Rockets to Adventure: Flash Gordon's First Serial
Preface and Index -- Updated 2009
Universal Pictures' Flash Gordon serial of 1936 followed Alex Raymond's syndicated strip more closely than any of the other films made from this popular adventure series. These pages not only trace the paralells between the two media, but also document the improvment of Raymond's visual skills as he developed his concept beyond a mere imitation of Buck Rogers -- setting a standard for newspaper art that was never outmatched.
My scholarly comparisons and shameless comments are arranged in fourteen sequential chapters:
Ch 1: Earth is Doomed Ch 2: Rocket into Space Ch 3: Monsters of Mongo Ch 4: Princess Aura
Ch 5: Flash Strikes Back Ch 6: Dehumanizing Dale Ch 7: Crash the Wedding Ch 8: Shark Men
Ch 9: Sea to Shining Sky Ch 10: Hawk Men Ch 11: The Tournament Ch 12: Potions & Notions
Ch 13: The Invisible Flash Ch 14: Aura's Last Crimes & Coda NEW!
Flash Gordon is the property of it's copyright holders.  All images are used for scholastic purposes ONLY in the context of this article. 
Text and graphic design copyright by Michael R. Evans 2009
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