Since 1934 when Alex Raymond first convinced King Features that his vision of a new kind of space hero would make a successful adventure-packed science fiction comic strip, fans throughout the world have been thrilled and amazed by Flash Gordon's exploits. It all began when the Earth was doomed by an unknown planet that was hurtling toward our world causing the destruction of all humankind. The polo-playing Yale graduate Flash Gordon boarded a plane to be with his father at the end. But fate seated Flash next to the beautiful Dale Arden just as a flaming meteor struck their plane forcing them to parachute to safety. Flash and Dale happened to land near the laboratory of a most distraught Dr. Hans Zarkov. Dr. Zarkov had built a rocket that would change the course of this new planet and save Earth from destruction. Lack of sleep and the strain had left Zarkov's brain weak. He forced Flash Gordon and Dale Arden to board his spaceship and help him, sending all three to a firery and certain death. But Flash Gordon, Dale Arden, and Dr. Zarkov did survive, landing on the planet Mongo only to be thwarted at every turn by Ming the Merciless, Emperor of the Universe.
