Flash Gordon Starring Buster Crabbe

Before episodic TV, people used to go movie theatres once a week to watch serials. Buster Crabbe, a champion Olympic swimmer, turned his fame into an acting career and when the comic strip Flash Gordon was adapted into a serial, he played the title character. He repeated that a couple of times for other stories.

Flash Gordon was a competitor to Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, and by coincidence Crabbe played Buck in its movie serial.

The sets were flimsy, the special effects rudimentary, and the acting often stiff as cardboard, but they kept the action coming at a furious pace and kids loved them. Serials still hold their appeal today for many people.

This still of Crabbe looked like it would make a good cover for a Flash Gordon comic book revival.

Colour and packaging by me.

Still found on the web.

Colourised.

Re-created trade dress added.