DC Showcase #4
Cover Art: Pencils by Carmine Infantino | Inks by Joe Kubert
This issue features the iconic cover of the Flash breaking out of a film strip while running toward the reader. The film strip itself has frames of the Flash running.
The Mystery Of The Human Thunderbolt!
Written by Robert Kanigher
Pencils by Carmine Infantino | Inks by Joe Kubert
Originally Published October, 1956
The first story gives us the Flash’s origin and also introduces us to the Flash’s first super-powered villain, the Turtle Man! The first thing I want to say is that I’m pleasantly surprised at how well the artwork holds up. Is it just me or does it almost look like Carmine is channeling Ditko here? Particularly all the looks of shock and awe. There’s also a few shots of Barry reading an old issue of Flash Comics featuring the Golden Age Flash, Jay Garrick!
The origin portion of the story happens over the course of about 8 pages. Short, but for me, it gets the job done well. Barry Allen gets his super speed following a freak accident at his lab which involves getting struck by lightning and covered in chemicals. We also get to see Iris West for the first time, albeit briefly.
The rest focuses on Barry’s hilarious encounter with the Turtle Man, the World’s… Slowest… Man… The Turtle Man outwits the Flash for a while but is eventually subdued. The story concludes with Iris gushing over the Flash which is weird since she’s been dating Barry for some time, but I’m sure this is just a one off…
The Man Who Broke The Time Barrier!
Written by Robert Kanigher
Pencils by Carmine Infantino | Inks by Joe Kubert
Originally Published October, 1956
The second story deals with a time traveling thief named Mazdan. A bald skinny man who wears a wrinkly purple business suit and fires puffs of burning smoke donuts from a gold baton. A court from the year 3000 sentences him to be sent into the future via a time capsule but somehow, it ends up putting him back into the past instead.
The Flash puts Mazdan in jail but he escapes and attempts to return to the future via his capsule. The resulting blast from the capsule would create a massive crater on Central City, killing thousands. Of course Barry can’t let that happen. It’s here that we see the scarlet speedster demonstrate his time traveling capabilities for the first time by vibrating both Mazdan and himself into the future where the tricky thief can stand trial for his crimes once more. All in all, the story was kind of goofy but still pretty enjoyable!
Okay, well that’s it for this session.
Next Up: More adventures of the Scarlet Speedster in Showcase #8 which features stories about a giant mystery box as well as the first appearance of Captain Cold, a character who would become one of Flash’s most recognizable rogues!
See you there and thanks for reading!