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)

Monogram Models / advertisement / 1 page (report information)

Script
?
Pencils
? (photo)
Inks
? (photo)
Colors
? (photo)
Letters
typeset
Editing
?

Indexer Notes

Ad for large-scale models that snap together.
On inside front cover.

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)

Bubble Yum / advertisement / 1 page (report information)

Script
?
Pencils
?
Inks
?
Colors
?
Letters
typeset
Editing
?

Indexer Notes

Ad for wild cherry flavor of bubble gum.
On first page between pages 4-5 of Flash story.

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

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

Script
?
Pencils
Joe Orlando
Inks
?
Colors
?
Letters
typeset
Editing
?

Indexer Notes

Ad for Sea-Monkeys from Transcience Corporation.
On second page between pages 4-5 of Flash story.

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

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

Script
?
Pencils
Curt Swan
Inks
Vince Colletta
Colors
?
Letters
Ben Oda
Editing
?
First Line of Dialogue or Text
The golden statue of a raven certainly adds class to Ravenswood Square!!!
Genre
superhero
Characters
Hawkman [Katar Hol]; Golden Raven
Synopsis
Hawkman stops Golden Raven from stealing a gold statue by distracting her with Hostess Fruit Pies.

Indexer Notes

Ad in comic format for Hostess Fruit Pies from Continental Baking Company.
Between pages 8-9 of Flash story.

Father Knows Best (Table of Contents: 6)

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

Script
?
Pencils
?
Inks
?
Colors
?
Letters
typeset
Editing
?
Genre
children
Characters
Richie Rich; Mr. Rich; Gloria
Synopsis
Richie explains how to make money selling Grit newspapers.

Indexer Notes

Ad in comic format for salespeople for Grit newspapers.
Between pages 13-14 of Flash story.

Super Gifts & Gimmicks (Table of Contents: 7)

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

Script
?
Pencils
?
Inks
?
Colors
?
Letters
typeset
Editing
?

Indexer Notes

Ad for toys and novelties.

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)

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

Script
?
Pencils
?
Inks
?
Colors
?
Letters
typeset
Editing
?

Indexer Notes

Ad for body building book.
On top of page between pages 4-5 of Firestorm story.

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

advertisement / 0.5 page (report information)

Script
?
Pencils
?
Inks
?
Colors
?
Letters
typeset
Editing
?
Characters
Charles Atlas

Indexer Notes

Ads in classified format for body building, martial arts training, comics, your poems set to music, and more. Title of ad page does not appear in this issue.
On bottom of page between pages 4-5 of Firestorm story.

[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)

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

Script
?
Pencils
?
Inks
?
Letters
typeset
Editing
?

Indexer Notes

Ad for sales people for greeting cards and gifts.
On inside back cover.

Power! Accuracy! (Table of Contents: 13)

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

Script
?
Pencils
?
Inks
?
Colors
?
Letters
typeset
Editing
?

Indexer Notes

Ad for Daisy 840 gun from Daisy subsidiary of Walter Kidde & Company, Inc.
On back page.

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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