Flash Facts: Flash Annual of 1963

Flash was the envy of all the other DC heroes except for Superman, Batman and Lois Lane, as the fastest man alive got his first annual in the Summer of 1963.


This book featured reprints of the first appearances of important characters to the Flash mythos....


....and we'll take a look at these stories below!

Katmos

The first reprinted story is from Flash #105 (February-March, 1959) by John Broome, Carmine Infantino and Joe Giella, with Barry Allen facing off against the "Conqueror From 8 Million B.C."....that being the menace of Katmos (though the cover of the original issue features the Mirror Master, who was in the other story of that book).


After a brief recap of the Flash's origin, Barry faces off against the ancient threat of Katmos, freed by archeologist John Haines (as the metallic monarch used his mind control ray on the man).  Katmos then encountered the Flash, even taking control of him for a time, but Barry Allen proved to be too fast for this  menace, beating his plans....and still being able to go to dinner with Iris West!

Mr. Element

Next up is the first appearance of another enemy of the Flash, from Showcase #13 (March-April, 1958) by John Broome, Carmine Infantino and Frank Giacoia, that of the "Master Of The Elements", Mr. Element (though this also was not the feature of the issue to make the cover).


Barry faces Mr. Element and his gang (Argon, Krypton, Xenon and Radon, named after the inert elements of the periodic table), with the tricky Mr. Element using pre-prepared tricks with elements to halt the fastest man alive.  Mr. Element evades capture, and even calls out the Flash while Barry is on a dinner date with Iris...the villain ruins Barry's night, but the Flash proved he could think fast enough to dash the hopes of his enemy.  Mr. Element returns later, in a new identity, that of Dr. Alchemy!

Elongated Man

Flash really needed a friend, and he found one in the Flash #112 (April-May, 1960) by John Broome, Carmine Infantino and Joe Giella, at least he would as soon as he solved "The Mystery Of The Elongated Man".


Flash is being out-heroed by newcomer to Central City, the Elongated Man.  Elongated Man was really Ralph Dibny, who was fascinated by circus rubber men since he was a kid, found they all drank a soft drink, Gingold, and took an extract from that which allowed him his elastic powers.  Flash suspected Elongated Man of recent robberies in his city, and set a trap for the Gingold guardian....but he found EM to have captured the real thieves instead.  Flash and Elongated Man tied for the Man of the Year award given by Picture News, and became fast friends after this (with Elongated Man later joining the JLA!).

Star Sapphire

The next story of the issue featured the Flash from the Golden Age, Jay Garrick.  "The Amazing Star Sapphire" was the one of the menaces of All-Flash #32 (December-January, 1947/1948) by Robert Kanigher, Lee Elias and Moe Worthman (thought Flash foe, the Fiddler, got the cover).
 
The Flash and Dr. Flura were found comatose, and brought to a laboratory to be revived.  While in the lab, the villainous Star Sapphire appeared, with a plan to have her world destroy the Earth (and lured Flash and the lady doctor to it, via a space-time machine).  Flash stopped Star Sapphire's evil plan, rescued Dr. Flura as well, returning to Earth.   This Star Sapphire later proved to be similar to the Star Sapphire who was the foe of Barry's friend, Green Lantern Hal Jordan (but that connection took a few decades to reveal....).

Grodd

Flash faced the "Menace Of The Super-Gorilla" in Flash #106 (April-May, 1959) by John Broome, Carmine Infantino and Joe Giella, though this story wasn't featured on the cover...it was the first appearance of Gorilla Grodd and King Solovar of Gorilla City.

Grodd secretly comes to Central City, while Barry's friend, actor Fred Pearson, thinks he's losing his mind (as he performs in an act disguised as a gorilla, but can't remember his last performance, which people say was his best).  Really, it was Grodd, hiding for a time, as he searched for Solovar (the king of Gorilla City, who had been captured and was in a circus, hiding his own telepathic abilities).  Grodd found Solovar, took the secret of Force of Mind (mind control) from him, and Solovar broke free to find Flash.  Solovar explained this to the Flash, who then had to stop Grodd from taking over Gorilla City...which he quickly did (and also promised to keep the existence of telepathic gorillas and their home from the world).  Grodd would return many times to face the Flash....

Kid Flash

Flash got a little bit of help in his life as he would "Meet Kid Flash" in Flash #110 (December-January, 1959/1960) by John Broome, Carmine Infantino and Joe Giella (in the non-cover featured story of this issue).  

Iris' nephew, Wally West, was a big fan of the Flash.  Iris asked Barry to escort Wally around town, and hoped to meet the Flash.  Barry brought Wally back to his lab, and super-speed around to meet Wally as the Flash.  While explaining his origin, a lightning bolt struck, hitting the chemicals and dousing Wally, giving him the same super-speed Barry has.  The Flash gives Wally a smaller version of his own suit, allowing the boy to be a super-hero as Kid Flash, as long as he keeps his abilities a secret from everyone.   Later, Barry tells the boy his own secret, and Wally even joins with other sidekicks of other heroes to form the Teen Titans.

There were also special features in this issue, like how artist Carmine Infantino drew the Flash, as well as an index of the Barry Allen Flash issues of the time, and a few special Flash firsts covers.  While it took a long time for Flash to get another annual, Flash did have a couple of 80 Page Giants (#4 of October 1964 and #9 of April 1965) devoted to his earlier adventures (which you can use the index in the annual to guess which ones they are).  Better still, you can get a replica edition of the Flash Annual (which came out in 2001).

Flash Facts: The Early Days of Dr. Alchemy

A Flash foe that wasn't really a part of the rogues, and barely appeared in Flash comics of the Silver Age, Dr. Alchemy was still a deadly mix to any Flash story, and quite the threat to Barry Allen and his friends.


Here's a showcase of his early history....

Master Of The Elements

Al Desmond first appeared in Showcase #13 (March-April, 1958 by John Broome, Carmine Infantino and Frank Giacoia) taking on the Flash with his henchmen, robbing jewelry stores as Mr. Element, using his knowledge of the elements to throw obstacles in the way of the super-speedster, even sending Flash into space....giving Barry time to figure out a way to defeat his elemental foe.


But, what does this tale (reprinted in the Flash Annual #1 of 1963, Flash Archives #1 of 1996, Flash Annual Replica of 2001, Flash Chronicles #1 of 2009, Flash Omnibus #1 of 2014 and the Flash: The Silver Age of 2016) to do with Dr. Alchemy?

The Man Who Changed The Earth

Dr. Alchemy premiered in Showcase #14 (May-June, 1958 by John Broome, Carmine Infantino and Frank Giacoia), as Al Desmond escaped prison, armed with the knowledge of the Philosopher's Stone from his cellmate, Ben Sniper, which allowed the owner of it to transmute elements.  Taking on the new identity of Dr. Alchemy, Al embarked on another crime spree, with the Flash (alerted by reporter Iris West), but it took some time and a few little battles for Barry to finally figure out a way to take down the newly powered villain, and Flash throws the stone into space.


This tale was reprinted in 80 Page Giant #9 of 1965, , Flash Archives #1 of 1996, Flash Chronicles #1 of 2009, Flash Omnibus #1 of 2014 and the Flash: The Silver Age of 2016.  

A Little Crisis

Dr. Alchemy must have found a way to get his stone back, maybe with some help from his new friends of the Crime Champions (like Felix Faust or the Wizard) in Justice League of America #21 and #22 (August and September, 1963).

More on the Crime Champions can be read here, but it took the heroes of two worlds to defeat these villains (including Flashes Barry Allen and Jay Garrick, as members of the Justice League and Justice Society), all in their first Crisis together!

Our Enemy, The Flash

Al Desmond returned again in Flash #147 (September, 1964 by John Broome, Carmine Infantino and Joe Giella), this time reformed, with no plans to restart his criminal career (planning instead to marry the lovely Rita)....until Al gets hypnotized by the Reverse-Flash, and reset as an evil man, as part of a plan to have Desmond stabilize an "Element Z", to give Professor Zoom his super-speed powers again.  This leads Mr. Element into conflict with the Flash, in which Al is successful, makes an amulet of "Element Z" to power Eobard Thawne, who escapes back to the 25th Century, leaving Mr. Element to hang for his crimes (but Flash follows him there, defeats Reverse-Flash, and comes back home to clear Al's name, and prevent Thawne from having the amulet as well).

This tale was reprinted in Flash Archives #6 of 2012.

The Mightiest Punch Of All Time

Reverse-Flash finds a way out of prison by fooling an examination machine in the 25th Century in Flash #153 (June, 1965 by John Broome, Carmine Infantino and Joe Giella), and plans to come back to the 20th Century to enact revenge on Barry Allen, by turning Al Desmond evil again, and getting the mayor of Central City to outlaw super speed!  This makes it touch for Barry to defeat Eobard Thawne, but he does, hitting Professor Zoom so hard he loses his vibrations which sends the time traveler back to the 25th Century.  Flash also takes the newly criminalized Mr. Element there, where scientists are able to cure Al Desmond of his criminal tendencies (and Al Desmond is able to marry Rita sometime after this, as revealed in Al's next appearance, not as a villain, in Flash #165 of 1966, but that tale does involve the Reverse Flash, so read more on it here!).

This tale is reprinted in Flash #196 of 1970.  

The Curse Of The Dragon's Eye

Al Desmond returns as Mr. Element in Flash #216 (June, 1972 by Cary Bates, Irv Novick, Frank McLaughlin and Dick Giordano), turned back into a criminal and using a gun which can transmute elements.  It was a ring that Al wears which turned him evil again, where this ring has had influence from the stars (and that Al has had this hanging over him his whole life, with a flashback to his parents, Professor and Mrs. Peter Desmond), and if Barry wasn't able to stop him, Mr. Element could have become a human nova, ending all life on Earth in a fiery blaze!  Thankfully, Barry was able to save Rita's husband in time.  Al and Rita even have time for a peaceful meeting with Barry (at least for them) in Flash #221 of 1973.
 
Sadly, this tale has yet to have been reprinted. 

The Fury Of The Fire-Demon

Dr. Alchemy returns in Flash #230 (November-December, 1974 by Cary Bates, Irv Novick and Frank McLaughlin), with Al being possessed by a demon named Vadtara, resuming his evil identity and battling the Flash with a slightly more magical use of his alchemical powers...at least until Barry finds a way to save the day, freeing Al from the demon's influence, and pretty much ending the criminal career of Al Desmond for a time, and being a good place to stop the issue by issue look at the life of Al Desmond as Mr. Element and Dr. Alchemy.



This tale has not yet been reprinted.

Dr. Alchemy vs. Mr. Element

Dr. Alchemy returned later in Flash's life as well, and even faced off against Mr. Element?  This odd tale took some time, and is something to be looked at later as Al Desmond and the life of Dr. Alchemy take an odd turn, turning into something else....the basic idea of alchemy!