The thing that struck me as inexplicable about the Flash, even when I was 5, was that he could conduct long, chatty conversations with super villains while racing across a room faster than the speed of sound.
Not that it put me off, of course. The absurdity of the stories was always somehow balanced and grounded by the beautiful clarity of the art.
I could tell, from the prominent play he got in the Justice League, that DC had a lot of confidence in the Scarlet Speedster. I loved that streamlined red streak.
His alter ego, Barry Allen, came off as a brave, just, tolerant but subtly dull fellow. In retrospect, it’s interesting that Barry had a long-time gay friend — that designer fellow. Barry really was deftly sketched.
“For such an even-keeled fellow, Barry Allen seemed to be jealous a lot and couldn't take a joke!” observed comics historian Paul Zuckerman. “Hal Jordan was not like that; but if he didn't save the day, he was upset!”
Already in the second issue of his revived title (The Flash 106 (April-May 1959), writer John Broome and artist Carmine Infantino were hammering in place the key elements of the character’s mythological superstructure. Two permanent members of the Flash’s Rogue’s Gallery are introduced — the Pied Piper and the super-gorilla Grodd.
“Grodd was truly the most evil of Flash's early enemies, who mostly seemed to be in it for fun and games (except when they tried to kill Flash),” Zuckerman noted. “Grodd though clearly meant business!!! His three-issues-in-a-row run was unusual for DC at the time, where villains usually would take at least several months before being allowed to return. (Marvel would play some villains to death — I couldn't wait until Magneto and his crew took a sabbatical). In fact, Grodd doesn't show up on a cover as a gorilla until issue 127 (he is in human form on 115’s cover), which is also unusual for DC at the time!”
Bill Cash wrote:
ReplyDeleteHaving grown up in the Wally West era I remember hearing when Barry was brought back that some fans opined that Barry was hella boring compared to his alter ego. And they didn't bother to develop his civilian persona back then.
Paul Zuckerman wrrote:
ReplyDeleteBarry's ability to think at super-speed is just another one of his amazing powers!
Barry may have been boring, but he had more friends than any other super-hero. He knew everyone and they all liked him. He could hobnob with the rich and famous and the down and out. He could get along with just about anyone. He was slow and steady, which of course made the contrast to his being the Flash so interesting. And, he was a comic book fan! From his first appearance, he is reading comics and he knew everything about Jay Garrick from those comics, including his address (which amazingly was published in a comic book and Barry remembered it--now THAT'S a fan!)
Matthew Grossman wrote:
ReplyDeleteFrench fashion designer Anton Previn was Barry Allen’s gay friend.
Pretty daring for the era. I’ve wondered if he was loosely based on someone the writer knew.
William E Kelly wrote:
ReplyDeleteI always liked Flash. (Well until Iris died and then Heck became the artist. I actually liked some of Heck's work, but his style was far too stiff for Flash, and book never recovered) because when the super powers aren't all that appealing, the stories have to be, and Flash had some of the most unique and interesting stories and characters in the DCA. I don't remember the gay character at all, but maybe my young brain just didn't pick up on it.
William E Kelly wrote:
ReplyDeleteDan Hagen LOL! I don't remember him, but I do remember Diana Prince briefly having a gay neighbor when she lived in Greenwich village. It wasn't out right stated, but he was Broadway dancer or something and his roommate appeared to be being set up as Diana's love interest, but since Wonder Woman was all over the place in the bronze age, that whole thing only lasted about 3 issues and was then off to another terrible "Bold New Direction!".
Jeff Fields wrote:
ReplyDeleteThat's what I have always loved most about the DC Silver Age: magnificence in execution making the most absurd situations believable. Carmine Infantino and Gil Kane and Murphy Anderson and Curt Swan and the other stalwarts of 1950's and 1960's DC could make a talking gorilla seem menacing, or convince you a man could run on water. And they obviously influenced the next generations as well. Exhibit A from arguably the best superhero movie ever made: Dash Parr as Barry Allen. Heck, it's even set in the early 1960's!
Bob Doncaster wrote:
ReplyDeleteGrodd remains one of my favorite Flash villains. Infantino's art probably attributed to that.
Charles W. Fouquette wrote: I loved the art of Carmine Infantino during this period of the Silver Age. The Flash was drawn as being skinny, like a real runner would be.
ReplyDeleteRichard Meyer wtote: My spinner racks were so random in what they got each month that I never read any Grodd stories even though Flash was my favorite hero book along with Green Lantern. The stories and art were of higher quality than Superman and Batman, which even as a kid I thought were silly. Although in retrospect, that silliness included some really wild and surreal imagination.
ReplyDeleteMark Engblom wrote:
ReplyDeleteI also think Grodd’s gorilla status contributed to his quick return. It’s well known that DC’s gorilla covers always brought a sales spike to whatever series they were featured on.
More than any other alter ego, Barry Allen always felt the most “like us.” Of course, it didn’t hurt to reveal he was ALSO a comic book fan in his very first appearance!
But beyond his affinity for comics, Barry's earnestly ordinary personality kept him a calm, cool and collected figure despite his otherwise outrageous adventures, his burgeoning Rogue’s Gallery, or even his blazing red & yellow costume (hardly the outfit for such a humdrum personality)! It was easy for all to see that Barry genuinely *loved* being the Flash and everything that came with it... which would be the defining characteristic of his adventures until some time in the late 70's, when his calm confidence and domestic trappings were suddenly unacceptable for an increasingly dark and cynical audience.