Editing Flash Gordon (section)

==Comic strip characters and story==
[[File:Flash Gordon (1934) - Flash and Dale meet Ming.png|thumb|300px|Flash Gordon and Dale Arden meet Ming the Merciless for the first time in the comic serial "[[On the Planet Mongo]]" (1934), art by [[Alex Raymond]].]]
The ''Flash Gordon'' comic strip ran as a Sunday strip from 1934 until 2003, and daily strip from 1940 to 1944 and 1951 to 1992. Reprints of the Sunday strip were syndicated by [[King Features Syndicate]] from 2003 until 2023, when Flash Gordon was relaunched with a new daily and Sunday strip.

The comic strip follows the adventures of Flash Gordon, a handsome [[polo]] player and [[Yale University]] graduate, and his companions [[Dale Arden]] and Dr. [[Hans Zarkov]]. The story begins with Earth threatened by a collision with the planet [[Mongo (fictional planet)|Mongo]]. Dr. Zarkov invents a rocket ship to fly into space in an attempt to stop the disaster. Half mad, he kidnaps Flash and Dale. Landing on the planet, and halting the collision, they come into conflict with [[Ming the Merciless]], Mongo's evil ruler.<ref name="gh" /><ref name="sfe" /><ref name="jr">{{cite book|first=Jeff|last=Rovin|author-link=Jeff Rovin|title=[[The Encyclopedia of Super Villains]]|publisher=Facts on File Publications|location=New York City|date=1987|isbn=081601356X|page=220}}</ref>

For many years, the three companions have adventures on Mongo, traveling to the forest kingdom of Arboria, ruled by [[Prince Barin]]; the ice kingdom of Frigia, ruled by Queen Fria; the jungle kingdom of Tropica, ruled by Queen Desira; the undersea kingdom of the Shark Men, ruled by King Kala; and the flying city of the Hawkmen, ruled by [[Prince Vultan]]. They are joined in several early adventures by [[Prince Thun]] of the Lion Men. Eventually, Ming is overthrown, and Mongo is ruled by a council of leaders led by Barin.<ref name="gh" />

Flash and friends visit Earth for a series of adventures before returning to Mongo and crashing in the kingdom of Tropica, later reuniting with Barin and others. Flash and his friends then travel to other worlds before returning once again to Mongo, where Barin, now married to Ming's daughter [[Princess Aura]], has established a peaceful rule (except for frequent revolts led by Ming or by one of his many descendants).<ref name="gh" />

In the 1950s, Flash became an astronaut who travelled to other planets besides Mongo.<ref name="gh" /> The long story of the Skorpi War takes Flash to other star systems, using starships that are [[Faster-than-light|faster than light]].

In addition to Ming and his allies, Flash and his friends also fought several other villains, including Azura, the Witch Queen; Brukka, chieftain of the giants of Frigia;<ref name="gh" /><ref name="jr" /> the [[Fascism|fascistic]] Red Sword organisation on Earth; and Brazor, the tyrannical usurper of Tropica.<ref name="gh" /><ref name="flp">{{cite book|first=Federico|last=López Sacasau|title=Diccionario Básico del Cómic|publisher=Acento|location=Madrid, Spain|date=1998 |pages=59–60|isbn=8448303113}}</ref> After Raymond's tenure, later writers created new enemies for Flash to combat. Austin Briggs created Kang the Cruel, Ming's callous son.<ref name="gh" /> Prince Polon, who had the power to shrink or enlarge living creatures, the unscrupulous Queen Rubia, and Pyron the Comet Master were among the antagonists introduced during Mac Raboy's run.<ref name="flp" /> The Skorpi, a race of alien shape shifters who desired to conquer the galaxy, were recurring villains in both the Mac Raboy and Dan Barry stories.<ref name="gh" /> The Skorpi space-fighter [[Flying ace|ace]] Baron Dak-Tula became a periodic nemesis of Flash in the late 1970s stories.<ref name="flp" />