Flash, The: Archives - VOL 03 [Hardcover]

As is the case with the first two volumes of The Flash Archives, all of the stories contained in volume 3 are entertaining and well-drawn. By this time (issues #117 from December 1959 through issue #124 from November 1961), the creative team assembled by editor Jules Schwartz was coming up with one great issue after another. Carmine Infantino's pencils, inked by Joe Giella, have a lovely realistic look that actually makes you believe The Flash could exist and do the incredible stunts shown in the comics. All of the stories but two were written by John Broome. The two written by Gardner Fox incorporated nostolgic elements from the Golden Age Flash. One story flopped. The other is a classic that brought the concept of the multiverse into comics.

Issue #117 marks the debut of Captain Boomerang, a great addition to Flash's colorful villians. It also contains a Gardner Fox story introducing The Flash to three dimwits (Winky, Blinky and Noddy) who had previously appeared in several stories of the Golden Age Flash. While their comic relief may have worked in the forties, it was just palin silly in the sixties. But Fox was to redeem himself a few issues later.

Issue #118 has a below average Flash story with a great title, "The Doomed Scarecrow!," and a Kid Flash tale.

Issue #119 has The Flash in another duel of wits with The Mirror-Master and in a team-up with The Elongated Man to battle undersea aliens.

Issue #120 contains an entertaining full issue team-up of The Flash and Kid Flash traveling back in time to the "Land of Golden Giants!"

Issue #121 has the welcome return of The Trickster and below average tale of The Flash attending a class reunion in his civilian identity.

Issue #122 introduces The Top, whose seemingly innocent costume and gimic of spinning tops give way to a sinister plot to destroy the world. It also has a Kid Flash tale. This was the first comic book I owned!

Issue #123 is Grdner Fox's "Flash of Two Worlds!" This classic story, in which The Flash travels to another Earth and meets the Golden Age Flash, won all sorts of awards. It provided an explanation as to why there were two Flashes: Jay Garrick, who appeared in the Golden Age of comics in the forties, and Barry Allen, who ushered in the Silver Age of comics when he was introduced in Showcase #4 in 1956, the issue that brought back the super hereos. The scientific explanation is that each existed on separate Earths that occupied the same space and time but vibrated at different speeds. Fox would later bring back the Justice Society of America and the Golden Age heroes and add additional Earths leading to the annual JLA/JSA crisis team-ups. The current crisis story line appearing in DC comics has its roots in Flash #123. The issue's cover and splash page are brilliant. The cover hype box proved to be true with its claim "A spectacular story that is sure to become a classic!"

Issue #124 has the unlikely team-up of The Flash, The Elongated Man and Captain Boomerang battling alliens. The second story is below average, but after all, it is titled "Vengeance Via Television!"

These are some of the best stories from the Silver Age of comics. I wish DC would get Volume 4 out soon as it contains one of my favorite Flash stories of all-time, "Who Doomed The Flash?"

The fabulous Silver Age Flash, Barry Allen, is back for more nostalgic adventures...lovingly & respectfully preserved in this colorful collection. Captain Boomerang and several other of his most popular costumed foes are in attendance along with icy Iris and gee-whiz Wally West as Kid Flash.

A special reason to add this one to every Flash fan's collection is the origin story of Earth-2 and the first team up between the original Golden Age Jay Garrick flash and his Earth-1 counterpart. This novel idea to allow both versions of Flash to co-exist set the scene for the whole future of the DC Universe.

A must-have for Flash fans and great fun to introduce new readers to the Scarlet Speedster.

The work of Broome/Infantino/Giella shine again in this third collection of Flash's adventures from the silver age. Any comic reader from the 60s will not have to be convinced of the quality of these tales. Story-telling at its best!

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