FLASH GORDON CONQUERS THE UNIVERSE PART 2 OF 4 !!!

Today we pick up with the further adventures of Flash Gordon, in a back-up story from Dell Comics' The Phantom, followed by the Flash Gordon comic book series continuing under the Charlton Comics imprint.

Reed Crandall comission piece!

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 bombarded by fiery meteors. Dr. Zarkov invents a rocket ship to locate their place of origin in outer space. Half mad, he kidnaps Flash and Dale, 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.

The Phantom #18-#20 contained a three part Flash Gordon back-up story. 

 

The Phantom #18
"Flash Gordon and the Space Pirates Part 1"
While testing a fantastic fuel cell Flash Gordon is forced down and menaced by space pirates. The pirate leader's niece helps him escape, but reveals that her uncle has a powerful organization with which he planes to take over the universe.
Artwork by the legendary Wally Wood.

The Phantom #19
"Flash Gordon and the Space Pirates Part 2"
Artwork by the incomparable Gil Kane. 

The Phantom #20
"Flash Gordon and the Space Pirates Part 3"
Forced down by a meteor strike on their space ship, Flash and Patch encounter hypnotic globes and a huge predator, which they fend off with a ray gun before blasting off again.
Awesome artwork by Gil Kane. 

These stories have been reprinted in the gorgeous Dark Horse Flash Gordon Archives Vol. 2 hardcover.

Following this, Charlton Comics takes over the numbering from the 1966 King Features Flash Gordon comic book series. In tomorrow's post, the numbering continues in the 1978 Western Flash Gordon comic book series.

Flash Gordon #12  Flash Gordon versus Sheng the Savage!
"Sheng the Savage"
Written by Bill Pearson with Reed Crandall artwork. 
The cover was done by Reed Crandall with the others done by Pat Boyette. 

Unused cover by Jeff Jones!

Flash Gordon #13  Trapped in the Cave of the Mud Men!
"Monster Men of Tropica"
Written by Bill Pearson with artwork by a young Jeff Jones!
"Trapped in the Cave of the Mud Men"
Written by the prolific Joe Gill with artwork by Pat (Peacemaker) Boyette.
  

Flash Gordon #14  In the Land of the Witch Queen!
"In the Land of the Witch Queen"
Written by Bill Pearson with art by Pat Boyette. 

Flash Gordon #15  Danger in the Land of Djale!
"In the Land of Djale"
Art by Pat Boyette. 

 Flash Gordon #16  In the Mystic Realm!
"Mission into the Mystic Realm"
Art by Pat Boyette.

(On the Planet Mongo) Flash Gordon #17  The Creeping Menace!
"The Creeping Menace"
Art by Pat Boyette.  
"The Deep Damp"
Brick Bradford feature by Paul Norris.

"The Intruder"
Art by Pat Boyette.  

Flash Gordon #18  Attack of the Locustmen!
"Scourge of the Locustmen"
Art by Pat Boyette. 
"Shiraz"
Non-fiction feature written by Raymond Marais with art by a young Mike (The Shadow) Kaluta!  "Time Waits for All Men"
Art by Pat Boyette.



These issues are reprinted in the fantastic Dark Horse Flash Gordon Archives Vol. 3 hardcover. 

Tempo Books published six Flash Gordon paperbacks, in the eighties, containing comic book reprints. The fourth book sports a fantastic line drawn cover by Boris Vallejo. These were written by Dan Barry and drawn by the incredible Bob Fujitani, originally from the seventies.

Tempo Books also came out with a paperback series of six, exciting new adventure novels of America's greatest hero, Flash Gordon, written by noted technothriller author David Hagberg. Boris Vallejo provided striking painted covers on the first four books. 

Original sketch by Al Williamson!

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