No, I am not changing this blog; I am ending the experimental change of this blog's title and returning it to its original state: Savage Arts & Sciences. I think it lost views during the experiment, if that can be believed. (I might be this blog's only reader now.)
Well, I think that's enough melodrama for now.
NEXT TIME: BLOG CRASHLANDS ON MONGO!
Given the lack of traction, I wonder if I ought to have made Flash Gordon the primary focus of this blog. I could have kept the Savage Worlds content (and increased it), but a few changes here and there — such as an overt reference to Flash Gordon in the blog's title — might have led to a wider readership than the average of 2.5 views per day. Would it have made a difference? Is it too late to try? I could change the title right now, but would anyone notice? What do I have to lose? Literally nothing, apparently.(Please forgive the soliloquy.) Very well, I'll change the title and see if anything changes in terms of views or comments (of which there is exactly one in the history of this blog thus far). As of now, the title of this blog shall be changed from Savage Arts & Sciences: Role-Playing in Savage Worlds to Flash of Inspiration: Flash Gordon and His Universe. We'll see how it goes. Maybe it will be temporary; maybe it will be eternal.
Season 2 of the Flash Gordon animated series was eagerly anticipated by fans of Season 1, but like so many other second seasons of science fiction television shows of that era, it was destined to disappoint us. The cliffhanger endings and overarching plots were abandoned as a matter of convenience, which resulted in a loss of dramatic urgency and purpose. Instead of each episode representing a chapter in a continuing story, it was chopped into two unrelated, self-contained mini-episodes. Scenes were recycled even more heavily than in the first season. Humor was attempted with increasingly lame one-liners and joke endings. And most notoriously of all, it introduced a new main character: Gremlin.
Gremlin was a pink baby dragon that filled the ostensibly cute comedy relief role popularized by R2D2 in Star Wars. At that time, it seemed every science fiction or fantasy television show had a mascot of this sort calculated to appeal to younger viewers and parents. At first, predictably, it was robots: Buck Rogers in the 25th Century had Twiki, Battlestar Galactica had Muffit II, Jason of Star Command had W1K1, Space Academy had Peepo. Soon, it was wee folk: Blackstar had the Trobbits, He-Man and the Masters of the Universe had Orko, She-Ra: Princess of Power had the Twiggets. There are many examples, but Gremlin was one of the earliest in animated shows.
Gremlin didn't appeal to me or anyone I knew. He seemed to be not of the Flash Gordon universe, but rather an obvious intrusion from an entirely different genre. With Gremlin's introduction as a central character, the show was effectively rebranding itself as entertainment for the youngest possible audience and thereby alienating its existing fanbase (at least as far as I knew). The animated series ended upon the second season's conclusion, and it would not surprise me if Gremlin were part of the reason.
I probably stopped watching the animated series after one or two episodes of the second season when it originally aired. I felt betrayed and insulted by its abandonment of what made Flash Gordon great. I've seen them all now, thanks to the DVD collection, but watching Season 2 is a joyless slog. There is nothing inspiring here. My suggestion is to move on or return to Season 1, which may not be perfect, but at least it is Gremlin-free.
Shane Hensley's End of Year Address is essential reading for any Savage Worlds fan, but the most pertinent bit of news for readers of this blog (if there are any) is the announcement of the upcoming SWADE edition of the Science Fiction Companion. Stay tuned for details.
Mike Hodges, the director of Flash Gordon (1980), died on 17 December 2022. His contribution represents one of the highest achievements in Flash Gordon's history. May he rest in peace.
Today marks the 42nd anniversary of Flash Gordon, the 1980 film with the soundtrack composed and performed by Queen. I'll be watching it tonight.
In 1978, Mego released a set of four 10-inch action figures and a playset based on the Flash Gordon comic strips. The action figures included Flash Gordon, Dale Arden, Dr. Zarkov, and Ming the Merciless. I was unaware of them until this moment (the date being 28 November 2022 as I write this), so I am including this link to a short video on the subject produced by Mego Museum. More images are available here.
The airing of the Flash Gordon animated series of 1979-1980 was accompanied by a line of action figures and two compatible vehicles manufactured by Mattel. Series one included Flash Gordon, Ming the Merciless, Prince Thun, and a Lizard Woman; series three included Dr. Hans Zarkov and a Beast Man; and series three included King Vultan and Captain Arak. (Notably absent were Dale Arden, Princess Aura, Prince Barin, and a Robot Soldier.) The vehicles included an inflatable Rocket Ship (with detachable plastic shuttle and weapon) and Ming's Space Shuttle (which was similar to the Rocket Ship's shuttle, but in green). A page from the Sears Wish Book of 1980 (above) was the closest I came to them as a lad, but I fantasized about owning the complete set. Had the animated series continued in the spirit of its first season, perhaps more toys would have been produced, such as Ming's ships, the electric mole, the beasts of Mongo, and the aforementioned missing characters.
The GROGNARD Files podcast continues its exploration of Savage Worlds with special guest Christian Nommay in Episode 55 Pt. 2. Hear ye!
So far, Savage Arts & Sciences has been a blog with two separate personalities: half Flash Gordon and half Savage Worlds. In the future, I would like to merge these halves to a greater degree without sacrificing the blog's usefulness to those who are exclusively interested in one or the other. Can it be done? Only Tao knows, but I'll give it a shot.
I shall continue to post articles of Flash Gordon inspiration, which are free of game-related content, but I am thinking about writing follow-up articles that specifically address how they may be useful to those running or playing The Savage World of Flash Gordon for SWADE.
Meanwhile, today I shall be starting a rewatch of the second season of the Flash Gordon animated series. I have a feeling it will be a lengthier journey than my rewatch of the first season.
