Greg Goldstein's Comic Art Gallery

Tag: Flash

Rober Quijano — Infantino’s Great Race

Original Art and The Artists

Recreation, Superman #199 Cover, 2005 (Original By Carmine Infantino, August 1967)

I read, and re-read, a handful of comics over and over again as a little kid. Avengers Annual #1 and #2 both come to mind, as do a few other annuals and specials. The first JLA/JSA crossover I discovered (JLA #56 and #57) was a favorite story, and I remember both Batman #200 and Superman #200 fondly. 

But Superman #199? That was definitely my most frequent go-to. It doesn’t hurt that Carmine Infantino’s cover (Murphy Anderson on inks) is definitely my favorite (non-Neal Adams) DC cover of all time.

Fast-forward to about 15 years ago, just when I started getting my toes wet in the original art collector’s market again. My pal, Pete Koch (art collector/dealer/aficionado) and I are about to complete an art swap when I see that he has this stunning cover recreation by Rober Quijano in a stack of pages.

Trade completed. 

Thanks, Pete.

Not-so-fun Fact: The scanned image doesn’t do the art justice, because I couldn’t remove the art from the frame without destroying it. Sad!

DC was apparently still planning on using the “Go-Go Checks” trade dress on books this month, but pulled it at the last minute.

Bob Brown & Nick Cardy — Circles

Original Art and The Artists

The Brave And The Bold #99, January 1972

As a kid, my first thought on any Flash team-ups was this: He needs to join forces with someone with actual super powers, otherwise he will end up running circles around his partner.

Sure enough, on this page, he proves the point showing off his super speed to the worlds greatest, but definitely not fastest, detective. (I assume Batman is — wait for it — a speed-reader.)

Bob Brown pencils (pretty much layouts only) the action here, and Nick Cardy provides the inks, which means the art looks like… Nick Cardy. 

This of course is consistent with his very specific embellishment style. Almost anything he inked looked like he had penciled it as well. Which, considering he was a terrific penciller, is ok with me.

Fun Fact: Jim Aparo takes over as permanent artist for The Brave and Bold series with the following issue (#100) and pretty much draws the next 100 issues. Whew.

Francis Manapul — Red & Green Forever

Original Art and The Artists

Flash Annual #2, September 2013

Here’s an unusual comic milestone: 2022 marks the 60th anniversary of the first Flash and Green Lantern team-up. The classic silver age characters first joined forces in Green Lantern #13, and then again a few months in Flash #131. 

Of course the two characters were already partnered up every month in Justice League, but they didn’t specifically work side by side in JLA.

I always enjoyed their team ups. I didn’t care what the storylines were; I just thought that the red and green looked snazzy together. Christmas in July.

Pretty much all iterations of the characters have remained friends and occasional partners throughout the years, and here, artist Francis Manapul brings us his own dynamic interpretation of the duo as a cover for a “New 52” annual.

And apparently, based on this cover concept, Flash is as worthy of Green Lantern’s ring as Captain America is of Thor’s hammer.

Who knew?

Our next few posts are dedicated to other Flash team-ups throughout the Silver Age. Stay tuned.

Rich Burchett — Flashy Team-Up

Original Art and The Artists

Justice Society of America #1, April 1991

2020 marks the 80th anniversary of the very first super team in comic book history, The Justice Society of America.

Superhero comics were barely two years old, when a gaggle of heroes appeared on the cover All Star Comics #3. Imagine the reaction of a young comic book reader at his local newsstand or candy store seeing Doctor Fate, Hourman, The Spectre, Green Lantern, The Atom, The Sandman, Hawkman, and of course, The Flash all seated at the one table.

Brain blown.

During the various “Comic Book Ages” (Gold, Silver, Bronze, Modern, et al) the original Flash seems to symbolize the Society more than any one character. This is partly due to the fact that he is the very first Golden Age superhero to be reintroduced into the Silver Age (Flash #123).

In this 1991 JSA mini-series, one classic character receives solo billing in each issue, and the Flash leads off in issue #1, with art (pencils and inks) by the often under-appreciated Rich Burchett. This is a fun and dynamic page of the Flash in action, with the action taking us through the page.

And, I find it amusing that Flash’s helmet and the construction workers are not that dissimilar. If only those guys could run at super speed…

(My pal Mike Gold edited the series, and he provides a lovely history of the JSA, and an origin of this specific series, which is provided below.)

The first appearance of the Flash, and the first appearance of the JSA a short time later.
The history of the JSA, plus some backstory to this mini-series, courtesy of editor
Mike Gold.

John Byrne — Happy Together

Original Art and The Artists

Flash of Two Worlds, Commission, 2012

The Flash TV series (CW) explores DC’s multiverse legacy in creative and often reverential ways. Today’s post concludes our special feature “The Flash of Two Worlds,” as well as our five-part Flash series.

I see this cool pinup and imagine a retro moment in the DC original continuity when the two Flashes have already met, worked together, and appreciate the fact that, in each of their respective multiverses, they are indeed the fastest man alive.

That said, I never asked John what he envisioned when he drew the piece. And, I don’t think I will. It’s easier to continue to imagine the backstory to fit in with my own vision of the “pre-Crisis” DC universe.

May the Speedforce be with you. 

Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez & Dave Gibbons — Fast Friends

Original Art and The Artists

DC Universe Legacies #4, October 2010

Part 4 (of 5) of our special Flash series.

Two legends team up, and tell the tale of two legends teaming up.

This fabulous story page comes to us courtesy of DC Universe Legacies, a ten-part 2010 series written by Len Wein that provides an overview of DC history (in contemporary continuity) through the eyes and life story of a one man. The series features an all-start line-up of DC art talent including Joe Kubert, Jerry Ordway, Dan Jurgens and many others.

The page here, showing the Flashes meeting for the first time, contains retroactive continuity (retcon), as both characters exist in the same universe — which is the established “post-Crisis” narrative. Also, in the original Flash #123, the Flashes have already met and teamed up when they get to the construction worker.

Garcia Lopez and Gibbons are a terrific pairing, and I was fortunate enough to find this great page before someone else did.

In the original story (Flash #123) The two Flashes have already met — and started working together — when the construction accident happens.
Flash read Flash Comics? Gardner Fox was” tuned in” to the alternate universe? Wait… What?

Rodney Ramos — Flash Back

Original Art and The Artists

The Flash of Two Worlds — DC Comics Classics Library, 2009

The Flash TV series (CW) explores DC’s multiverse legacy in creative and often reverential ways. Today’s post, along with the next two, feature “The Flash of Two Worlds.” 

Flash #123, “The Flash of Two Worlds” is one of the most important comic book milestones of DC’s silver age, establishing the DC multiverse and paving the way for countless crossover storylines that ultimately lead up to 1985’s Crisis on Multiple Earths. Its 1961 cover follows as one of the most iconic images of the era. 

But, when DC went to reprint the earliest Flash crossover stories in a special collection, the original art and layout didn’t quite work within the new cover design.

So, the editors turned to the very talented (and very underrated) Rodney Ramos to recreate (and reconfigure) the iconic imagery, in the Infantino/ Murphy Anderson “style.” 

He nails it — and you could be headed for a career in the FBI’s counterfeit investigations unit if you can immediately tell the published cover is not Infantino / Anderson.

(As seen below, the final published piece crops the image significantly, and also digitally manipulates the two Flashes even closer together.)

Apparently it all started here… and Flash #123 is actually an homage to this cover of Our Fighting Forces by Jerry Grandenetti

Ross Andru / Mike Esposito — Flashy Follow-Up

Original Art and The Artists

Flash #190, August 1969

Part two in our five-part Flash series this week.

Following Carmine Infantino on the Flash was obviously no easy assignment to begin with, but it appears Ross Andru and Mike Esposito had the deck stacked against them.

At the starting line was a fun issue, Flash #175, the sequel race between Superman and the Flash. Shortly thereafter is Carey Bates’ offbeat tale in Flash #179 that introduces Earth “Prime” — our earth— into the DC multiverse.

But, after that… we get: Giant-headed Flash, Flash with a broken toe, Flash color-blind, etc. Plus: Flash fighting hippies, sea creatures, lizards, demons, aliens, oh my.  Samurais? Seriously?

WTF? How about the rogues, who only make a handful of minor appearances during this run, with only Captain Cold, warranting a cover? Where’s Grodd? What about Flash of Earth-2? And, if you’re going to have a Green Lantern team-up (#191) how about putting him — or at least a blurb — on the cover?!

I count seven writers —seven! — during this 20-issue run. It’s no wonder the character couldn’t get any traction. As a kid, on a kid’s budget, it was difficult not to give up on everything but the 25-cent reprints at that point. My allowance screamed: Run Away!

Still, the art can transcend the material, and does so here. On this unusual page, Andru, who always had a great sense of space and time, delivers a fascinating layout as Flash races from one point to the next in Central City. (Plus, as fans of Andru’s latter Spider-Man run can confirm, Ross loved drawing buildings, and he’s definitely warming up on this page.)

It’s also a reminder of what could have been accomplished artistically with better material to work from — and less questionable editorial choices.

Special Note:

DC needs to reprint the entire Robert Kanigher/Andru/Espo Wonder Woman run — about 73 issues — in an Omnibus. Only the first dozen comics have ever appeared in color since their original publication about 60 years ago. (Also, Metal Men needs a similar treatment… But I digress.)