Flash Bash
Cast and crew reunite for Flash Gordon: 35th Anniversary Celebration
It’s been 35 years since Sam J Jones’ saviour of the universe took on Ming the Merciless, and later this month, the cast and crew are reuniting at 195 Piccadilly, home of Bafta, to celebrate Alex Raymond’s pulp hero. Ahead of the event we quizzed organiser and Life After Flash documentary maker Lisa Downs about what’s in store.
How did this 35th anniversary celebration come about?
It started when I was emailing Sam Jones about the Life After Flash documentary. After seeing how he and Melody Anderson reminisced about the film over dinner I realised the chance to capture the cast and crew connecting again after 35 years could be really magical.
Date 28 November
location
Bafta, 195 Piccadilly
How much of a challenge has it been to put together?
It’s a big challenge! People have thought this is a corporate event, with big companies behind it, but it is really just one fan putting it all together. With this, Life After Flash in the edit and holding down a full-time job my days don’t have enough hours!
What can guests expect from the evening?
I want the evening to capture the magic and the excitement of when fans first saw it in the cinemas. The music, the atmosphere…. We will have original props and costumes, a Q&A after the screening where fans can ask questions and an afterparty where ticket holders can interact with the cast and crew, take photos, chat, and we will be offering some time for signings too.
Why do you think Flash Gordon’s popularity has proved so enduring?
I think it has a lot to do with when you first see the film. Many fans we’ve encountered remember seeing it for the first time at eight or nine, and it transported them to this magical place, and that magic stayed with them. It’s a film unlike any other, and there will never be another Flash Gordon again.
Flash Gordon: 35th Anniversary Celebration takes place on 28 November. There are plenty of “comic” cons, but often comics are a small part of events dominated by film and TV. Not so at London Super Comic Con which puts the spotlight squarely on comic books and their creators.
Launched in 2012 with the mighty Stan Lee in attendance, LSCC is now in its fifth year, and already has a massive number of guests lined up including Howard Chaykin, Jill Thompson, Alex Maleev and John McCrea. Expect more big-name guests to be announced in the New Year.
As in previous years, dealers from around the world will be on hand to sell their comic-related wares, major publishers will be in attendance offering sneak peeks of upcoming releases (and in some cases the chance to have your portfolio reviewed), there’s a sizeable small-press section to meet the industry’s future stars and, as you might expect, cosplay at every turn.
For more information visit www.londonsupercomic convention.com.