The Flash #290 [Newsstand]
(October 1980)

DC, 1959 Series
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Volume
32
Price
0.50 USD
Pages
36
Indicia Frequency
monthly
On-sale Date
1980-07-10
Publisher's Age Guidelines
Approved by the Comics Code Authority
Indicia / Colophon Publisher
DC Comics Inc.
Brand
DC [bullet]
Barcode
0709893048510
Editing
Len Wein (credited) (editor); Joe Orlando (credited) (managing editor)

Issue Notes

On-sale date from copyright registration and from "Len's Line Up" on the letters page of Justice League of America #183.
This issue is a variant of The Flash (DC, 1959 series) #290 [Direct]. There exist further variants:

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents)

The Flash / cover / 1 page (report information)

Pencils
Don Heck (signed as Heck)
Inks
Dick Giordano (signed as Giordano)
Colors
Tatjana Wood
Letters
Todd Klein
First Line of Dialogue or Text
It can't be! The man about to murder my next-door neighbor--
Genre
superhero
Characters
Firestorm (inset); The Flash [Barry Allen]; Beverly Lewis / Fiona Webb; Ronnie Raymond (inset); Prof. Martin Stein (inset); Saber-Tooth [as Barry Allen]
Synopsis
Barry Allen is apparently about to kill Fiona, as Flash charges through a wall to save her.
Reprints

Indexer Notes

Colors credit provided by Anthony Tollin. Klein credits per his blog: http://kleinletters.com/1980Covers.html. Previous indexer credited Milt Snappin.

Firestorm appears in a small panel at bottom.

Cover Thumbnail for The Flash (DC, 1959 series) #290 [Newsstand] Cover Thumbnail for The Flash (1959 series) #290 [Direct] Cover Thumbnail for The Flash (1959 series) #290 [British]
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Cover gallery

Snap Tite!? You Bet. (Table of Contents: 1) (Expand) /

Monogram Models / advertisement / 1 page (report information)

Will You Believe Me When I'm Dead? (Table of Contents: 2)

The Flash / comic story / 17 pages (report information)

Script
Cary Bates (credited)
Pencils
Don Heck (credited)
Inks
Frank Chiaramonte (credited as F. Chiaramonte)
Colors
Gene D'Angelo (credited)
Letters
Milt Snapinn (credited)
Job Number
J-6604
Genre
superhero
Characters
The Flash [Barry Allen] (featured); Dr. Alchemy [Alvin Desmond] (cameo); Fiona Webb [Beverly Lewis]; Saber-Tooth; Sgt. Foley; Morty; Troy Nathan; Mack Nathan; King Faraday; Ross Malverk
Synopsis
Several attempts have been made to kill Fiona Webb because of knowledge she has of a gangster. The Flash stops two attempts but hired hitman Saber-Tooth tries again, disguised as Barry Allen.
Reprints

Indexer Notes

Story continues in The Flash #290. References The Flash #234.

Get the Newest Number Yum! (Table of Contents: 3) (Expand) /

Bubble Yum / advertisement / 1 page (report information)

Enter the Wonderful World of Amazing Live Sea-Monkeys (Table of Contents: 4) (Expand) /

Sea-Monkeys / advertisement / 1 page (report information)

She's No Angel (Table of Contents: 5) (Expand) /

Hawkman; Hostess Fruit Pies / comics-form advertising / 1 page (report information)

Father Knows Best (Table of Contents: 6) (Expand) /

Grit Newspaper; Richie Rich / comics-form advertising / 1 page (report information)

Super Gifts & Gimmicks (Table of Contents: 7) (Expand) /

Fun Factory Novelties / advertisement / 1 page (report information)

The Secret History of the Nuclear Man (Table of Contents: 8)

Firestorm / comic story / 8 pages (report information)

Script
Gerry Conway (credited)
Pencils
George Pérez (credited) (breakdowns); Bob Smith (finished art)
Inks
Bob Smith (credited)
Colors
Jerry Serpe (credited)
Letters
Shelly Leferman (credited)
Genre
superhero
Characters
Justice League of America: Batman [Bruce Wayne] (flashback) (cameo)
Justice League of America: Aquaman [Arthur Curry] (flashback) (cameo); The Atom [Ray Palmer] (flashback) (cameo); Black Canary [Dinah Lance] (flashback) (cameo); The Flash [Barry Allen] (flashback) (cameo); Green Arrow [Oliver Queen] (flashback) (cameo); Green Lantern [Hal Jordan] (flashback) (cameo); Superman [Clark Kent] (flashback) (cameo); Zatanna (flashback) (cameo)
Firestorm (origin) (featured) (also in flashback); The Hyena [Summer Day] (flashback) (cameo); Killer Frost [Crystal Frost] (flashback) (cameo); Multiplex [Danton Black] (flashback) (cameo); Ronnie Raymond (origin) (featured) (also in flashback); Prof. Martin Stein (origin) (featured) (also in flashback)
Synopsis
Ronnie recounts their origin and history to Martin, and convinces Martin that they are Firestorm (who is only aware of their identity when the two are combined).
Reprints
Keywords
Astoria; New York City; Queens

Indexer Notes

Quick review of Firestorm #1-5, DC Comics Presents #17 and Justice League of America #179.

Strong Arms Make All the Difference! (Table of Contents: 9) (Expand) /

Mike Marvel Scientific Isometric Dynaflex System / advertisement / 0.5 page (report information)

[Write Right Now!] (Table of Contents: 10) (Expand) /

advertisement / 0.5 page (report information)

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 11)

Flash-Grams / letters page / 1 page (report information)

Script
Bob Rozakis (credited as Ted P. Skimmer)
Pencils
?
Inks
?
Colors
?
Letters
typeset
Job Number
L-585

Indexer Notes

Letters from: Al Schroeder III, John Murphy, Kevin Grskovich, and Karen Wu. Includes Len's Line-Up, listing some DC Comics on sale July 10th.

Earn Famous Name Prizes or Cash (Table of Contents: 12) (Expand) /

Olympic Sales / Olympia Sales Cards / advertisement / 1 page (report information)

Power! Accuracy! (Table of Contents: 13) (Expand) /

Daisy Air Rifles / Daisy B-B Guns / advertisement / 1 page (report information)

Editing
Issue at my.comics.org
Related Scans
Series Information
Table of Contents
  1. 0. ["It can't be! The man about to murder my next-door neighbor--"]
    The Flash
  2. 1. Snap Tite!? You Bet.
    Monogram Models
  3. 2. Will You Believe Me When I'm Dead?
    The Flash
  4. 3. Get the Newest Number Yum!
    Bubble Yum
  5. 4. Enter the Wonderful World of Amazing Live Sea-Monkeys
    Sea-Monkeys
  6. 5. She's No Angel
    Hawkman; Hostess Fruit Pies
  7. 6. Father Knows Best
    Grit Newspaper; Richie Rich
  8. 7. Super Gifts & Gimmicks
    Fun Factory Novelties
  9. 8. The Secret History of the Nuclear Man
    Firestorm
  10. 9. Strong Arms Make All the Difference!
    Mike Marvel Scientific Isometric Dynaflex System
  11. 10. [Write Right Now!]
  12. 11. [no title indexed]
    Flash-Grams
  13. 12. Earn Famous Name Prizes or Cash
    Olympic Sales / Olympia Sales Cards
  14. 13. Power! Accuracy!
    Daisy Air Rifles / Daisy B-B Guns
This issue was modified by
  • Peter Croome
  • Jerry Hillegas (R.I.P.)
  • Antonio Pontes Junior
  • Daniel Thingvold
  • Jim Van Dore
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