King Comics' Flash Gordon ran eleven issues. This was my favorite run of the entire series, with Gold Key a close second. Many of the stories were written by Archie Goodwin, Bill Pearson & Larry Ivie with art by Al Williamson, Ric Estrada, Mac Raboy, Reed Crandall, Frank Bolle, Dan Barry. Dan Barry drew the newspaper comic book strip for a number of years.
The comic book follows the adventures of Flash Gordon, a handsome polo player and Yale University graduate, and his companions Dale Arden and Dr. Hans Zarkov.
The original story began with Earth bombarded by fiery meteors. Dr. Zarkov invented a rocket ship to locate their place of origin in outer space. Half mad, Zarkov kidnaps Flash Gordon and Dale Arden, whose plane has crashed in the area, and the three travel to the planet Mongo, where they discover the meteors are weapons devised by Ming the Merciless, evil ruler of Mongo.
Flash Gordon #1 Return with Flash to the strange planet Mongo!
"A sleek rocket ship skims above the continent of Tropica on the planet Mongo"
Flash returns to Mongo.
"Midnight with Mandrake"
Mandrake the Magician feature
Written by Dick Wood with art by Don Heck & Andre LeBlanc.
"Flash Gordon and the Mole Machine"
"Ming the Merciless Pin-Up"
"Map of the Planet Mongo"
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| A favorite comic book cover of mine by legendary Gil Kane! |
Flash Gordon #2 Flash finds a grim surprise lurking in the Death Trap of Mongo!
"Death Trap of Mongo"
"The Laughing Clown Caper"
Mandrake feature.
"Flash Gordon and the Sea Beast"
Flash Gordon #3 Flash meets Monolith, champion of all Mongo, in a duel to the death!
"Lost in the Land of the Lizardmen"
"The Little Giant"
Mandrake feature.
Mandrake spots his friend Jerry, the fight promoter and inquires as to why he failed to show up for a dinner date. When Jerry gives the magician the brush-off, Mandrake pursues the matter and discovers that some thugs are trying to get Jerry's fighter to throw a match.
"Flash meets Monolith, Champion of Mongo"
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| Original cover artwork by Al Williamson! |
"Lost Continent of Mongo"
"The Key to Power"
Secret Agent X-9 (Phil Corrigan) feature.
"The Sentries of Dark Mountain"
"Flash Gordon and the God of Beastmen"
"Terror of the Blue Death"
"The Assassins of Power"
Secret Agent X-9 feature.
"Cragmen of the Lost Continent"
"The Totem Master"
"The Third Key of Power"
Secret Agent X-9 feature.
"In the Human Forest"
"Flash Gordon Meets the Evil Genius of the Cosmos"
The Fourth Key of Power"
Secret Agent X-9 feature.
"Flash Gordon and the Elder's Deathtrap"
"Ceremony in Shock"
Part 2
"The Fifth Key of Power"
Secret Agent X-9 feature.
Cover & promo ad may by Alex Raymond artwork!
"The Tournament of Mongo"
"The Prison of Mongo"
Text Flash Gordon story.
Another possible Alex Raymond cover!
"The Tournament of Mongo"
Part 2.
"Forbidden Forest"
Text Flash Gordon story.
Cover based on Flash Gordon Sunday comic strip by Austin Briggs.
Rich Buckler's first professional art on a back up feature of George Washington.
Flash Gordon #11
"Dream Devils of the Volcanic World"
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| Very Highly Recommended Flash Gordon Archives! |
There were two Pinnacle Books reprinting King Comics' Flash Gordon #1 & #2 in the first paperback with #4 & #6 in the second paperback. Nice to see the covers by Al Williamson & Gil Kane (one of my favorite comic book covers.) Artwork was done by Al Williamson, Reed Crandall & Frank Bolle.
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| Still feeling it for the Gil Kane cover! |
"The Ice Monster"
Flash helps prevent Count Trival and Bellam from killing Queen Fria and King Ronal.
"The Mole Machine"
Flash, Dale and Zarkov use a mole machine to tunnel through the Earth, finding an underground city.
"The Death Trap of Mongo"
Ming the Merciless schemes to bring Flash back to Mongo.
Written by Archie Goodwin.
"Lost Continent of Mongo"
Written by Archie Goodwin.
"Cragmen of the Lost Continent"
Avon Books launched a six-book series of adult-oriented Flash Gordon novels, in the seventies, written by noted sci-fi author Ron Goulart.
Tomorrow I plan on covering more of the Flash Gorden gems. You won't want to miss it.
Live Large My Friends!
Thank You!
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| Fun movie with a terrific Queen soundtrack! |
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