Also according to Ziehm's DVD audio commentary, Universal Studios was planning to sue Graffiti Productions over the first part of "Flesh Gordon" being too similar to the first chapter of Universal's 1936 "Flash Gordon" serial film that it bordered on plagiarism. To avoid a lawsuit, Ziehm added an opening text scroll that stated that "Flesh Gordon" was a burlesque style parody of the Depression Era superheroes of America's past; he also added "Not to be confused with the original Flash Gordon" to all advertising materials.