BY BILL ENGAR

NEW KIT REVIEW IN-PROGRESS!  STAY TUNED AS WE ADD CONTENT TO THIS PAGE!!!

Atlantis Models re-releases 1/8-scale Flash Gordon and the Martian in a long-box format similar to Aurora's legendary figure kits.  If you can't decide whether or not you want to build it or add it to your collection of unbuilt classic figure kits, you'd better buy two!  We'd guess this one will be collectible based upon sales of the 2016 release.

In 2016, Atlantis Models released Flash Gordon and the Martian with cooperation from the legendary Revell model kit corporation.  The kit sold out immediately, even at its then-high retail price of $40.00!  Fast Forward to 2023.  Atlantis Models now owns the historic tooling to Flash Gordon and has released it again to the delight of modelers and collectors who missed it the first time.  Your patience has been rewarded; Atlantis has adjusted the price to crazy-low $29.99 MSRP, a real bargain when one considers the unfavorable inflationary economics of the past few years.

Flash Gordon owes his existence to Buck Rogers, a comic book science fiction hero who debuted in early 1929.  Thriving through the stock market crash late that year and the economic depression that followed, Buck Rogers traveled successfully beyond his comic book roots to radio and movies.  In 1934, King Features Syndicate developed Flash Gordon to compete with National Newspaper Syndicates’ Buck Rogers phenomenon.

Revell created their Flash Gordon model kit in 1965.  It was released around the same time as their Phantom and Voo Doo Doctor kit.  These were planned to be the start of a new classic comic book character series that never got off the ground.  Both Phantom and Flash weren’t re-released by Revell, but Atlantis released both kits in cooperation with Revell in 2016.  This special arrangement and the licensing involved resulted in the kits retailing in the $40.00 range.  In spite of this pricing, Flash Gordon sold out immediately thanks to unanticipated excitement about the kit release among Flash Gordon fans.
 
Within two years, Revell’s parent company Hobbico went bankrupt suddenly and Revell USA’s assets were liquidated.  Thanks to an amicable relationship with Revell, Atlantis Models was able to acquire Revell’s legacy tooling and included was the mold to Flash Gordon.  With Atlantis owning the tooling, a much more economical arrangement allows this re-release to modelers at 25% less than the original pricing.

The sculpting for this model is certainly on-par or even better than Aurora's legendary figure kits.  We were very surprised how well this kit was engineered when we first saw the parts!  The plastic figure will closely resemble the original Revell box art which has been recreated on the Atlantis box.

The kit has 30 parts including a transparent bubble space helmet molded in two halves.  It's a vintage mid-1960's kit so you can expect a little flash and some sinkholes.  A little trimming of parts and some modeler's putty will come in handy here.  Model glue for styrene plastic is required for assembly.  A builder who has put together a glue-kit or two should have no trouble with this one.

The plastic on this helmet was so transparent it was hard to photograph!

The figure's face was exquisitely sculpted.  In the hands of an experienced painter, there's no reason why this model can't be a contest-winner.

"The Martian" is a whimsical humanoid-insect.  It stands on its own separate base so displaying it alongside Flash  or not is your choice.

Each figure comes with its own base and there is a nameplate.

After gluing the parts in halves together such as arms, legs, torso, etc, use rubber bands to hold them together securely until the glue is dry.  As you glue the legs to the torso, check the fit of the figure's feet to the stand.  Ideally, you want the figure's feet to be flat on the stand or as close as you can get.

Two small stands may be painted a "Mars" color or whatever the modeler wishes.  A mix of orange and brown paint will approximate Martian soil.

The Martian figure had gaps between halves that were easily filled with modeler's putty.  Since the bubble-helmet is molded in halves, there will be a seam.  A trick to cover this up if you want is to use a band of silver at the joint. You could paint a thin line along each half or use some adhesive-foil.

We'd recommend using either white glue like Elmer's or better, Testors Clear Parts Cement to glue the helmet halves together, and to the figure's neck-ring.  Otherwise, glue intended for styrene plastic will fog the clear parts.

The back of the box features a photo of a model built by former Aurora Models employee Andy Yanchus.

Instructions consist of a large folded sheet with two simple assembly diagrams.  The back page shows Atlantis' other figure kits including re-releases of many of the iconic former Aurora monster figures.

When I build figures, I like to use a 2-part epoxy to fill seams and joints such as where Flash Gordon's legs meet the torso.  Note that this step is done after you've already glued the arms and legs to the figure with model cement and the joints are completely dry.  Model glue is great for "welding" the parts together, but it makes a very poor filler.  The great thing about epoxy is that it doesn't shrink.  I usually give it about 24 hours to fully cure and then I'll use my airbrush to shoot a thin layer of primer over the filled joint.  This will reveal any pinholes or remaining gaps that need filling.  The primer also reveals areas that need some sanding.

Box sides provide additional photos of a built model and kit specs.

We were pleasantly surprised by this kit.  The modeler who wishes to build a contest-quality model will apply figure weathering techniques not covered in the instructions to create realistic shadows and highlights and make the face and eyes "come alive."  Atlantis' Flash Gordon is a perfect kit for modelers wishing to improve or develop those skills.

The 2Modeler.com guys give this model kit four enthusiastic thumbs up!  Experienced and inexperienced modelers alike will love this kit.  Collectors of vintage cultural memorabilia or Flash Gordon fans will like this model as well.  Atlantis Models has done a great job with this release, even slashing the price since the original re-release of 2016.  And it will be a lot easier to find this time around!  You can order direct from Atlantis-Models.com, buy it at your local hobby shop, or online retailer!

SPECIAL THANKS TO ATLANTIS MODELS FOR PROVIDING OUR REVIEW KIT!
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BONUS FEATURE

"GORDON'S ALIVE??!!"

During the middle third of the 20th Century, newspaper comic strip and comic book fans young and old would consider the question of who was better, Buck Rogers or Flash Gordon.  Of course there were many who couldn't decide and enjoyed both characters.  The popularity of the spacefaring pair during this period created a rivalry that some could compare to today's debate about Star Wars vs Star Trek.  These fictional space travelers inspired young people of the era to believe that humans could actually travel in space.  A generation later, this fiction became reality.  Flash Gordon and Buck Rogers have been mentioned by more than one early astronaut as inspiration to leave successful test pilot careers and take that big step into the unknown.   They literally created the Space Age.

National Newspaper Syndicates owned the rights to Buck Rogers.  He arrived just in time for the Stock Market Crash of 1929.

King Features Syndicate created Flash Gordon to compete with the successful Buck Rogers character in 1934.

​Alex Raymond was the artist who created Flash Gordon.  His artistic style and imaginative writing created an instantly popular new character very similar in concept to Buck Rogers.  Both fictional spacemen entertained and inspired comic readers proving there was more than sufficient market for at least a pair of spacefaring heroes.
 
Flash was depicted as a muscular square-jawed Yale graduate who somewhat resembled a blonde Superman without the superpowers.  He was unwittingly recruited by half-mad scientist Dr. Zarkov to save the world from a collision with Planet Mongo.  After his unplanned entry into realm of space travel and world-saving, he continued on many adventures depicted in newspaper comics, comic books, radio serials, and movies.
 

Perhaps the latest memorable iteration of Flash Gordon was the 1980 movie as confirmed by a Google search at time of posting.  This film was released at the tail end of a series of movies inspired by the original 1977 Star Wars.  Flash Gordon (1980) didn’t do well enough in theaters to rate sequels but has since become a cult-classic and fans of the film always get a good laugh from someone properly executing the line, “Gordon’s alive?” from the film (Google it).

Buster Crabbe as Buck Rogers in the 1939 serial.  To differentiate this character from his previous role, Crabbe dyed his naturally blonde hair.

Buster Crabbe as Flash Gordon in the 1936 serial.  Yes, Buster Crabbe played both characters!  The appearance of Ming the Merciless changed very little between the 1936 film serial and the 1980 movie.

Sam J. Jones plays Flash Gordon in the cult-favorite 1980 movie.

Perhaps the most ironic tale of Flash Gordon (1980) was that years before, George Lucas asked Dino DeLaurentis, who owned film rights to Flash Gordon, for permission to make a science fiction epic film version based on the well-known character.  DeLaurentis famously said no.  Undeterred, Lucas created his own characters and mythology and Star Wars was born.  DeLaurentis eventually produced Flash Gordon (1980).  Perhaps Lucas’ sweetest revenge was that his Star Wars sequel, The Empire Strikes Back, outperformed Flash Gordon with revenues well in excess of ten-times.  Flash got lost in the shuffle of the excitement over the first Star Wars sequel, released about six months before and riding a wave of success that has lasted to this day.

Atlantis Flash Gordon circa 2016.  The $40.00 kit came in a box with different proportions.

The 2016 release had a reproduction of a vintage sell sheet, sales literature for hobby dealers.

Box art and kit box proportions were very similar to the original Revell 1965 release of Flash Gordon.

It has been a while since we’ve seen a Flash Gordon movie.  King Features Syndicate had announced a rebooted daily comic series and reportedly, Disney is working on a live-action film.  We predict that Flash Gordon will return to pop-culture radar; you’d better get ready with an Atlantis Flash Gordon model kit!