Issue Description

"Will You Believe Me When I'm Dead?"

Fiona Webb files a formal complaint, at police headquarters, against her neighbor, police forensics scientist, Barry Allen. Webb accuses Allen of plotting her murder. The desk sergeant is reluctant to take action, as Allen is one of their own. The Flash places Doctor Alchemy into police custody. Overhearing Webb's accusation, the Flash asks to hear Webb's side of the story. While they're speaking, they come under attack by a flock of carrier pigeons, carrying miniature explosives. The Flash vibrates himself, and Webb, at super-human speed, into intangibility. After the initial blast wave passes harmlessly through them, the Flash contains the shock waves, to protect the innocent bystanders.

Inspecting one of the pigeons, the Flash discovers a miniature camera, and a relay system to control the birds. The Flash opts not to scour the area for the perpetrator, choosing instead to use this opportunity to clear Allen's good name. The Flash races Webb to Allen's apartment. Moving faster than the eye can see, the Flash is able to create the illusion not only of himself appearing at the same time as his alter-ego, but also carry on a conversation. In this way, the Flash proves to Webb that Allen was home, sleeping, during the attack. Webb, though, is undeterred in her certainty over Allen's guilt, suggesting that he merely hired someone else to do his dirty work.

Crestfallen, the Flash escorts Webb home. The Flash, as Allen, runs Webb's fingerprints through the law enforcement data base, and comes up empty. A fellow forensics scientist suggests that Webb's information is protected by a "Code-7", meaning that the Federal Government, itself, is protecting her information. Allen types the information back into the computer, then vibrates his way inside the computer itself. Allen chases the computer impulses, following their electrons to Webb's protected information. Allen discovers that Webb's real name is Beverly Lewis. Allen asks his neighbors, the Nathans, to keep an eye on Webb. Allen, as the Flash, looks into Webb's life, as Lewis, in Idaho.

Sorting through town records on Lewis, the Flash is accosted by King Faraday. After ascertaining that the Flash is, indeed, the Flash, Faraday identifies himself as a government agent. Faraday reveals that Lewis witnessed syndicate boss, Ross Malverk, murder an associate. For her testimony against Malverk, Lewis was placed in the Witness Protection Program. To insure her past would never catch up to her, Lewis volunteered to be brainwashed, so that no trace of her previous identity would exist in her mind. Faraday informs the Flash that Malverk has escaped from prison, and hired a professional killer, a master of disguise known as Saber-Tooth, to take Lewis out.

Faraday shows the Flash film strips of Malverk's trial, so that the Flash knows what Malverk looks like. Webb sits down to dinner with the Nathans. When the elder Nathan excuses himself to get more wine, he is beaten and bound, in the kitchen, by Saber-Tooth. "Nathan" returns to the table, aiming the bottle of wine at Webb. As he pops the cork, a jet of flame is released. The Flash pushes Webb to safety, then takes out Saber-Tooth. Webb unties the real Nathan, then returns home. There she finds Allen waiting for her, gun drawn, prepared to murder her.

The Secret History Of The Nuclear Man

Ronald Raymond continues to recount, to Professor Martin Stein, the story of how they became Firestorm, the Nuclear Man. Raymond had broken into the Hudson Power Plant, along with a group of protestors. Learning that the protestors actually planned to blow up the plant, Raymond threatened to contact the police. Raymond was beaten into unconsciousness. When Stein confronted the protestors, having seen them on the security monitors, he, too, was beaten unconscious. Raymond regained consciousness, just as the protestor's explosives detonated.

When an experimental reactor exploded, Raymond and Stein were bathed in radiation, which caused them to fuse together into one being. Raymond quickly realized that he could actually see the atomic structure of objects, and could actually alter them on a molecular level. Raymond fashioned himself a costume, and dubbed himself "Firestorm, the Nuclear Man". As New York's newest super-hero, Firestorm battled against Multiplex, Killer Frost and the Hyena. After teaming up with Superman against Killer Frost, Firestorm was invited to join the Justice League of America.

As Stein was unconscious when he and Raymond were first transformed into Firestorm, Stein has no memory of his activities as Firestorm. Stein believes that his "blackouts" were caused by excessive drinking. At the end of Raymond's tale, Stein bursts into laughter over the ludicrousness of the story. In anger, Raymond triggers the transformation into Firestorm. Stein's consciousness suggests to Raymond that he photograph their transformation, to provide proof to Stein of the veracity of Raymond's tale. Firestorm complies. Upon seeing the photographs, Stein is relieved to learn that he isn't having a nervous breakdown. Stein and Raymond forge a new friendship.

Firestorm826's Panel-by-Panel Story Summary (Spoiler Alert)

A shabby apartment in a rundown neighborhood in Astoria, Queens, might not seem, at first glance, a place for weighty revelations to be made…But, at second glance…

“I must be mad, sitting here listening to this,” Professor Martin Stein sighs. He sits at his kitchen table, resting his forehead on his hand as he listens to Ronnie Raymond. “You come to me with some wild story to explain the blackouts that have ruined my career…You seem to know me…but I don’t know you!” Stein adds in frustration, trying to understand. “I’ll get to it, Professor,” Ronnie explains, “I told you already my name is Ronnie Raymond - - and the two of us together are the guy called - - Firestorm, the Nuclear Man!

“Firestorm! That name, why does it haunt me?” Stein asks. “Like I told you, Professor Stein, I’m just your average jock high school student. To impress a girl named Doreen Day, I did something pretty dumb,” Ronnie answers, continuing, “I joined a bunch of phony protestors who were planning to bomb the Hudson Nuclear Plant, the experimental plant you designed and built.”

Ronnie sets a kettle on the stove and turns on the burner. “I think we could both use some coffee,” he says, continuing, “I didn’t know what they were going to do at the Plant until we got there that night, and broke in. They figured to use me as a patsy to take the blame for the bombing - - and when I made noises about calling the cops, they konked me. I guess that’s when you arrived, just in time for your own konking.”

Stein nods, recalling that fateful evening. “I…I remember that night. Some hoodlums had invaded the Plant,” he replies, adding, “I saw them on the security monitors, tried to stop them. I was struck…”

Ronnie pours two cups of coffee. “And the rest’s a blank, right?” he asks, explaining, “I figure the reason you can never remember what happens to us when we’re Firestorm is because you were unconscious when we first changed.” He hands the Professor a cup. “’Changed’?” Stein asks. “Me, I must have a thick skull,” Ronnie answers, “I woke up for the big bang…and when I saw that dynamite go off right next to your new experimental reactor, I was sure that was all she wrote! The next second, we were hit by a wave of radiation…I felt it pick me up, carry me on its crest…and right then, it happened - - the craziest thing in the world…

Ronnie relives the cataclysmic maelstrom of transformation that occurred next. “I feel - - like I’m melting! No, not melting - - merging! Like stereo images coming into focus!” Ronnie cries out, “I’m changing - - but I’m still alive! My mind feels like its crawling with information! Things I never knew before - - couldn’t even guess before! Suddenly, I almost seem to know what’s happening to me! That wall - - blown apart by the explosion! Just looking at it, I can ‘read’ its atomic structure! I can see how it’s composed of various molecular combinations - - and if I can see that, I can change it!”

Ronnie focuses nuclear restructuring energy at the damaged wall. “All I have to do is ‘touch’ the atoms of the escaping gas with a nuclear blast - - and I can mend the wreckage by rearranging the wall’s atomic structure. Fan-tas-tic!”

Ronnie looks quickly around the room, scanning the atomic structure of nearby objects. “Everywhere I look, I can see so clearly now! Whoops! Talk about seeing things clearly - - where’re my pants? Well, if I can fix walls, I can sure sew up a new pair of Wranglers! And since I’ve got the powers of some kind of super-hero…I might as well have the duds to match!”

Ronnie describes to Professor Stein how he lowered his atomic density to phase through the Plant’s wall, and then took flight for the first time in pursuit of Earhart and his gang. “After that, everything else sort of fell into place, Professor. The name, Firestorm…and the heroics…” Ronnie explains, asking, “I mean, if you’ve got power like that, you should use them, right?”

Ronnie rinses out his coffee cup. “The first thing we did was capture those fake demonstrators,” he explains, “Then we had run-ins with your ex-lab assistant, a guy named Danton Black who was also there that night…and crazies like Killer Frost…the Hyena…I wonder whatever happened to the Hyena, anyway?”

Ronnie walks closer to Stein. “There was just one thing wrong, Professor,” he continues, pointing a finger at his counterpart, “You. You could never remember any of our adventures. You thought you were having blackout spells. You started drinking. Pretty soon, word got around and your reputation was ruined. That’s why I quit being Firestorm for all these months, till Killer Frost came back, and I met Superman again and he asked us to join the Justice League.”

Ronnie remembers his induction ceremony on the Justice League Satellite with Zatanna, the Flash, Batman, Superman, the Atom, Black Canary, Green Arrow, Green Lantern, and Aquaman. “How could I say no? I mean, those guys are all heroes!” Ronnie explains, “I know I should have told you about us long ago…but I was scared…I was afraid you’d want to stop it, if you ever found out. I’m…sorry, Professor. I wouldn’t blame you if you quit.”

Stein thinks for a few moments and then suddenly bursts into laughter! “Hahahaha! Quit? Oh, young man! How can I quit something that’s simply another drunken delusion!” he chortles, falling back in hilarity on his bed. “It’s too rich! Too absurd! Oh, my, my, my!” he laughs. “Huh?” Ronnie says as he looks on in confusion, asking, “You think this is some kind of a joke?” Stein continues giggling and snickering. “Not a joke, my boy. Just a very bad dream!” he answers. Ronnie grows irritated. “Oh yeah? You want proof, Professor…” he begins, turning to yell right in the Professor’s face, “…you’ll get proof!”

BTHOOM! Instantly, Firestorm appears in Professor Stein’s apartment. Ronnie phases through the wall and flies out into the evening sky. “Ronald! What is the meaning of this?” Stein questions quickly. “Your subconscious persona is a lot more together than your up-front conscious mind, Professor! I told you the whole story - - but you didn’t believe it! After all my agonizing, you laughed at me!” Ronnie explains. Stein replies, “Ronald, try to understand. You were talking to a man who has lost most of his self-respect.”

Ronnie speeds down straight into the path of an oncoming elevated train. The driver sees him and hits the brakes! SQQUUEAL! The train’s wheels screech along the track as the train slows rapidly. At the last second before impact, Ronnie makes a tight 90-degree turn and flies off at breakneck speed. “That’s it,” thinks the stunned train driver, “Tomorrow, I go back to my old job running the Toy Town Limited at Macy’s!”

Ronnie flies down toward an industrial area near the train tracks. “How else could he react but with skepticism?” Stein asks, adding, “You must admit, our story is somewhat - - incredible!” Ronnie brings them to a landing on a factory rooftop. “You’re right, Professor. As always,” he answers. “The thing is, I promised him proof,” Ronnie thinks, “But how can you prove a thing like this? When he wakes up, he’ll think he’s just had another blackout. He’ll never believe the truth.”

Stein thinks for a moment, then suggests, “Perhaps if you gave him a picture…” Ronnie wonders, “Huh? What’re you - - oh! I get it! A series of photos, before, after, and during a change! Perfect!” Ronnie aims a restructuring beam at a nearby TV antenna, transforming it into a camera mounted on a tripod. “Hope this works, Professor! I never did take a good picture…” Ronnie tells him.

Not long after… “I don’t know what to say…” Stein says in shock. He looks over three incredible pictures showing the moments of fission when Firestorm transforms back into Martin Stein and Ronnie Raymond. “…These pictures…Unbelievable! But…But I must believe them. It explains so much. And it means…I wasn’t having a nervous breakdown after all…” Ronnie smiles at him. “That isn’t all it means, Professor,” he replies, “It looks like we’ve both found a friend.”

The Flash (1959)

Publisher

DC Comics

Volume Description

The Flash Volume 1, (continued from Flash Comics).

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Starring Barry Allen as the Flash and Wally West as Kid Flash. After 4 try-out issues of "Show case" - the first being #4, which is widely accepted as being the comic that launched the Silver Age - the Flash returned to star in his own title with #105 in 1959. The numbering of the title continued from the Golden Age "Flash Comics," which had come to an end as Super Heroes went out of fashion in the early 1950's. When Police scientist Barry Allen was doused with a variety of chemicals along with a bolt of lightning, the accident endowed him with Super Speed, and he donned the famous red Flash uniform we are all familiar with. Barry was seeing reporter Iris Allen, and to ensure he kept his identity as the Flash a secret from his girlfriend, he always turned up late for their dates. During his Showcase appearances, the Flash had battled the first of what was to become his rogues gallery when he clashed with Captain Cold, and his range of costumed opponents was about expand almost as rapidly as his uniform expanded from his ring when it came into contact with air. In his opening issue, the Flash battled the Mirror Master, and in the following issue, readers were introduced to Gorilla Grodd, Solovar, and the inhabitants of Gorilla City in a trilogy of tales that ran through issues #106 - 108. Also starring in #106 was another costumed villain, the Pied Piper. The Mirror Master obviously proved a hit with fans as he was back in #109 for a re-match and in #110 the Flash encountered the Weather Wizard for the first time. The Trickster brought his tricks to Central City in Flash #113, while Captain Cold returned in #114 and another Captain - this time Captain Boomerang debuted in #117.

However, it wasn't just super villains the Flash was encountering in the early issues of his own series. In #110, Kid Flash made his debut, when Wally West was caught in a freak duplicate of the accident that had given Barry his super speed. Wally's original costume was a duplicate of Barry's (only smaller of course) but sidekicks were "in" at the time and Wally would often feature in back up stories in the Flash as well as sometimes teaming up with his mentor - such as in #120. Later (#135) Wally would receive his more familiar yellow and red costume, which would serve him for the best part of two decades. Shortly after the introduction of Kid Flash, the Flash encountered Ralph Dibny, the Elongated Man in #112. At first, Barry thought the Elongated Man was a criminal, but by the end of the lead story in this issue, Ralph was exonerated, and the two men became firm friends. Editor Julius Schwartz was developing a number of friendships across the books he edited and chief among them was a friendship between Green Lantern and the Flash. The two first teamed up in Green Lantern #13 and the friendship was cemented during several shared adventures including the ones in Flash #131 and #143.

The most far reaching team -up of Barry's career was to come about in the classic Flash #123, "Flash of Two Worlds" in which the Scarlet Speedster met his "hero" Jay Garrick, the original Flash from the Golden Age of comics, and the concept of Earth Two was launched. Subsequent team ups between the two Flashes included the reintroduction of the Justice Society of America in #137's "Vengeance of the Immortal Villain," as the heroes pitted their wits against Vandal Savage. In the meantime, the villains just kept coming, as Abra Kadabra - a magician from the future made his debut in #128, Heat Wave made things hot for the Flash in #140, and the Top put him in a spin in # 141. However, it was the introduction of Eobard Thawne - the Reverse Flash (or Professor Zoom) in #140 that would have the most far reaching and long lasting effect upon Barry Allen's future.

When Barry and Iris finally got around to tying the knot, (#165), the Reverse Flash tried to take his place at the altar. Although Barry foiled his arch -foe on this occasion, history would repeat itself later in the series. After the death of Iris (accidentally shot at a costume ball), Barry was about to get re-married. Thawne was about to kill his fiance, but in order to prevent that happening, Barry snapped the neck of his enemy - an event which led to the two-year plus "Trial of the Flash," which concluded the series and led to the seeming demise of Barry Allen in Crisis on Infinite Earths.

With science-based stories by the likes of Gardner Fox, John Broome, and Robert Kanigher, and the sleek angular artistic lines provided by Carmine Infantino, the Flash became one of the most popular and attractive books in the DC line throughout the Silver Age and indeed its impressive 246 issue run. The series ended with issue 350 and was continued a little more over a year into The Flash Volume 2.

Collected EditionsFlash Archives Vol. 1 (#105-108)Flash Omnibus (#105-132)Showcase Presents: The Flash vol. 1 (#105-111)Flash Archives Vol. 2 (#109-116)Flash Archives Vol. 3 (#117-124)Showcase Presents: The Flash vol. 2 (#120-140)Flash Archives Vol. 4 (#125-132)Flash Archives Vol. 5 (#133-141)Showcase Presents: The Flash vol. 3 (#141-161)Flash Archives Vol. 6 (#142-150)Showcase Presents: The Flash vol. 4 (#162-184)Absolute Green Lantern/Green Arrow (#217-219 & 226)Showcase Presents: The Trial of the Flash (#323-7, 329-336, 340-350)

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