Alex Raymond

"'Flash Gordon' is arguably the most famous science fiction comic strip of all time. It follows the adventures of the title character and his companions--Dale Arden and Dr. Zarkov--as they leave Earth to discover the source of meteors that are threatening the planet, and get waylaid on the planet Mongo, where they battle the evil Ming the Merciless. The three Earthlings encounter one strange race after another, from the water-breathing Shark-Men of the Undersea Kingdom, to the winged Hawkmen, to the ferocious Tusk-Men. All the while, Flash finds himself in the arms of one beautiful woman after another--much to Dale Arden's chagrin."--Amazon.com.

"Alex Raymond: His Life and Art delves deep into the history and work of this internationally famous artist, showcasing never-before-known facts and art that transcended the confines of a comic strip page and make him more than the renowned artist of Flash Gordon."--Amazon.com.

An American football player is whisked off to outer space, where he has to square off against evil emporor Ming the Merciless. Contrary to the front cover's claim, this was not "the only book of the film," there was also a children's storybook and a panel-comic adaptation.