Flash of Two Worlds

Infobox comics story arc
title=Flash of Two Worlds


imagesize=220
caption=The much-homaged cover of "The Flash" #123.
publisher=DC Comics
date=September 1961
titles= "The Flash" #123
notable=y
main_char_team=Flash (Barry Allen); Flash (Jay Garrick)
writers=Gardner Fox
artists=
pencillers=Carmine Infantino
inkers=Joe Giella
letterers=
colorists=
cat=
sortkey=Flash of Two Worlds

"Flash of Two Worlds!" is a landmark [cite web|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2004/02/12/db1202.xml&sSheet=/portal/2004/02/12/ixportal.html|title=Julius Schwartz|accessdate=2007-06-09|date=2004-02-11|publisher=The Telegraph] comic book story that was published in "The Flash" #123 (Sept. 1961). It introduces Earth-Two, and more generally the concept of the multiverse, to DC Comics . The story was written by Gardner Fox under the editorial guidance of Julius Schwartz (whose subsequent autobiography was titled "Man of Two Worlds"), and illustrated by Carmine Infantino.

Plot summary

At a charity event organized by Iris West, the Flash is using his super-speed to perform magic tricks. During a rope climbing trick, the Flash begins vibrating his molecules to appear invisible when he suddenly disappears from the stage. He finds himself outside in a strange city, which he discovers to be Keystone City, the home of the Golden Age Flash. Keystone City is located on Earth-Two (not named as such in this story) [The name "Earth-Two" does not appear until "Crisis on Earth 1!" in "Justice League of America" #21.] , an Earth in a parallel universe. On Barry Allen's world, the Golden Age Flash is thought to be a fictional comic book character. Barry looks up Jay in the phone book, and introduces himself to the older speedster. On this Earth Jay had retired years earlier and married his long time girlfriend Joan Williams.

Meanwhile, three of Jay's archenemies, the Fiddler, the Shade, and the Thinker, have joined forces to bring their old nemesis out of retirement. The Flashes split up, with Barry taking on the Thinker and Jay the Shade, but they are unable to defeat them. The two criminals meet afterwards and realize there are two Flashes, they hurry to warn the Fiddler of this turn of events. The Fiddler has managed to stop the two Flashes with his musical powers, and orders the two speedsters to commit robberies for him. Just as the trio are about the flee with their loot, the two Flashes capture them. It turns out that they had put jewels in their ears to block the Fiddler's mind-control music, and played along in order to fool the criminals. Barry returns to his Earth after Jay announces he is coming out of retirement.

Effects of the story

The success of "Flash of Two Worlds" encouraged DC to revive many of its Golden Age characters. Eventually, crossovers between the two Earths would become an annual feature in the "Justice League of America" comics, beginning with issue #21, "Crisis on Earth-One!" (August 1963), and culminating in the 12-issue mini-series, "Crisis on Infinite Earths."

The cover itself has become an iconic image, and has been referenced in the covers to "Flash" v.1 #147 (Sep. 1964), "Dark Horse Presents" #67 (November 1992), "Flash" v.2 #123 (Mar. 1997), and "Impulse" #70 (Mar. 2001), among others.

In 2004, a copy of "The Flash" #123 sold at auction for $23,000. [cite web|url=http://scoop.diamondgalleries.com/scoop_article.asp?ai=5511&si=123|title=Heritage Auction Hits $1.7 Million|accessdate=2007-06-09|date=2004-06-18|publisher=Scoop]

Other Media

Paul Levitz said that an animated film version of "The Flash #123 ("Flash of Two Worlds")" just might be in development as part of the DC Universe Original Animated Movies.Fact|date=July 2008

Notes

References

* [http://www.comics.org/details.lasso?id=16418 Issue index at the Grand Comicbook Database]
* [http://www.hyperborea.org/flash/cover-homages.html#twoworlds Flash of Two Worlds cover homages]