Eric Johnson is the new and improved Flash Gordon on the Sci-Fi Channel. A little more humor and a slightly different twist on the action hero.

Sam J. Jones (aka Andrew Cooper, III) a former Marine & Playgirl model (here’s hoping Eric Johnson follows in those footsteps, the modeling, not so much the marines, although. . . .) turned in a performance as the star trotting action hero in Dino De Laurentiis’ 1980’s version. Complete with music by “Queen.”

And then there was the classic Buster Crabbe, fighting Ming the Merciless back in the thrilling days of yester-year.