Flash Gordon
Flash Gordon was originally a newspaper comic strip hero inspired by the "Buck Rogers" line and created by Alex Raymond; he first saw print in January 7, 1934, and his adventures continue even to this day (July 2011). Aside from the newspaper strip, several comic book series at several publishers (including King Comics, Marvel Comics, DC, etc.) saw the light of day under the franchise, some reprints of the strip, some original stories - the latest ongoing line started in August, 2008, and is published by Ardden Entertainment.
After the series began, it quickly overarched into other media-forms; on April 22, 1935, a weekly radio serial called "The Amazing Interplanetary Adventures of Flash Gordon" was launched and continued on until October 26, 1935; two days later, on October 28, 1935, it was relaunched as a daily show by the name of "The Further Interplanetary Adventures of Flash Gordon". This second incarnation ended on February 7, 1936.
In 1936, Harold Hersey produced one issue of the "Flash Gordon Strange Adventure Magazine" that was intended to be an ongoing pulp series, but failed to garner enough attention to take off. It featured a "novel" (more like a novella) called "The Master of Mars" by James Edison Northford, who is otherwise unknown. On the back page a second installment called "The Sun Men of Saturn" was promised, but it never saw print.
Also in 1936, a full length novel credited to be written by strip creator Alex Raymond, "Flash Gordon in the Caverns of Mongo", was published. It was, like the magazine, intended to be the first part of a larger series, but, also like the magazine, it failed to take off. Much later, in 1973, further six books were published ("The Lion Men of Mongo", "The Plague of Sound", "The Space Circus", "The Time Trap of Ming XIII", "The Witch Queen of Mongo", "The War of the Cybernauts"), credited to be written by Raymond, but in reality authored by SF writer Ron Goulart. In 1980, another six-part series was published ("Massacre in the 22nd Century", "War of the Citadels", "Crisis on Citadel II", "Forces from the Federation", "Citadels Under Attack", "Citadels on Earth"), written by David Hagberg, but these stories reportedly got little in common with the other versions of the characters.
Flash Gordon's first cinematic adventure was released in 1936, and it's been continually revisited since.
After the series began, it quickly overarched into other media-forms; on April 22, 1935, a weekly radio serial called "The Amazing Interplanetary Adventures of Flash Gordon" was launched and continued on until October 26, 1935; two days later, on October 28, 1935, it was relaunched as a daily show by the name of "The Further Interplanetary Adventures of Flash Gordon". This second incarnation ended on February 7, 1936.
In 1936, Harold Hersey produced one issue of the "Flash Gordon Strange Adventure Magazine" that was intended to be an ongoing pulp series, but failed to garner enough attention to take off. It featured a "novel" (more like a novella) called "The Master of Mars" by James Edison Northford, who is otherwise unknown. On the back page a second installment called "The Sun Men of Saturn" was promised, but it never saw print.
Also in 1936, a full length novel credited to be written by strip creator Alex Raymond, "Flash Gordon in the Caverns of Mongo", was published. It was, like the magazine, intended to be the first part of a larger series, but, also like the magazine, it failed to take off. Much later, in 1973, further six books were published ("The Lion Men of Mongo", "The Plague of Sound", "The Space Circus", "The Time Trap of Ming XIII", "The Witch Queen of Mongo", "The War of the Cybernauts"), credited to be written by Raymond, but in reality authored by SF writer Ron Goulart. In 1980, another six-part series was published ("Massacre in the 22nd Century", "War of the Citadels", "Crisis on Citadel II", "Forces from the Federation", "Citadels Under Attack", "Citadels on Earth"), written by David Hagberg, but these stories reportedly got little in common with the other versions of the characters.
Flash Gordon's first cinematic adventure was released in 1936, and it's been continually revisited since.
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- DirectorsFrederick StephaniRay TaylorStarsBuster CrabbeJean RogersCharles MiddletonFlash Gordon, Dale Arden and Dr. Alexis Zarkov visit the planet Mongo to thwart the evil schemes of Emperor Ming the Merciless, who has set his planet on a collision course with Earth.The first Buster Crabbe serial. Got re-edited two times; first in 1936 into a cinema feature (as "Atomic Rocketship / Flash Gordon"), and later in 1966 into a television feature (as "Spaceship to the Unknown"). Also, at the time the 1954 series "Flash Gordon" was broadcasted, the first serial was retitled as "Space Soldiers" for easier distinction, and was aired by that name on television. The two sequels were retitled accordingly.
- DirectorsFord BeebeRobert F. HillStarsBuster CrabbeJean RogersCharles MiddletonFlash Gordon, Dale Arden and Dr. Alexis Zarkov visit the planet Mongo to thwart the evil schemes of Emperor Ming the Merciless, who has set his planet on a collision course with Earth.Feature film edited from the 1936 serial. Also known as "Rocket Ship".
- DirectorsFord BeebeRobert F. HillFrederick StephaniStarsBuster CrabbeJean RogersCharles MiddletonWhen a deadly Nitron ray strikes Earth, Flash Gordon and his friends travel to Mars to battle Ming the Merciless and his new ally Queen Azura.The second Buster Crabbe serial. Got re-edited two times; first in 1938 into a cinema feature (as "Mars Attacks the World"), and later in 1966 into a television feature (as "Deadly Ray from Mars"). Also, at the time the 1954 series "Flash Gordon" was broadcasted, the second serial was retitled (following the suit of the first one) as "Space Soldiers' Trip to Mars", and was aired by that name on television.
- DirectorsFord BeebeRobert F. HillStarsBuster CrabbeJean RogersCharles MiddletonWhen a deadly Nitron ray strikes Earth, Flash Gordon and his friends travel to Mars to battle Ming the Merciless and his new ally Queen Azura.Feature film edited from the 1938 serial. Maybe also known as "Mars Attacks the Earth".
- DirectorsFord BeebeRay TaylorStarsBuster CrabbeCarol HughesCharles MiddletonA ravaging plague has struck the Earth threatening no less than global extinction. This alien disease is believed to be the evil spawn of Ming, the merciless Emperor of Planet Mongo. The world's only hope now rests with Flash Gordon.The third Buster Crabbe serial. It didn't get the cinema feature treatment from the studio at the same year of its release (like its two predecessors did), but in 1966 it got re-edited into not one, but two television features - "Purple Death from Outer Space" and "Peril from the Planet Mongo". Also, at the time the 1954 series "Flash Gordon" was broadcasted, the third serial was retitled (following the suit of the first two) as "Space Soldiers Conquer the Universe", and was aired by that name on television.
- StarsSteve HollandIrene ChamplinJoseph NashSpace hero Flash Gordon and his crew of the Galaxy Bureau of Investigation patrol space, battling space monsters, power-mad alien dictators and other threats to the stability of the universe.The Steve Holland television revival.
- DirectorsFrederick StephaniRay TaylorStarsBuster CrabbeJean RogersFrank ShannonFlash Gordon, Dale Arden and Dr. Alexis Zarkov visit the planet Mongo to thwart the evil schemes of Emperor Ming the Merciless, who has set his planet on a collision course with Earth.Television feature edited from the 1936 serial "Flash Gordon".
- DirectorsFord BeebeRobert F. HillStarsBuster CrabbeJean RogersCharles MiddletonAn edited version of the 1938 Universal serial "Flash Gordon's Trip to Mars" that was released to TV in a syndication package in 1966.Television feature edited from the 1938 serial "Flash Gordon's Trip to Mars".
- StarsBuster CrabbeCarol HughesCharles MiddletonFlash Gordon, Dale Arden and Dr. Zarkov return to the planet Mongo for an antidote to the Purple Death, which wreaking destruction on Earth. However, Ming the Merciless has other plans for them.#1 of the television features edited from the 1940 serial "Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe".
- StarsBuster CrabbeCarol HughesCharles MiddletonFlash Gordon, Dale Arden and Dr. Zarkov return to the planet Mongo for an antidote to the Purple Death, which wreaking destruction on Earth. However, Ming the Merciless has other plans for them.#2 of the television features edited from the 1940 serial "Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe."
- DirectorsMichael BenvenisteHoward ZiehmStarsJason WilliamsSuzanne FieldsJoseph HudginsEmperor Wang is leader of the planet Porno and sends his mighty sex ray toward Earth, which turns everyone into sex-mad fiends. Only one person can save the Earth, football player Flesh Gordon.Racy seventies parody.
- StarsRobert RidgelyAlan OppenheimerDiane PershingThe adventures of the comic strip space hero and his friends as they battle the tyranny of Ming the Merciless on the planet Mongo.Seventies animated series, also known as "The New Adventures of Flash Gordon". Originally conceived as one long television feature, it later got expanded into a Saturday morning show; at the end of its run, the original movie got to be reassembled, and aired as "Flash Gordon - The Greatest Adventure of All" in 1982.
- DirectorMike HodgesStarsSam J. JonesMelody AndersonMax von SydowA football player and his friends travel to the planet Mongo and find themselves fighting the tyranny of Ming the Merciless to save Earth.The ill-famed eigthies remake.
- StarsRobert RidgelyDiane PershingBob HoltFlash Gordon, Dale Arden and Dr. Hans Zarkov travel to the planet Mongo to fight the evil emperor Ming the Merciless.Re-edited from the 1979 series, which was originally conceived as one long television feature.
- StarsLoren LesterLou RichardsSarah PartridgeFour of the greatest comic strip heroes join forces to battle Ming the Merciless.Eighties animated series; Flash Gordon teams up with The Phantom, Mandrake the Magician and Lothar (with all four of them originally being newspaper comic strip heroes) to battle Ming the Merciless. Their children also enter the fray, making the team multi-generational.
- DirectorHoward ZiehmStarsVince MurdoccoRobyn KellyTony TravisFlesh Gordon is kidnapped by a group of space cheerleaders hoping to use him to save their planet.Adult nineties parody, sequel to the 1974 parody movie "Flesh Gordon".
- CreatorsGarfield Reeves-StevensDavid J. CorbettStarsLawrence BayneLorne KennedyJulie LemieuxAfter his parents are sucked to the planet Mongo, the teenage hoverboard enthusiast Flash Gordon, his girlfriend Dale Arden and the scientist Dr. Hans Zarkov travel to Mongo to rescue them and to battle Mongo's emperor, Ming the Merciless.Nineties animated series, where Flash Gordon is reimagined as a hoverboarder teenager.
- CreatorPeter HumeStarsEric JohnsonGina HoldenKaren ClicheThe famous Steven "Flash" Gordon discovers a secret his father tried desperately to hide. He embarks on a journey to another dimension in the hope of finding his father, who is believed to have been killed in a fire.A 2007 attempt of revival.
