Monday Madness FLASH GORDON COMICS "The World You WILL Live In" #1

In 1950, what amazing advances did we think the 21st Century would bring?

As shown in this uncredited (and never-reprinted) feature from Harvey's Flash Gordon #1 (1950), all five predictions have, in fact, come to pass...albeit in modified form.

This was one of three different new one-page features that appeared in all four issues of the series which reprinted the Flash Gordon Sunday newspaper strip by Alex Raymond, reformatted for the comic book page, and new covers (not by Alex Raymond).

The others were "Stories Behind the Stars" (about the myths behind constellation names) and "know Your Planets" (about the other worlds in the solar system).

Reading Room FLASH GORDON COMICS "World You WILL Live In"

Though the Flash Gordon stories in this four-issue series from Harvey were newspaper reprints...

...there were text stories and ongoing features that were new material!

This feature appeared in all four issues of the 1950-51 book.

Sadly, the writer and artist are unknown.

It's fascinating to see what they got wrong...and more importantly, what they got right!

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Science Fiction Comics

Taylor History of Comics

Vol 3

CoronaVirus Comics FLASH GORDON COMICS "Real Enemy"

Though deliberate use of disease as a weapon is forbidden by all civilized countries on Earth...

...sometimes inadvertent use against a technologically-superior enemy may be the only thing that saves us!

Written by Joe Gill and illustrated by Pete Morisi (who signed his work "PAM" because comics were his moonlighting gig after his full-time job as a member of the NYPD), this backup tale from Charlton's Flash Gordon #16 (1969) takes the concept from the finale of HG Wells' War of the Worlds and shows Earth disease destroying the entire population of the alien homeworld, not just an invasion force as in Wells' novel!

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War of the Worlds

Illustrated by Alex Nino

Pendulum Press/Now Age Books

Reading Room STORIES BEHIND THE STARS "Hydra, the Immortal Monster"

Here's a popular mythological creature who's been "retconned" in movies and tv...

...but this never-reprinted one-pager from Harvey's Flash Gordon #4 (1950) gives you the original version of the story!

Illustrated (and possibly written) by Bob Powell.

Reading Room STORIES BEHIND THE STARS "Andromeda"

Ever wonder what the actual legend behind Clash of the Titans was?

This Bob Powell-illustrated, never-reprinted feature from Harvey's Flash Gordon #3 (1950) explains the myth!

You'll note the "monster" is not the movie's Kraken, which was a mythological Norse creature based on sightings of huge octopi.

Ray Harryhausen let his imagination run wild, producing a far more interesting creature than the usual fire-breathing lizard.

The writer of the feature is unknown, but could be Powell.

Reading Room STORIES BEHIND THE STARS "Orion"

An ongoing feature about the mythological origins of the constellations...

...which has never been reprinted since its' appearance in Harvey's Flash Gordon #2 (1950).

Illustrated by Bob Powell.

The writer is unknown, but could be Powell.

Reading Room THE FIRST SPACESHIP

Here's a curious, never-reprinted, one-shot...

..."based on scientific facts from the Hayden Planetarium" as well as the plot of the then-current movie Destination Moon, whose comic adaptations (yes, there were two of them) can be found HERE and HERE.

From Harvey's Flash Gordon #1 (1950), writer and artist unknown.

Reading Room "The World You WILL Live In!" Part 4

Let's take one final look at this never-reprinted series from 1950...

Of the five predictions in this one-pager from Harvey's Flash Gordon #4 (1950), the first is a possibility, the second and fifth have yet to occur, and the third and fourth have come true.

Both the artist and writer are unknown.

This was one of three different new one-page features that appeared in all four issues of the series which reprinted the classic Flash Gordon Sunday newspaper strip by Alex Raymond, reformatted for the comic book page, and with new covers (not by Alex Raymond).
The others were "Stories Behind the Stars" (about the myths behind constellation names) and "Know Your Planets" (about the other worlds in the solar system).

Reading Room "The World You WILL Live In!" Part 3

Let's continue with this fascinating feature from 1950 which predicted the 21st Century...

In 2014, we do have laser scalpels (in limited use, mostly for eye surgery) and lasers are used to remove tattoos.

The mobile telephone one can be interpreted as cell phones, but radiophones in cars were a popular item among the rich (and spies/superheroes) in the '60s to early '80s.

(Batman, James Bond, Honey West, Matt Helm, The Avengers [Steed and Peel, not the superheroes] and The Green Hornet all had them!)

Extensive mining of minerals from the ocean floor has yet to occur, and the sun's going nova billions of years from now has been predicted since the 1800s.

So, 4 out or 5 for this never-reprinted feature from Harvey's Flash Gordon #3 (1950) is pretty good, eh?
Both the artist and writer are unknown.

This was one of three different new one-page features that appeared in all four issues of the series which reprinted the classic Flash Gordon Sunday newspaper strip by Alex Raymond, reformatted for the comic book page, and with new covers (not by Alex Raymond).
The others were "Stories Behind the Stars" (about the myths behind constellation names) and "Know Your Planets" (about the other worlds in the solar system).

Reading Room "The World You WILL Live In" Part 2

In 1950, what amazing advances did we think the 21st Century would bring?

Unlike our previous post's predictions, most of these have not come true!

Only the wristwatch one has occured, on only with expensive, high-end timepieces!

This never-reprinted feature from Harvey's Flash Gordon #2 (1950) features art by Bob Powell, though the writer is unknown!
This was one of three different new one-page features that appeared in all four issues of the series which reprinted the classic Flash Gordon Sunday newspaper strip by Alex Raymond, reformatted for the comic book page, and with new covers (not by Alex Raymond).
The others were "Stories Behind the Stars" (about the myths behind constellation names) and "Know Your Planets" (about the other worlds in the solar system).