Hans Zarkov

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Dr. Hans Zarkov is a fictional character appearing in the Flash Gordon comic strip. Zarkov is a brilliant scientist who creates a rocket and accompanies Flash and Dale Arden in their adventures on the planet Mongo, and fight against Ming the Merciless.

Zarkov was first portrayed in the Flash Gordon movie serials by Frank Shannon. In at least one of the serials he is identified as Alexi Zarkov.

In the 1953 Flash Gordon TV series, the character was portrayed by Joseph Nash.

In the 1979 Flash Gordon animated series by Filmation, the character is played by Alan Oppenheimer.

In the 1980 Dino De Laurentiis Flash Gordon movie, the character is played by Chaim Topol.

In the 1975 adult spoof Flesh Gordon, the character is crudely parodied as Dr. Flexi Jerkoff after the alternate name Alexi Zarkov. He is played by Joseph Hudgins.

In the original comic strip he was first thought to have died when his ship crashed into planet Mongo. It's later revealed that Ming's minions pulled him out of the wreckage. This suggests that Alex Raymond later changed his mind about Zarkov being part of the regular cast. Strangely enough Zarkov's character in the 1980's DC comic was handled the same way.