You’re reading The Complete Infinite Crisis, a Comprehensive and Encyclopedic look through the universe-changing superhero event published by DC from 2005 to 2006. Shelfdust are proud to provide a complete overview of the story, and everything that happens in it. We’ve had to get some experts in though – there’s so much going on that needs to be explained!

We’ve somehow ended up in the wilds of Mongo, and the world of Flash Gordon. Which – and this is a shocking tangent, if you’ll believe it – gives me the chance to ask Allison Senecal something I’ve always wondered. Is Flash Gordon the Ultimate Himbo?

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Allison! We’ve recently been learning about Mongo, Ming, and all things Flash Gordon. But who is Flash himself? Can you tell us more about him and what he’s like?

Allison Senecal: Anticipating your follow-up questions, I want to break him down in himbo terms. Flash has definitely only got the two brain cells, one for finding food and one for sometimes talking himself out of bad situations (and making terrible jokes). He has Dale and Zarkov to do most of the thinking for him. Let’s see… he’s tall and beefy in that general well-built jock sense. I always thought “polo player” Flash was sexier-sounding than “football player” Flash but whatever works. He’s heroic, kind, hotheaded – and he’s no Hal Jordan. That’s a compliment.

Hot? I mean, my main reason for being excited about the new online Flash Gordon comic strip was that I can see how well different artists draw classically hot blond men so yeah. Hot. Then you can add in the unofficial Bonus Himbo Qualities of being named Alex and loving when alien women put him in a chokehold. 

Oh yeah, and he’s a pilot and fights big bad space empires and stuff. I guess that’s relevant. But he’s really handsome. Have you seen Doc Shaner’s Flash Gordon? Run, don’t walk. 

I’ve heard rumours you may be an expert on these matters, so I need to ask: is he the ultimate Himbo?

Senecal: “Ultimate” Himbo…I’m not sure he is anymore but he certainly is at least the Ur-Himbo, the Proto-Himbo… sorry, having too much fun with this. He’s a great template for later space heroes who also happen to be himbos. Kyle Rayner. Nova. Quasar. Johnny Storm. Current Big 2 himbos owe a huge debt to Flash Gordon. 

If he’s NOT the biggest Himbo…. then who is??

Senecal: The Ultimate Comics Himbo has to be either Wally West (my friend is whispering that he murdered people but I’m going to ignore that) or Johnny Storm. At their cores they’re good and kind and mostly want to help people, eat hot dogs, and have women tell them what to do. 

The Ultimate Himbo of All? Any Brendan Fraser character. As I’m typing this I’m actually surprised he never got to play Flash Gordon in a movie. George of the Jungle? Maybe the greatest himbo of all time.

 

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Allison: thank you. We need no further resource on the himbo conversation, as you know all. However I must wonder – who is George of the Jungle, and why is he So Himbo?

 

Allison Senecal is a writer and critic whose work can be found most often at ComicsXF, where she’s currently covering comics like Black Cat and Guardians of the Galaxy. You can follow her on Twitter here!