Flash Gordon is an American space adventurecomic strip from King Features Syndicate, created and originally illustrated by Alex Raymond to compete with the already established Buck Rogers adventure strip. Flash Gordon ran as a Sunday comic from January 7, 1934 until March 16, 2003.[1][2] From 2003 to 2023, the strip went into reprints of the work of Jim Keefe, who had written and illustrated the comic from 1996 to 2003.[1][3] A daily strip by Austin Briggs ran from 1941 to 1944,[4] and another by Dan Barry ran from 1951 to 1990.[5]Flash Gordon was relaunched as a daily strip by Dan Schkade on October 22, 2023.[6]
The comic strip follows the adventures of Flash Gordon and his companions Dale Arden and Dr. Hans Zarkov, who travel to the planet Mongo and immediately come into conflict with Ming the Merciless, its evil ruler.[1][2][7] Other characters include Prince Thun of the Lion Men, Flash's ally who opposes Ming; Princess Aura, Ming's selfish daughter who has an unrequited love for Flash; Prince Barin of the forest kingdom of Arboria, the rightful ruler of Mongo; and Prince Vultan of the Hawkmen, who inhabit a flying city.[1]
Renowned polo player Flash Gordon and beautiful Dale Arden are abducted by Dr. Hans Zarkov, who is taking a rocket to the mysterious planet Mongo to stop its collision with Earth. The spacecraft crashes outside a sparkling city, and survivors Flash and Dale are taken captive by Ming the Merciless, the Emperor of the Universe. Ming plans to marry Dale, and intends to execute Flash, even though he has defeated Ming's Monkey Men in the gladiatorial arena. Ming's daughter, Princess Aura, has fallen in love with Flash and helps him escape. Flash makes a friend in Prince Thun of the Lion Men, who helps him rescue Dale. Flash and Dale are captured by the Shark Men, who intend to return Dale to Ming. Aura helps Flash to escape again. Thun frees Dale, but they are recaptured.
In subsequent reprints of this serial, a panel featuring US President Bill Clinton from July 25, 1999, was edited to feature President Barack Obama in a December 4, 2011, reprint, and then edited to include President Donald Trump in a January 6, 2019 reprint.[13]
Reprint of S201. In reprints of this serial, a panel featuring US President Bill Clinton from July 25, 1999, was edited to feature President Barack Obama in the December 4, 2011, reprint, and then edited to include President Donald Trump in the January 6, 2019 reprint.[13]
Reprint of S201. In reprints of this serial, a panel featuring US President Bill Clinton from July 25, 1999, was edited to feature President Barack Obama in the December 4, 2011, reprint, and then edited to include President Donald Trump in the January 6, 2019 reprint.[13]
S271R
"Garden of Evil"
Jim Keefe
Jim Keefe
April 21, 2019 (2019-04-21)
June 2, 2019 (2019-06-02)
TBA
Reprint of S202
S272R
"To Melt a Queen's Heart"
Jim Keefe
Jim Keefe
June 9, 2019 (2019-06-09)
November 10, 2019 (2019-11-10)
TBA
Reprint of S205
S273R
"Operation: Escape"
Jim Keefe
Jim Keefe
November 17, 2019 (2019-11-17)
December 29, 2019 (2019-12-29)
TBA
Reprint of S206
S274R
"Peace Offering"
Jim Keefe
Jim Keefe
January 5, 2020 (2020-01-05)
March 29, 2020 (2020-03-29)
TBA
Reprint of S207
S275R
"Secret Agent X-9"
Jim Keefe
Jim Keefe
April 5, 2020 (2020-04-05)
November 8, 2020 (2020-11-08)
TBA
Reprint of S208
S276R
"Nesting Ground"
Jim Keefe
Jim Keefe
November 15, 2020 (2020-11-15)
January 3, 2021 (2021-01-03)
TBA
Reprint of S209
S277R
"Flashback"
Jim Keefe
Jim Keefe
January 10, 2021 (2021-01-10)
March 21, 2021 (2021-03-21)
TBA
Reprint of S210
S278R
"Slithers"
Jim Keefe
Jim Keefe
March 28, 2021 (2021-03-28)
October 3, 2021 (2021-10-03)
TBA
Reprint of S211
S279R
"Crowning Glory"
Jim Keefe
Jim Keefe
October 10, 2021 (2021-10-10)
January 9, 2022 (2022-01-09)
TBA
Reprint of S212
S280R
"Hatchlings"
Jim Keefe
Jim Keefe
January 16, 2022 (2022-01-16)
February 13, 2022 (2022-02-13)
TBA
Reprint of S213
S281R
"Tournament of Death"
Jim Keefe
Jim Keefe
February 20, 2022 (2022-02-20)
August 7, 2022 (2022-08-07)
TBA
Reprint of S214
S282R
"Demon from the Dark Dimension"
Jim Keefe
Jim Keefe
August 14, 2022 (2022-08-14)
November 6, 2022 (2022-11-06)
TBA
Partial reprint of S189 [missing 1/21/96 strip]
S283R
"Nightfall on Mongo"
Jim Keefe
Jim Keefe
November 13, 2022 (2022-11-13)
March 12, 2023 (2023-03-12)
TBA
Reprint of S190
S284R
"The Way it Began"
Jim Keefe
Jim Keefe
March 19, 2023 (2023-03-19)
April 16, 2023 (2023-04-16)
TBA
Reprint of S191
S285R
"The Return of Ming"
Jim Keefe
Jim Keefe
April 23, 2023 (2023-04-23)
July 9, 2023 (2023-07-09)
TBA
Reprint of S192
S286R
"Durok's Revenge"
Jim Keefe
Jim Keefe
July 16, 2023 (2023-07-16)
October 15, 2023 (2023-10-15)
TBA
Partial reprint of S193 [missing last 6 strips]
Daily strips
Series 1
D1-001 - "Princess Lita" (5/27/40 to 2/22/41)
D1-002 - "Freeland" (2/24/41 to 8/21/41)
D1-003 - "War on Earth" (8/22/41 to 12/13/41)
D1-004 - "Disaster in Space" (12/15/41 to 1/17/42)
D1-005 - "Shipwrecked" (1/19/42 to 4/25/42)
D1-006 - "Radium Mines of Electra" (4/27/42 to 7/11/42)
D1-007 - "Queen Tigra of Forestia" (7/13/42 to 11/26/42)
D1-008 - "Royal Hunt" (11/27/42 to 4/21/43)
D1-009 - "Isle of the Elvins" (4/22/43 to 3/25/44)
D1-010 - "The Menace of Mysta" (3/27/44 to 4/25/44)
D1-011 - "Home" (4/26/44 to 6/3/44)
Series 2
D2-001 - "Space Prison" (11/19/51 to 2/16/52)
D2-002 - "The City of Ice" (2/18/52 to 6/14/52)
D2-003 - "The Butterfly Men" (6/16/52 to 8/9/52)
D2-004 - "Tartarus" (8/11/52 to 10/18/52)
D2-005 - "The Awful Forest” (10/20/52 to 12/30/52)
D2-006 - "Mr. Murlin” (12/31/52 to 4/20/53)
D2-007 - "The Space Kids on Zoran” (4/21/53 to 10/24/53)
D2-008 - "The Lost Continent” (10/26/53 to 3/20/54)
D2-009 - "Circea” (3/22/54 to 5/29/54)
D2-010 - "The Deadly Touch” (5/31/54 to 8/30/54)
D2-011 - "Peril Park” (8/31/54 to 11/13/54)
D2-012 - "The Martian Baby” (11/15/54 to 2/5/55)
D2-013 - "The Trail of the Vulke” (2/7/55 to 4/26/55)
D2-014 - "Tympani” (4/27/55 to 7/9/55)
D2-015 - "Starling” (7/11/55 to 9/3/55)
D2-016 - "Space Circus” (9/5/55 to 10/29/55)
D2-017 - "The Swamp-Girl” (10/31/55 to 12/31/55)
D2-018 - "Return to Mongo” (1/2/56 to 3/24/56)
D2-019 - "Kag the Conqueror” (3/26/56 to 6/9/56)
D2-020 - "Kozy and Skurvy's E-Z Island" (6/11/56 to 9/29/56)
D2-021 - "Robb and Bey's Wonders of Mongo” (10/1/56 to 12/25/56)
D2-022 - "Mezmo” (12/26/56 to 2/23/57)
D2-023 - "Dust Devil” (2/25/57 to 4/20/57)
D2-024 - "City of Azcar Women” (4/22/57 to 6/29/57)
D2-025 - "River Pirates” (7/1/57 to 8/17/57)
D2-026 - "Cybernia” (8/19/57 to 10/19/57)
D2-027 - "Radioactive Loot” (10/21/57 to 12/7/57)
D2-028 - "The Time Pendulum” (12/9/57 to 1/25/58)
D2-029 - "The Far Side of the Moon” (1/27/58 to 3/15/58)
D2-030 - "Behind the Flying Saucers" (3/17/58 to 5/3/58)
D2-031 - "Movie-Making on Pluto" (5/5/58 to 6/21/58)
D2-032 - "Solar Mirror" (6/23/58 to 7/26/58)
D2-033 - "Colony on Mars” (7/28/58 to 9/13/58)
D2-034 - "Disaster at Bigtree” (9/15/58 to 11/8/58)
D2-035 - "Derelict of the Skorpi War” (11/10/58 to 12/27/58)
D2-036 - "Runaway Weather Satellite" (12/29/58 to 2/14/59)
D2-037 - "Lost Legion” (2/16/59 to 5/2/59)
D2-038 - "The Matter Transmitter” (5/4/59 to 6/27/59)
D2-039 - "Flash Without Dale” (6/29/59 to 9/5/59)
D2-040 - "Space Construction Corps” (9/7/59 to 10/24/59)
D2-041 - "H-Bomb Under the Mongo Sea” (10/26/59 to 1/5/60)
D2-042 - "The Metallic Raiders” (1/6/60 to 3/5/60)
D2-043 - "The Airborne Ark” (3/7/60 to 4/23/60)
D2-044 - "The First Man on Mars” (4/25/60 to 6/25/60)
D2-045 - "Quarantine Station” (6/27/60 to 9/3/60)
D2-046 - "The Psi People” (9/5/60 to 12/9/60)
D2-047 - "Deathfighters” (12/10/60 to 3/11/61)
D2-048 - "Waldo Without Spacesuit” (3/13/61 to 5/27/61)
D2-049 - "The Ambassadors” (5/29/61 to 7/8/61)
D2-050 - "Titanic II” (7/10/61 to 10/7/61)
D2-051 - "Horseparlor in the Sky” (10/9/61 to 12/23/61)
D2-052 - "Robot Worker” (12/25/61 to 3/17/62)
D2-053 - "Back in Time” (3/19/62 to 5/5/62)
D2-054 - "Dolphins of Venus” (5/7/62 to 7/28/62)
D2-055 - "Dimension X” (7/30/62 to 9/15/62)
D2-056 - "Space Scouts and Skorpi” (9/17/62 to 3/2/63)
D2-057 - "Death-Stone” (3/4/63 to 5/25/63)
D2-058 - "The Hapless Alien” (5/27/63 to 11/9/63)
D2-059 - "Martian Treasure” (11/11/63 to 2/22/64)
D2-060 - "Solid-Gold Bomb” (2/24/64 to 6/13/64)
D2-061 - "Space Race” (6/15/64 to 10/10/64)
D2-062 - "Shipbuilding on Mars” (10/12/64 to 1/16/65)
D2-063 - "The Robot War” (1/18/65 to 4/28/65)
D2-064 - "The Maybe Machine” (4/29/65 to 8/21/65)
D2-065 - "Space-Sweep” (8/23/65 to 12/18/65)
D2-066 - "The Asteroid Miners” (12/20/65 to 4/7/66)
D2-067 - "Ming IV” (4/8/66 to 9/27/66)
D2-068 - "Food Ship” (9/28/66 to 2/11/67)
D2-069 - "Radioactive Seas” (2/13/67 to 7/12/67)
D2-070 - "Survival Test” (7/13/67 to 1/13/68)
D2-071 - "Egon Blant Escapes” (1/15/68 to 5/18/68)
D2-072 - "Living Statues” (5/20/68 to 10/5/68)
D2-073 - "Flash Gordon and the Vikings” (10/7/68 to 2/21/69)
D2-074 - "McFry's Vendetta” (2/22/69 to 8/9/69)
D2-075 - "Manhunt” (8/11/69 to 11/8/69)
D2-076 - "Flash Gordon vs. the Puppet Master" (11/10/69 to 2/28/70)
D2-077 - "Tournaments of Free Mongo” (3/2/70 to 6/17/70)
D2-078 - "Desert Tribes of Mongo” (6/18/70 to 9/5/70)
D2-079 - "Pirates of Mongo” (9/7/70 to 1/16/71)
D2-080 - "Dinosaur Valley of Mongo” (1/18/71 to 4/24/71)
D2-081 - "Neptunia and Frigia" (4/26/71 to 9/4/71)
D2-082 - "An Alien Stowaway” (9/6/71 to 11/20/71)
D2-083 - "Convict Squad on Rog” (11/22/71 to 2/5/72)
D2-084 - "Convict Squad and the Skraggs” (2/7/72 to 4/1/72)
D2-085 - "Convict Squad and the Drug Trade” (4/3/72 to 5/20/72)
D2-086 - "Operation Medusa” (5/22/72 to 7/29/72)
D2-087 - "Kenoma and the Space-Jacker” (7/31/72 to 10/28/72)
D2-088 - "Willy and the Martians” (10/30/72 to 1/13/73)
D2-089 - "Jack Hammer” (1/15/73 to 4/7/73)
D2-090 - "Dale's Mission" (4/9/73 to 7/14/73)
D2-091 - "Twice in Time” (7/16/73 to 11/24/73)
D2-092 - "Gudrun and the Gambling Satellite” (11/26/73 to 2/8/74) - Same storyline run in Sunday S127
D2-093 - "Holograms” (2/10/74 to 4/30/74) - Same storyline run in Sunday S128
D2-094 - "Solar Energy Station” (5/1/74 to 7/13/74) - Same storyline run in Sunday S129
D2-095 - "Hideout in the 25th Century” (7/15/74 to 9/18/74) - Same storyline run in Sunday S130
D2-096 - "Rome” (9/19/74 to 11/16/74) - Same storyline run in Sunday S131
D2-097 - "Troy” (11/18/74 to 2/19/75) - Same storyline run in Sunday S132
D2-098 - "The Making of a Legend” (2/20/75 to 9/6/75)
D2-099 - "Nomads of Mongo" (9/8/75 to 11/29/75)
D2-100 - "Amazons of Mongo” (12/1/75 to 2/21/76)
D2-101 - "Kozy & Skurvey and the Desert Raiders” (2/23/76 to 5/15/76)
D2-102 - "War Robots” (5/17/76 to 8/7/76)
D2-103 - "Rebels on Venus” (8/9/76 to 10/30/76)
D2-104 - "North Star Invaders” (11/1/76 to 1/22/77)
While Flash and Dale travel to the land of the Lion Men, Bok and Zarkov escape from a flying ship and are rescued by Adrane.
Flash Gordon was relaunched on October 22, 2023, with a new continuity adapted for a modern audience. The story arcs by Dan Schkade have in general been published over a period of ten weeks. Each Sunday strip has been a summary of the previous six days from the perspective of a specific character.
References
^ abcdHaley, Guy, ed. (2014). "Flash Gordon". Sci-Fi Chronicles : A Visual History of the Galaxy's Greatest Science Fiction. Richmond Hill, Ontario: Firefly Books. pp. 69–73. ISBN9781770852648.
^ abMurray, Doug (2012). "Birth of a Legend". In Raymond, Alex; Moore, Don (eds.). Flash Gordon: On the Planet Mongo: Sundays 1934–1937. London, England: Titan Books. pp. 10–15. ISBN978-0-8576-8154-6.
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