A hero is born: Original artwork from the first ever Flash Gordon comic published in 1934 is listed for sale at £465,000 by life-long collector
- The inaugural strip, published in 1934, will go on sale on March 31 for £465,000
- Cartoonist Alex Raymond signed the illustration board to signify its importance
- Pencil and ink artwork is being sold by the widow of a life-long comic collector
- Auctioneer said it is ‘most important’ Golden Age artwork to go under hammer
The original artwork from the first ever Flash Gordon comic, featuring a signature and ‘No 1’ written by the cartoonist Alex Raymond, has been listed for sale by a life-long collector at £465,000.
The inaugural strip for the sci-fi epic featuring Raymond’s illustrations was published on January 7, 1934.
Raymond signed the 28 by 23 inch illustration board and wrote ‘No 1’ on it to signify its importance.
Part of the original artwork from the first ever Flash Gordon comic, reading: ‘World Coming to End’. The inaugural strip featuring Alex Raymond’s illustrations were published in 1934
The first strip introduces Flash Gordon as a ‘Yale graduate and world-renowned polo player’ and his companion Dale Arden, who is simply referred to as a ‘passenger’
The pair parachute out of a crashing plane and ‘float earthward’. By the late 1930s, Flash Gordon was published in 130 newspapers worldwide and read by over 50million people
Almost 90 years later the pencil and ink artwork is being sold by the widow of a life-long comic collector with US based auctioneer Profiles in History.
They describe it as the ‘most important’ piece of artwork from the Golden Age to go under the hammer.
The first Flash strip introduced Flash Gordon, a handsome Yale graduate and polo player, and his companion Dale Arden.
They parachuted out of a crashing plane and were rescued by Dr Hans Zarkov aboard his rocket ship.
This had been launched to intercept the comet Mongo which was hurtling towards Earth.
By the late 1930s, Flash Gordon was published in 130 newspapers worldwide and read by over 50million people.
It ran until 2003 and has spawned numerous films, as well as inspiring Star Trek and Star Wars.
A Profiles in History spokesperson said: ‘The historical impact Flash Gordon had on science fiction and pop culture heroes of the 20th century cannot be overstated.
Illustration shows a ‘seething mass of humanity’ reading a bulletin board about the comet Mongo hurtling to Earth. Flash Gordon ran until 2003 and spawned numerous films
The rocket ship, boarded by Flash and Dale, launches to intercept the comet Mongo, with a ‘madman at the controls’. The sale for the artwork takes place on March 31
Raymond signed the 28 by 23 inch illustration board (top) and wrote ‘No 1’ down both sides to signify its importance. It has been listed for sale by a life-long collector for £465,000
‘The ‘space western’, emphasising space exploration as the final frontier, influenced Gene Roddenberry to create Star Trek.
‘George Lucas had originally wanted to adapt the Flash Gordon serials in the 1970s, yet was unable to secure the rights, and his project evolved into Star Wars.
‘This extraordinary offering represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to obtain the artwork serving as the genesis of history’s greatest science fiction hero.
‘It is the most important piece of comic art from the Golden Age.’
US publishing company King Features Syndicate assigned Raymond to create a Sunday page to compete against the popular Buck Rogers strip that made its newspaper debut in 1929.
Flash Gordon quickly developed an audience far surpassing Buck Rogers, due to Raymond’s artwork and ghostwriter Don Moore’s engaging storylines.
In 1980, the cult film Flash Gordon was released, starring Sam Jones, Melody Anderson, Timothy Dalton and Brian Blessed.
Its soundtrack was famously written and performed by the rock band Queen.
The sale takes place on March 31.