Alex Raymond's Flash Gordon #1

Published by Checker Book Publishing Group in 2003, this handsome collection brings together Alex Raymond's groundbreaking Flash Gordon strip in a sturdy, landscape-format edition. The cover sets the tone beautifully: Flash himself — blond and determined in his red uniform and yellow-striped trousers — crosses swords in an intense duel with a dramatically caped, purple-clad adversary, the two figures locked in tense combat against a vivid red montage of adventure scenes. It's a fitting showcase for Raymond's bold, elegant linework and the swashbuckling spirit that made Flash Gordon one of the most beloved adventure strips ever put to paper.