World Famous Comics: The Flash Archives, Vol. 5 (Archive Editions (Graphic Novels))
The Flash Archives, Vol. 5 (Archive Editions (Graphic Novels))
By: John Broome, Gardner Fox Publisher: DC Comics Average Rating: Binding: Hardcover Label: DC Comics Number of Items: 1 Number of Pages: 248 Publication Date: March 31, 2009 Release Date: March 31, 2009
Product Description: The Flash races into adventure in this new volume featuring some of his greatest foes!
Originally published in the early 1960s, these stories pit The Fastest Man Alive against members of his infamous Rogues Gallery including Captain Cold, Abra-Kadabra, Mirror Master, Pied Piper, Heat Wave and the Reverse Flash!
Another Great Run for The Flash The Flash Archives Volume 5 continues with another batch of Silver Age greatness brought to you by editor Julius Schwartz. The stories contained in issues 133-141 (December 1962 through December 1963) were all penciled by Carmine Infantino and inked by Joe Giella. Infantino also penciled the covers, which were inked by Murphy Anderson. Infantino continued his graceful portrayal of The Flash, creating the illusion of speed and providing realistic looking characters and backgrounds. Even when asked to draw seemingly impossible images, such as Abra Kadabra turning Flash into a puppet, Infantino did so in such a way that you could actually believe that Flash had been turned into a wooden puppet. All but three of the stories were written by John Broome, who was able to fit more action, science fiction and characterization into his half-issue and single-issue stories than most writers today do in a four to five issue story. The other stories, written by Garner Fox, more than hold their own. These issues brought back the Justice Society of America and a handful of Flash's greatest villians. They also contain the debut of new costumed rouges and characters that would become an important part of Flash's world.
Issue 133 has a fantastic cover of Abra Kadabra turnung Flash into a wooden puppet. The lead story, "The Plight of the Puppet-Flash," has Flash humiliated by a puppet creation of the magician from the future. The puppet-Flash must find a way to defeat the puppet Captain Creampuff and then capture Abra Kadabra. Silver Age silliness at its best. The Kid-Flash back-up story, "Secret of the Handicapped Boys," is a human interest story where Kid-Flash shows off his abilities to entertain handicapped children and learns that three of them can be trusted with a great secret.
Issue 134 sports another great cover, this time featuring Flash, Elongated Man and Captain Cold. "The Man who Mastered Absolute Zero!" has Flash and Elongated Man solving the mystery of a malfunctioning computer and battling Captain Cold. The back-up tale, "The Threat of the Absent-Minded Professor," introduces Professor West, the father of Iris West (girlfriend of Barry Allen, Flash's civilian secret identity).
Issue 133 has another classic cover showing how Kid-Flash got his new uniform. The full-length novel, "Secret of the Three Super-Weapons," is a perfect example of the creativity of the team behind The Flash. Once they decided that Kid-Flash should have a unique costume rather than a small version of The Flash's outfit, they created an entire story around it. The tale is another entertaining story of Flash and Kid-Flash saving the world from invaders from another dimension. At the story's end, Kid-Flash is shown using an "inter-dimentional letter dispatcher" to send a message to a female from another dimension who assited him in saving the earth. This device forshadows email decades before the internet came about!
Issue 136 features the return of one of Flash's first and most pesky foes in "The Mirror Master's Invincible Bodygaurds." While any siver-age story with Mirror Master is a treat, the back-up tale, "Barry Allen--You're The Flash!--and I Can Prove It!," is fairly forgetable.
Issue 137 is a true classic with a great cover and an important story written by Gardner Fox. "Vengeance of the Immortal Villian!" not only has The Flash and the golden-age Flash matching wits to save their worlds, but also the entire Justice Society of America. It also contains the origin of Vandal Savage. Fox ties in a golden-age story from "All-Star Comics" No. 37 and forshadows the re-activation of the JSA and their annual team-ups with the JLA.
Issue 138 marks the return of the Elongated Man, who assits Flash's battle with an old foe in "The Pied Piper's Double Doom!" Although author Gardner Fox did not create the Pied Piper, he effectively utilizes the rouge and his special powers to produce another winner. The Kid-Flash back up, "Mystery of the Matinee Idol!," is best know for its introduction of Dexter Miles, who would later become the curator of the Flash Museum.
Issue 139 introduces one of Flash's deadliest rouges in "Menace of the Reverse-Flash!" The full-length novel has Flash racing to the future to prevent an atomic explosion and encountering the man who would later wreck havic on Flash and Iris. The story provides a great origin story for the new villian, who is the opposite of Flash, even down to wearing a costune that is the reverse of the outfit worn by The Flash. Infantino effectively draws the battles between the red speedster and his evil yellow-clad foe.
Issue 140 gives us another great cover with Flash being attacked by Captain Cold and a new villian, Heat Wave. "The Heat is on...for Captain Cold" has a human interest angle and Flash using his mental and physical abilities to defeat two rouges. Flash must also use his brain and body to defeat "The Metal-Eater from the Stars" in the back-up tale written by Gardner Fox. It's a decent story, but it comes across more like an Adam Strange adventure than a Flash story.
Issue 141 features the return of the villainous Top in "The Mystery of Flash's Third Identity." It also introduces Paul Gambi, who we learn is the tailor who makes those colorful costumes worn by the super villains of Flash's hometown, Central City. The back-up sotry, "Slowdown in Time!," marks the return of Professor West, who is using Einstein's theory of relativity and time paradox to prove that Barry Allen and The Flash are one in the same.
As with all of the early silver-age stories of The Flash, these are fantasy masterpieces that you can read to a child without fear of encountering grisley murders. I enjoyed reading these stories as a seven and eight year old and find them just as entertaining now as I did then.
Anything Goes Trivia
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