Here is a Flash Gordon strip I cannot belive Alex Raymond got away with. The text says that Dale rden is "banqueting" with Ming the Merciless BUT the last panel shows that Dale's hands are tied behind her back! What kind of banqueting could Dale do sans hands. Take a look at her forlorn expression and Ming's shit eating grin. It sure looks and reads like Raymond has snuck a bit of forced fellatio under the noses of millions of readers! Astounding!

I'm a huge Bettie Fan

Bettie Page hard at work which was making guys hard.

Bettie Page as she appears in my dreams just before she whispers sweet nothings in my ear in her hillbilly accent.

Yvonne Craig -- now I can't get the image of Batgirl tied spread eagle by a villain who proceeds to cut off her bat costume. I wish I was that villain!

Bettie Page in living color -- Wow!

Helen Mirren perfect at any age

A lady who knows how to make an entrance! Aura has the major hots for Flash Gordon. It is easy to see why Flash was tempted. Over the years, she like all of the "yellow menace" characters lost their lemon hue. Alex Raymond converted her into an Anglo-Saxon blonde bombshell, which as regressive as it is is still more progressive than lemon skin.

It is nice to know that there are burlesque performers on Mongo! Seriously, this is Prince Barin's official royal welcome banquet? How much of that costume will she be left wearing after her routine ends? Imagine. THIS strip ran in millions of newspapers and nobody raised a stink. If this appeared in the Comics page today, the list of offended and outraged would be a mile long. This just shows what a talented artist or writer can accomplish when they couch their sensuality in a SF or fantasy context.

What is astonishing about Alex Raymond's tenure with Flash Gordon is how it was both overtly and subtly sensual. Here is Dale Arden in a very tiny skirt and skin-tight, boob hugging top. Dale knew that she was a beautiful woman.Her pose here is meant to attract attention and it does. Look how appreciative the audience is. A woman who can pose like THAT simply cannot be a boring lay. Dale was not always faithful to Flash. From time to time, she sought the appreciation of other male eyes.She had a several weeks-long fling with Prince Barin. Flash knew how dynamic she was between the sheets. It is implied that Barin knows as well. Ming the Merciless certainly is aware ot it. The careful reader of the Flash Gordon comic strip knew that as well. All of this went on under the noses of millions of readers without anyone batting an eye.

Bettie is an anagram for "perfection."

This is the first we see of Dale Arden after she has been taken prisoner by Ming the Merciless. Dale's concealing cloak is gone. The look on the two faces tell exactly what has transpired. Dale, projects shame and embarrassment. Ming wears a smirk. Obviously Dale had to strip and redress in front of the tyrant, who chose a dress which exposes all of her charms. As they say. It is good to be king!

Alex Raymond was easily the most talented artist to ever draw a Sunday strip. He could capture so many emotions with just a few lines. Here is Dale Arden trying to look resolved and resolute after being captured by Ming the Merciless. Note how she is dressed, bundled up to the extreme. She doesn't want Ming's gaze upon her person.

Yvonne Craig. The reasons why the villains preferred to capture Bat Girl rather than the caped crusader are obvious.

A blash from the past. After a day of sun, dress up at one of those wonky western photography outfits that used to be carnival staples. The brunette on the left had some FANTASTIC tan lines. I learned this after a game of strip poker that capped off the night. Man do I miss the 80s!

Getting Bettie horizontal is a fantasy most of us have.

Depending on the era, vintage underwear might be one of the best parts of time travel.