Originated in 1934 by legendary comic-strip artist Alex Raymond, the radio series debuted in 1935 over the Mutual Broadcasting System starring Gale Gordon as Flash. Like Buck Rogers, the radio series was aimed at a juvenile audience. The stories plots were black and white and almost cartoonish in their dramatizations. Unlike his counterpart, Buck Rogers, Flash Gordon was a product of a future society. With the earth doomed to be destroyed by the planet Mongo, Flash unexpectedly is sent along with his girlfriend Dale Arden on a ship controlled by Dr. Zarkov who is trying to save his home planet. It is on Mongo that the trio encounters the deadly emporer Ming, his daughter Princess Aura and the Hawkmen.