Flash Gordon

Flash Gordon is a comic strip hero created by Alex Raymond for King Features Syndicate. He first appeared on January 7, 1934, as a direct competitor to the already established Buck Rogers strip.

Flash is a Yale-educated polo player who, along with his companion Dale Arden and the scientist Dr. Hans Zarkov, is rocketed to the planet Mongo to confront the tyrannical Emperor Ming the Merciless. On Mongo, Flash encounters a variety of kingdoms and peoples, forming alliances and leading rebellions against Ming's oppressive rule.

Alex Raymond's detailed, illustrative art style set a new standard for adventure strips in the 1930s and influenced generations of comic artists. The strip spawned film serials, animated series, and a 1980 feature film. Flash Gordon has been published in comic book form by multiple publishers over the decades, including Dell, Gold Key, DC, Marvel, and Dynamite Entertainment.