Prince Vultan

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Prince Vultan
Comic image missing.svg
Publication information
Publisher King Features Syndicate, Egmont
Frew
Moonstone
and many others
Created by Alex Raymond
In-story information
Supporting character of Flash Gordon

Prince Vultan is the Prince of the bird-like Hawkmen in the Flash Gordon comic strip and its adaptations. Prince Vultan starts his career as a half-villain (he resents Ming's domination but does not oppose it out of fear of reprisal) with a lecherous side (he lusts after Earth woman Dale Arden), but soon reforms into one of Flash Gordon's greatest allies. His character fits the stereotype of the barrel-chested chieftain with more than a hint of the Pirate captain or the Viking reaver in it, endowed with a booming voice and a great appetite for life, food and women.

In the 1936 film serial, he was portrayed by John Lipson.

Alan Melvin provided Vultan's voice in the 1979 Filmation animated series. He is referred to here as King Vultan, not Prince. His Sky City is a marvel of Mongo technology, as the massive construct is suspended miles above ground by beams of polarized anti-gravity light. Unlike Prince Barin's kingdom of Arboria, Vultan's Hawkmen do not make use of airships in battle. Instead they fly under their own power or ride giant warbirds armed with harness-mounted energy cannons.

He was portrayed by Brian Blessed in the cult 1980 film Flash Gordon. Vultan is best remembered for the lines "Gordon's alive?!", "Impetuous boy!" and "Squadron 40! Diiiiiiiiiiiive!". For the film's soundtrack by the rock group Queen, Freddie Mercury composed a song called "Vultan's Theme".

In the 1996 Flash Gordon animated series, Vultan is a somewhat conservative leader, and reluctant to act against Ming for fear of reprisals against his people. His role as Flash's ally is taken by his teenage son, Prince Talon.

In the 2007 television series, Vultan appears as the leaders of a group of nomadic mercenaries called Dactyls (a variation of the Hawkmen). In the episode, Ascension, Vultan travels to Earth, using Princess Aura's rift key. He kidnaps a teenage boy who he claims is his son. He is played by Ty Olsson.

In a 2008 episode of the animated sitcom Family Guy called "Road to Germany", Brian, Stewie and Mort enlist the help of Vultan's Hawkman Army in a dogfight over Europe against the Luftwaffe. Blessed returns to voice Vultan briefly during the episode.

[edit] References

v • d • e
Flash Gordon
TV Series
Film
Movie serials
Characters/Actors
Gale Gordon (1935) • Buster Crabbe (1936 - 1940) • Steve Holland (1954) • Robert Ridgely (1979, 1982) • Sam J. Jones (1980) • Lou Richards (1986) • Toby Proctor (1996) • Eric Johnson (2007)
Jean Rogers (1936 - 1938) • Carol Hughes (1940) • Irene Champlin (1954) • Diane Pershing (1979, 1982) • Melody Anderson (1980) • Lexa Doig (1996) • Gina Holden (2007)
Bruno Wick (1935) • Charles Middleton (1936 - 1940) • Alan Oppenheimer (1979) • Max von Sydow (1980) • Vic Perrin (1982) • William Callaway (1986) • John Ralston (2007)
Maurice Franklin (1935) • Frank Shannon (1936 - 1940) • Joseph Nash (1954) • Alan Oppenheimer (1979) • Topol (1980) • Bob Holt (1982) • Paul Shaffer (1996) • Jody Racicot (2007)
Priscilla Lawson (1936 - 1938) • Shirley Deane (1940) • Melendy Britt (1979, 1982) • Ornella Muti (1980) • Anna van Hooft (2007)
Richard Alexander (1936 - 1938) • Roland Drew (1940) • Robert Ridgely (1979) • Timothy Dalton (1980) • Robert Douglas (1982) • Steve Bacic (2007)
Prince Vultan
John Lipson (1936 - 1938) • Allan Melvin (1979) • Brian Blessed (1980) • Ted Cassidy (1982) • Ty Olsson (2007)
James Pierce (1936) • Ted Cassidy (1979) • George Harris (1980) • David Opatoshu (1982)
Other media
Related articles
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