This is one of the most reprinted Flash stories of the Silver Age. It's probably one of the most reprinted Silver Age stories period. It's certainly one of the most important Silver Age comics. It's definitely one of the most iconic covers. But is it a good story? I reread it to see and I did discover one incredible fact. But more on that later.
THE FLASH #123 (S'61) Flash of Two Worlds! by Gardner Fox, Carmine Infantino and Joe Giella and edited by Julius Schwartz.
- Fox drops a lot of names here: Central City Community Center, Picture News Orphan Fund Group, etc.
- There's a no-show magician! Where's Abra Kadabra when you need him?
- Flash volunteers to do some super speed stunts but how entertaining is that? The kids can't see him do them and it's over before they know it!
- While doing a rope trick, Flash accidently vibrates himself out of the building!
- But he quickly realizes that he is in Keystone City, the home town of his comic-book hero and inspiration, the Golden Age Flash!
- He comes to terms with this revelation pretty well considering the metaphysically implications.
- He looks up Jay Garrick in the phonebook who lives modestly at 5252 78th Street.
- He changes back to Barry and pays a visit to his idol.
- After being mistaken for Johnny Thunder (Nice bowtie, Barry! [Bowties are Cool!]), Barry is introduced to Jay's wife, the former Joan Williams which makes her the first Golden Age girlfriend to marry her beau!
- Barry tells the Garricks the origin of the Golden Age Flash then reveals himself to be the younger Flash of another Earth.
- "Destiny must have decreed there'd be a Flash---on each Earth!" Feeling pretty good about yourself Barry!
- Barry then tells Jay about the comic books and Gardner Fox puts himself into the story as "The Dreamer of Parallel Earths" who wrote the stories after real events seep into his subconscious!
- Stan Lee never did this! He got his stories straight from the heroes! ;-)
- Barry mentions that his Flash Comics ended in 1949 and Jay says that's when he retired conveniently forgetting that he appeared in All Star Comics until 1951!
- Coincidently (or not), there is a crime spree going out that lures the Flash/Jay out of retirement and Barry agrees to help.
- The villains involved are old Flash-Foes The Fiddler, the Thinker and The Shade all with improved powers.
- Barry is thrilled to team with his boyhood idol but they soon split up!
- Jay battles the Thinker who with his Computing Colander tires him out with talking dogs, mental duplicates and slamming the door!
- Barry confronts the Shade who's confused by the new look but escapes by spreading oil on the sea, causing Barry to slip.
- The Two Crimson Comets meet up and re-enact the cover in a tiny panel.
- Both Flashes go after the Fiddler by using keen deductive reasoning and seeing his Fiddle-Car parked outside a museum but they fall under his musical spell.
- The three villains meet up and gloat about their victory until the Flashes break free and defeat them in three panels!
- The Two Scarlet Speedsters part as friends, beginning one of comics' most heartfelt relationships.
- Flash won't tell Iris about the Golden Age Flash, thinking she won't believe him.
- But he does plan to visit Gardner Fox (one of them anyway) and see if he can't get the comic started again!
- Comic readers can handle anything!
It's a neat little comic that introduces readers to a groundbreaking concept: parallel Earths that will have long-reaching consequences for DC/National.
The depiction of a veteran Flash who can tire more easily was interesting but always made him seem lesser than the newer Flash.
The villains were a bit on the silly side, especially the Thinker's goofy helmet and the crisis was just a series of crimes that could have been featured on the Batman TV show (as could the villains themselves!)
The most astounding thing about the "First Earth-Two Story" was that neither the phrase "Earth-One" or "Earth-Two" were used. The term they used was "Other Earth".
How fondly do you regard this story? No need to ask Barry! He already got the comic!
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www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3eDG1u-K9M
I suppose it's possible to fall under a spell by a violin. It depends on the player! *sigh*
I was surprised by this. Since he was used quite a bit by Gardner Fox I thought he made a lot of Golden Age appearances.
Philip Portelli said:
I didn't realize how long it had been since I actually read this story. Thanks for starting this thread.
There's a no-show magician! Where's Abra Kadabra when you need him?
Five issues in the future! ;-)
Flash volunteers to do some super speed stunts but how entertaining is that? The kids can't see him do them and it's over before they know it!
He probably can run fast enough to play tennis with himself and still be visible, at least when he stops to hit the ball.
He comes to terms with this revelation pretty well considering the metaphysically implications.
Barry always comes across as unflappable. No fear that he will be trapped there.
He looks up Jay Garrick in the phonebook who lives modestly at 5252 78th Street.
Before computers, Fox came up with a street address that doesn't exist in any city! I know, I googled it.
After being mistaken for Johnny Thunder (Nice bowtie, Barry! [Bowties are Cool!])
You had me going. There's no reference to Johnny Thunder. Maybe Jay would have thought that but it would only have confused readers like me who hadn't heard of him when this comic was published.
The villains involved are old Flash-Foes The Fiddler, the Thinker and The Shade all with improved powers.
The Shade's powers in this story sound a lot like Dr. Midnight's. I guess the other-dimension stuff came later.
The most astounding thing about the "First Earth-Two Story" was that neither the phrase "Earth-One" or "Earth-Two" were used. The term they used was "Other Earth".
I guess the first use of the name "Earth-Two" was in JLA #21. Or was it? The Two Green Lanterns and Two Atoms stories came after the first Crisis story.
I remember the ads for Demand Classics #1 that was to reprint the story, but I think it never came out. I've never read the story.
Pete you should get Showcase Presents The Flash Vol. 2 for this and other Silver Age goodness!
Golden Age villains didn't make as many appearances as, say, the Joker or the Penguin. Brain Wave appeared only four times as did Solomon Grundy. Vandal Savage may have shown up twice as did Degaton, Wotan and the Golden Age Star Sapphire. The Wizard was a three timer. DC villains really came to their own after WWII.
Wow, DC was foreshadowing 52 that long ago?!
Talented
Philip Portelli said:
...As far as early-Silver's view of Golden continuity , Philip , I recall a JLA0JSA team-up referring to " The Case Of The Chemical Syndicate " as Batman's first case...but in the very first panel of the story , Bruce and Commissoner Gordon are discussing the already-known Batman !!!!!!!!! That same story may have referred to the last published ALL-STAR (Case Of The Missing Detectives ???) as the JSA's last case%%%%%I don't guess the modern version of a McCarthy-like Congressional comittee causing the JSA to disband and disappear conflicts 100% with that ?????
But as far as Julie Schwartz would've known at the time, the Case of the Chemical Syndicate would've been Batman's first case since it's the first one that was published. Maybe Bruce was just running around in a bat-suit for kicks before then--and in the JLA story he doesn't seem too serious about it, because he gives up on the whole charade pretty quickly.
I think the master stroke of Schwartz was to represent scenes from the "Golden Age." That Justice League issue being a spuriouus example. But more serious examples were when his titles brought back villains or retold the origins of heroes. The representation of Solomon Grundy or the original Brain Wave, come to mind--in SHOWCASE 55 and 56. Murphy Anderson was very good at doing these kind of recaps (and maybe what has inspired so many of his recreations of classic scenes by other artists).
There's also the recap of Scarecrow's history in BATMAN 189 and other examples like that. Given that DC wasn't reprinting much '40s material and that readers wouldn't have these back issues at hand--it was a nice device to inform us about the legendary past.
I think these types of scenes engendered a feeling gemutlichkeit for all involved. For kids like me--because we got to see something from the ancient past--for older guys like Roy Thomas who were serious collectors of those original comics--for Schwartz who had edited those comics or known the guys who did work on them--and for the artists who recreated those scenes as it gave them a chance to pay tribute to fellow artitsts.
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