Flash Gordon - Comic Books

Comic Books

Over the years, several publishers have produced Flash Gordon comics, either reprints or original stories.

  • David McKay Publications King Comics #1–155 (1936–1949)
  • Dell Comics Four Color Comics #10, 84, 173, 190, 204, 247, 424, 512; Flash Gordon #2 (1945–1953)
  • Harvey Comics #1–5 (1950)
  • Gold Key Comics #1 (1965)
  • King Comics #1–11 (1966–1967) (also in Phantom #18–20)
  • Charlton Comics #12–18 (1969–1970)
  • Gold Key Comics #19–27 (1978–1979); under their "Whitman Comics" #28–37 (1980–1982)

King also released a comic version as a part of their Comics Reading Library in the 1970s. In 1988, Dan Jurgens wrote a modernized version of the comic strip as a nine-issue DC Comics mini-series. It featured: Flash as a washed up basketball player who finds new purpose in life on Mongo, Dale as an adventurous reporter who is just as capable as Flash, and a gray-skinned Ming who is less of an Asian stereotype.

The series ran for the planned nine issues and was left with an open-ended conclusion. Though Mongo was not a threat to Earth in this series, Ming had every intention of conquering Earth once he coerced Dr. Zarkov into designing the needed ships.

In 1995, Marvel Comics did a two-issue series with art by Al Williamson in the style of the Flash comics he had produced for King and others.

A new comic book series was released by Ardden Entertainment in August 2008, though with inconsistent release dates for subsequent issues. The initital story arc concluded in mid-2009 with an open door to an announced new story arc to begin fall 2009. Ardden also published a Flash Gordon anthology entitled The Secret History of Mongo. Ardden's second Flash Gordon arc is titled Invasion of the Red Sword (2010). Two other arcs were completed.

A reprint of all of Al Williamson's Flash Gordon comic books in black and white was printed by Flesk in 2009.

In 2010, Dark Horse Comics began an archive reprint series in hardback, starting with the original comics published by Dell. The second volume covers the comics published by King Comics, the third covers the comics published by Charlton Comics, the fourth covers the comics published by Gold Key, and the fifth covers the comics published by Whitman.

In 2011, Dynamite Entertainment began a new series called Flash Gordon: Zeitgeist. The series is written by Eric Trautmann (Vampirella, Red Sonja), from a story and designs by Alex Ross (Kingdom Come, Marvels, Project: Superpowers) and illustrated by Daniel Lindro.The company also produced a spinoff miniseries, Merciless: The Rise of Ming, in 2012, with story and art by Scott Beatty and Ron Adrian.

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