Flash of Two Worlds
Encyclopedia
"Flash of Two Worlds!" is a landmark 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
.
is using his super-speed to perform magic tricks to entertain the children there as the magician has not come. 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), 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 Garrick
in the phone book, and introduces himself to the older speedster. On this Earth Jay had retired years earlier, the year his comic book series was canceled on Earth-1, and married his long time girlfriend Joan Williams. Barry claims Gardener Fox's thoughts must have been tuned in to the events of Earth-2.
Meanwhile, three of Jay's archenemies, the Fiddler
, the Shade
, and the Thinker
, have joined forces to bring their old nemesis out of retirement. Garrick describes three incredible crimes that were committed recently. The Flashes split up, with Barry taking on the Thinker and Jay against the Shade, but they are unable to defeat them. The two criminals meet afterward and realize there are two Flashes; they hurry to warn the Fiddler of this turn of events. The Flashes go after him, and save a man from a falling steel girder. The Fiddler manages to stop the two Flashes with his musical powers, and orders the two speedsters to commit robberies for him. Just as the villainous 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 after he told them to put down the jewels they were carrying and pick up larger jewels, and played along in order to fool the criminals. Barry returns to his Earth after Jay announces he is coming out of retirement.
.
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), Impulse #70 (Mar. 2001), and Flash Rebirth #5 (Jan. 2010), among others.
In 2004, a near-mint copy of The Flash #123 sold in a Heritage
auction
for $83,000.
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 Animated Original Movies.
The comic was referenced in the September 28, 2009 episode of The Big Bang Theory
(season 3, episode #2). It was the comic lost by Sheldon
on the cricket bet to Wolowitz
.
The concept of the Golden Age Flash being a comic book character on the Silver Age's Earth, and his retirement on his Earth coinciding with the cancellation of the series, is reused in the Justice League
two-parter "Legends". It features the titular team visiting a Golden Age era reality with the "Justice Guild of America
", a team similar to the Justice Society who are said to have been characters in a comic book series within the DC Animated Universe. John Stewart
says the comic series was canceled and the League later deduce that this occurred when the team was killed in their timeline.
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
story that was published in The Flash
The Flash (comic book)
The Flash is an ongoing comic book series featuring the DC Comics superhero of the same name. The character's first incarnation, Jay Garrick, first appeared in Flash Comics #1...
#123 (Sept. 1961). It introduces Earth-Two
Earth-Two
Earth-Two is a fictional universe appearing in American comic book stories published by DC Comics. First appearing in The Flash #123 , Earth-Two was created to explain how Silver-Age versions of characters such as the Flash could appear in stories with their Golden Age counterparts...
, and more generally the concept of the multiverse
Multiverse (DC Comics)
The DC Multiverse is a fictional continuity construct that exists in stories published by comic book company DC Comics. The DC Multiverse consists of numerous worlds, most of them outside DC's main continuity, allowing writers the creative freedom to explore alternative versions of characters and...
, to DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
. The story was written by Gardner Fox
Gardner Fox
Gardner Francis Cooper Fox was an American writer best known for creating numerous comic book characters for DC Comics. Comic-book historians estimate that he wrote over 4,000 comics stories....
under the editorial guidance of Julius Schwartz
Julius Schwartz
Julius "Julie" Schwartz was a comic book and pulp magazine editor, and a science fiction agent and prominent fan. He was born in the Bronx, New York...
(whose subsequent autobiography
Autobiography
An autobiography is a book about the life of a person, written by that person.-Origin of the term:...
was titled Man of Two Worlds), and illustrated by Carmine Infantino
Carmine Infantino
Carmine Infantino Carmine Infantino Carmine Infantino (born May 24, 1925, in Brooklyn, New York is an American comic book artist and editor who was a major force in the Silver Age of Comic Books...
.
Plot summary
At a charity event organized by Iris West, the FlashBarry Allen
The Flash is a fictional character, a superhero in the DC Comics universe. He is the second character known as the Flash. The character first appeared in Showcase #4 , created by writers Robert Kanigher and John Broome and penciler Carmine Infantino. His name combines talk show hosts Barry Gray...
is using his super-speed to perform magic tricks to entertain the children there as the magician has not come. During a rope climbing trick
Indian rope trick
The Indian rope trick is stage magic said to have been performed in and around India during the 19th century. Sometimes described as "the world’s greatest illusion", it reputedly involved a magician, a length of rope, and one or more boy assistants....
, the Flash begins vibrating his molecules to appear invisible
Technobabble
Technobabble , also called technospeak, is a form of prose using jargon, buzzwords, esoteric language, specialized technical terms, or technical slang that is incomprehensible to the listener...
when he suddenly disappears from the stage. He finds himself outside in a strange city, which he discovers to be Keystone City
Keystone City
Keystone City is a fictional city in the . Specifically, it is the home of both the original Flash, Jay Garrick, and the third Flash, Wally West...
, the home of the Golden Age Flash. Keystone City is located on Earth-Two
Earth-Two
Earth-Two is a fictional universe appearing in American comic book stories published by DC Comics. First appearing in The Flash #123 , Earth-Two was created to explain how Silver-Age versions of characters such as the Flash could appear in stories with their Golden Age counterparts...
(not named as such in this story), 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 Garrick
Jay Garrick
Jay Garrick is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in the DC Comics universe and the first to use the name Flash.-The Flash:...
in the phone book, and introduces himself to the older speedster. On this Earth Jay had retired years earlier, the year his comic book series was canceled on Earth-1, and married his long time girlfriend Joan Williams. Barry claims Gardener Fox's thoughts must have been tuned in to the events of Earth-2.
Meanwhile, three of Jay's archenemies, the Fiddler
Fiddler (comics)
The Fiddler is a fictional character, a DC Comics supervillain and a recurring foe of the first Flash . He first appeared in All-Flash #32 .-Fictional character biography:...
, the Shade
Shade (comics)
The Shade is a comic book character developed in the 1940's for National Comics. Debuting as a villain, the Shade was best known for fighting against two generations of superheroes, most notably the Golden Age and Silver Age versions of the Flash...
, and the Thinker
Thinker (DC Comics)
The Thinker is the name of four supervillains in the DC Comics universe.-Clifford DeVoe:Clifford DeVoe was a failed lawyer who bitterly ended his career in 1933. Realizing that many of the criminals he had encountered had the skills but not the brains to rule Gotham City's underworld, he started a...
, have joined forces to bring their old nemesis out of retirement. Garrick describes three incredible crimes that were committed recently. The Flashes split up, with Barry taking on the Thinker and Jay against the Shade, but they are unable to defeat them. The two criminals meet afterward and realize there are two Flashes; they hurry to warn the Fiddler of this turn of events. The Flashes go after him, and save a man from a falling steel girder. The Fiddler manages to stop the two Flashes with his musical powers, and orders the two speedsters to commit robberies for him. Just as the villainous 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 after he told them to put down the jewels they were carrying and pick up larger jewels, 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 EarthsCrisis on Infinite Earths
Crisis on Infinite Earths is a 12-issue American comic book limited series and crossover event, produced by DC Comics in 1985 to simplify its then 50-year-old continuity...
.
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), Impulse #70 (Mar. 2001), and Flash Rebirth #5 (Jan. 2010), among others.
In 2004, a near-mint copy of The Flash #123 sold in a Heritage
Heritage Auctions
Heritage Auction Galleries is the world's largest collectibles auctioneer and the third largest auction house, with over $700 million in annual sales and 600,000 online bidder-members...
auction
Auction
An auction is a process of buying and selling goods or services by offering them up for bid, taking bids, and then selling the item to the highest bidder...
for $83,000.
Other media
Paul LevitzPaul Levitz
Paul Levitz is an American comic book writer, editor and executive. The president of DC Comics from 2002–2009, he has worked for the company for over 35 years in a wide variety of roles...
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 Animated Original Movies.
The comic was referenced in the September 28, 2009 episode of The Big Bang Theory
The Big Bang Theory
The Big Bang Theory is an American sitcom created by Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady, both of whom serve as executive producers on the show, along with Steven Molaro. All three also serve as head writers...
(season 3, episode #2). It was the comic lost by Sheldon
Sheldon Cooper
Sheldon Lee Cooper, B.S., M.S., M.A., Ph.D., Sc.D. is a fictional character from Texas on the CBS television series The Big Bang Theory, portrayed by actor Jim Parsons...
on the cricket bet to Wolowitz
Howard Wolowitz
Howard Joel Wolowitz, M.Eng is a fictional character on the CBS television series The Big Bang Theory, portrayed by actor Simon Helberg.Among the main male characters in the show, Howard is distinguished for lacking a doctoral degree, for still living with his mother, and for believing himself to...
.
The concept of the Golden Age Flash being a comic book character on the Silver Age's Earth, and his retirement on his Earth coinciding with the cancellation of the series, is reused in the Justice League
Justice League (TV series)
Justice League is an American animated television series about a team of superheroes which ran from 2001 to 2004 on Cartoon Network. The show was produced by Warner Bros. Animation. It is based on the Justice League of America and associated comic book characters published by DC Comics...
two-parter "Legends". It features the titular team visiting a Golden Age era reality with the "Justice Guild of America
Justice Guild of America
The Justice Guild of America is a superhero team featured in the Justice League animated series two-part episode Legends, an homage to the Golden Age Justice Society of America, and to a degree the Silver Age Justice League of America.-Synopsis:...
", a team similar to the Justice Society who are said to have been characters in a comic book series within the DC Animated Universe. John Stewart
John Stewart (comics)
John Stewart is a fictional character, a comic book superhero published by DC Comics. He first appeared in Green Lantern vol. 2, #87 , and was created by Dennis O'Neil and Neal Adams.-Publication history:...
says the comic series was canceled and the League later deduce that this occurred when the team was killed in their timeline.