How a rejected comic strip pitch accidentally birthed the modern science-fiction blockbuster
In short: When King Features Syndicate failed to secure the rights to John Carter of Mars, they tasked Alex Raymond with creating a rival. The resulting space adventure, Flash Gordon, became a global phenomenon that directly inspired Superman's costume, Batman's debut, and even the creation of the Star Wars universe.
Launched on January 7, 1934, Flash Gordon was a direct response to the commercial success of the Buck Rogers comic strip. Raymond’s initial pitch was rejected for lacking action, but after incorporating themes from Philip Wylie’s 1933 novel When Worlds Collide—specifically a hero, his girlfriend, and a scientist fleeing Earth in a rocket—the syndicate accepted the project. The strip followed Yale graduate Flash Gordon and his companions, Dale Arden and Dr. Hans Zarkov, as they battled the villainous Ming the Merciless on the planet Mongo.
The strip’s influence was profound and immediate. By the late 1930s, it reached 50 million readers in 130 newspapers across eight languages. Its aesthetic, described as 'romantic baroque,' set a standard for science-fiction art. Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster modeled Superman’s iconic tights and cape on Flash’s costume, while Bob Kane’s cover for Detective Comics No. 27 was based on a 1937 drawing by Raymond. Even George Lucas, unable to secure the rights to produce a Flash Gordon film in the 1970s, pivoted to create Star Wars instead.
The character’s legacy extended into film and television, most notably in the 1980 feature directed by Mike Hodges. While the film was not a critical success upon release, it gained cult status, bolstered by a score from the band Queen. The film’s enduring impact is perhaps best captured by Brian Blessed’s performance as Prince Vultan; his line 'GORDON'S ALIVE?!' remains a staple of pop culture decades later. Today, the franchise continues to evolve, with various reboots and adaptations keeping the spirit of Raymond’s original vision alive for new generations.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Flash Gordon
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