A very busy week for me means that I cheat and turn to a book that I remember well, or a book I think I remember well. Let's cast our minds back to the summer of 1985. The world was so much simpler back then, Nick at Night was brand new, Back to the Future was about to hit cinemas, and of course the Flash was on trial for murder.
I've always liked the Flash. There was something very relatable about being able to run really fast. I mean I can't fly, I'm not the world's greatest detective, I can't shrink, but I can run and when you were a kid and you ran if you squinted your eyes, imagined really hard, and ran as fast as you can you could almost feel what felt like to be the Flash. Until you tried to vibrate your molecules through a wall, but that's a story for another day. As a kid, I bought a lot of Flash comics and probably the one storyline that sticks in my head more than any other was the trial of the Flash. This was a two year run in which Flash seemingly kills the Reverse Flash and is put on trial for his murder. Today we have an issue from near the end of the arc and as it turns out near the end of Flash's comic and for that matter Flash's life as Crisis was only a few months away.
We begin on a dark and stormy Central City night. Where Captain Darryl Frye pays a visit to Cecile Horton who is acting as Flash's defense attorney.
\Who do you think beat up Captain Frye?
Cue dramatic music.
Ladies and gentlemen I give you Carmine Infantino faces:
Frye goes on to explain that the Reverse Flash caught him on the job and gave him a beating while proclaiming, I'm definitely not a delusion.
Meanwhile with the Flash distracted by the trial the Rogues having been living it up. Mirror Master just finished his new digs in the mountains 30 miles northwest of Central City. Wait there are mountains 30 miles northwest of Central City?? These DC cities tend to move around a bit but I was able to confirm my memory that in the 80s Central City was definitely in Ohio and while there are some big hills the locals call mountains in the eastern part of the state let's face it, Ohio is pretty flat.
I bet you can guess smashed Mirror Master's beautiful, colossal, exquisite solar mirror. Yep, Reverse Flash who promptly punches MM right in the face. Before we get to the rest of the Rogues, let's see what's up with that mysterious juror.
Well that's not strange, is it? Ok I'll admit when I was reading this originally the true identity of mystery juror just blew me away. But in a departure from tradition I won't spoil a 30 year old storyline.
We then cut to court. I repeat we then cut to court so indication that time has passed but I think we're supposed to assume it's the next day because court is in full swing. And it's a very comic book/Perry Mason way of conducting a trial.
You know I've completely forgotten the prosecution's rationale for bringing these charges against the Flash, was he corrupt, mind-controlled, just a jerk. Having known many lawyers, I can believe the just a jerk theory.
Camen Infantino face:
Meanwhile Frye has his doctor brother turn his nucleonic pacemaker up to 11 so that he will have the strength of five men, more on that later. In another part of town the Weather Wizard robs an armored car only to have his loot stolen by the Trickster. But you know how shows up again and puts the whammy on both of them. Gee the Reverse Flash makes defeating the Rogues look easy.
Frye now with the strength of five men decides to break out the old Captain Incredible costume so he can hunt down the Reverse Flash. That sounds like a bad plan but what do I know.
In court closing arguments are given.
I admit, I had forgotten that somehow Kid Flash was an expert witness in this trial. I honestly don't think he passes the Daubert Standard.
Mysterious juror being mysterious.
As the jury retires, Cecile fills the Flash in on Frye's story that the Reverse Flash is back from the dead. The Flash rushes over to Frye's brother the doctor and get's filled in on the nucleonic pacemaker giving him cardio-power. Cardio-power sounds like a setting on my treadmill.
Detective Frye as Captain Incredible has his sights set Captain Cold. Captain Incredible figures taking on Captain Cold will be a good warm-up before he takes on the Reverse Flash. Someone should tell Captain Incredible, the Reverse Flash is way more dangerous than Captain Cold.
Sadly? he's too late. The Reverse Flash is there and he confronts Captain Cold. Cold blasts ol' Reversy but once again he's too fast and easily takes Cold out.
Not content with defeating Cold, Reverse Flash throws Captain Incredible off a building but luckily the Flash saves him from certain death.
Do any comic besides the Flash concentrate so much on the heroes feet? But at least there's good news, Frye says he caught his encounter with the Reverse Flash on film with a camera hidden in his helmet, cue dramatic music!
Man there was a lot of story crammed in this book. While I enjoyed the Trial of the Flash storyline I kind of felt that it went on a bit too long and if I had known what was coming, I may not have enjoyed it as much.
Flashgrams!
I'm going to guess Bill Climer of Laurel, Ohio is now very active on the internet.
Infinity Inc. another title that never really recovered from COIE.
Bonus stuff:
Amazing Heroes best comics of 1984. Hmm, who remembers Jon Sable or American Flagg? And really, Blue Devil and Atari Force?
I never actually saw anyone playing Battledroids but I remember being interested in it.
I did however play the DC Roleplaying game.
Kenner Super Powers Collection. Zero chance these will be collectible one day, right?
Next time a comic chosen totally at random.
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