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The Silver Age
The term denotes a period beginning in the mid-1950s that marks the welcome and successful return of superheroes to comics. It is generally agreed that the Silver Age was ushered in with the publication of DC comics Showcase #4 in October 1956, which introduced a new and improved version of The FLASH.
In 1956 Editor at DC Comics, Julius Schwartz was looking for a superhero to bring out of mothballs and turned his attention towards The Flash. However he didn't want to just rehash the old Flash. He worked with writer Bob Kanigher to create a new version of The Flash. New costume, new origin story, new secret identity - same superpower - super speed. The first revamped "Fastest Man Alive" adventure was pencilled by Carmine Infantino and inked by Joe Kubert - talented artists who had actually taken turns drawing the original Flash in the 1940s. The story was written by Bob Kanigher. |
The revived Flash was a police scientist named Barry Allen. Doused by volatile chemicals and hit by lightening Allen's metabolic rate becomes enormously accelerated and he discovers his newly found super speed. The name Barry Allen actually came from two then popular show business personalities, Steve Allen and Barry Gray. After discovering his new talent Allen takes the name of his favorite comic book superhero as a child - The Flash. His superhero costume of skin-tight red and yellow sprung to full size from a special ring. The new costume was much improved over that of Jay Garrick, offering less wind resistance and the loss of the winged helmet.
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