Flash Comics #1

(January 1940)

[Origin of the Flash] (Table of Contents)

The Flash / comic story / 15 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

Gardner F. Fox (signed)

Pencils:

Harry Lampert (signed)

Inks:

Harry Lampert (signed)

Colors:

?

Letters:

Harry Lampert (masthead by-line)

Content Information

Genre:

superhero

Characters:

The Flash [Jay Garrick] (introduction, origin); Joan Williams (introduction); Professor Hughes (introduction); Major Williams (introduction, Joan's father); Bull Tryon (introduction); The Faultless Four [Sieur Satan (villain, introduction, death); Serge Orloff (villain, introduction, surgeon); Duriel (villain, introduction)]

Synopsis:

The Scarlet Speedster must face the threat of the Faultless Four, a group of brilliant but deadly scientists who kidnap Joan William's father in order to get his invention: the atomic bombarder!

Reprints:

• in The Great Comic Book Heroes (Dial Press, 1965 series) #[nn] (1965)
• in Famous First Edition (DC, 1974 series) #F-8 (August-September 1975)
• in Secret Origins of the Super DC Heroes (Crown Publishers, 1976 series) #[nn] (1976)
• in The Greatest Flash Stories Ever Told (DC, 1991 series) #[nn] (1991)
• in The Greatest Flash Stories Ever Told (DC, 1992 series) #[nn] ([April] 1992)
• in Golden Age Flash Archives (DC, 1999 series) #1 (July 1999)
• in Millennium Edition: Flash Comics No. 1 (DC, 2000 series) #[nn] (September 2000)

Keywords:

Midwestern University

Indexer Notes

Story was originally untitled. First line is 'But before he became known and feared as "the fastest thing on Earth", Jay Garrick was an unknown student at Midwestern University...' Takes place at Mid-Western University. The Flash has lightning bolts on his belt buckle and trousers.

[The Disappearing Plane] (Table of Contents)

Cliff Cornwall / comic story / 6 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

Gardner F. Fox

Pencils:

Sheldon Moldoff (signed)

Inks:

Sheldon Moldoff (signed)

Colors:

?

Letters:

?

Content Information

Genre:

adventure

Characters:

Cliff Cornwall; un-named Army General; Lys Valliere

Synopsis:

Cliff is on vacation from the FBI, but the Army nabs him for a special assignment in Alaska to put an end to phantom plane attacks on military aircraft.

Reprints:

• in Famous First Edition (DC, 1974 series) #F-8 (August-September 1975)
• in Millennium Edition: Flash Comics No. 1 (DC, 2000 series) #[nn] (September 2000)

Indexer Notes

Story was originally untitled. First line is "A fleet of U.S. bombers wing their way toward Alaska..." Writer credit by Craig Delich. The Millennium Edition incorrectly credits Sheldon Moldoff for the writer.

[The Origin of Hawkman] (Table of Contents)

The Hawkman / comic story / 12 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

Gardner F. Fox

Pencils:

Dennis Neville

Inks:

Dennis Neville

Colors:

?

Letters:

?

Content Information

Genre:

superhero

Characters:

The Hawkman [Prince Khufu aka Carter Hall] (introduction, origin, Khufu dies but is reincarnated); Shiera Sanders (introduction, later Hawkgirl] (Shiera dies but is reincarnated); Hath-Set (villain, introduction); Kolar (villain, introduction); Doctor Hastor (villain, introduction, death, reincarnation of Hath-Set)

Synopsis:

Young Carter Hall, wealthy collector of weapons and research scientist, discovers that he is the re-incarnation of an anicient Egyptian, Prince Khu-fu. He is further amazed that his lady love, Shiera Sanders, and his murderer, Hath-Set, have been re-incarnated too!

Reprints:

• in Famous First Edition (DC, 1974 series) #F-8 (August-September 1975)
• in Secret Origins of the Super DC Heroes (Crown Publishers, 1976 series) #[nn] (1976)
• in Millennium Edition: Flash Comics No. 1 (DC, 2000 series) #[nn] (September 2000)
• in Golden Age Hawkman Archives (DC, 2005 series) #1 (December 2005)

Keywords:

Ninth Metal

Indexer Notes

This story was not originally titled. The title here was given in Golden Age Hawkman Archives Vol. 1 where this story was reprinted. First line is "In the weapon-lined library of Carter Hall, wealthy collector of weapons and research scientist -".

[The Kidnapping of Johnny Thunder] (Table of Contents)

Johnny Thunderbolt / comic story / 10 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

John B. Wentworth

Pencils:

Stan Aschmeier

Inks:

Stan Aschmeier

Colors:

?

Letters:

?

Content Information

Genre:

superhero

Characters:

Johnny Thunder (introduction, origin); Thunderbolt (introduction); Simon B. Thunder; Mildred Thunder; Priest of Aissor

Synopsis:

Young Johnny Thunder is kidnapped from his home, given Badhnisian sacred rites and would become the most powerful person in the world at age 7. By a weird chance, Johnny is reunited with his parents, but is sought out once again by the Badhnesians, who are on the receiving end of a new, strange power Johnny has by saying the words "Say You."

Reprints:

• in Famous First Edition (DC, 1974 series) #F-8 (August-September 1975)
• in Millennium Edition: Flash Comics No. 1 (DC, 2000 series) #[nn] (September 2000)

Indexer Notes

Story was originally untitled. First line is "One night in August, 1918, Simon came home from the bank and found a crowd around his house...". Thunderbolt appears as a yellow streak of lightning and as a pink cloud in this story.

Warfare In Space (Part One) (Table of Contents)

text story / 2 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

Gardner F. Fox (signed)

Pencils:

Sheldon Mayer (spot illustrations)

Inks:

Sheldon Mayer (spot illustrations)

Colors:

?

Letters:

typeset

Content Information

Genre:

science fiction

Characters:

Billy Morton; Keith Morton; Port Commander Worth; Ralph "The Ruthless" Farnham (villain)

Synopsis:

Billy's Dad has created a weapon that can be effectively used in interstellar space....and he wants to volunteer to use it against the space pirate, Ralph Farnham!

Reprints:

• in Famous First Edition (DC, 1974 series) #F-8 (August-September 1975)
• in Millennium Edition: Flash Comics No. 1 (DC, 2000 series) #[nn] (September 2000) [minus the ads; minus three small ads at the end that are replaced with a Flash helmet and lightning bolt]

Indexer Notes

Story continued in Flash Comics (1940 series) #2. There are three small ads for fireworks at the end of page 2 for Baltimore Fireworks Co., Spencer Fireworks Co., and The Brazel Novelty Manufacturing Co.

Flash Stamps (Table of Contents)

text article / 1 page (report information)

Credits

Script:

?

Letters:

typeset

Content Information

Genre:

non-fiction

Synopsis:

Includes a history of Polish postage stamps, as well as classified ads from 6 stamp dealers.

Reprints:

• in Famous First Edition (DC, 1974 series) #F-8 (August-September 1975)

The Demon Dummy: Part 1 (Table of Contents)

Flash Picture Novel / comic story / 8 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

Ed Wheelan (signed)

Pencils:

Ed Wheelan (signed)

Inks:

Ed Wheelan (signed)

Colors:

?

Letters:

Ed Wheelan

Content Information

Genre:

crime

Characters:

The Great [Harry] Dunstan; Madge Devere; Sam; Red (a dummy); Jim Devlin (villain); Tim (villain); Slim Grimes (villain)

Synopsis:

Private detective Devlin, in love with Madge Devere, who in turn is loved by ventriloquist Dunstan, tries to pin a murder on Dunstan in order to get the woman he loves.

Reprints:

• in Famous First Edition (DC, 1974 series) #F-8 (August-September 1975)
• in Millennium Edition: Flash Comics No. 1 (DC, 2000 series) #[nn] (September 2000)

Indexer Notes

Story continued in Flash Comics (1940 series) #2. Synopsis added by Craig Delich 3-13-08.

[Origin of the Whip] (Table of Contents)

The Whip / comic story / 10 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

John B. Wentworth (signed)

Pencils:

George Storm (signed)

Inks:

George Storm (signed)

Colors:

?

Letters:

?

Content Information

Genre:

western-frontier

Characters:

The Whip [Don Fernando Suarez]; The Whip [Rod Gaynor]; Marissa Dillon; un-named Padre; Sheriff Todd; Carlos

Synopsis:

Learning of a famed adventurer for justice in the past, El Castigo: The Whip, Rod Gaynor decides to assume that disguise to help the poor, who are being denied jobs and food, as well as being hit by high rents by unscrupulous vigilantes.

Reprints:

• in Famous First Edition (DC, 1974 series) #F-8 (August-September 1975)
• in Millennium Edition: Flash Comics No. 1 (DC, 2000 series) #[nn] (September 2000)

Keywords:

King (the Whip's horse)

Indexer Notes

The Whip is Eastern playboy Rod Ellwood Gaynor. The strip is set in the southwest. Story was originally untitled. First line is "He was known as Don Fernando Suarez, a patrician descended from the Grandees of Spain...".

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents)

All-American Comics / promo (ad from the publisher) / 1 page (report information)

Credits

Script:

?

Pencils:

?

Inks:

?

Colors:

?

Letters:

?

Content Information

Reprints:

• in Famous First Edition (DC, 1974 series) #F-8 (August-September 1975)

Indexer Notes

House ad for: All-American Comics #10. Appears on page 2 in this issue.

[Various Ads] (Table of Contents)

advertisement / 2 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

?

Pencils:

?

Inks:

?

Colors:

?

Letters:

?

Content Information

Reprints:

• in Famous First Edition (DC, 1974 series) #F-8 (August-September 1975) [minus each company's address], #F-8 (August-September 1975)

Indexer Notes

Total of 2 one-page ads for: New 1940 Catalog (novelties, Johnson Smith & Co.) and Make Your Own Records at Home (Home Recording Co.). Appear on pages 67 and 68 in this issue.