Feb 24, 20212 min read

Mattel's Flash Gordon 1979-1980

In 1979 Mattel produced a line of action figures based on The New Adventures of Flash Gordon cartoon that was made by Filmation, the cartoon sadly only aired for 2 seasons. All 8 figures are 3 3/4" (1:18 scale) and feature a solid construction more like a vintage Kenner Star Wars figure than say a Hasbro GI Joe from the ''80s and articulation ranges from 4 to 5 points depending on whether or not the figure had a swivel neck or not.

Series one which is the most common if you looking to collect this line features Flash Gordon, Lizard Women, Ming, and Thun. Series two which is a little harder to track down was only Dr. Zarkov and Beastman and finally, series three is the hardest of the three series to find features Captain Arak and Vultan.

Series One

Flash Gordon

Ming

Ming from a Local Shop i saw recently

Lizard Women

Thun

Series 2

Dr. Zarkov

Beastman

Series 3

Captain Arak

Vultan

Vehicles

Rocket Ship

The Rocket Ship which is a plastic blow-up Blimp similar to what would come out later in the TMNT line from Playmates, the cockpit is detachable and becomes a shuttle with wheels with a yellow/orange cockpit with wheels

Parts list

Clear canopy

Modular Space Shuttle

Label sheet

2 wheels/ axel units

Rocket motor

Nose cannon

Plastic inflatable ship

Ming's Shuttle

The second vehicle was Ming's Space Shuttle which was the same piece of plastic used for the Rocket ships cockpit but repainted green instead of yellow/orange. Ming's Shuttle is the harder to find of the to vehicles from this line.

Clear canopy

Modular Space Shuttle"

Label sheet

2 wheels/ axel units

Cannon

Catalogue Gift Sets

the figures were also released in some multi-pack threw store Catalogues

sets included were:

#59353 Dr. Zarkov, Vultan, Ming, and Beastman, and was released through Sears
#59357 Flash, Thun, Arak, and Lizard Woman, and was released through Sears
The Bad Guys From Penny's Set Ming, Lizard Woman, and Beastman
The Good Guys set from Penny's Flash, Zarkov, and Thun

Card backs

All 8 figures from Flash Gordon were packaged on the same card with the only difference being the background colour behind each character with the name above the bubble and the Card-backs were updated when the last 2 figures were released