Set Description:
Synopsis: This is a complete set of all 251 books with a minimum grade of 9.2. The set features over 240 highest graded examples, of which over 30 are single highest graded. Significantly, of the first 25 issues, 21 of our books top the census, including 13 single highest graded examples: Showcase #14 9.2, Flash #106 9.6, Flash #108 9.4, Flash #110 9.6, Flash #111 9.4, Flash #112 9.4, Flash #113 9.6, Flash #115 9.6, Flash #119 9.6, Flash #120 9.6, Flash #122 9.6, Flash #123 9.6 (Flash of Two Worlds), and Flash #124 9.8, the earliest 9.8 in the title. We also have another five books in those first 25 issues that are 1/2 highest graded. The lowest graded books in the set are three 9.2s, Showcases #4, #8 and #14, two of which top the census. All of our books from #105-350 grade at least 9.4 and only one book in the set (our Showcase #4 9.2) is worse than second highest graded.
It has taken many years to compile this collection and many more chasing upgrades. Certainly, the end result is the collection that Flash fanatic, Sheldon Cooper of the Big Bang Theory, would have coveted.
Background: Flash is the name of several DC superheroes Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Harry Lampert, the original Flash first appeared in Flash Comics #1 (cover date January 1940/release month November 1939). Nicknamed "the Scarlet Speedster", all incarnations of the Flash possess "superspeed", which includes the ability to run, move, and think extremely fast, use superhuman reflexes, and seemingly violate certain laws of physics.
Five different characters—each of whom somehow gained the power of "the Speed Force"—have assumed the mantle of the Flash in DC's history: college athlete Jay Garrick (1940–1951, 1961–2011, 2017–present), forensic scientist Barry Allen (1956–1985, 2008–present), Barry's nephew Wally West (1986–2011, 2016–present), Barry's grandson Bart Allen (2006–2007), and Chinese-American Avery Ho (2017–present). Each incarnation of the Flash has been a key member of at least one of DC's premier teams: the Justice Society of America, the Justice League, and the Teen Titans.
The Flash is one of DC Comics' most popular characters and has been integral to the publisher's many reality-changing "crisis" story lines over the years. The original meeting of the Golden Age Flash Jay Garrick and Silver Age Flash Barry Allen in "Flash of Two Worlds" (1961) introduced the Multiverse storytelling concept to DC readers, which would become the basis for many DC stories in the years to come.
Like his Justice League colleagues Wonder Woman, Superman and Batman, the Flash has a distinctive cast of adversaries, including Gorilla Grodd, the various Rogues (unique among DC supervillains for their code of honor) and the various psychopathic "speedsters" who go by the names Reverse-Flash or Zoom.
A staple of the comic book DC Universe, the Flash has been adapted to numerous DC films, video games, animated series, and live-action television shows. In live-action, Barry Allen has been portrayed by Rod Haase for the 1979 television special Legends of the Superheroes, John Wesley Shipp in the 1990 The Flash series and Grant Gustin in the 2014 The Flash series, and by Ezra Miller in the DC Extended Universe series of films, beginning with Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016).
This set begins with the first appearance of the Silver Age Flash, Barry Allen, in Showcase #4 published in Sept/Oct 1956. There is then an 8-month break until Showcase #8 is published in May/June 1957, followed by another 10-month break until Mar/Apr 1958 and the release of Showcase #13. DC then decides to follow up Showcase #13 with another Flash appearance in Showcase #14 in May/June 1958. At that time, DC makes a commitment to giving Flash his own magazine, picking up the Golden Age numbering of Flash Comics, which ended with #104 in 1949, although there is another 9-month break until Flash #105 hits the market in Feb/Mar 1959. Flash then becomes a bi-monthly magazine until Issue #114 in August 1960. Following Issue #114, Flash issues carry a one-month date, but they are still not always released every month, as the schedule becomes most irregular. Generally speaking, DC would issue two issues in two months, then skip a month and issue another two issues in two months. However, even that schedule varied and remained irregular, sometimes bi-monthly, sometimes two every three months, until March 1977 and Issue 247, when it becomes a monthly magazine for the last 8 and 1/2 years of the run.
Our Collection: I fully realize that I am somewhat of a dinosaur, as virtually nobody strives to compile complete sets anymore, especially ones as long as this one. And probably if I were starting out today, I would follow the crowd and do the smart thing and just focus on the keys or iconic covers. After all, that’s where all the juice-and appreciation is and has been for the last 20 years.
Flash was an early collecting focus for us, as we always thought that they are some of the best Silver Age covers. Unlike Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman, which had numerous covers about their secret identities or some social issue, along with some imaginary stories-OK, I realize it’s all imaginary, but one-off stories that changed the title’s characters such as Lex Luthor becoming the good guy or Lois Lane having super powers. Flash covers always seemed to do a better job of staying within the parameters of the world created by the writers. And Flash covers generally featured Flash battling a super-villain, much the same as the Marvels of that era.
When we first started collecting the books, there were only a couple of serious Flash collectors, so we made great progress very rapidly. We did miss out on the Showcase #4 9.6, which sold in 2009 for $179,250-an amount that was far more than we had ever paid for a single book at that time. But we were successful in the 2000s in acquiring numerous highest-graded examples, although a large number of those have been since surpassed or equaled. When we first registered our books in 2011, our collection immediately topped the registry. It was, in fact, our only set that topped the registry that year.
We completed the set about 10 years ago, but have continued to upgrade issues whenever the opportunity arises. This was our first set to win a Best Silver Age Set in 2018. While we have made more progress on other titles of late, a number of which garner far more registry points, I still consider this our best set from a collecting standpoint.
As an aside, it is disappointing to us that CGC places such a low value on Silver Age Flashes. This is still far and away our favorite DC title and I believe these books, outside the Showcase #4, are seriously undervalued by both the registry and the collecting world, as no DC book is better drawn or features more beautiful covers.
Interestingly, a number of high grade Flashes emerged from CGC during 2021 and 2022, which knocked a couple of our single highest graded books off their perch. In a couple of cases, we ended up acquiring those books, but issue #135 has now joined Issues #109, #121 and #172 as slots where we lack a highest graded example. But there was some good news, as we finally acquired the single highest graded copies of Showcases #13 and #14 and Flash #106.
This remains IMHO, our best single collection, even though it is significantly bested by several others in terms of registry points. Out of 256 issues, we lack a highest graded example in only seven slots. Two of those are later issues where, for whatever reason, we have not seen a 9.8, even though they are several out there with respect to each issue. Of the first 100 issues, there are five slots where we are bested. In each case, there is a single highest graded example topping the census. Thus, there are 37 single highest graded books in total in this title and this set features 32 of them. In four cases, our book is just one step below the single highest graded book we lack.
The one exception is Showcase #4, which is obviously the most valuable book in the entire set. We have a 9.2, which is top 5 in the census, and which set us back $100,000 a decade ago. We funded some of the purchase price with an 8.0 copy of that book we then owned, which was one of the biggest mistakes out of many during my collecting history. It was the most we had ever spent on a single book at the time and, along with our JLA #1, it’s still the most we have spent on one book even today. Obviously, we would love one of the three higher graded Showcase #4s, and as of today we know exactly where the 9.6 and one of the 9.4s are, but it would probably take us crashing a number of collections to acquire either. So, for now, this is about as good as this one will probably get unless we hit the lottery.
At any rate, every book is pictured and described below. We have spent untold hours on our registry, I hope you enjoy seeing them. And, of course, if you have one those missing books, we would love the chance to buy it.
2024 Update: We only acquired one book in this set over the past year, but it was a biggie, as a newly-graded Flash #110 9.6 came on the market and we were fortunate enough to win it. Well, fortunate might not be the right word, as I believe that it was the highest price recorded for a Flash published after Issue #105-although it would be nothing in the Marvel Universe. However, adding it to our collection gave us single highest graded copies of more than half of the first 25 issues.
Of course, it was still very cheap (about 5% of the cost ) compared to an even bigger book, the Showcase #4 9.6 mentioned above, which also hit the auction market over the past year. We barely missed that one by about a half million LOL. Oh well……
Current Stats:
251/251 Books
2 9.9s-Both Highest Graded
207 9.8s-All Highest Graded 9.6s
27 9.6s-25 Highest Graded
14 9.4s-11 Highest Graded
3 9.2s-2 Highest Graded
186 WP
51 OW/W
12 OW
2 Cr/OW-Both are single highest graded.
33 Single Highest Graded
244 Highest Graded
6 Second Highest Graded
1 Third Highest Graded
87 Pedigrees
|
|
The gallery tab shows only items with images. Click the thumbnails to enlarge. |
Slot: |
Showcase 4 |
Item: |
Showcase 4 |
Grade: |
CGC |
Cert #: |
1032387001
|
Owner Comments
This is the biggie and probably one of the more rapidly appreciating books in the comic book world. It features the introduction of Barry Allen, the Flash, and Central City.
The book contains two stories: “The Mystery of the Human Thunderbolt” and “The Man Who Broke The Time Barrier”.
The first story introduces readers to Barry Allen, a police scientist who is doused with chemicals that are struck by lightning. Barry soon finds that he has been endowed with super-speed and creates a costume which contracts and hides in his ring). He takes on the name of his favorite comic book character: The Flash.
In his first mission as the Flash, Barry goes after the criminal known as the Turtle Man, dubbed the world's slowest man. The Turtle Man tries to rob a bank. However, he is ultimately thwarted by the Flash, despite the fact that his super-speed often worked against him going after the plodding Turtle Man. Ultimately, the Flash captures his opponent and turns him over to the police.
In ‘The Man Who Broke The Time Barrier”, Central City is hit with a number of strange crimes where a series of items begins vanishing from people's possessions. Barry Allen becomes involved as the Flash when a beaker he's experimenting with vanishes as well. Tracking down the culprit puts Barry up against Mazdan, a criminal from the future who was supposed to be sent to the 50th Century to serve his sentence on a desolate Earth but was sent to the past by mistake instead.
Able to avoid Mazdan's weapon, Flash captures the crook. However, he manages to break out of prison using his superior scientific knowledge. Catching up with Mazdan again, the Flash tries to capture him again but stops when Mazdan petitions the Flash to allow him to return to his own time. Instead of allowing him to go in his own time capsule, the Flash instead breaks the time barrier by running at super speed, turning Mazdan over to the authorities in the future. Mazdan is sent to the correct era to serve out his punishment. The Flash then returns to his own time and resumes his civilian life once more.
This copy is a very clean 9.2, one of the top 5 graded overall and certainly the best we can afford in today's market. We acquired the book from Vintage Comics, who is an old friend and knew I wanted a better copy. He bought the book raw and I received it directly from CGC. It is thus one of the few books in our collection, which has never been owned by anyone else as a graded book. As an aside, I really wish I had done an all-cash deal and not traded by Nick Cage copy as part of the transaction, which because of the appreciation of this book would be more valuable today than the 9.2 was when I bought it. But I have never been that smart LOL.
2024 Update: Of course, the big Flash news over the last year was that the 9.6 copy of this issue sold not once but twice. The first sale was a private brokered one for about $1.5 million. The buyer then flipped the book at auction for a loss of roughly $700,000 ($900,000 sales price). Obviously, it was not a wise investment, but the owner was reportedly a whale who had bought every major key in sight and then flipped them all. He undoubtedly lost more than he made, but I am told that he is so rich that it was all immaterial.
But what all those purchases and sales will mean to the market long-term is hard to know? Will they tend to chase the silly investor money out of the market, which would mean a big downtick for the major keys? Stay tuned……
|
Slot: |
Showcase 8 |
Item: |
Showcase 8 |
Grade: |
CGC |
Cert #: |
1198563002
|
Owner Comments
Showcase #8 represents the second try-out issue of the SA Flash. It is unique in that regard, in that almost all try-out issue of superheroes run consecutively. Notably one of the two stories in the book introduces the DC world to Captain Cold, alias Len Snart, who will be a recurring Flash villain.
Len Snart was a down on his luck guy until one day, after reading a newspaper story that theorized that a cyclotron could possibly stop the Flash, Snart breaks into a science lab and uses the Cyclotron on a weapon of his own devising. Mostly by accident, Snart creates a freezing weapon that leads to the birth of his costumed identity: Captain Cold.
As Cold, Snart hopes to use his cold gun (and its abilities to create mirages) against the Flash and defeat the worlds fastest man. Going up against the Flash, Captain Cold's weapon works at first disorientating the Flash. However, Flash figures out the truth behind Cold's powers and is able to stop him by spinning him around at super speed, and turns him over to the police.
This copy is highest graded and one of only two 9.2s. It probably the toughest book in the whole run as the next best copies are 8.0s. The book was purchased from CL in a brokered transaction in 2014. It wasn’t cheap LOL.
2024 Update: A lot has changed since I wrote the description above as now there are two 9.0s in the census. The other 9.2 also came to auction and sold for just slightly more than I paid for my 9.2. So I guess one can opine, based on that sale, that these books have been pretty much trading water value-wise. But then again, there is the recent Showcase #4 9.6 sale to consider-actually two sales. Does it reset the whole market?
|
Slot: |
Showcase 13 |
Item: |
Showcase 13 Universal |
Grade: |
CGC |
Cert #: |
4068910015
|
Owner Comments
This time there was a gap of four issue until Flash makes another appearance in Showcase #13. It seemed the Flash was going to make annual appearances, as Showcase #4 was published in 1956, Showcase #8 in 1957, and Showcase #13 in 1958. Obviously DC was not yet fully committed to SA superheroes.
As in Showcase #4 and #8, this issue contains two stories: “Around the World in 80 Minutes” and “Master of the Elements”. In the first story, after taking Iris on a date to see the film "Around the World in 80 Days", Iris muses how long it would take Flash to run around the world before reminding Barry that they have a date and he shouldn't be late.The next day Flash races to Paris to stop the Black Cat from blowing up the Eiffel Tower, travels to Egypt to saves Princess Tara from El Claw, stops an avalanche near Mt. Everest, and stops a pirate submarine. After recovering the crew targeted by the pirate sub, they tell him it's Tuesday. Fearing he's late for his date (Which was for Monday evening) Flash races back to the States and changes into Barry Allen, and finds to his relief that it's still Monday on his side of the world and he's just in time for his date with Iris.
The second story introduces us to Mr Element, a scientist with a bipolar personality. Interestingly, he discovered the Philosopher’s Stone many years before JK Rowland. Needless to say, Flash still always wins.
Our 9.4 is currently the single highest graded example in the census and has been for well over a decade. We have known about it for at least 10 years when we lost it in a Heritage Auction to a collector in Europe. We finally got a second shot at it in the 9/9/2021 Heritage Auction, which was where we acquired it. We paid more than we wanted for sure, but it raised the floor of this set from 8.5 to 9.2.*
2023 Update: Now this one really hurt. After finally acquiring a book we had coveted for more than a decade, our 9.4, which was two grades above the next copy, has been unseated by a 9.6. That one certainly came out of nowhere. If there was ever something that could make me quit collecting comics, this one is probably it.
2024 Update: The OW 9.6 copy of this issue is still on the market as of June 2024 at roughly twice what we paid for our WP 9.4 above. Pricing books like this is extremely difficult, as there are so few of them. Is a 9.6 coming in on top of a 9.4 worth twice what the 9.4 was worth or does the 9.4 lose half of its value since it has lost its single highest graded status? Because WP books are at such a premium, I tend to think that the relationship should be closer than it is now. Assuming the overall market for these books remains constant, I do think the 9.6 is worth more than the 9.4 was, but I also think the 9.4 loses some value since it is no longer getting that single highest graded premium. My best guess is that my book lost about 25-30% of its value and that the 9.6 should be roughly double that, maybe a little less because of PQ. If I am right, then the 9.6 is priced about 35% over market, in which case it may be available for awhile unless the price is reduced or they send it to auction. But in cases like this, fair market value can be determined by one buyer’s willingness to pay whatever for a unique book, who knows? I will add that the asking price of the Showcase #13 9.6 is also almost twice the auction price paid this month for the Flash #110 9.6, which is a key issue since it introduces Wally West as Kid Flash. That book is not only single highest graded, but there are no 9.4s either. I think a case could be made that the Flash #110 9.6 should be worth more than the Showcase #13 9.6.
I just know that I am not willing to make the trade at this time at that price. After all, I still have three Flash Showcase graded 9.2, it down not raise the overall floor to my set.
|
Slot: |
Showcase 14 |
Item: |
Showcase 14 Universal |
Grade: |
CGC |
Cert #: |
2085687003
|
Owner Comments
Flash’s appearance in Showcase #14 is notable in that it is the time that there is no break between Flash issues and the last Flash Showcase appearance.
In the feature story, “Giants in the Time World”, a new jet is captured by a UFO during a test run. Witnessing the abduction on his wrist watch, Barry changes into the Flash and chases after the ship aboard a rocket, but the ship disappears. Realizing that it must have traveled through time, Flash speeds through the time barrier and ends up in a strange world where the people start out small but grow in to giants. Told that he is in the fourth-dimension, the giants tell the Flash that they intend to invade the Earth and take it over. Braking free of the hour-glass they have imprisoned him in, the Flash saves Iris and destroys the giant's invasion fleet with speed-vibrations, before returning himself and Iris to their own dimension.
Our 9.2 is the single highest graded copy example in the census. We acquired the book from a private collector in Canada in August 2022. To finance that acquisition, we sold our 9.0 copy of this issue at Auction.
|
Slot: |
Flash 105 |
Item: |
Flash 105 Universal |
Grade: |
CGC |
Cert #: |
1215045003
|
Owner Comments
Flash #105 is the second most coveted book in the run and the first appearance of the Mirror Master.
In the feature story, at the Central City bank, Sam Scudder walks in with civilian clothes on and walks up to bank teller, Mr. J. Wilkins, to exchange larger bills for singles. As the banker is distracted, Scudder takes out a small pocket mirror to capture the individuals 'image' from all angles before leaving the bank.
Outside the city, Mirror Master develops the bank teller's image with his "camera mirror". Sam thinks about his original discovery of these gimmick mirrors when he was in jail years ago. He remembers he painted the wrong material onto a mirror and thought he had ruined it. When he looked into it and saw images the mirror was looking at earlier, he found that this mirror retained an image for several minutes before disappearing. Since leaving jail, he's improved his techniques and can now print 3-D images from the mirrors. He prints up a mirror image of Mr. J. Wilkins from the bank and sends him back to the bank to steal money for him.
Barry Allen, happening to be at the bank at the time, notices that there is something amiss about the manager as his hair is parted differently than before, and his wedding band is on his right hand, so he decides to follow him.
Barry transforms into the Flash to follow Wilkins but soon finds Wilkins moving just as fast as the Flash can. He soon finds himself at a secluded house. Flash finds many mirrors around the house and cannot tell which is the real Wilkins and which is just a mirror image. Flash grabs a paint bucket and starts painting the walls to remove the mirror illusions. Flash follows Wilkins into another room where he encounters a gigantic mosquito. By moving at the speed of light, the Flash causes a strange affect on the mosquito and disables it. Next the the Flash is chased by a Minotaur. He turns off the power in the house and the Minotaur instantly disappears. Flash finds the Mirror Master in the dark and quickly captures the crook and turns him over to the police. The Flash explains he realized these were items powered by light so if he turned of the power and lights, he figured his mirror creations would disappear.
This copy is the highest graded tied with two other copies. We acquired it in the Heritage auction of 2/22/2012.*
2022 Update: There’s now 4 9.4s in the census, there goes the neighborhood.
|
Slot: |
Flash 106 |
Item: |
Flash 106 Universal |
Grade: |
CGC |
Cert #: |
4119506004
|
Owner Comments
Issue #106 is one of our favorite SA Flash covers. It is also notable for the introduction of two new villains who will play recurring roles, Gorilla Grodd and the Pied Piper. Gorilla Grodd hails from Gorilla City in Africa and possesses amazing intelligence and force of mind capabilities, powers allegedly granted him when he was exposed to a space-rock that landed in the African jungles. Grodd's mind took over the body of criminal William Dawson, who was in prison. When released, he traveled back to Gorilla City. Upon reaching his destination, Dawson's body devolved back into Grodd's original gorilla form. There, he saw and fell in love with Solovar's bride-to-be, Boka. Determined to have her, he designed a machine that caused his body to emanate neo-magnetic radiation. As a result, everyone who saw him instantly liked him. He arrived at the wedding procession, and Boka immediately became infatuated with him. They were married, and Grodd was declared king of Gorilla City. Not satisfied, he had the gorillas build him a plane, which he flew to Central City, where the humans quickly began adoring him, including the Flash. He began running for governor as the Statewide Party candidate, planning on continuing on to president after that. However, the Flash foiled Grodd's plan when he discovered that the neo-magnetic radiation could be counteracted by solar flare radiation, which he duplicated by vibrating his body at super speed to match the frequency. Afterwards, Grodd was easily apprehended. Hartley Rathaway, alias the Pied Piper was born deaf to incredibly rich parents. After his hearing was medically restored, he was amazed by music and sound. He developed a vast knowledge of sonics, and using this knowledge, fought the Flash as the Pied Piper.
Our 9.6 is the single highest graded copy in the census. We had previously owned the WP 9.4, so it was not a no-brainer by any means to make the switch, especially since the 9.6 has cream/off-white pages. But this is one title where we have traditionally upgraded our book when the opportunity presents itself. We acquired the book from a private collector in Canada in August 2022.* It was a complicated deal, in that we upgraded our Showcase #14, Flash #106 and Flash #108 all at the same time, sending the copies we did own to auction. In each case, it was just a one-step upgrade and, in two cases, the book we sold was the second best copy out there. The net cost to us was about 40% above what we realized on the books we sent to auction. But it is hard to judge the wisdom of such deals, time will tell how we did.
|
Slot: |
Flash 107 |
Item: |
Flash 107 Universal |
Grade: |
CGC |
Cert #: |
1042122002
|
Owner Comments
Issue #107 again features two stories. One story, “the Return of the Super Gorilla” , entails Flash once again subduing Gorilla Grodd and returning him to prison in Gorilla City. The other story featured on the cover, “The Amazing Race Against Time” starts when, while trying to stop an out of control truck, Flash is beaten to the punch by a mysterious speedster who is even faster than he is. Flash soon finds that the speedster in question cannot remember who he is or where he came from. Flash takes him to the doctors to see if they can see anything wrong.
Iris tells her editor it would be a great publicity stunt to organize a charity race to see who's faster between Flash and the mystery man. Agreeing to participate in a race for charity, the mystery man beats the Flash in a race, even running backwards.
When they visit the doctor's office next, they perform shock therapy. The man's mind is restored and he loses his super speed. He tells the Flash his name is Kyri, a hominoid created by an alien race and sent out to patch a dimensional weak-spot on a distant planet. This weak-spot could allow invaders from another reality to attack.
Kyri has the Flash repair his ship and the two travel out to the planet and the Flash repairs the weak spot. Kyri thanks the Flash for his help and returns Flash home before leaving to return to his home planet.
This issue is one of two highest graded with only one 9.0 and a single 8.5 next in the census. At one time, we owned the three top copies of this iconic issue, but kept this one because we feel it is structurally superior. Despite its OW pages, it wins the eye test hands down.
Purchased in the August 2011 CL auction.
|
Slot: |
Flash 108 |
Item: |
Flash 108 Universal |
Grade: |
CGC |
Cert #: |
4119506005
|
Owner Comments
Issue #108 again contains two stories, one of which is Part Three of the Grodd Trilogy, in which once again the Flash captures the super ape and returns him to captivity.
In the cover story, the “Speed Doom”, the Flash walks into a trap set by Kee Feleg, a being from the world of Mohru. Kee Felag bombarded the Flash's feet with radiation that makes him unable to stop running. Felag's plan was to speed up the treadmill faster and faster until the Flash destroyed himself.
The Flash freed himself by running so fast he overloaded the machine and escaped. The Flash finds that fulgurites are being stolen by beings who are running at super speed. Following them through a dimensional barrier, he finds himself in the world of Mohru, where he learns from the Mohruvian police that the criminals of that world have gained super speed from stealing objects that have been struck by lightning to gather residual energy from the lightning strike to gain super speed. The Flash then helps the Mohruvian police force capture the criminal speedsters before returning to his own dimension.
High grade copies of this issue are exceedingly rare. Our 9.4 is the single highest graded example ever certified by CGC with just a single 9.2 following it. We acquired the book in a private transaction with a Canadian collector in August 2022.*
|
Slot: |
Flash 109 |
Item: |
Flash 109 Universal |
Grade: |
CGC |
Cert #: |
1294609009
|
Owner Comments
The Mirror Master uses his mirrors to escape from jail and once again tackles the Flash in “The Teturn of The Mirror Master.” Confronting the Mirror Master, the Flash is shrunken down to a miniature size by one of the Master's gimmicked mirrors. Returning to his lab, the Flash uses a device to restore himself to normal and is able to capture the Mirror Master.
This issue is tied with two other 9.4s as highest graded with no 9.2s. It was acquired in the 11/17/2017 Heritage auction.
9/2019: I just discovered that there is now a 9.6 in the census, which makes it the first 9.6 after the Showcase #4. I am not sure the history of that book, as to date I haven never seen it. But needless to say, mine is no longer highest graded. Easy come, easy go.........
2022 Update: The 9.6 copy of this issue referenced above is no longer the earliest 9.6 in this set, We have still never seen #109 9.6, but would be very interested in it if the owner would ever like to sell, as it would complete the first 20 issues for us.
|
Slot: |
Flash 110 |
Item: |
Flash 110 Universal |
Grade: |
CGC |
Cert #: |
4392193002
|
Owner Comments
Issue #I110 is a min-key, in that it introduces the world to Kid Flash, who became a founding member of the Teen Titans. As such, it is probably the fourth most valuable issue after Showcase #4, Flash #105 and Flash #123. It also features the first appearance of the Weather Wizard.
In “Meet Kid Flash”, Iris brings her nephew Wally to visit Barry. As soon as Barry learns Wally is a big fan of the Flash, he decides to introduce him. Left alone with the lad, Barry changes into the Flash and visits with young Wally. As the Flash is explaining how he got his powers, a lightning bolt bursts through the window and strikes chemicals on the cabinet, which land on Wally just as they did for the Flash two years prior, and much to their surprise, Wally has gained speed powers as well. Creating another Flash costume for Wally, Wally becomes Flash's sidekick Kid Flash. OK, it’s not the most original origin, but just go with it......
In the other story, “the Challenge of the Weather Wizard”, Flash tangles with Mark Mardon, a two-bit criminal who stumbled upon a scientific device, a wand that could localize weather, creating hail, lightning, and other destructive forms of weather. He used the wand countless times against the Flash as Weather Wizard, a member of the Rogues Gallery.
Our 9.6 is the single highest graded copy and replaced three 9.2s, which we owned during our collecting career. We acquired the book from the 6/20/2024 Heritage Auction. It was not cheap, as it was one of the Auction’s headliners and definitely one of our more frustrating wins, as it seemed like we had it on at least three occasions before a bid came in at the wire. We finally got it at $5,000 less than our max-yes, we had a max, even for this one LOL. I generally dislike the format of E-Bay or CL Auctions, but on that occasion, it would have undoubtedly saved us some money. Still, it really is a beautiful book and it gives us single highest graded copies of 13 of the first 21 issues in the Flash title (after the Showcases). Moreover, it raised the minimum grade of our Flash (#105-350) run to 9.4 and it gives us four straight books (#110-#113), which are single highest graded in the census as of June 2024. Sweet!
|
Slot: |
Flash 111 |
Item: |
Flash 111 Universal |
Grade: |
CGC |
Cert #: |
0029081014
|
Owner Comments
This issue features the Invasion of the Cloud Creatures. Admittedly, this one might be considered a little hokey, but all superhero comics require a degree of suspension of disbelief. The idea is that there is a species of sentient Cloud Creatures created from the volcanoes. It goes something like this, earthquakes and volcanoes are a result of the inner earth having life wanting to hurt surface dwellers. These Cloud Creatures decide to make a direct attack on the human race, attacking US airforce bases.
Of course, our hero goes out to confront the Cloud Creatures. He attempts to spin a tornado at them but they increase their altitude avoiding his attack. The Flash gets the idea to skip cloud to cloud like a rock over water, to attack their center nucleus. When he does, it destroys the Cloud Creatures and they become ordinary rain clouds that drop rain over the area.
This copy has been the single highest graded one for over a decade now with white pages to boot! Moreover, as of 9/2019, there is also just a single 9.2.
We acquired the book in a private transaction in 2017 for a princely sum.
2023 Update: Still King!
|
Slot: |
Flash 112 |
Item: |
Flash 112 Universal |
Grade: |
CGC |
Cert #: |
0993708002
|
Owner Comments
Issue #112 is significant, in that it introduces the Elongated Man, who will become a DC stalwart. In the story “The Mystery of the Elongated Man”, Flash is at risk of losing the Central City Man of the Year award by the arrival of a new costumed hero named the Elongated Man. The Elongated Man is really Ralph Dibny, who as a young boy was interested in the abilities of Indian Rubber Men and learned the secret to their stretching abilities: a rare tropical fruit extract which is found in Gingold Soda Water. Extracting some of this fruit extract, Ralph gained amazing stretching powers and took on the costumed identity.
When a series of thefts occur in the city, Flash gets involved in their search, pitting him in a fight against the Elongated Man when the Flash believes him to be the crook. However, after the fight, Elongated Man takes Flash to the hideout of the real crooks, clearing his name. The two become fast friends, and at the end of their first adventure together they are both named Man of the Year.
This copy is highest graded and one of only two 9.4s with only a single 9.2 in the census. Acquired from CL on 3/18/2010.
9/2019: This is now the single highest graded copy of this book. I am not sure what happened to the other 9.4? My guess is that it was pressed and was downgraded to a 9.2. Oh well, that is one of the risks of pressing books, sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, but I am happy with this one, which to my knowledge has never been pressed.
2023 Update: Still King!
|
Slot: |
Flash 113 |
Item: |
Flash 113 Universal |
Grade: |
CGC |
Cert #: |
2065130008
|
Owner Comments
Just a gorgeous book, this is the first Trickster, James Jesse-I see what you did there LOL, appearance and the single highest graded example with WP. We acquired the book in the November 17, 2017 Heritage auction.*
2023 Update: Still King!
|
Slot: |
Flash 114 |
Item: |
Flash 114 Universal |
Grade: |
CGC |
Cert #: |
1250785004
|
Owner Comments
The Fastest Man on Earth squares off against the Coldest Man on Earth in the Big Freeze. For many years we owned a 9.2, which was the single highest graded copy of this issue. But recently another 9.2 and two 9.4s emerged from CGC, which represents a population explosion not seen in any other early Flashes. This book was the second of the two 9.4s and, hopefully, for this collector, the last we shall see for awhile, as upgrading these early books can be hazardous to your wallet. This book was acquired from Pedigree Comics in April 2018.
9/2018: There are now four 9.4s in the census with none higher. I am not sure why there has been such an explosion of highest graded copies of this one. I am just glad I did not buy the first one, as it went for $18,000 on Heritage, while subsequent 9.4s have sold for much less. (Reminds me of a line out of Braveheart-great movie, even if a historical mess LOL.)
|
Slot: |
Flash 115 |
Item: |
Flash 115 Universal |
Grade: |
CGC |
Cert #: |
4177701001
|
Owner Comments
Issue #115 features the second appearance of the Elongated Man. Our 9.6 comes from the Bethlehem Collection and has the distinction of being the single highest graded copy. We acquired the book from Worldwide Comics along with the #106 Bethlehem copy.*
|
|