COMIC BOOK OF THE WEEK

COMIC BOOK OF THE WEEK

Welcome once again to yet another chapter in our special series on The Fastest Man Alive.  Last week, we covered the beginning of Barry Allen's own series, picking up the original numbering from the previous Flash Comics.  In this week's edition, we shift our focus to a new character that enters the Flash mythos:  Wallace Rudolph West.  Yes, we take a look into the very first appearance of Iris West's young nephew.  What is supposed to be a special visit that Barry and Iris arrage with young Wally to meet his idol, The Flash, turns out to be SO MUCH MORE!  So, let's dive in, and meet Wally West...and a new villain on the scene:  The Weather Wizard!

THE FLASH #110

COVER: Carmine Infantino, Joe Giella

WRITER: John Broome

ARTIST: Carmine Infantino

INKS: Murphy Anderson

LETTERS: Ira Schnapp

COLORS: N/A

EDITOR: Julius Schwartz

COVER DATE: January 1960

PUBLISHER: DC Comics

TAGLINE:  The Fastest Man Alive turns himself into a super-windmill to drive back a flash-flood in "Challenge of the Weather Wizard"

STORY TITLE:  "Challenge of the Weather Wizard", "Meet Kid Flash"

The Flash #110 hit the stands with yet another double story spectacular, and introduced us to two more characters that will become long-time icons of the Flash's story:  Weather Wizard and Wally West.  Mark Mardon, the Weather Wizard, would end up becoming one of the core members of Flash's esteemed "Rogues Gallery", along with the Trickster, Mirror Master, and Captain Cold.  Mardon would become a thorn in the side of the Flash family for years to come, especially when Barry's nephew inherits the role.  But the huge story of THIS issue is the first appearance of Wally West..who is the Flash's biggest fan.  And what we get is an origin that changes the world, as Wally befalls the very same accident that gave Barry HIS powers.  And we know what happens with Wally---he becomes the Flash's sidekick:  Kid Flash.  Wally, as we have seen, becomes the anchor of the Flash family down the road, but here, we get to see a wide-eyed kid meeting his hero...and it's a lifelong bond between eventual uncle and nephew that becomes as solid as father and son.  

THE STORY:  "Challenge of the Weather Wizard" - Barry Allen is trying to make a date with Iris West, only to be interrupted by a police report about a weather anomaly.  He investigates, and meets up with the criminal named Mark Mardon, who had escaped police custody.  Flash travels to an island, where Mardon, with his brother Clyde, are using equipment to cause the weather changes.  Mardon uses a wand to control the power, and he and Flash square off.

"Meet Kid Flash" - Iris West brings her nephew Wally from Blue Valley, Nebraska, to Central City to meet her boyfriend, Barry Allen.  Barry and Wally hang out, and Barry introduces Wally to his idol:  The Flash.  As Flash explains how he got his powers, Wally befalls the same accident that had given Barry HIS powers, and gets the same powers as well.  Barry then leaves for work, but gives Wally a smaller costume of his own.  Hearing about animals running amuck on the streets from the zoo, he races into action as Kid Flash to save the day.  

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Once again, we continue to build the Flash legacy in these early issues of the series, with yet another new foe for our hero in the Weather Wizard.  Broome and Infantino do well to explain away in scientific terms how the Mardon brothers use the equipment to create the weather anomalies.  

Introducing Wally into the Flash gives another major DC hero a sidekick.  We have Robin, Speedy, Wonder Girl, and now Kid Flash.  I feel DC had plans somewhere down the road for these kids, and I was right:  this was their subtle way to eventually set up the original Teen Titans.  But little did WE know just how important Wally would eventually be down the road.  But, while I wasn't quite to keen on the trope as to how he got his powers...in Barry's home lab of all places, and have the same accident happen yet again...proving that lightning DOES strike twice.  At least they explained away that it was a rainy day in Central City.  But...I made this issue important, because it introduces us to Wally...and the future we had NO IDEA he was going to have.  As always, they also added the "Flash Facts" in the issue, giving you some scientific facts about something that happened within the issue.  

These early Flash stories are fun, and not too much heavy handed stuff in them to weigh it down.  They're quick reads, and to-the-point storytelling.  Broome and Infantino continue to build the world of the Flash.  

NEXT WEEK:  We have one of the most iconic team-ups of all time---as the past meets the present, and an expanded universe is created.