Comic Title: Showcase #4
Publisher: DC (National Comics Publications, Inc.)
Address: 480 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY
Cover Date: Sep/Oct 1956
Approx. On Sale Date: July 5, 1956 Copyright Date July 3, 1956
Source: Library of Congress, Periodicals 1956
Until 1958 DC did not report actual on sale dates to the copyright office
The publication dates listed in LoC records are NOT release dates.

Frequency: Bi-monthly
Cover Price: $0.10
Page Count: 32
Editor: Julius Schwartz

Notes:
The Silver Age of Comics begins with this issue.

Title: "Mystery of the Human Thunderbolt"
Pages: 12

Feature(s):
Flash (Barry Allen of Earth-1)

Writer: Robert Kanigher
Penciller: Carmine Infantino
Inker: Joe Kubert

Reprinted In:
Secret Origins #1 (1961)
Secret Origins #1 (1973)
Secret Origins of the Super DC Heroes HC (1976)
Secret Origins of the Super DC Heroes SC (1976)
Super Heroes #8 (1981)
Greatest Flash Stories Ever Told HC (1991)
DC Silver Age Classics Showcase #4 (1992)
Greatest Flash Stories Ever Told TPB (1992)
Essential Showcase 1956-1959 TPB (1993)
Flash Archives Vol. 1 HC (1996)
Secret Origins Replica Edition #1 (1998)
Millennium Edition:Showcase 4 (#6) (2000)
Showcase Presents:The Flash Vol. 1 TPB (2007)
Flash Chronicles Vol. 1 TPB (2009)
DC Universe:Secret Origins HC (2012)
Showcase Presents:Showcase Vol. 1 TPB (2012)
DC Universe:Secret Origins TPB (2013)
Flash Omnibus Vol. 1 HC (2014)
Flash:A Celebration of 75 Years HC (2015)
Flash:The Silver Age Vol. 1 TPB (2016)
Flash:80 Years of the Fastest Man Alive the Deluxe Edition HC (2020)
Flash #750:The Deluxe Edition HC (2020)
Legends of the DC Universe:Carmine Infantino HC (2023)

Feature Character(s)

• Flash (Barry Allen, police scientist; origin and first appearance; last appearance in Flash #195; next appearance in Showcase #4)

Supporting Character(s)

• Iris West (first appearance; last appearance in Flash #203; next appearance in Showcase #8)

Villain(s)

• Turtle Man (first appearance; next appearance in Flash #220)

Other Character(s)

• Two unnamed army officers, a waitress, and a police officer (no further appearances)

Comments:
This story features the first appearance and origin of the Flash, Barry Allen. He possesses knowledge of the previous Flash, Jay Garrick, from reading the comic books in which Garrick appeared. Barry is shown reading Flash Comics #13 in this story. (As revealed in Flash #123, Garrick exists in a parallel dimension which is designated Earth-2; Barry’s dimension is desginated Earth-1.) Inspired by his comic book hero, Allen also assumes the name, Flash.

The origin of the Flash may or may not have been manipulated by Mopee, as shown in Flash #167. Whether that story is canonical or not is debatable.

The second story of Flash #128 takes place between panels 3 and 4 on page 7 of this story.

Synopsis:
Police scientist, Barry Allen is working in his lab during an electrical storm. A lightning bolt smashes through the lab windown and crashes into a rack of chemicals. Certain containers are broken open, and Allen, who was knocked over by the bolt, is bathed in the chemical mixture. After partially recovering from the experience, Barry travels home and quickly discovers that he is able to move at incredible speeds.

The next morning, Barry brushes off the strange experience as mostly delusional. When he arrives for his date with Iris West, he discovers otherwise. His amazing speed enables him to protect Iris from a stray bullet fired by the Turtle Man, a criminal who is known as "the slowest man on Earth".

Returning to the lab Barry realizes he has been transformed by the chemical bath into a super-speedster, like his comic book hero, the Flash. Barry follows the example set by his hero to design a costume for himself. He stores it in a special ring which shrinks the costume for storage and enlarges it when needed.

Alerted by a burgler alarm from the local bank, Barry races off to thwart the culprit, as the Flash. The robber is the Turtle Man who escapes through the sewers to a nearby boat. The Flash follows the boat by running across the water, but his own speed pushes the boat further ahead. Instead he circles the boat and captures the criminal. After delivering the crook to the police, he is interviewed by the newspaper. He officially adopts the name, the Flash.