BEACH BUM COMICS : FLASH GORDON FACES THE MONSTER MEN OF TROPICA !!!

We've got a real treat today! This is the kind of thing I just love sharing. A budding young artist, by the name of Jeff Jones (famed member of The Studio, with Barry Windsor-Smith, Bernie Wrightson & Michael W. Kaluta) illustrated the first Flash Gordon story in issue #13 from Charlton Comics portion of the series also published by Gold Key, King and Whitman Comics.

Great trade paperback featuring Jeff Jones', larger than I realized, body of work! Highly Recommended!

Created by the legendary Alex Raymond, the comic strip & subsequent comic book follow the adventures of Flash Gordon, a handsome polo player and Yale University graduate, with his companions, Dale Arden and Dr. Hans Zarkov. The saga begins with Earth threatened to collide with the planet Mongo. Zarkov invents a rocket ship to fly into space in an attempt to stop the disaster. Half mad, he kidnaps Flash and Dale and they travel to the planet. Landing on the planet, and halting the collision, they come into conflict with Ming the Merciless, Mongo's malevolent evil ruler. And the rest is, history.

I really, really enjoyed Jeff Jones' work on this issue. Simply Fabulous!

Flash Gordon #13 Trapped in the Cave of the Mud Men
"Monster Men of Tropica"
Howling natives charge Flash & Dale from all sides. She escapes to go for help.
Written by Bill (T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents) Pearson with fantastic art by Jeff (Blazing Combat) Jones.
"Trapped in the Cave of the Mud Men"
After the nightmare of an alien invasion is thwarted, was it truly over, or was there one more act to be played?
Written by Joe (Space: 1999) Gill with stunning art by Pat (The Phantom) Boyette.
This issue includes a Rip Kirby (created by Alex Raymond) text story, "Mystery of the Satin Dress."

Reprinted in Flash Gordon Comic-Book Archives Volume 3. Cover used for this edition was from issue #18, by Pat Boyette.

One of my all-time favorite comic book stories, from Denny O'Neil & Pat Boyette.

For me, next to Pat Boyette's art on "Children of Doom" (from Charlton Premiere #2), Flash Gordon showcased some of his finest work.

Charlton Spotlight #2 magazine featuring Pat Boyette.

Bill Pearson credited himself in interview in Charlton Spotlight #2. "I wrote the Jones story but not the Mud Men story in that issue, so it must have been written by Gill."