View source for Flash Gordon

{{Short description|Comic strip character created 1934}}
{{Other uses}}
{{Distinguish|text = [[Flash (DC Comics character)]]}}
{{Use American English|date=June 2024}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Infobox comics character <!--Wikipedia:WikiProject Comics-->
| image =     Flash Gordon.png
| caption   = Artwork for the cover of ''King: Flash Gordon'' #1 (January 2015, [[Dynamite Entertainment]]). Art by Ron Salas.
| publisher = [[King Features Syndicate]]
| debut     = January 7, 1934 (comic strip)
| creators  = [[Alex Raymond]]
| alliances = {{ubl|[[Dale Arden]]|Dr. [[Hans Zarkov]]|[[Defenders of the Earth]]}}
}}

'''Flash Gordon''' is the protagonist of a [[space adventure]] [[comic strip]] created and originally drawn by [[Alex Raymond]].<ref name="gh">{{cite book|editor-first=Guy|editor-last=Haley|chapter=Flash Gordon|title=Sci-Fi Chronicles : A Visual History of the Galaxy's Greatest Science Fiction|publisher=Firefly Books|location=Richmond Hill, Ontario|date=2014|isbn=9781770852648|pages=69–73}}</ref> First published January 7, 1934, the strip was inspired by, and created to compete with, the already established ''[[Buck Rogers]]'' adventure strip.<ref name="sfe">{{cite book|editor1-first=Peter|editor1-last=Nicholls|editor1-link=Peter Nicholls (writer)|editor2-first=John|editor2-last=Brosnan|editor2-link=John Brosnan|editor3-first=David|editor3-last=Langford|editor4-first=Gary|editor4-last=Westfahl|editor4-link=Gary Westfahl|editor5-first=John|editor5-last=Clute|chapter=Flash Gordon|chapter-url=http://www.sf-encyclopedia.com/entry/flash_gordon|title=The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction|publisher=[[Orbit Books]]|location=London, England|date=2015|access-date=19 April 2015|title-link=The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction|archive-date=14 May 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160514053403/http://sf-encyclopedia.com/entry/flash_gordon|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="pp">{{cite book|first1=Peter|last1=Poplaski|first2=Alex|last2=Raymond|author2-link=Alex Raymond|chapter=Introduction|title=Flash Gordon Volume One: Mongo, the Planet of Doom|editor-first=Al|editor-last=Williamson|editor-link=Al Williamson|publisher=Kitchen Sink Press|location=Princeton, Wisconsin|date=1990|isbn=0878161147|page=6}}</ref><ref name="mc">{{cite book|first=Marguerite|last=Cotto|chapter=Flash Gordon|editor1-first=Ray B.|editor1-last=Brown|editor2-first=Pat|editor2-last=Browne|title=The Guide to United States Popular Culture|publisher=Bowling Green State University Popular Press|location=Bowling Green, Ohio|date=2001|isbn=0879728213|page=283}}</ref>

==Creation==
The ''Buck Rogers'' comic strip had been commercially very successful, spawning novelizations and children's toys,<ref name="dm">{{cite book|first=Doug|last=Murray|author-link=Doug Murray (comics)|chapter=Birth of a Legend|editor1-first=Alex|editor1-last=Raymond|editor2-first=Don|editor2-last=Moore|title=Flash Gordon : On the Planet Mongo: Sundays 1934-37|publisher=[[Titan Books]]|location=London, England|date=2012|isbn=9780857681546|pages=10–15}}</ref> and [[King Features Syndicate]] decided to create its own science fiction comic strip to compete with it.<ref name="sfe" /> At first, King Features tried to purchase the rights to the ''[[John Carter of Mars]]'' stories by [[Edgar Rice Burroughs]]. However, the syndicate was unable to reach an agreement with Burroughs.<ref>{{cite book|first=Robert W.|last=Fenton|title=Edgar Rice Burroughs and Tarzan : A Biography of the author and his creation|publisher=[[McFarland (publisher)|McFarland]]|location=Jefferson, North Carolina|date=2003|isbn=078641393X|page=125|quote=Mrs Jensen, ERB's secretary, recalled the author negotiating with King Features Syndicate for a Martian strip, based on the exploits of John Carter, but it never came off. A short time later the Hearst syndicate started "Flash Gordon", drawn by Alex Raymond...}}</ref> King Features then turned to Alex Raymond, one of their staff artists, to create the story.<ref name="pp"/><ref name="dm"/>

One source for Flash Gordon was the [[Philip Wylie]] novel ''[[When Worlds Collide]]'' (1933). The book's themes of an approaching planet threatening the Earth, and an athletic hero, his girlfriend, and a scientist traveling to the new planet by rocket, were adapted by Raymond for the comic strip's initial storyline.<ref name="wp1990">[[Al Williamson|Williamson, Al]]; Poplaski, Peter (1990). "Introduction" to Alex Raymond, ''Flash Gordon:Mongo, the Planet of Doom''. Princeton [WI]: Kitchen Sink Press. 1990. {{ISBN|0878161147}}  (p. 5). "Raymond took the basic premise of Philip Wylie's ''When Worlds Collide'', which was being reprinted in ''Blue Book'' magazine at the time, and used it as his starting point for adventure."</ref> Raymond's first samples were dismissed for not containing enough action sequences. Raymond reworked the story and sent it back to the syndicate, which accepted it. Raymond was partnered with [[ghostwriter]] Don Moore, an experienced editor and writer.<ref name="dm"/> Raymond's first ''Flash Gordon'' story appeared in January 1934, alongside ''[[Jungle Jim]]''. The ''Flash Gordon'' strip was well received by newspaper readers, becoming one of the most popular American comic strips of the 1930s.<ref name="sfe" /><ref name="pp"/><ref name="dm"/>

As with ''Buck Rogers'', the success of ''Flash Gordon'' resulted in numerous licensed products being sold, including [[pop-up book]]s, [[coloring book]]s, and toy spaceships and rayguns.<ref name="dm2">Murray, Doug (2012). "Flash Gordon Conquers The World". In Alex Raymond and Don Moore, ''Flash Gordon :the Tyrant of Mongo, Sundays 1937-41''. London : Titan Books, 2012. {{ISBN|9780857683793}}  (pp. 6-9).</ref>

==Comic strip characters and story==
[[File:Flash Gordon (1934) - Flash and Dale meet Ming.png|thumb|300px|Flash Gordon and Dale Arden meet Ming the Merciless for the first time in the comic serial "[[On the Planet Mongo]]" (1934), art by [[Alex Raymond]].]]
The ''Flash Gordon'' comic strip ran as a Sunday strip from 1934 until 2003, and daily strip from 1940 to 1944 and 1951 to 1992. Reprints of the Sunday strip were syndicated by [[King Features Syndicate]] from 2003 until 2023, when Flash Gordon was relaunched with a new daily and Sunday strip.

The comic strip follows the adventures of Flash Gordon, a handsome [[polo]] player and [[Yale University]] graduate, and his companions [[Dale Arden]] and Dr. [[Hans Zarkov]]. The story begins with Earth threatened by a collision with the planet [[Mongo (fictional planet)|Mongo]]. Dr. Zarkov invents a rocket ship to fly into space in an attempt to stop the disaster. Half mad, he kidnaps Flash and Dale. Landing on the planet, and halting the collision, they come into conflict with [[Ming the Merciless]], Mongo's evil ruler.<ref name="gh" /><ref name="sfe" /><ref name="jr">{{cite book|first=Jeff|last=Rovin|author-link=Jeff Rovin|title=[[The Encyclopedia of Super Villains]]|publisher=Facts on File Publications|location=New York City|date=1987|isbn=081601356X|page=220}}</ref>

For many years, the three companions have adventures on Mongo, traveling to the forest kingdom of Arboria, ruled by [[Prince Barin]]; the ice kingdom of Frigia, ruled by Queen Fria; the jungle kingdom of Tropica, ruled by Queen Desira; the undersea kingdom of the Shark Men, ruled by King Kala; and the flying city of the Hawkmen, ruled by [[Prince Vultan]]. They are joined in several early adventures by [[Prince Thun]] of the Lion Men. Eventually, Ming is overthrown, and Mongo is ruled by a council of leaders led by Barin.<ref name="gh" />

Flash and friends visit Earth for a series of adventures before returning to Mongo and crashing in the kingdom of Tropica, later reuniting with Barin and others. Flash and his friends then travel to other worlds before returning once again to Mongo, where Barin, now married to Ming's daughter [[Princess Aura]], has established a peaceful rule (except for frequent revolts led by Ming or by one of his many descendants).<ref name="gh" />

In the 1950s, Flash became an astronaut who travelled to other planets besides Mongo.<ref name="gh" /> The long story of the Skorpi War takes Flash to other star systems, using starships that are [[Faster-than-light|faster than light]].

In addition to Ming and his allies, Flash and his friends also fought several other villains, including Azura, the Witch Queen; Brukka, chieftain of the giants of Frigia;<ref name="gh" /><ref name="jr" /> the [[Fascism|fascistic]] Red Sword organisation on Earth; and Brazor, the tyrannical usurper of Tropica.<ref name="gh" /><ref name="flp">{{cite book|first=Federico|last=López Sacasau|title=Diccionario Básico del Cómic|publisher=Acento|location=Madrid, Spain|date=1998 |pages=59–60|isbn=8448303113}}</ref> After Raymond's tenure, later writers created new enemies for Flash to combat. Austin Briggs created Kang the Cruel, Ming's callous son.<ref name="gh" /> Prince Polon, who had the power to shrink or enlarge living creatures, the unscrupulous Queen Rubia, and Pyron the Comet Master were among the antagonists introduced during Mac Raboy's run.<ref name="flp" /> The Skorpi, a race of alien shape shifters who desired to conquer the galaxy, were recurring villains in both the Mac Raboy and Dan Barry stories.<ref name="gh" /> The Skorpi space-fighter [[Flying ace|ace]] Baron Dak-Tula became a periodic nemesis of Flash in the late 1970s stories.<ref name="flp" />

==International versions of the comic strip==
[[File:Warsaw Uprising Flash Gordon.jpeg|thumb|upright|A young corporal of the [[Home Army]] reading a Polish edition of one of Flash Gordon ("Błysk Gordon - Królowa Błękitnej Magii") graphic novels during the [[Warsaw Uprising]] of 1944]]
King Features sold the ''Flash Gordon'' strip to newspapers across the world, and by the late 1930s, the strip was published in 130 newspapers, translated into eight foreign languages, and was read by 50 million people.<ref name="dm3">{{cite book|first=Doug|last=Murray|chapter=Flash Gordon at War|editor1-first=Alex|editor1-last=Raymond|editor1-link=Alex Raymond|editor2-first=Don|editor2-last=Moore|title=Flash Gordon: The Fall of Ming, Sundays 1941-44|publisher=[[Titan Books]]|location=London, England|date=2013|isbn=9780857686886|pages=10–15}}</ref> In the 1930s and 1940s, several newspapers in Britain carried ''Flash Gordon'', including the Scottish ''[[Sunday Mail (Scotland)|Sunday Mail]]''. In France, his adventures were published in the magazine ''Robinson'', under the name "Guy l'Éclair". Dale Arden was named Camille in the French translation.<ref>{{cite book|first=Joel E.|last=Vessels|title=Drawing France: French comics and the Republic|url=https://archive.org/details/drawingfrancefre00vess|url-access=limited|publisher=[[University Press of Mississippi]]|location=Jackson, Mississippi|date=2010|isbn=9781604734454|page=[https://archive.org/details/drawingfrancefre00vess/page/n74 62]}}</ref> In Australia, the character and strip were retitled ''Speed Gordon'' to avoid a negative connotation of the word "Flash".<ref>{{cite book|first1=Toby|last1=Burrows|first2=Grant|last2=Stone|title=Comics in Australia and New Zealand|publisher=[[Routledge]]|location=Abingdon-on-Thames, England|date=1994|isbn=978-1560246640|page=42}}</ref> (At the time, the predominant meaning of "flashy" was "showy", connoting dishonesty.)<ref>{{cite web |first=James |last=Lambert |url=http://www.anu.edu.au/andc/res/LambertonAND.php |title=ANDC &ndash; The Australian National Dictionary: Additions and Corrections |publisher=Anu.edu.au |date=June 6, 2008 |access-date=December 14, 2010 |archive-date=June 24, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100624005355/http://www.anu.edu.au/andc/res/LambertonAND.php |url-status=live }}</ref>

However, events in the 1930s affected the strip's distribution. Newspapers in [[Nazi Germany]] were forbidden to carry the ''Flash Gordon'' strip, while in [[Fascist Italy (1922–43)|Fascist Italy]] it was restricted to two newspapers.<ref name="dm3" /> In 1938, the Spanish magazine ''Aventurero'', the only publication in the country to carry ''Flash Gordon'', ceased publication because of the [[Spanish Civil War]].<ref name="flp" /> The outbreak of [[World War II]] resulted in ''Flash Gordon'' being discontinued in many countries. In [[Belgium]], artist [[Edgar Pierre Jacobs]] was therefore asked to bring the current ''Flash Gordon'' story to a satisfactory conclusion, which he did.<ref name="b&n">{{cite book|first1=Philippe|last1=Biermé|first2=François-Xavier|last2=Nève|title=Chez Edgar P. Jacobs : dans l'intimité du père de Blake et Mortimer|location=Liège, Belgium|publisher=CEFAL|date=2004|isbn=2871301913|page=55|language=fr}}</ref>

After the war's end, the strip enjoyed a resurgence in international popularity. ''Flash Gordon'' reappeared in Italy, Spain and West Germany, and it was also syndicated to new markets like [[Portugal]] and the [[Irish Republic]].<ref name="flp" /> From the 1950s onward, countries like Spain, Italy and Denmark also reprinted ''Flash Gordon'' newspaper strips in comic book or paperback novel form.<ref name="flp" /><ref>{{cite book|first=Franco|last=Fossati|chapter=Flash Gordon|title=I Grandi Eroi del Fumetto|publisher=Gremese, Editore|location=Rome, Italy|date=1990|isbn=8876054960|pages=107–110|language=it}}</ref> In India, ''Flash Gordon'' comics were published by [[Indrajal Comics]].<ref>{{cite book|first=Karline|last=McLain|title=India's immortal comic books: gods, kings, and other heroes|publisher=Indiana University Press|location=Indianapolis, Indiana|date=2009|isbn=9780253352774|page=25}}</ref>

==Later years==
The popularity of Raymond's ''Flash Gordon'' Sunday strip meant a daily strip was also introduced. This strip was drawn by [[Austin Briggs]] and ran from 1941 to 1944.<ref name="wr">{{cite book|first=Walt|last=Reed|title=Great American Illustrators|publisher=[[Abbeville Publishing Group]]|location=New York City|date=1979|isbn=0896590755|page=[https://archive.org/details/greatamericanill0000reed/page/24 24]|url=https://archive.org/details/greatamericanill0000reed/page/24}}</ref> After Raymond left ''Flash Gordon'' in 1944 to join the US Marines, the daily strip was cancelled and Briggs took over the Sunday strip.<ref name="wr" /> Although Raymond wanted to return to drawing ''Flash Gordon'' after the war's end, King Features did not want to remove Briggs from his position.<ref name="wr" /><ref name="rg">{{cite book|first=Ron|last=Goulart|author-link=Ron Goulart|title=The Funnies: 100 Years of American Comic Strips|publisher=Adams Publishing|location=Holbrook, Massachusetts|date=1995|isbn=1-55850-539-3|pages=174, 196}}</ref> To conciliate Raymond, King Features allowed him to create a new strip, ''[[Rip Kirby]]''.<ref name="rg" /> After Briggs left the Sunday strip in 1948, he was succeeded by former comic book artist [[Mac Raboy]], who drew the strip until his death in 1967.<ref name="df">[[Drew Friedman (cartoonist)|Drew Friedman]], ''Heroes Of The Comics:Portraits of the Pioneering Legends of the Comic Books''. Seattle, Washington : Fantagraphics Books, 2014. {{ISBN|9781606997314}} (pp. 40,82)</ref> In 1951, King Features created a new daily ''Flash Gordon'' strip. This strip was drawn by [[Dan Barry (cartoonist)|Dan Barry]].<ref name="rg" /> Barry was assisted during his tenure by [[Harvey Kurtzman]] and [[Harry Harrison (writer)|Harry Harrison]], who both wrote scripts for the strip.<ref name="rg" /><ref name="df" /> Barry also had several artists who aided him with ''Flash Gordon's'' illustrations, including [[Frank Frazetta]], [[Al Williamson]], [[Bob Fujitani]], [[Jack Davis (cartoonist)|Jack Davis]], [[Sy Barry]], [[Fred Kida]] and Emil Gershwin.<ref name="rg" /><ref name="aw">Mark Schultz, ''Al Williamson's Flash Gordon : a lifelong vision of the heroic.'' Santa Cruz, Flesk Publishing, 2009. {{ISBN|978-1-933865-12-6}} (pp.18,187)</ref> When Barry left the strip in 1990, various artists and writers worked on ''Flash Gordon''. The daily strip was ended in 1993.  The final artist to work on the ''Flash Gordon'' Sunday strip was [[Jim Keefe]].<ref name="gh" /> Keefe was occasionally assisted on the strip by other artists, including Williamson, [[John Romita Sr.]] and [[Joe Kubert]].<ref>{{cite web|first=Bruce|last=Canwell|url=http://loac.idwpublishing.com/who-said-it-john-romita-sr-did/|title=Who Said It? John Romita Sr. Did|website=Library of American Comics Blog|date=October 11, 2015|access-date=December 15, 2018|archive-date=September 26, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200926151913/http://loac.idwpublishing.com/who-said-it-john-romita-sr-did/|url-status=dead}}</ref> King Features ended the ''Flash Gordon'' newspaper strip in 2003, although re-runs of Keefe's strip still appear in a few US newspapers.<ref name="gh" />

On October 20, 2023, it was announced that King Features Syndicate would relaunch ''Flash Gordon'' on October 22 under cartoonist Dan Schkade and would be released daily, the Sunday strip being an overview of the week's strips.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Cavna |first=Michael |date=2023-10-20 |title=Flash Gordon, American Icon, Returns to Comics after a 20-year Break |language=en-US |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/comics/2023/10/20/flash-gordon-comic-reboot/ |access-date=2023-10-21 |issn=0190-8286 |archive-date=2023-10-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231020150501/https://www.washingtonpost.com/comics/2023/10/20/flash-gordon-comic-reboot/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Writer |first=Graeme McMillan Staff |date=2023-10-20 |title=Flash Gordon returns to newspapers this Sunday after 20 years |url=https://www.thepopverse.com/flash-gordon-returns-to-newspapers-this-sunday-after-20-years |access-date=2023-10-21 |website=Popverse |language=en |archive-date=2023-10-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231027164422/https://www.thepopverse.com/flash-gordon-returns-to-newspapers-this-sunday-after-20-years |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Strip bibliography==
{{See also|List of Flash Gordon comic strips}}
[[File:Flash Gordon Excerpt.jpg|thumb|500px|right|Alex Raymond's ''Flash Gordon'' (March 4, 1934). Flash and Thun rush to stop the wedding of Ming and Dale.]]
* Sunday, [[Alex Raymond]], 1934–1943 (with writer Don Moore, from 1935 onwards)
* Daily, [[Austin Briggs]], 1940–1944
* Sunday, Austin Briggs, 1944–1948
* Sunday, [[Mac Raboy]], 1948–1967
* Daily, [[Dan Barry (cartoonist)|Dan Barry]], 1951–1990 (with writers [[Harvey Kurtzman]], 1952–1953; and [[Harry Harrison (writer)|Harry Harrison]], 1958–1964) 
* Sunday, Dan Barry, 1967–1990
* Sunday and daily, [[Ralph Reese]] & [[Bruce Jones (comics)|Bruce Jones]], [[Gray Morrow]], 1990–1991
* Sunday and daily, Thomas Warkentin & Andrés Klacik, 1991–1992
* Sunday, [[Richard Bruning]], [[Kevin VanHook]], Thomas Warkentin & Andrés Klacik, 1992–1996
* Sunday, [[Jim Keefe]], 1996–2003
* Sunday and daily,  Dan Schkade, 2023–present

Unofficial
* L'Avventuroso (Italy) – Guido Fantoni, 1938
* Bravo (Belgium) – [[Edgar P. Jacobs]], 1941

==Critical reception and influence==
''Flash Gordon'' is regarded as one of the best illustrated and most influential of American adventure comic strips.<ref name="gh" /><ref name="rch">R.C. Harvey (Jan 2009). "Alex Raymond at Last". The Comics Journal (295): 161–173. ISSN 0194-7869.</ref> Historian of science fiction art Jane Frank asserted that because of his work on ''Flash Gordon'', "Raymond is one of the most famous science fiction artists of all time, although he never contributed an illustration to any science fiction magazine or book".<ref>Jane Frank, ''Science Fiction And Fantasy Artists Of The Twentieth Century : a biographical dictionary'' Jefferson, N.C. : McFarland & Co., 2009 {{ISBN|9780786434237}} (p. 392-3).</ref> Comic book artist [[Jerry Robinson]] has said "What made ''Flash Gordon'' a classic strip was Raymond's artistry and the rich imagination he brought to his conceptions of the future" and described the final years of Raymond's tenure on the strip as being characterized by "sleek, brilliantly polished brush work."<ref>''The Comics : An Illustrated History of Comic Strip Art''. Milwaukie, Or. : Dark Horse Comics, 2010. (p.189 )</ref> The science fiction historian [[John Clute]] has stated that "The comics version of ''Flash Gordon'' was graceful, imaginative and soaring" and included it on a list of the most important American science fiction comics.<ref>John Clute, ''Science Fiction : The Illustrated Encyclopedia''. New York : Kindersley, 1995. {{ISBN|0789401851}}  (pp. 242,255).</ref> In an article about Raymond for ''[[The Comics Journal]]'', R.C. Harvey declared that Raymond's ''Flash Gordon'' displayed "a technical virtuosity matched on the comics pages only by [[Hal Foster|Harold Foster]] in ''[[Prince Valiant]]''".<ref name="rch"/> ''The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction'' stated that ''Flash Gordon''{{'}}s "elaborately shaded style and exotic storyline" made it one of the most influential comics, and that its art emphasized a "romantic [[baroque]]".<ref name="sfe" />

''Flash Gordon'' (along with ''Buck Rogers'') was a big influence on later science fiction comic strips, such as the American ''Don Dixon and the Hidden Empire'' (1935 to 1941) by [[Carl Pfeufer]] and Bob Moore.<ref name="pp"/> In Italy, Guido Fantoni drew Flash Gordon in 1938, after the prohibition by the fascist regime.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.cbr.com/comic-book-legends-revealed-403/ |title=Comic Book Legends Revealed #403 |date=January 25, 2013 |access-date=2017-01-10 |archive-date=2017-01-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170112182631/http://www.cbr.com/comic-book-legends-revealed-403/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In Belgium, Edgar P. Jacobs was commissioned to produce a [[science fiction]] comic strip in the style of ''Flash Gordon''. Jacobs' new strip, ''[[Le Rayon U]]'' ("The U-Ray") began serial publication in ''Bravo'' in 1943.<ref name="b&n"/> This version had text boxes which described the action and the dialogue, in the style of many Belgian comics of the time, similar to [[Hal Foster]]'s version of ''[[Tarzan in comics|Tarzan]]'' and ''[[Prince Valiant]]''. In 1974, Jacobs reformatted ''Le Rayon U'' in order to include speech bubbles. This version was published in ''[[Tintin (magazine)|Tintin]]'' magazine and in book form by [[Dargaud]]-[[Le Lombard]].<ref name="b&n"/> The British comic ''[[The Trigan Empire]]'', by [[Mike Butterworth]] and [[Don Lawrence]], also drew on ''Flash Gordon'' for its artistic style.<ref>"This is one page of "The Trigan Empire", a ''Look and Learn'' book for 1971. This 71-page story is genuine SF in the style of ''Flash Gordon''". [[David A. Kyle]], ''The Illustrated Book of Science Fiction Ideas and Dreams''. London, Hamlyn, 1977 {{ISBN|0600382486}} (p.50).</ref> In Thailand Flash Gordon was a big influence for classic thai comics character [[Chaochaiphomthong]] ([[เจ้าชายผมทอง]]) (meaning "prince golden hair") a sword and magic hero created by Jullasak Amornvej in 1958.<ref>"การ์ตูนไทยในยุครุ่งเรือง" (p.35) Nirawan Kurathong, A Brief History of Thai Comics and Graphic Novels (2010). LET'S Comic Publishing. ISBN 978-616-90128-6-3.</ref><ref>"Prince Of Thai Comics and Mad!magazine"(p.118-119) Nicolas Verstappen  THE ART OF THAI COMICS: A CENTURY OF STRIPS AND STRIPES River Books (2021) ISBN 978-6-164-51036-4.</ref>

''Flash Gordon'' was also an influence on early [[superhero comics]] characters. [[Jerry Siegel]] and [[Joe Shuster]] based [[Superman]]'s uniform of tights and a cape on costumes worn by Flash Gordon.<ref>"If Superman's tights and cape suggested a circus performer, they were also standard equipment for the humanoid denizens of outer space familiar to Siegel and Shuster from the pulp magazines, and from comic strips like Alex Raymond's ''Flash Gordon'', which had made its debut at the beginning of the year." [[Les Daniels]], ''Superman : The Complete History, the life and times of the Man Of Steel''. San Francisco, Calif. : Chronicle Books, 1998.{{ISBN|0811821110}}. (p.9)</ref><ref>[[Arie Kaplan]], ''From Krakow to Krypton : Jews And Comic Books''. Philadelphia : Jewish Publication Society, 2008. {{ISBN|9780827610439}} (p. 13).</ref> [[Bob Kane]]'s drawing of [[Batman]] on the cover of ''[[Detective Comics]]'' No. 27 (the first appearance of the character) was based on a 1937 Alex Raymond drawing of Flash Gordon.<ref>Arlen Schumer, ''Comic Book Artist/Alter-Ego'' Vol.1 No. 5, 1999.</ref> [[Dennis Neville]] modeled the comics hero [[Hawkman]]'s costume on the "Hawkmen" characters in Raymond's ''Flash Gordon'' comic strip.<ref>[[Frank Plowright]], ''The Slings and Arrows Comic Guide'' Great Britain : Slings & Arrows, 2003 {{ISBN|0954458907}} (p. 246).</ref> In ''[[Avengers: Infinity War]]'', [[Iron Man]] mockingly refers to [[Star-Lord]] as Flash Gordon due to their similar appearance and both being space heroes.

Scientist and track-and-field olympian [[Meredith Gourdine|Meredith C. Gourdine]]'s nickname, "Flash" Gourdine, was based on Flash Gordon.<ref>"Meredith C. Gourdine 1929-1998 by Allen F. Rhodes". [[iarchive:memorialtributes0000unse/page/104/mode/2up|Memorial tributes. Volume 9.]] Washington, D.C. : National Academy Press. 2001. pp. 104–106.</ref>

==Films==
Most of the Flash Gordon film and television adaptations retell the early adventures on the planet Mongo.

===Film serials===
{{Main|Flash Gordon (serial)|Flash Gordon's Trip to Mars|Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe}}
Flash Gordon was featured in three [[serial film]]s starring [[Buster Crabbe]]: ''[[Flash Gordon (serial)|Flash Gordon]]'' (1936), ''[[Flash Gordon's Trip to Mars]]'' (1938), and ''[[Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe]]'' (1940). The 1936 ''Flash Gordon'' serial was condensed into a feature-length film titled ''Flash Gordon'' or ''Rocket Ship'' or ''Space Soldiers'' or ''Flash Gordon: Spaceship to the Unknown'';<ref>{{IMDb title|27624}}</ref> the 1938 serial into a feature-length film entitled ''Flash Gordon: The Deadly Ray from Mars;'' and the 1940 serial into a feature-length film entitled ''The Purple Death from Outer Space''.

The first Flash Gordon serial remains copyrighted, but the compilation made of the second serial, and the third serial itself are in the public domain.<ref>http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/75122/Rocket-Ship/notes.html {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160816184020/http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/75122/Rocket-Ship/notes.html |date=2016-08-16 }} https://books.google.com/books?id=dQIAoAGnKm0C</ref>

===''Flash Gordon'' 1980 film===
{{Main|Flash Gordon (film)}}
In the 1970s, several noted directors attempted to make a film of the story. [[Federico Fellini]] optioned the ''Flash Gordon'' rights from [[Dino De Laurentiis]], but never made the film.<ref name="sw">[[Dale Pollock]], ''Skywalking : the life and films of George Lucas'' New York : Da Capo Press, 1999. {{ISBN|0786749768}}, (p. 101)</ref> [[George Lucas]] also attempted to make a ''Flash Gordon'' film in the 1970s, but was unable to acquire the rights from De Laurentiis, so he decided to create ''[[Star Wars]]'' instead.<ref name="sw"/><ref name="rm">[[Ric Meyers]], ''S-F 2 : A Pictorial History of science fiction films from "Rollerball" to "Return of the Jedi"''. Secaucus, N.J. : Citadel Press,1984. {{ISBN|0806508752}} (pp. 167-8).</ref> De Laurentiis then hired [[Nicolas Roeg]] to make a ''Flash Gordon'' film, but was unhappy with Roeg's ideas, and Roeg left the project.<ref name="rm"/> De Laurentiis also discussed hiring [[Sergio Leone]] to helm the ''Flash Gordon'' film; Leone declined because he believed the script was not faithful to the original Raymond comic strips.<ref>[[Christopher Frayling]], ''Sergio Leone: Something To Do With Death''. London, Faber and Faber, 2000. {{ISBN|0571164382}} (pp. 6, 377)</ref><ref>Michael Carlson, ''Sergio Leone''. Harpenden: Pocket Essentials, 2001. {{ISBN|9781903047415}} (p.22)</ref> Finally, De Laurentiis hired [[Mike Hodges]] to direct the ''Flash Gordon'' film.<ref name="rm"/>

Hodges' 1980 ''[[Flash Gordon (film)|Flash Gordon]]'' film stars former ''[[Playgirl]]''-[[centerfold]]<ref>[http://www.channel4.com/film/reviews/film.jsp?id=103475&section=review ''Flash Gordon'' review for UK TV's '''Channel 4'''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131226200933/http://www.channel4.com/film/reviews/film.jsp?id=103475&section=review |date=2013-12-26 }}. Retrieved January 2, 2009.</ref> [[Sam J. Jones]] in the title role. Its plot is based loosely on the first few years of the comic strip, revising Flash's [[backstory]] by making him the [[quarterback]] of the [[New York Jets]] instead of a [[polo]] player. Raymond's drawings feature heavily in the opening credits, as does the signature theme-song "[[Flash (song)|Flash]]" by rock band [[Queen (band)|Queen]], who composed and performed the entire musical score.<ref name="CCT">[http://www.coolcinematrash.com/cctmovies/flash-gordon/ Cool Cinema Trash's ''Flash Gordon: Saviour of the Universe Edition'' DVD Review & Summary] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081225014802/http://www.coolcinematrash.com/cctmovies/flash-gordon/ |date=2008-12-25 }}. Retrieved January 2, 2009.</ref>

Riding the coat-tails of ''[[Star Wars (film)|Star Wars]]'', ''[[Superman (1978 film)|Superman]]'', and ''[[Star Trek: The Motion Picture]]'', ''Flash Gordon'' was not a critical success on release. [[Melody Anderson]] co-starred with Jones as Dale Arden, alongside [[Chaim Topol]] as Dr. Hans Zarkov, [[Max von Sydow]] as Ming, [[Timothy Dalton]] as Prince Barin, [[Brian Blessed]] as Prince Vultan, [[Peter Wyngarde]] as Klytus and [[Ornella Muti]] as Princess Aura. Produced by [[Dino De Laurentiis]], with ornate production designs and costumes by [[Danilo Donati]], the bright colors and retro effects were inspired directly by the comic strip and 1930s serials.<ref name="CCT"/>

Brian Blessed's performance as the Hawkman leader [[Prince Vultan]] lodged the veteran stage and screen actor into the collective consciousness for the utterance of a single line&nbsp;&ndash; "GORDON'S ALIVE?!"&nbsp;&ndash; which, more than 30 years later, remained the most repeated, reused, and recycled quotation from both the film and Blessed's career.<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A2207279 "Brian Blessed" at the BBC's H2G2] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101105185220/http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A2207279 |date=2010-11-05 }}. Retrieved January 2, 2009.</ref><ref>[http://www.dwscifi.com/news/2001-gordon-s-alive-flash-returns-to-cinema-screens "Gordon's Alive! Flash returns to cinema screens"] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20120730020751/http://www.dwscifi.com/news/2001-gordon-s-alive-flash-returns-to-cinema-screens |date=2012-07-30}}, May 21, 2008, report for [[Dreamwatch]]'s ''Total Sci-Fi'' website. Retrieved January 2, 2009.</ref><ref>The singular phrase was much-used to refer to British [[Prime Minister]] [[Gordon Brown]], including [http://www.accountingweb.co.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=189641&d=1061&h=0&f=0&dateformat=%25o%20%25B%20%25Y Glen John Feechan's Accounting blog] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081219065455/http://www.accountingweb.co.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=189641&d=1061&h=0&f=0&dateformat=%25o%20%25B%20%25Y |date=2008-12-19 }}; Blessed himself on ''[[Have I Got News For You]]'' [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1gwVIhJ8II Series 35, episode 3] (broadcast on [[BBC1]], May 2, 2008); [[Steven Poole]] [https://www.theguardian.com/books/2006/sep/30/featuresreviews.guardianreview10 reviewing ''Gordon Brown: Speeches 1997–2006''] for the ''[[Guardian (newspaper)|Guardian]]'' newspaper, etc.</ref>

The film's cult status led it to feature heavily in the comedy films ''[[Ted (film)|Ted]]'' (2012) and ''[[Ted 2]]'' (2015) causing a resurgence in interest in the film.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/sep/11/flash-gordon-star-sam-j-jones-seth-macfarlane-and-/|title='Flash Gordon' star Sam J. Jones on Seth MacFarlane and 'Ted' films|newspaper=The Washington Times|access-date=2018-04-15|language=en-US|archive-date=2018-04-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180415190335/https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/sep/11/flash-gordon-star-sam-j-jones-seth-macfarlane-and-/|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Unofficial films===
In 1967, a low-budget Turkish adaptation of the comic was made, called ''Flash Gordon's Battle in Space'' (''Baytekin – Fezada Çarpisanlar'' in Turkish). Hasan Demirtag played Flash Gordan.<ref name="sfe" /><ref>Giovanni Scognamillo and Metin Demirhan, ''Fantastik Türk sineması''. İstanbul : Kabalcı Yayınevi, 1999.  {{ISBN|975824020X}} (p. 37)</ref>

Robb Pratt, director of the popular fan film ''Superman Classic'', made ''[[Flash Gordon Classic]]'', released in May 2015. The traditionally animated short features the characters Flash Gordon, girlfriend Dale Arden, sidekick Dr. Hans Zarkov, antagonist Ming the Merciless, and Princess Aura.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://animatedviews.com/2013/superman-classic-creator-robb-pratt-unveils-flash-gordon-classic/ |title=''Superman Classic'' creator Robb Pratt unveils ''Flash Gordon Classic'' |publisher=AnimatedViews.com |date=2013-04-15 |access-date=2013-04-16 |archive-date=2013-04-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130418235933/http://animatedviews.com/2013/superman-classic-creator-robb-pratt-unveils-flash-gordon-classic/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Possible future films===
In 2010, [[Breck Eisner]] expressed interest to direct a 3D film version of Flash Gordon.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.collider.com/2010/02/23/director-breck-eisner-exclusive-interview-the-crazies-plus-an-update-on-flash-gordon/ |title=Director Breck Eisner Exclusive Interview The Crazies &ndash; Plus an Update on ''Flash Gordon'' |publisher=Collider.com |date=2010-02-23 |access-date=2010-12-14 |archive-date=2010-12-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101209045700/http://www.collider.com/2010/02/23/director-breck-eisner-exclusive-interview-the-crazies-plus-an-update-on-flash-gordon |url-status=dead }}</ref> Since April 2014, [[20th Century Fox]] was developing the ''Flash Gordon'' reboot with [[J. D. Payne and Patrick McKay]] writing the film's script.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/flash-gordon-movie-works-at-698291|title='Flash Gordon' Movie in the Works at Fox (Exclusive)|work=The Hollywood Reporter|date=April 22, 2014|access-date=2014-04-22|archive-date=2014-04-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140423142310/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/flash-gordon-movie-works-at-698291|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Matthew Vaughn]] was in talks to direct the film.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/matthew-vaughn-talks-direct-flash-788921|title=Matthew Vaughn in Talks to Direct 'Flash Gordon' (Exclusive)|work=The Hollywood Reporter|date=April 15, 2015|access-date=2015-04-15}}</ref> [[Mark Protosevich]] was hired to rewrite the film's script.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hitfix.com/motion-captured/mark-protosevich-hired-to-rewrite-matthew-vaughns-flash-gordon-for-fox|title=Mark Protosevich Hired To Rewrite Matthew Vaughn's 'Flash Gordon' For Fox|publisher=Hitfix|last=McWeeny|first=Drew|date=January 2016|access-date=2016-01-17|archive-date=2016-06-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160610132101/http://www.hitfix.com/motion-captured/mark-protosevich-hired-to-rewrite-matthew-vaughns-flash-gordon-for-fox|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Julius Avery]] was later signed to write and direct film, with Vaughn as producer alongside [[John Davis (producer)|John Davis]].<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://deadline.com/2018/10/flash-gordon-julius-avery-overlord-fox-1202492382/|title='Overlord' Helmer Julius Avery To Direct 'Flash Gordon' Movie At Fox|magazine=Deadline|last=Fleming|first=Mike Jr.|date=October 30, 2018|access-date=October 30, 2018|archive-date=October 30, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181030230546/https://deadline.com/2018/10/flash-gordon-julius-avery-overlord-fox-1202492382/|url-status=live}}</ref> An animated film was under development at Disney/Fox with [[Taika Waititi]] writing and directing.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://deadline.com/2019/06/taika-waititi-flash-gordon-animated-movie-thor-ragnarok-jojo-rabbit-fox-disney-1202637059/|title=Taika Waititi To "Crack" 'Flash Gordon' As Fox/Disney Animated Film|magazine=Deadline|last=Fleming|first=Mike Jr.|date=June 24, 2019|access-date=June 25, 2019|archive-date=June 24, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190624222924/https://deadline.com/2019/06/taika-waititi-flash-gordon-animated-movie-thor-ragnarok-jojo-rabbit-fox-disney-1202637059/|url-status=live}}</ref> In August 2019, the animated film was believed to be cancelled,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://comicbook.com/movies/2019/08/08/disney-is-scrapping-a-bunch-of-major-fox-movies/ |title=Disney Is Scrapping A Bunch Of Major Fox Movies |website=[[ComicBook.com]] |date=August 8, 2019 |access-date=July 31, 2021 |archive-date=June 11, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240611021231/https://comicbook.com/movies/news/disney-is-scrapping-a-bunch-of-major-fox-movies/#4 |url-status=live }}</ref> but in July 2021, producers [[John Davis (producer)|John Davis]] and John Fox revealed that Waititi was still working on the film, albeit it would now be live action instead of animation.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-07-30|title=Exclusive: Taika Waititi's Animated 'Flash Gordon' Movie Is Now Live-Action|url=https://collider.com/taika-waititi-flash-gordon-movie-live-action-new-details/|access-date=2021-07-30|website=Collider|language=en-US|archive-date=2024-06-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240611021250/https://collider.com/taika-waititi-flash-gordon-movie-live-action-new-details/|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Television==

===''Flash Gordon'' (1954–55 live-action)===
{{Main|Flash Gordon (1954 TV series)}}
[[Steve Holland (actor)|Steve Holland]] starred in a 1954–55 live-action [[Flash Gordon (1954 TV series)|television series]] which ran for 39 episodes.<ref name="mc" /> The first 26 episodes had the distinction of being filmed in [[West Berlin]], [[Germany]], less than a decade after the end of [[World War II]]. This is notable, given that some episodes show the real-life destruction still evident in Germany several years after the war. The final 13 episodes were filmed in [[Marseille]], [[France]].

In this series, Flash, Dale ([[Irene Champlin]]) and Dr. Zarkov (Joseph Nash) worked for the Galactic Bureau of Investigation in the year 3203. The actual timeline was established in one episode, "Deadline at Noon", in which Flash, Dale and Dr. Zarkov went back in time to Berlin in the year 1953. The GBI agents traveled in the Skyflash and Skyflash II spaceships.

The series was syndicated, appearing on stations affiliated with the long-defunct [[DuMont Television Network|DuMont Network]], and many other independent stations in the United States. It was recut into a movie in 1957.

===''Flash Gordon'' animated (1979–82)===
{{Main|The New Adventures of Flash Gordon}}
In 1979, [[Filmation]] produced an [[animated series]], often referred to as ''[[The New Adventures of Flash Gordon]]'', though it is actually titled ''Flash Gordon''. The expanded title was used to distinguish it from previous versions. The project was originally designed as a television film but NBC decided to change it into an animated series.<ref name="mc" />

===''Flash Gordon: The Greatest Adventure of All'' (1981)===
{{Main|Flash Gordon: The Greatest Adventure of All}}
[[Filmation]] produced this successful animated television movie, written by ''[[Star Trek: The Original Series|Star Trek]]'' writer [[Samuel A. Peeples]], before they began their Saturday morning series, but the television movie did not actually air until the early 1980s (December 1981 in the UK, and August 1982 in the US). 

[[File:As Aventuras de Flash Gordon - Flash Gordon, The Greatest Adventure of All.jpg|thumb|right|As Aventuras de Flash Gordon ]]

This movie has yet to be commercially released in the United States, although some sources indicate that off-air bootlegs are prevalent. The only known commercial releases were by VAP Video in Japan (catalog #67019-128), in 1983, in both laserdisc and NTSC VHS videotape formats; and in Bulgaria, where it was released on VHS "Van Chris" and "Drakar". The movie also aired numerous times on "Diema" Channel in the late 1990s. In the Japanese release, it is presented uncut with the original English voice track, with Japanese subtitles added for its intended audience. At the movie's ending is a trailer for the [[De Laurentiis Entertainment Group|De Laurentiis]] live-action movie, as well as trailers for other titles from the VAP Video library at the time. The covers for both versions feature comic-strip panels, using stills taken from the movie. 

The movie was also released theatrically in some European Countries, as evidenced by this portuguese lobby card.

===''Defenders of the Earth'' (1986)===
{{Main|Defenders of the Earth}}
In the 1986 cartoon ''[[Defenders of the Earth]]'', Flash teamed up with fellow [[King Features]] heroes [[Phantom (comics)|The Phantom]] and [[Mandrake the Magician]] in 65 episodes. This series took extreme liberties with all the characters, revealing that Flash 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 super-computer based in the Defenders' Headquarters.

===''Flash Gordon'' (1996)===
{{Main|Flash Gordon (1996 TV series)}}
In 1996, Hearst Entertainment premiered an animated ''[[Flash Gordon (1996 TV series)|Flash Gordon]]'' television series. In this version, Alex "Flash" Gordon and Dale Arden are [[hoverboard]]ing teenagers, who become trapped on Mongo after stopping Ming's attempt to invade Earth.<ref>Marsha Ann Tate,''Canadian Television Programming Made for the United States Market: A History with Production and Broadcast Data''. Jefferson, N.C. : McFarland, 2007. {{ISBN|9780786427451}} (p.189)</ref>

===''Flash Gordon'' (2007–08 live-action)===
{{Main|Flash Gordon (2007 TV series)}}
{{more citations needed section|date=July 2018}}
A live-action series, comprising 22 one-hour episodes, was produced in Canada in early 2007. Under an agreement with [[King Features Syndicate]], the series was produced by [[Reunion Pictures]] of Vancouver with [[Robert Halmi Sr.]] and [[Robert Halmi Jr.]] of [[RHI Entertainment]] serving as Executive Producers.{{citation needed|date=July 2018}}

[[Syfy|Sci-Fi Channel]] premiered its new ''[[Flash Gordon (2007 TV series)|Flash Gordon]]'' series in the [[United States]] on August 10, 2007.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0959086/ |title=Flash Gordon: A Modern Space Opera |publisher=IMDb Inc |website=IMDB |access-date=29 May 2022 |archive-date=10 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230710134402/https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0959086/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

The traditional primary supporting characters of Ming, Dale Arden, and Dr. Hans Zarkov were drastically altered. [[Eric Johnson (actor)|Eric Johnson]], best known for his earlier work on the WB's ''[[Smallville]]'', played the title character of Steven "Flash" Gordon. [[Gina Holden]] played [[Dale Arden]], Jody Racicot played [[Hans Zarkov|Dr. Hans Zarkov]], and [[John Ralston (actor)|John Ralston]] portrayed the arch-villain, Ming.<ref>{{Citation|title=Flash Gordon|date=2007-08-10|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0959086/?ref_=tt_ch|type=Action, Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi|others=Eric Johnson, Gina Holden, Karen Cliche, Jody Racicot|publisher=Flash Films, Reunion Pictures|access-date=2021-05-16|archive-date=2024-06-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240611021233/https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0959086/?ref_=tt_ch|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Radio serials and audio-dramas==
Starting April 22, 1935, the strip was adapted into ''The Amazing Interplanetary Adventures of Flash Gordon'', a 26-episode weekly radio serial.<ref name="mc" /> The series followed the strip very closely, amounting to a week-by-week adaptation of the Sunday strip for most of its run.

Flash Gordon was played by [[Gale Gordon]], later famous for his television roles in ''[[Our Miss Brooks]]'', ''[[Dennis the Menace (1959 TV series)|Dennis the Menace]]'', ''[[The Lucy Show]]'' and ''[[Here's Lucy]]'' (the latter two with [[Lucille Ball]]). The cast also included Maurice Franklin as Dr. Zarkov and Bruno Wick as Ming the Merciless.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.audio-classics.com/ltheamazinginterplanetary.html |title=Audio Classics Archive: The Amazing Interplanetary Adventures of Flash Gordon |publisher=Audio-classics.com |access-date=2010-12-14 |archive-date=2016-03-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306085901/http://www.audio-classics.com/ltheamazinginterplanetary.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

The radio series broke with the strip continuity in the last two episodes, when Flash, Dale and Zarkov returned to Earth. They make a crash landing in [[Malaysia]], where they meet [[Jungle Jim]], the star of another of Alex Raymond's comic strips.

The series ended on October 26, 1935, with Flash and Dale's marriage. The next week, ''The Adventures of Jungle Jim'' picked up in that Saturday timeslot.

Two days later, on October 28, ''The Further Interplanetary Adventures of Flash Gordon'' debuted as a daily show, running four<ref name=nyt>{{Cite web |url=http://www.jjonz.us/RadioLogs/ |title=Newspaper Radio Logs. At website, select New York Times, then Radio Pages for 1935 list the show aired Monday through Thursdays from October 28 1935 to February 6 1936. Also the shows themselves state it is a Monday through Thursday series. |access-date=2019-06-27 |archive-date=2019-06-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190630093007/http://www.jjonz.us/RadioLogs/ |url-status=live }}</ref> days a week. This series strayed further from Raymond's strip, involving Flash, Dale and Zarkov in an adventure in [[Atlantis]]. The series aired 60 episodes, ending on February 6, 1936.<ref name=nyt/><ref>"[http://www.otrsite.com/articles/artts013.html Radio Science Fiction: Information and Help to the New Collector] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071013202328/http://www.otrsite.com/articles/artts013.html |date=2007-10-13 }}", by Terry G.G. Salmonson. Retrieved 09-11-07.</ref>

Twenty-six years after he had played Flash Gordon in the last of the three Universal film serials (1940), [[Buster Crabbe]] again played Flash for two newly recorded audio-dramas released as the 1966 LP, ''The Official Adventures Of Flash Gordon'' (MGM/Leo The Lion Records CH-1028).{{citation needed|date=July 2024}}

==Stage==
In 1989, Lee Ahlin and Gary Gordon wrote a musical for children, ''Flash Gordon'', based on the comic.<ref name="gs">Arline Greer, "[https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1320&dat=19890621&id=tOYxAAAAIBAJ&sjid=MOoDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5516,7392847&hl=en ''Flash Gordon'' light and tuneful] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150905132406/https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1320&dat=19890621&id=tOYxAAAAIBAJ&sjid=MOoDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5516,7392847&hl=en |date=2015-09-05 }}". ''Gainesville Sun'' June 21, 1989 (p.1D-2D)</ref> The musical premiered in 1989 in Oak Hall Performing Arts Theater in [[Gainesville, Florida]]. ''Flash Gordon'' starred Brian LeDuc as Flash, Kim Ehrich as Dale Arden, John Pelkey as Ming, and Julie Hamric as Princess Aura.<ref name="gs"/>

==Comic books==
Over the years, several publishers have produced ''Flash Gordon'' comics, either reprints or original stories:
* [[David McKay Publications]] ''King Comics'' #1&ndash;155 ([[1936 in comics|1936]]&ndash;[[1949 in comics|1949]]) [strip reprints]
* [[Dell Comics]] ''[[Four Color Comics]]'' #10, 84, 173, 190, 204, 247, 424, 512; ''Flash Gordon'' #2 ([[1945 in comics|1945]]&ndash;[[1953 in comics|1953]]) [first 2 strip reprints]
* [[Harvey Comics]] #1&ndash;5 ([[1950 in comics|1950]]) [strip reprints]
* [[Gold Key Comics]] #1 ([[1965 in comics|1965]]) [reprints FC #173]
* [[King Comics]] #1&ndash;11 ([[1966 in comics|1966]]&ndash;[[1967 in comics|1967]]) (also in ''Phantom'' #18&ndash;20)
* [[Charlton Comics]] #12&ndash;18 ([[1969 in comics|1969]]&ndash;[[1970 in comics|1970]])
* [[Gold Key Comics]] #19&ndash;27 ([[1978 in comics|1978]]&ndash;[[1979 in comics|1979]]); under their "Whitman Comics" #28&ndash;37 ([[1980 in comics|1980]]&ndash;1982)
Several issues of the King Comics series were drawn by [[Al Williamson]], who won the 1966 [[National Cartoonists Society]] Award for Best Comic Book for his work on the series.<ref>Ringenberg, Steve. "Al Williamson Interviewed", ''The Comics Journal'' #90 (May 1984), p. 78</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.reuben.org/ncs-awards/division-awards/#comic |title=Division Awards Comic Books |year=2013 |publisher=[[National Cartoonists Society]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131216074848/http://www.reuben.org/ncs-awards/division-awards/#comic |archive-date=December 16, 2013 |url-status=dead |access-date=December 16, 2013}}</ref> Williamson later said: "I was paying homage to Alex [Raymond], you know. I tried to treat his creation with respect and dignity and tried to do it to the best of my ability. I find that other artists who have done Flash Gordon just don't seem to get the feeling of the strip, you know. Flash is a noble guy and it's kind of nice to have that kind of a hero".<ref>{{cite news | last = Zimmerman | first = Dwight Jon | date = November 1988 | title = Al Williamson | work = [[Comics Interview]] | issue = #62 | pages = 43–59 | publisher = [[Fictioneer Books]]}}</ref> King also released a comic version as a part of their Comics Reading Library in the 1970s.

Williamson provided artwork for a Western Publishing adaptation of Dino De Laurentiis' ''Flash Gordon'' film, written by Bruce Jones. It was released by Western Publishing in both hardcover and softcover formats to coincide with the film's release, and was also serialized in three issues of Whitman's Flash Gordon comic book, #31-33, March–May 1981.

In [[1988 in comics|1988]], [[Dan Jurgens]] wrote a modernized version of the comic strip as a nine-issue [[DC Comics]] miniseries. It features Flash as a washed up [[basketball]] player who finds new purpose in life on Mongo, Dale as 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 the planned nine issues and was left with an open-ended conclusion. Though Mongo is not a threat to Earth in this series, Ming had every intention of conquering Earth once he coerced Dr. Zarkov into designing the needed ships.

In [[1995 in comics|1995]], [[Marvel Comics]] published a new two-issue series, written by [[Mark Schultz (comics)|Mark Schultz]] with art by Al Williamson, in the style of the ''Flash'' comics Williamson had produced for King and others.

A new comic book series was released by Ardden Entertainment in August [[2008 in comics|2008]], though with inconsistent release dates for subsequent issues. The series was written by Brendan Deneen and Paul Green and debuted in 2008, with the first arc entitled "The Mercy Wars". The initial story arc concluded in mid-2009.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ardden-entertainment.com/ |title=Ardden Entertainment's site |publisher=Ardden-entertainment.com |date=2010-07-14 |access-date=2010-12-14 |archive-date=2012-04-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120416081242/http://www.ardden-entertainment.com/ |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>[http://www.newsarama.com/php/multimedia/album.php?aid=18387 Previewing Ardden's Flash Gordon #1] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604033358/http://www.newsarama.com/php/multimedia/album.php?aid=18387 |date=2011-06-04 }}, [[Newsarama]], June 12, 2008</ref> These were followed by further storylines. Ardden also published a Flash Gordon anthology entitled ''The Secret History of Mongo''. Ardden's second Flash Gordon arc is titled ''Invasion of the Red Sword'' (2010). Two other arcs were completed.

A reprint of all of Al Williamson's ''Flash Gordon'' comic books in black and white was printed by Flesk in 2009.<ref>M. Keith Brooker, ''Comics through time : a history of icons, idols, and ideas''. Santa Barbara, California : Greenwood, 2014. {{ISBN|9780313397509}} (p. 419).</ref>

In 2010, [[Dark Horse Comics]] began an archive reprint series in hardback, starting with the original comics published by Dell. The second volume covers the comics published by King Comics, the third covers the comics published by Charlton Comics, the fourth covers the comics published by Gold Key, and the fifth covers the comics published by Whitman.

In 2011, [[Dynamite Entertainment]] began a new series called ''Flash Gordon: Zeitgeist''. The series is written by Eric Trautmann (''[[Vampirella]]'', ''[[Red Sonja]]''), from a story and designs by [[Alex Ross]] (''[[Kingdom Come (comics)|Kingdom Come]]'', ''[[Marvels]]'', ''Project: Superpowers'') and illustrated by Daniel Lindro.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.newsarama.com/comics/dynamite-entertainment-flash-gordon-110825.html|title=Newsarama &#124; GamesRadar+|date=18 October 2023|access-date=8 November 2012|archive-date=5 January 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120105141848/http://www.newsarama.com/comics/dynamite-entertainment-flash-gordon-110825.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The company also produced a spin-off miniseries, ''Merciless: The Rise of Ming'', in 2012, with story and art by [[Scott Beatty]] and Ron Adrian.<ref>{{Cite web|url = http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=36384|title = Dynamite Announces "Merciless: The Rise of Ming"|date = 12 January 2012|access-date = 8 November 2012|archive-date = 26 June 2012|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120626170906/http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=36384|url-status = live}}</ref> Following a crossover miniseries called ''King's Watch'' (where, much like ''Defenders of the Earth'', Flash Gordon teamed up with Mandrake and the Phantom; albeit, set in the 21st century), Dynamite launched a new Flash Gordon ongoing series in 2014, with story and art by [[Jeff Parker (comics)|Jeff Parker]] and Evan "Doc" Shaner.<ref>{{Cite web|url = https://www.ign.com/articles/2014/01/20/dynamite-announce-a-new-flash-gordon-comic|title = Dynamite Announce a New Flash Gordon Comic|date = 20 January 2014|access-date = 18 February 2020|archive-date = 31 July 2020|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200731214054/https://www.ign.com/articles/2014/01/20/dynamite-announce-a-new-flash-gordon-comic|url-status = live}}</ref> In 2015, Dynamite followed this run with another ''Flash Gordon'' miniseries as part of their "King: Dynamite" series. This series was written by Ben Acker and Ben Blacker and illustrated by Lee Ferguson.<ref>"[http://www.newsarama.com/22344-king-five-new-dynamite-launches-of-classic-characters-prince-valiant-flash-gordon-more.html KING: Five New Dynamite Launches of Classic Characters] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240611021309/https://www.gamesradar.com/tag/the-flash/ |date=2024-06-11 }}" [[Newsarama]], 8 October 2014. Retrieved 14 June 2015.</ref>

In July 2023, [[Mad Cave Studios]] announced that it had obtained the license to publish new stories, graphic novels and reprints.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cave |first=Mad |date=2023-07-14 |title=Mad Cave Studios Acquires Flash Gordon License |url=https://madcavestudios.com/mad-cave-studios-acquires-flash-gordon-license/ |access-date=2023-08-17 |website=Mad Cave Studios |language=en-US |archive-date=2023-08-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230817201530/https://madcavestudios.com/mad-cave-studios-acquires-flash-gordon-license/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2024, Mad Cave Studios published a  new Flash Gordon comic book, a  [[Trade paperback (comics)|trade paperback]] of Marvel's ''[[Defenders of the Earth]]'' series and launched a new series of the team.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Corley |first=Shaun |date=2024-08-17 |title=Mad Cave's DEFENDERS OF THE EARTH Wonderfully Subverts the Saturday Morning Cartoon Formula (Review) |url=https://screenrant.com/mad-cave-defenders-of-the-earth-review/ |access-date=2024-10-31 |website=ScreenRant |language=en}}</ref>

==''Flash Gordon Strange Adventure Magazine''==
[[File:Flash Gordon Strange Adventures December 1936.jpg|thumb|Cover of the December 1936 issue of ''Flash Gordon Strange Adventures''.]]
In 1936, one issue of ''Flash Gordon Strange Adventure Magazine'' was published by [[Harold Hersey]], featuring a novel about Flash Gordon, entitled ''The Master of Mars''.<ref name="mc" /> It was written by little-known author James Edison Northford. The saddle-stitched novel was based (more or less) on the comic strip story lines, and included color illustrations reminiscent of Alex Raymond's artwork. On the back pages a second installment, ''The Sun Men of Saturn'', was promised, but it never saw print. Even though the series did not gain in popularity, the lone issue of ''Flash Gordon Strange Adventure Magazine'' has become a much sought-after item for pulp magazine collectors.<ref name="dm2" />

==Novels==
===''[[Big Little Books]]''===
The ''Flash Gordon'' strip was adapted for the ''Big Little Books'' series by the [[Whitman Publishing Company]] in 1934; the books follow the strip stories very closely and were designed with a captioned illustration opposite each page of text. The series ran for 14 installments from 1934 until 1948. The books were:
*"Flash Gordon on the Planet Mongo" (1934) 
*"Flash Gordon and the Monsters of Mongo" (1935) 
*"Flash Gordon and the Tournaments of Mongo" (1935)
*"Flash Gordon and the Witch Queen of Mongo" (1936)
*"Flash Gordon vs. the Emperor of Mongo" (1936)
*"Flash Gordon in the Water World of Mongo"	(1937)
*"Flash Gordon in the Forest Kingdom of Mongo" (1938) 
*"Flash Gordon and the Perils of Mongo" (1940) 
*"Flash Gordon and the Tyrant of Mongo" (1941)
*"Flash Gordon and the Ice World of Mongo"	(1942) 
*"Flash Gordon and the Ape Men of Mor"	(1942)
*"Flash Gordon and the Power Men of Mongo" (1943)
*"Flash Gordon and the Red Sword Invaders" (1945)
*"Flash Gordon in the Jungles of Mongo" (1947)
*"Flash Gordon and the Fiery Desert of Mongo" (1948)

===''Flash Gordon in the Caverns of Mongo'' (1936)===
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, but Doug Murray claims the novel "was almost certainly ghost-written".<ref name="dm2" /> Like the pulp magazine of the same year, it failed to launch a series.

===Avon Books===
In 1973, Avon Books launched a six-book series of adult-oriented 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''.<ref name="sfafsas">Tim Cottrill, Martin Harry Greenberg, and Charles Waugh ''Science Fiction and Fantasy Series and Sequels''. Garland, 1986. {{ISBN|0824086716}} (p.177)</ref> Although the books were credited to Alex Raymond, the first three were written by SF writer [[Ron Goulart]] (under the [[Pen name|house name]] "Con Steffanson") and the other three novels were by [[Bruce Cassiday]] (the first under the "Steffanson" name, and the latter two under the pseudonym "Carson Bingham").<ref name="sfafsas" />

===1980 film novelization===
A [[novelization]] of [[Flash Gordon (film)|the 1980 film]] was written by [[Arthur Byron Cover]], and published in the United States by Jove Publications and in the United Kingdom by New English Library.

===Tempo Books===
In 1980, Tempo Books released a series by [[David Hagberg]]: ''Massacre in the 22nd Century'', ''War of the Citadels'', ''Crisis on Citadel II'', ''Forces from the Federation'', ''Citadels under Attack'' and ''Citadels on Earth''. Except for the names of the hero and his co-stars of [[Dale Arden]] and Dr. [[Hans Zarkov]], this series had little to do with any other version of Flash Gordon.

==1939 World's Fair==
The name "Flash Gordon" was emblazoned on the proscenium of a ride at the [[1939 New York World's Fair]]. An article in ''[[Popular Science]]'' (March 1939) described how 150 people could enter a ride designed to resemble a rocket ship with a motion picture screen and vibrating seats for a simulated trip to another planet. The ride was located "at the opposite end of the amusement zone from the parachute tower". Fairgoers walked around a simulation of Venus as a jungle planet, inhabited by mechanical dinosaurs to enter a "Martian Headquarters", where "weirdly costumed Martians and mechanically animated models of giant beasts enact[ed] episodes from the adventures of Flash Gordon". The ride's Martians did not look like those in the 1938 serial, nor did the rocket ship.<ref>"World's Fair Thrills", ''Popular Science''. March, 1939.</ref>

==Reprints==
<!-- This section is linked from [[Flash Gordon]] -->
Raymond's work, particularly his [[Sunday strip]]s, has been reprinted many times over the years by many different publishers.

Some of the Austin Briggs dailies were reprinted by [[Kitchen Sink Press]]. The [[King Comics]] run of ''Flash Gordon'' reprinted one Alex Raymond story and two Mac Raboy ones in 1967.<ref>John Wells and Keith Dallas, ''American comic book chronicles: the 1960s,1965-1969'' Raleigh, North Carolina : TwoMorrows Publishing, 2014. {{ISBN|9781605490557}} (p. 141-5, 150-2)</ref> The [[Mac Raboy]] Sundays have been reprinted by [[Dark Horse Comics]] in black and white, while Kitchen Sink began to collect both the Dan Barry and Austin Briggs daily strips. The Dan Barry dailies have never been entirely reprinted, but the Barry stories written by noted author [[Harry Harrison (writer)|Harry Harrison]] were reprinted in ''[[Comics Revue]]'' magazine, published by Manuscript Press. [[Tempo Books]] published six [[mass-market paperbacks]] reprinting Dan Barry strips from the 1970s in the 1980s. Two stories from the Dan Barry dailies, D2-133 "Baldur Battles Skorpi" (February 24 to May 10, 1986) and D2-134 "The Bear" (May 12 to August 21, 1986), were reprinted in an oblong format, 6.5 by 10.5 paperback edition with two strips per page by Budget Books PTY of Melbourne, Australia in 1987 under the title ''The New Adventures of Flash Gordon'', {{ISBN|0-86801-795-7}}. A reprint of all of Al Williamson's ''Flash Gordon'' comic strip and comic book work was released in 2009.
* ''Flash Gordon on the Planet Mongo'' (1934–35), Nostalgia
* ''Flash Gordon into the Water World'' (1935–37), Nostalgia
* ''Flash Gordon Escapes to Arboria'' (1937–39), Nostalgia
* ''Flash Gordon vs Frozen Horrors'' (1939–40), Nostalgia
* ''Flash Gordon Joins the Power Men'' (1940–41), Nostalgia
* ''Flash Gordon: A New Kingdom'' (1939) Pacific Comics Club/Club Anni Trenta, 1977 (limited edition for collectors)
* ''Flash Gordon: The End of Ming'' (1940) Pacific Comics Club/Club Anni Trenta, 1977 (limited edition for collectors)
* ''Flash Gordon: Return to Earth'' (1941) Pacific Comics Club/Club Anni Trenta, 1977 (limited edition for collectors)
* ''Flash Gordon: A New War'' (1941) Pacific Comics Club/Club Anni Trenta, 1977 (limited edition for collectors)
* ''Flash Gordon: The Usurper'' (1942) Pacific Comics Club/Club Anni Trenta, 1977 (limited edition for collectors)
* ''Flash Gordon: Gundar the Hawk of Tropica'' (1942–43) Pacific Comics Club/Club Anni Trenta, 1977 (limited edition for collectors)
* ''Flash Gordon: The End of Brazor'' (1944). Pacific Comics Club/Club Anni Trenta, 1977 (limited edition for collectors)
* ''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 Tropica''    (1943–44), Kitchen Sink Press {{ISBN|0-87816-199-6}}
* ''Flash Gordon, Dead or Alive!: Daily Strips 5/27/40 to 8/26/40 by Austin Briggs''. Pacific Comics Club, 1981(limited edition for collectors)
* ''Prisoner of Ming : Daily Strips 8/27/40 to 11/13/40 / by Austin Briggs''. Pacific Comics Club, 1981 (limited edition for collectors)
* ''Flight to Freeland: Daily Strips 11/14/40 to 2/28/41 / by Austin Briggs''. Pacific Comics Club, 1981 (limited edition for collectors)
* ''Adora of the Forest People: Daily Strips 3/1/41 to 8/23/41 by Austin Briggs''. Pacific Comics Club, 1981 (limited edition for collectors)  
* ''Flash Gordon: The Dailies by Austin Briggs 1940–1942 Volume 1'', Kitchen Sink Press {{ISBN|0-87816-172-4}} (strips from 1940)
* ''Flash Gordon: The Dailies by Austin Briggs 1940–1942 Volume 2'', Kitchen Sink Press {{ISBN|0-87816-187-2}} (strips from 1941)
* ''Flash Gordon The Complete Daily Strips 1951–1953'', Kitchen Sink Press {{ISBN|0-87816-035-3}}
* ''Flash Gordon - Star Over Atlantis'', Dan Barry, Manuscript Press, 2007, {{ISBN|0-936414-16-2}}, {{ISBN|978-0-936414-16-4}}, dailies 1953–1954.
* ''Flash Gordon: Volume 1 (1934–35)'', [https://web.archive.org/web/20080522194359/http://www.checkerbpg.com/books_vintage/fg1_gn.php Checker Book Publishing Group] {{ISBN|0-9741664-3-X}}
* ''Flash Gordon: Volume 2 (1935–36)'', [https://web.archive.org/web/20080522194404/http://www.checkerbpg.com/books_vintage/fg2_gn.php Checker Book Publishing Group] {{ISBN|0-9741664-6-4}}
* ''Flash Gordon: Volume 3 (1936–37)'', [https://web.archive.org/web/20080522194410/http://www.checkerbpg.com/books_vintage/fg3_gn.php Checker Book Publishing Group] {{ISBN|1-933160-25-X}}
* ''Flash Gordon: Volume 4 (1938–40)'', [https://web.archive.org/web/20080522194415/http://www.checkerbpg.com/books_vintage/fg4_gn.php Checker Book Publishing Group] {{ISBN|1-933160-26-8}}
* ''Flash Gordon: Volume 5 (1940–41)'', [https://web.archive.org/web/20080522194420/http://www.checkerbpg.com/books_vintage/fg5_gn.php Checker Book Publishing Group] {{ISBN|1-933160-27-6}}
* ''Flash Gordon: Volume 6 (1941–43)'', [https://web.archive.org/web/20080522194430/http://www.checkerbpg.com/books_vintage/fg7_gn.php Checker Book Publishing Group] {{ISBN|1-933160-28-4}}
* ''Flash Gordon: Volume 7 (1943–45)'', [https://web.archive.org/web/20080522194430/http://www.checkerbpg.com/books_vintage/fg7_gn.php Checker Book Publishing Group] {{ISBN|1-933160-20-9}}
*''[[Mac Raboy]]'s Flash Gordon, Volume 1'', Dark Horse Comics {{ISBN|1-56971-882-2}} (Sundays, 1948–1953 S32-S45)
* ''Mac Raboy's Flash Gordon, Volume 2'', Dark Horse Comics (Sundays, 1953–1958 S45-S68)
* ''Mac Raboy's Flash Gordon, Volume 3'', Dark Horse Comics {{ISBN|1-56971-978-0}} (Sundays, 1958–1962)
* ''Mac Raboy's Flash Gordon, Volume 4'', Dark Horse Comics (Sundays, 1962–1967)
* ''The Amazing Adventures of Flash Gordon, Volume 1'', Tempo Books {{ISBN|0-448-17349-2}} (S132/D2-097 - S135)
* ''The Amazing Adventures of Flash Gordon, Volume 2'', Tempo Books {{ISBN|0-448-17348-4}} (D2-081, D2-082)
* ''The Amazing Adventures of Flash Gordon, Volume 3'', Tempo Books {{ISBN|0-448-17347-6}} (S114-S118)
* ''The Amazing Adventures of Flash Gordon, Volume 4'', Tempo Books {{ISBN|0-448-17155-4}} (D2-105, D2-107)
* ''The Amazing Adventures of Flash Gordon, Volume 5'', Tempo Books {{ISBN|0-448-17208-9}} (D2-098)
* ''The Amazing Adventures of Flash Gordon, Volume 6'', Tempo Books {{ISBN|0-448-17245-3}} (D2-102, D2-109)
* ''Al Williamson's Flash Gordon: A Lifelong Vision of the Heroic'', Flesk {{ISBN|1-933865-13-X}}
* ''Flash Gordon: On the Planet Mongo: The Complete Flash Gordon Library 1934–37'', by Alex Raymond, [[Titan Books]] {{ISBN|0-85768-154-0}}
* ''Flash Gordon: The Tyrant of Mongo: The Complete Flash Gordon Library 1937–41'', by Alex Raymond, Titan Books {{ISBN|0-85768-379-9}}
* ''Flash Gordon: The Fall of Ming: The Complete Flash Gordon Library 1941–44'', by Alex Raymond, Titan Books {{ISBN|0-85768-688-7}}
* ''Flash Gordon: The Storm Queen of Valkir: The Complete Flash Gordon Library 1944-48'', by Austin Briggs, Titan Books {{ISBN|1-78276-286-8}}
* ''Flash Gordon Dailies: The City of Ice: The Complete Flash Gordon Library 1951-1953'', by Dan Barry, Titan Books {{ISBN|1-78276-683-9}}
* ''Flash Gordon Dailies: The Lost Continent: The Complete Flash Gordon Library 1953-1956'', by Dan Barry, Titan Books {{ISBN|978-1782766841}}
* ''Flash Gordon Sundays: The Death Planet: The Complete Flash Gordon Library 1967-1971'' by Dan Barry, Titan Books {{ISBN|978-1785861369}}
* ''Flash Gordon Dailies: Radium Mines of Electra: The Complete Flash Gordon Library 1940-42'' by Austin Briggs, Titan Books {{ISBN|978-1785861376}}
* ''Definitive Flash Gordon and Jungle Jim Volume 1: 1934-1936'', [[IDW Publishing]] {{ISBN|1-61377-015-4}}
* ''Definitive Flash Gordon and Jungle Jim Volume 2: 1936-1939'', IDW Publishing {{ISBN|1-61377-220-3}}
* ''Definitive Flash Gordon and Jungle Jim Volume 3: 1939-1941'', IDW Publishing {{ISBN|1-61377-580-6}}
* ''Definitive Flash Gordon and Jungle Jim Volume 4: 1942-1944'', IDW Publishing {{ISBN|1-61377-917-8}}
* ''Flash Gordon: Classic Collection Vol. 1'', Mad Cave Studios {{ISBN|978-1545813201}}
* ''Flash Gordon: Classic Collection Vol. 2'', Mad Cave Studios {{ISBN|978-1545812044}}

==Games==
* The ''[[Flash Gordon & the Warriors of Mongo]]'' role-playing game was released by [[Fantasy Games Unlimited]] in 1977.
* A [[Flash Gordon (video game)|Flash Gordon]] video game was released by [[Mastertronic]] in 1986 loosely tying into the 1980 movie.
* The ''Savage World of Flash Gordon Roleplaying Game'' written by Scott Alan Woodard was released by [[Pinnacle Entertainment Group]] in 2018.
* [[Flash Gordon (pinball)]]

==DVD releases==
Flash Gordon has been released to DVD under a variety of titles and in both edited and non-edited versions. ''Conquers The Universe'' and 1950s television series have no shortage of public domain DVD releases.

===Film serials (1936–1940)===
====''Flash Gordon'' (1936)====
* ''Flash Gordon: Space Soldiers'' (245 minutes)
* ''Flash Gordon: Spaceship to the Unknown''. Hearst Entertainment, Inc., 2002. (edited to 98 minutes)

====''Flash Gordon's Trip to Mars'' (1938)====
* ''Flash Gordon's Trip to Mars'' (2 discs) (299 minutes)
* ''Flash Gordon: O raio mortal de Marte''. Hearst Entertainment, Inc., 2002. (97 minutes)

====''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)

===''Flash Gordon'' (1954–55)===
* ''Flash Gordon'' (3 Volumes). Alpha Home Entertainment (only 13 of the episodes have been released thus far).

===''The New Adventures of Flash Gordon'' (1979)===
US &ndash; BCI Eclipse
* ''The New Adventures of Flash Gordon: The Complete Series'' (4&ndash;Discs). 600 minutes
UK &ndash; Hollywood DVD LTD
* ''The Adventures of Flash Gordon &ndash; Castaways in Tropica''
* ''The Adventures of Flash Gordon &ndash; Blue Magic''

===''Flash Gordon'' (1980)===
On May 6, 1998, Image Entertainment released the 1980 film on DVD in North America for [[DVD region code|DVD Region 1]] territories through a contract with Universal, but it quickly went out of print.

Momentum Pictures later released it in the United Kingdom for [[DVD region code|DVD Region 2]] territories on October 10, 2005. This edition of the film, the "Silver Anniversary Edition", features an anamorphic widescreen transfer at the film's 2.4:1 aspect ratio, both Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1 audio, the original Queen theatrical trailer, an audio commentary by director Mike Hodges, a second audio commentary from actor Brian Blessed, an interview with Mike Hodges, a photo slideshow and an original 1940s Serial, episode one of ''Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe''.

Universal released the film on August 7, 2007, in North America and Region 1 territories once again. The new disc, entitled the "Savior of the Universe Edition", features a 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer and an English Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround track. Extras include an "Alex Ross on Flash Gordon" featurette in which world-renowned comic artist [[Alex Ross]] talks about the film and how it has inspired him in his life and work, a "Writing a Classic" featurette with screenwriter [[Lorenzo Semple Jr.]] and a Flash Gordon 1936 serial episode (chapter one of "The Planet of Peril").

===''Defenders of the Earth''===
US &ndash; BCI Eclipse LLC
* ''Defenders of the Earth &ndash; The Complete Series, Volume 1'' (5 Discs) 33 Episodes
* ''Defenders of the Earth &ndash; The Complete Series, Volume 2'' (5 Discs) 32 Episodes '''(Spring 2007)'''
UK &ndash; Hollywood DVD LTD
* ''Defenders of The Earth &ndash; The Story Begins''
UK &ndash; 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 &ndash; Prince of Kro-Tan''
* ''Defenders of the Earth Movie &ndash; Necklace of Oros''
* ''Defenders of the Earth Movie &ndash; The Book of Mysteries''
UK &ndash; Fabulous Films Ltd.
* ''Defenders of the Earth &ndash; The Complete Series''

===''Flash Gordon'' (1996)===
Lionsgate on September 21, 2004, released three 4-episode DVDs of ''Flash Gordon'' (1996) and ''[[Phantom 2040]]''.
* ''Flash Gordon: Marooned on Mongo &ndash; The Animated Movie'' (97 minutes)

==Parodies==
''[[Flesh Gordon]]'' (1974) is an American [[Erotic film|erotic]] [[Science fiction film|science fiction]] [[Adventure film|adventure]] [[comedy film]]. It is an [[Pornographic parody film|erotic spoof]] of the [[Universal Pictures]] ''Flash Gordon'' [[serial film|serials]] from the 1930s.<ref name="sobchack97">{{cite book | author=Sobchack, Vivian Carol | year=1997 | title=Screening space: the American science fiction film | edition=2nd | page=[https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780813524924/page/165 165] | publisher=Rutgers University Press | isbn=0-8135-2492-X | url=https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780813524924/page/165}}</ref> The screenplay was written by Michael Benveniste, who also co-directed the film with Howard Ziehm. The cast includes Jason Williams, Suzanne Fields, and William Dennis Hunt. The film had an [[Motion Picture Association of America|MPAA]] [[X rating|rating of X]], but was also re-edited for a reduced rating of R. It has an original runtime of 78 minutes, and the unrated "collector's edition" release runs 90 minutes.

Several episodes of the spin-off series ''[[Star Trek: Voyager]]'' featured a holodeck program called ''The Adventures of Captain Proton'', which features many elements lifted straight from the Flash Gordon serials of the 1930s.

The comedy film ''[[A Christmas Story]]'' (1983) featured a [[deleted scene]] with Ralphie and his Red Ryder BB gun saving Flash (played by Paul Hubbard) from Ming (played by [[Colin Fox (actor)|Colin Fox]]).<ref name=":0">{{cite web |url=http://www.achristmasstoryhouse.com/index.php/a-christmas-story-movie-facts/deleted-scenes/ |title=Deleted Scenes &ndash; A Christmas Story House &ndash; Ralphie's House Restored to its A Christmas Story Splendor |publisher=A Christmas Story House |access-date=2010-12-14 |archive-date=2010-12-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101202084007/http://www.achristmasstoryhouse.com/index.php/a-christmas-story-movie-facts/deleted-scenes |url-status=live }}</ref> None of the footage from the scene survived.<ref name=":0" />

In the comedy film ''[[Ted (film)|Ted]]'' (2012), Sam Jones appears in character both as himself and as Flash Gordon.<ref>[https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/flash-gordon-sam-jones-ted-341510 'Flash Gordon' Star Sam Jones on His Triumphant, Crazy Comeback Role in 'Ted] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200417095808/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/flash-gordon-sam-jones-ted-341510 |date=2020-04-17 }} ''[[The Hollywood Reporter]]'', 29th June 2012.  Retrieved 20th December 2015.</ref> Jones reprised his role for the sequel ''[[Ted 2]]'' (2015).

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Flash Gordon}}
* ''[https://comicskingdom.com/flash-gordon Flash Gordon]'' at King Features
* {{gcdb|type=character|search=Flash+Gordon|title=Flash Gordon}}
* {{Comicbookdb|type=character|id=19519|title=Flash Gordon}}

{{Flash Gordon}}
{{Space opera serials 1930-1960}}
{{King Features Syndicate Comics}}
{{GoldenAge}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Flash Gordon| ]]
[[Category:American comic strips]]
[[Category:Charlton Comics titles]]
[[Category:Comic strip superheroes]]
[[Category:1934 comics debuts]]
[[Category:2003 comics endings]]
[[Category:Comics characters introduced in 1934]]
[[Category:DC Comics titles]]
[[Category:Dell Comics titles]]
[[Category:Gold Key Comics titles]]
[[Category:Fictional characters from Maryland]]
[[Category:Fictional players of American football]]
[[Category:Fictional astronauts]]
[[Category:Film serial characters]]
[[Category:Flash Gordon characters]]
[[Category:Harvey Comics titles]]
[[Category:Marvel Comics titles]]
[[Category:Drama comics]]
[[Category:Science fiction comics]]
[[Category:Science fiction comic strips]]
[[Category:Space opera]]
[[Category:1935 radio programme debuts]]
[[Category:1950s American drama television series]]
[[Category:1970s American animated television series]]
[[Category:Radio programs based on comic strips]]
[[Category:Comics adapted into radio series]]
[[Category:American comics adapted into films]]
[[Category:Comics adapted into video games]]
[[Category:Comics adapted into television series]]
[[Category:Comics adapted into animated series]]
[[Category:Comics set on fictional planets]]
[[Category:Superhero film characters]]
[[Category:Male characters in film]]
[[Category:Superhero television characters]]
[[Category:Male characters in television]]
[[Category:Male superheroes]]
[[Category:Vigilante characters in comics]]