Ming

Ming is a villainous ruler — the tyrannical Emperor of the planet Mongo — who serves as the arch-nemesis of Flash Gordon. First appearing in the Golden Age of comics, his ruthless quest for conquest and domination drives much of the conflict in the Flash Gordon saga.

Few Golden Age villains have cast as long a shadow as Ming, who first menaced readers in King Comics #34 back in 1939, brought to comics life by Eddie Sullivan and Charlie Charlie Schmidt. Across an astonishing 86-year publishing span, this iconic figure has remained a fixture of science-fiction adventure, sharing the page with legends like Flash Gordon, Dale Arden, Dr. Hans Zarkov, and even Mandrake the Magician — an all-star roster that speaks to Ming's place at the very heart of classic comics mythology. With key-issue appearances that collectors actively seek out and a presence stretching from the Golden Age all the way through Dynamite Entertainment's modern era, Ming is one of those rare characters whose grip on the imagination has never loosened. If you love the grand, pulpy sweep of early comics adventure, this is a name worth knowing.