Flash of Two Worlds

Last updated
"Flash of Two Worlds"
Flash v1 123.jpg
Cover of The Flash #123 (September 1961); art by Carmine Infantino, pencils, and Murphy Anderson, inks.
Publisher DC Comics
Publication dateSeptember  1961
Genre
Title(s) The Flash #123
Main character(s) Flash (Barry Allen)
Flash (Jay Garrick)
Creative team
Writer(s) Gardner Fox
Penciller(s) Carmine Infantino
Inker(s) Joe Giella
Editor(s) Julius Schwartz

"Flash of Two Worlds!" is a landmark [1] comic book story that was published in The Flash #123 (Sept. 1961). It introduces Earth-Two, and more generally the concept of the multiverse, to DC Comics. [2] The story was written by Gardner Fox under the editorial guidance of Julius Schwartz (whose subsequent autobiography was titled Man of Two Worlds), and illustrated by Carmine Infantino. In 2009, DC Comics released a new digitally remastered graphic novel collection, DC Comics Classics Library: The Flash of Two Worlds. It features the classic flagship story and other subsequent pre-Crisis Flash material.

Contents

Plot summary

At a charity event organized by Iris West, Flash performs super-speed tricks to entertain the children there as the scheduled magician has not come. Recreating a rope climbing trick, the Flash begins vibrating his molecules when he suddenly disappears from the stage. He finds himself outside near an unfamiliar city, which he discovers to be Keystone City, the home of the Golden Age Flash. Keystone City is located on Earth-Two (not named as such in this story), [lower-alpha 1] an Earth in a parallel universe. On Barry Allen's world, the Golden Age Flash is thought to be a fictional comic book character. Barry looks up Jay Garrick in the phone book and introduces himself to the older speedster. On this Earth, Jay had retired as the Flash years earlier, the year his comic book series was canceled on Earth-One, and married his longtime girlfriend, Joan Williams. Barry claims Gardner Fox's thoughts must have been tuned in to the events of Earth-Two.

Garrick says he is preparing to resume being the Flash and describes for Barry three incredible crimes that were committed recently. These thefts were perpetrated by three of Jay's former adversaries, Fiddler, Shade, and Thinker, who have joined forces. The Flashes split up, with Jay taking on the Thinker and Barry against the Shade, but they are unable to defeat them. The Flashes regroup and go after the Fiddler together, saving a man from a falling steel girder along the way.

Shade and Thinker meet up and realize that there are two Flashes. They hurry to warn the Fiddler of this turn of events, but the Fiddler has already managed to stop the Flashes with his musical powers. He commands the two speedsters to commit robberies for him. Just as the villainous trio are about to flee with their loot, the two Flashes capture them. It turns out that they had put small jewels in their ears to block the Fiddler's mind-control music after he told them to put them down and take larger jewels, then played along in order to fool the criminals. Barry returns to his Earth after Jay announces he is coming out of retirement and will continue as the Flash of his world.

Effects of the story

The success of "Flash of Two Worlds" encouraged DC to revive many of its Golden Age characters. Eventually, crossovers between the two Earths would become an annual feature in the Justice League of America comics, beginning with issue #21, "Crisis on Earth-One!" (August 1963), and culminating in the 1985 miniseries Crisis on Infinite Earths .

The cover itself has become an iconic image, and has been referenced in many covers including Flash vol. 1 #147 (Sep. 1964), Dark Horse Presents #67 (November 1992), Flash vol. 2 #123 (Mar. 1997), Impulse #70 (Mar. 2001), Flash Rebirth #5 (Jan. 2010), and The Flash #9 (Oct. 2016) as part of the Rebirth reboot.

In 2004, a near-mint copy of The Flash #123 sold in a Heritage auction for $83,000. [3]

In Final Crisis #2 (August 2008), the location of this story is revisited by Wally West (the third Flash) and Jay Garrick (the first Flash), but by the time of Final Crisis the Central City community center has become an abandoned strip joint. Later in the same issue it becomes the location for the return of Barry Allen (the second Flash), for the first time since his apparent death in Crisis on Infinite Earths #8 (November 1985).

Other media

The comic is featured in the episode of The Big Bang Theory , "The Jiminy Conjecture". It is the comic book Sheldon loses in a cricket identification bet to Howard, and he can be seen holding it near the episode's conclusion.

The concept of the Golden Age Flash being a comic book character on the Silver Age's Earth, and his retirement on his Earth coinciding with the cancellation of the series, is reused in the Justice League two-parter "Legends". It features the titular team visiting a Golden Age era reality with the "Justice Guild of America", a team similar to the Justice Society who are said to have been characters in a comic book series within the DC Animated Universe. John Stewart says the comic series was canceled and the League later deduce that this occurred when the team was killed in their timeline.

The episode titled "Flash of Two Worlds" of Season 2's The Flash uses the title of the original story. It also contains a brief scene reminiscent of the cover, when the two Flashes run around opposite sides of a brick wall to check on a hostage after a fight with the criminal Sand Demon. In the show, Barry and Jay's situations are reversed: Jay (later revealed to be Hunter Zolomon who took the place of the real Jay who was held captive by him) finds himself stranded on Earth-1, whereas in the comic, Barry arrives on Earth-2 (although he is able to leave at the end). [4]

Notes

  1. ↑ The name "Earth-Two" does not appear until "Crisis on Earth-One!" in Justice League of America #21.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flash (DC Comics character)</span> Several superheros in the DC Comics universe

The Flash is the name of several superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Harry Lampert, the original Flash first appeared in Flash Comics #1. Nicknamed "the Scarlet Speedster", all incarnations of the Flash possess "superspeed", which includes the ability to run, move, and think extremely fast, use superhuman reflexes, and seemingly violate certain laws of physics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crisis on Infinite Earths</span> Limited DC comic crossover series

Crisis on Infinite Earths is a 1985–1986 American comic book crossover storyline published by DC Comics. The series, written by Marv Wolfman and pencilled by George Pérez, was first serialized as a 12-issue limited series from April 1985 to March 1986. As the main piece of a crossover event, some plot elements were featured in tie-in issues of other publications. Since its initial publication, the series has been reprinted in various formats and editions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Justice Society of America</span> Superhero team

The Justice Society of America (JSA), or Justice Society (JS), is a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. It was conceived by editor Sheldon Mayer and writer Gardner Fox during the Golden Age of Comic Books. It first appeared in All Star Comics #3, making it the first team of superheroes in comic books. Its original members were Doctor Fate, Hourman, the Spectre, Sandman, Atom, the Flash, Green Lantern and Hawkman.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">DC Universe</span> Shared universe of the comic stories published by DC Comics

The DC Universe (DCU) is the shared universe in which most stories in American comic book titles published by DC Comics take place. In context, the term "DC Universe" usually refers to the main DC continuity. It contains such well-known superheroes as Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, the Flash, Aquaman, Green Lantern, Green Arrow, Captain Marvel, Martian Manhunter, and Cyborg; as well as teams such as the Justice League, the Justice Society of America, the Suicide Squad, Doom Patrol, and the Teen Titans. It also contains well-known supervillains, including Lex Luthor, the Joker, the Cheetah, the Reverse-Flash, Black Manta, Sinestro, Deathstroke, Black Adam, Brainiac, and Darkseid.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kid Flash</span> DC Comics character

Kid Flash is the name of several fictional superheroes appearing in comic books published by DC Comics, originally created by John Broome and Carmine Infantino, as a junior counterpart to DC Comics superhero The Flash. The first version of the character, Wally West, debuted in The Flash #110 (1959). The character, along with others like the first Wonder Girl, Aqualad, and Speedy, was created in response to the success of Batman's young sidekick Robin. These young heroes would later be spun off into their own superhero team, the Teen Titans. As Kid Flash, Wally West made regular appearances in Flash related comic books and other DC Comics publications from 1959 through the mid-1980s until the character was reinvented as the new version of The Flash.

The Reverse-Flash is a name used by several supervillains appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Each iteration of the character serves as a foil and an enemy of the Flash.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shade (character)</span> Comics character

The Shade is a comic book character developed in the 1940s for National Comics, first appearing in the pages of Flash Comics in a story titled "The Man Who Commanded the Night", scripted by Gardner Fox and illustrated by Hal Sharp. Debuting as a villain, the Shade was best known for fighting against two generations of superheroes, most notably the Golden Age and Silver Age versions of the Flash. He eventually became a mentor for Jack Knight, the son of the Golden Age Starman, Ted Knight, a hero the Shade had also fought.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flash (Barry Allen)</span> Superhero appearing in DC Comics publications and related media

The Flash is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. He is the second character known as the Flash, following Jay Garrick. The character first appeared in Showcase #4, created by writer Robert Kanigher and penciler Carmine Infantino.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flash (Jay Garrick)</span> Fictional superhero in the DC Comics universe

Jason Peter "Jay" Garrick is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. He is the first character known as the Flash. The character first appeared in Flash Comics #1, created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Harry Lampert.

Earth-One is a name given to two fictional universes that have appeared in American comic book stories published by DC Comics. The first Earth-One was given its name in Justice League of America #21, after The Flash #123 explained how Golden Age (Earth-Two) versions of characters such as the Flash could appear in stories with their Silver Age counterparts. This Earth-One continuity included the DC Silver Age heroes, including the Justice League of America.

Earth-Two is a setting for stories appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. First appearing in The Flash #123 (1961), Earth-Two was created to explain differences between the original Golden Age and then-current Silver Age versions of characters such as the Flash, and how the current (Earth-One) versions could appear in stories alongside earlier versions of the same character concepts. Earth-Two includes DC Golden Age heroes, including the Justice Society of America, whose careers began at the dawn of World War II, concurrently with their first appearances in comics. Earth-Two, along with the four other surviving Earths of the DC Multiverse, were merged into one in the 1985 miniseries Crisis on Infinite Earths. However, following the events of Infinite Crisis, the Multiverse was reborn, although the subsequent Earth-Two was not the same as its pre-Crisis equivalent.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Infinite Crisis</span> 2005–2006 comic book limited miniseries by DC Comics

"Infinite Crisis" is a 2005–2006 comic book storyline published by DC Comics, consisting of an eponymous, seven-issue comic book limited series written by Geoff Johns and illustrated by Phil Jimenez, George Pérez, Ivan Reis, and Jerry Ordway, and a number of tie-in books. The main miniseries debuted in October 2005, and each issue was released with two variant covers: one by Pérez and one by Jim Lee and Sandra Hope.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hunter Zolomon</span> Fictional comic book supervillain from the DC Comics universe

Hunter Zolomon, otherwise known as Zoom and the Reverse-Flash, is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The second character to assume the Reverse-Flash mantle, he serves as the archnemesis of Wally West and an enemy of Barry Allen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fiddler (comics)</span> Comics character

The Fiddler is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, as an enemy of the first Flash.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Batman (Earth-Two)</span> Version of the fictional character of Earth-Two in DC Comics

The Batman of Earth-Two is an alternate version of the superhero Batman, who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was introduced after DC Comics created Earth-Two, a parallel world that was retroactively established as the home of characters whose adventures had been published in the Golden Age of comic books. This provided justification within the fictional world of Batman stories for DC Comics publishing Batman comic books that disregarded the character's Golden Age stories, as Batman had been presented as a single ongoing incarnation of the character since his earliest stories were published.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robin (Earth-Two)</span> Comics character

Robin of Earth-Two is an alternate version of the fictional superhero Robin, who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was introduced after DC Comics created Earth-Two, a parallel world that was retroactively established as the home of characters which had been published in the Golden Age of comic books. This allowed creators to publish comic books taking place in current continuity while being able to disregard Golden Age stories featuring Robin, solving an incongruity, as Robin had been published as a single ongoing incarnation since inception. Unlike his main counterpart, Robin is the only alter ego of Dick Grayson, who uses the title into adulthood, rather than taking on later codenames such as Nightwing or Batman. In addition, the name "Robin" is not taken on by later characters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Multiverse (DC Comics)</span> Fictional multiverse used by DC Comics

In DC Comics media, the Multiverse is a "cosmic construct" composed of the many fictional universes the stories of DC take place in. The worlds in this multiverse share a space and fate in common, and its structure has changed several times in the history of DC Comics.

<i>The Flash</i> (comic book) Comic book series

The Flash is an ongoing American comic book series featuring the DC Comics superhero of the same name. Throughout its publication, the series has primarily focused on two characters who have worn the mantle of the Flash: Barry Allen, the second Flash, and Wally West, the third Flash. The series began at issue #105, picking up its issue numbering from the anthology series Flash Comics which had featured Jay Garrick as the first Flash.

"Finish Line" is a four-issue monthly American comic book story written by Joshua Williamson and illustrated by Howard Porter. The storyline was published by DC Comics and features characters from the Flash comics. The story appeared in issues #759–762 of The Flash, running from August to September 2020. The storyline received critical acclaim for the action, plot, art, and the ending. "Finish Line" was the final story written by Joshua Williamson before Kevin Shinick began his run on the title.

"Dark Crisis" is a 2022 comic book storyline published by DC Comics, comprising an eponymous central 7 issue mini-series by writer Joshua Williamson and artist Daniel Sampere, and a number of tie-in books. The event received critical acclaim, with critics praising Williamson's writing, inclusion of characters, art, story, and action. The storyline takes place towards the end of Infinite Frontier, with the conclusion of the series leading into the Dawn of DC in 2023.

References

  1. ↑ "Julius Schwartz". The Telegraph. 2004-02-11. Retrieved 2008-11-22.
  2. ↑ McAvennie, Michael; Dolan, Hannah, ed. (2010). "1960s". DC Comics Year By Year A Visual Chronicle. Dorling Kindersley. p. 103. ISBN   978-0-7566-6742-9. This classic Silver Age story resurrected the Golden Age Flash and provided a foundation for the Multiverse from which he and the Silver Age Flash would hail.{{cite book}}: |first2= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  3. ↑ "Heritage Auction Hits $1.7 Million". Scoop. 2004-06-18. Archived from the original on October 27, 2008. Retrieved 2007-06-09.
  4. ↑ Prudom, Laura (August 31, 2015). "'The Flash' Casts Tony Todd as Voice of DC Villain Zoom in Season 2 (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved August 31, 2015.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.