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crm/ow pages
1st appearance of The Flash (Barry Allen) w/ origin; 1st app. Iris West; 1st Silver Age comic book; Comic Book Impact rating of 10 (CBI)


Showcase #4 isn't just the first appearance of the Flash (and forensic chemist Barry Allen). This classic comic is credited with launching the Silver Age of superhero comics that revived an entire industry. The troubling truth is that costumed heroes had become more of an afterthought in the struggling post-war comics industry. That all changed when Julius Schwartz dared to bring back the Fastest Man Alive..

Of course, the DC editor did more than swipe the Golden Age concept of the Flash. Schwartz's daring idea would lead to the notion of multiverses as DC merged their modern heroes and creations of yesterday. Showcase #4 also helped establish the playful DC spirit with a fun tale of our new Flash taking on a revamped version of the Golden Age's Turtle Man. Today, The Flash remains one of the industry's most beloved characters. There's already much anticipation for the speedster's next big-screen incarnation in the developing DC Extended Universe. Meanwhile, this classic book remains a constant collectible as a hero comic with a heroic place in the comics industry.