as a space adventure comic strip in the 1930s by the King Features Syndicate. It was since released in a number of different media including radio serials, films, live-action and animated television series and comic books. Originally created in competition of the Buck Rogers comic strip, the Flash Gordon strip ran in newspapers from 1934 until 2003 and was written and drawn by a number of artists and writers, including Harvey Kurtzman, Harry Harrison, Frank Frazetta, Al Williamson, Bob Fujitani, Jack Davis, Sy Barry, Fred Kida, John Romita Sr. and Joe Kubert.
From the comic strip, Flash Gordon has proliferated into various other properties:
* The Amazing Interplanetary Adventures of Flash Gordon (1935) - radio serial
* Flash Gordon Strange Adventure Magazine (1936) - magazine
* Flash Gordon (1936) - serial film
* Flash Gordon's Trip to Mars (1938) - serial film
* Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe (1940) - serial film
* Flash Gordon (1954-1955) - live action TV series
* Flesh Gordon (1974) - superhero sex comedy spoof of the 1936 film.
* Flash Gordon & the Warriors of Mongo (1977) - roleplaying (TTRPG) game
* The New Adventures of Flash Gordon (1979-1982) - animated TV series
* Flash Gordon: The Greatest Adventure of All (1982) - animated TV movie
* Flash Gordon (1980) - feature film
* Defenders of the Earth (1986) - animated TV series with The Phantom and Mandrake the Magician
* Flash Gordon (1996) - animated TV series
* Flash Gordon (2007-2008) - live action TV series
* Savage World of Flash Gordon Roleplaying Game (2018) - roleplaying (TTRPG) game
* comic books - various reprints and collections, plus new works published by DC Comics, Marvel Comics, Dark Horse Comics, Dynamite Entertainment and others.
* novels 
== Canon ==
The basic elements of the story are the titular main character, Flash, and his girlfriend Dale Arden, who are taken by scientist friend Dr. Hans Zarkov to the planet Mongo, which is threatening Earth. The strip describes their flight against the planet's evil ruler, Ming the Merciless. Over time the heroes explore the world of Mongo, discovering many varied civilizations and having various space-type adventures. 
=== Characters ===
* Flash Gordon - a handsome polo player and Yale University graduate
* Dale Arden - constant companion in his adventures, as well as his one true love. Ming is also smitten with her and Flash has to rescue her from his various attempts to marry her.
* Hans Zarkov - a brilliant scientist who creates a rocket and forces Flash and Dale Arden to come with him to the planet Mongo, and fight against Ming the Merciless.
* Ming the Merciless - a ruthless tyrant who rules the planet Mongo, having usurped the rightful ruler.
* Prince Barin - prince of Arboria who becomes Flash's best friend. He is in love with Princess Aura.
* Princess Aura - daughter of Ming who saves Flash from execution by her father. She soon realizes that her love for Flash is unrequited, and later falls in love with Prince Barin, the rightful heir to the throne of Mongo.
* Prince Vultan - ruler of the Winged Bird-Men and reluctant ally of main villain Ming the Merciless; he resents Ming's domination but does not oppose it out of fear of reprisal. He later becomes one of Flash's allies. 
== Fandom ==
The comic strip was popular from the outset, being published in the newspapers regularly and the early radio serials and films taking advantage of that popularity. It is seen as one of the early space operas, blending typical soap opera storylines of love - unrequited, forbidden, slow burn and high romance - with the science fiction setting of another planet with strange alien peoples. Flash Gordon, along with Buck Rogers and John Carter of Mars were responsible for bringing science fiction to a much wider audience and in a format that wasn't quite as "childish" as a comic book. Popularity increased with the release of the 1980 film and then the 2007 live action television series, but it remains a relatively small fandom, popular with crossovers. 
=== Attitude of Sci-Fi Fans ===
Despite - or because of - this role in broadening access to sci-fi, it was seen by hardcore science fiction fandom as somewhat "lowbrow", used as an example of what "non-fans" equated as science fiction in debates as early as 1944:
Even other science fiction media fans, including Trekkies, looked down on Flash as not even being real science fiction:
With the release of the 1980 film (which included noted Shakespearian actor, Brian Blessed!), the strips were reprinted, pro novels were written and the concept began to be accepted as part of the media fandom fold:
Even a year later, the series was looked back on with nostalgia and praise for its role in introducing the mainstream to sci-fi:
And things eventually came full circle, with the franchise being used as an example of "the good old days" of sci-fi media in comparison to Star Wars and similar:
=== Attitude of Comics Fandom ===
Certainly comics fandom in the 1960s and 1970s had a different attitude towards the property, with a number of zines included art and articles about the strip and its creators. In 1977, Rocket's Blast Comicollector devoted its entire issue #134 to the space adventure.
== Fanworks ==
=== Fanfiction ===
* "Jim Kirk: Champion Of Mongo" by Patrick Sponaugle (Star Trek: TOS/Flash Gordon) - CrosSignals Issue #1 (1990)
* "In the Flesh", fiction by Gail Neville (Flesh Gordon/Blake's 7 crossover) - The Other Side Issue #8 (1992)
=== Fanart ===
* The Collector #10 - wraparound cover of Flash Gordon dueling Ming the Merciless - John G. Fantucchio (1968)
* The Collector #13 - full page illustration of Buster Crabbe/Flash Gordon - John G. Fantucchio (1968)
* Heroes Unlimited #7 - Flash Gordon illustrations by Ken Simpson (1969)
=== Vids ===
* Data's Dream by Gayle F. & Tashery S - multifandom (1994, remastered 2004)
* Go by jetpack-monkey - screened as part of Escapade 2020
=== Meta ===
* "Flash Gordon Flies Again: The 39 Atrocities" by Thomas McGeehan in Batmania Issue #15 (1967)
* "Flash Gordon" Art/Article by Tom Christopher in The Collector #10 (1968)
* "Flesh Gordon Review" by Paul Hudson in Glimpse #2 (1975)
* "Flash Gordon Special Issue" - Rocket's Blast Comicollector #134 (1977)
** Cover by Stephen Fabian
** A 4-page Flash Gordon strip by Mike Zeck.
** “The Rockets of Mongo” by Alex Raymond - reprint of the Flash Gordon comic strip.
** “COMICOPIA” by RC Harvey - a regular feature on syndicated newspaper comic strips; featuring Flash Gordon.
** “An Interview with Buster Crabbe” by Jay Rubin - interview with the actor who portrayed Flash Gordon in the serials.
** Pictorial feature of the Flash Gordon serial reprinted from Those Enduring Matinee Idols.
** "FILMS FANTASTIQUE" by James Van Hise - review of Flesh Gordon.
** “Flach Gorton” parody strip by Ron Wilber.
* "Flash Gordon: A Review" by Mark Hernandez in Far Realms Issue #1 (1981)
=== Fanart Gallery ===
File:RBCC66 interior.jpg|Centrefold by John Adkins Richardson - "How Like Unto the Things on Earth We Met on Mongo". Rocket's Blast Comicollector #66 (1969)
File:RBCC76.jpg|Front cover by Don Newton - Rocket's Blast Comicollector #76 (1970)
File:RBCC112.jpg|Cover art by Don Newton - Rocket's Blast Comicollector #112 (1974)
File:Galacticviewpoint1-1.jpg|Flash Gordon, by Walt Simonson in The Galactic Viewpoint Issue #1 (1975)
File:RBCC134.jpg|Front cover by Stephen Fabian - Rocket's Blast Comicollector #134 (1977)
File:RBCC centrespead 134.jpg|art by Tom Sutton, Rocket's Blast Comicollector #134 (1977)
File:RBCC Flatch Gorton.jpg|"Flatch Gorton", MAD Magazine-style fan comic by Ron Wilbur, Rocket's Blast Comicollector #134 (1977)
File:RBCC interior 134.jpg|"Flesh Gordon" art by Bruce Patterson, Rocket's Blast Comicollector #134 (1977)
File:RBCC 134 Zeck strip.jpg|"Flash Gordon" fan comic by Mike Zeck, Rocket's Blast Comicollector #134 (1977)
File:RBCC 134 back cover.jpg|Back cover art by Mike Zeck, Rocket's Blast Comicollector #134 (1977)
File:CU48.jpg|cover art by Chris Bullock, Comics Unlimited #48 (1977/1978)
File:Starbasemtl6interior1.jpg|Transportation of the Future by Bernard Reisch, including the ship from Flesh Gordon (1974); Starbase M.T.L. Issue #6 (1978)
File:Felger89-7.jpg|Poster for Flash Gordon (1980) - Deborah M. Walsh, Felgercarb Issue 8/9 (1981) 
== External Links ==
=== AO3 ===
* Flash Gordon (comics) works based on the comic strip.
* Flash Gordon (1936) works based on the 1930s movie serial.
* Flash Gordon (1980) works based on the 1980 movie.
* Defenders of the Earth (cartoon) works based on the 1986 cartoon which featured Flash as part of the team.
* Flash Gordon (2007) works based on the 2007 live action TV series
=== Fanfiction.Net ===
* Flash Gordon fanfic
* Defenders of the Earth fanfic based on the 1986 cartoon which featured Flash as part of the team.
TV Tropes entry
== References ==
Category:Flash Gordon