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Publisher: DC Comics Creative Team: · John Broome · Carmine Infantino · Joe Giella Related Sites: · See more at the official DC Comics website Grade: B+

Fast, fun, and fleeting - that's how I would describe the Silver Age adventures of the Flash. From volume one through volume four, I've caught up on these classics courtesy of the DC Comics Archive imprint (volume five is anticipated to be here next year, folks). Having just finished volume four mere minutes ago I felt the need to dash to the keyboard and share my impression of these classic four color fantasies.

They aren’t half bad. As edited by the great Julius Schwartz, we get science and science fiction through the prism of mid-twentieth century knowledge. That means radiation is your friend and I'll thank you not to point out the carnage that would be left in the wake of a speeding man as he blasts through the lives of all those innocent people at supersonic speeds. Police scientist Barry Allen never seems to have a case and none of his colleagues notice the uncanny resemblance that the Keystone City hero bears to one of their own. Of course this is easy to write off when his perpetually pissed girl friend (Barry, why are you always so slow?) Iris West - reporter extraordinaire - fails to make the connection though she gets up close and personal with both identities throughout the book. Carmine Infantino's angular art helps to explain this disconnect as he generally only has a handful of faces that he draws. Hey, it's a close-knit community and give the guy a break - his ability to tell a story in a cinematic comic form makes him one of the all-time greats.

Now, please don't let my comments fool you, I'm a sucker for goofy comic goodness. I always try to approach classic comics as if I just spent my hard earned ten, twelve, or fifteen cents on the latest issue off the spinner rack and lose myself in the adventure of the moment. At worst I have a laugh and a cry at outdated science and outmoded social ideals - misogynist and racist undertones seem to go hand and hand with the possibilities of radiation and asbestos (I'm looking at you, Human Torch!). At best I enjoy the escape our parents and grandparents enjoyed in another time. The Flash becomes real and everything is possible.

This series is full of fulfilled possibilities. In addition to the ubiquitous alien invaders all of the great Flash rogues are present in various forms through this volume. From a fun Gorilla Grodd story to the first appearance of Abra Cadabra, we get a taste of every baddie who contributed to the Flash having one the best established rogues galleries in comicdom. We even get a team up with the Trickster and Captain Cold as they go head to head against Barry Allen's Silver Age Flash and his Golden Age counterpart Jay Garrick. The Flash was DC's first Silver Age hero to interact with his Golden Age predecessor and the sense of history as Jay relates an exploit of the Justice Society must have been a revelation to any youngster who was unaware comics had been around for years before they were born.

For added measure we're treated to an adventure co-starring Green Lantern. Look for two of the DC Universe's greatest heroes to make use of display mannequins when defending Earth from... well, I mustn't give too much away. After all, I know you'll go spend your hard earned fifty dollars on the latest volume of these Flash Archives (any volume really) and lose yourself in the adventure of the moment.