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DC Finest: The Flash: The Fastest Man Dead
672 pages, Paperback
Published March 10, 2026
About the author
Robert Kanigher
589 books8 followersSee also as Bob Kanigher
One of the most prolific writers in comics, particularly in the Silver Age. He took over scripting duties on Wonder Woman after William Moulton Marston's death, and handled the character's transition from the Golden to the Silver Age. He also created Barry Allen, the second Flash, for editor Julius Schwartz's superhero revival of 1956, as well as writing and editing DC's pioneering war titles.
His creations include Sgt. Rock, the Unknown Soldier, Barry Allen, Ragman, the Losers, Black Canary, the Metal Men, Poison Ivy, Enemy Ace, the Suicide Squad, and Rex the Wonder Dog.
One of the most prolific writers in comics, particularly in the Silver Age. He took over scripting duties on Wonder Woman after William Moulton Marston's death, and handled the character's transition from the Golden to the Silver Age. He also created Barry Allen, the second Flash, for editor Julius Schwartz's superhero revival of 1956, as well as writing and editing DC's pioneering war titles.
His creations include Sgt. Rock, the Unknown Soldier, Barry Allen, Ragman, the Losers, Black Canary, the Metal Men, Poison Ivy, Enemy Ace, the Suicide Squad, and Rex the Wonder Dog.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
April 6, 2026
This book is a bit of a mixed bag quality wise but worth a read if you're a die-hard Flash fan (especially of the Silver Age).
The volume is essentially two halves, the first half collecting writer Robert Kanigher's time on the series and the second half seeing the beginning of Cary Bates' run which would last until the book's 350th issue. There's also an issue written by the legendary Len Wein, a World's Finest two-parter collecting the third Superman/Flash race and an issue of Brave and the Bold where Flash teams up with Batman to fight ghosts.
Barry Allen is the Flash here, still years away from Wally West taking over the mantle. Having not yet read the third omnibus collecting his Silver Age adventures I was surprised that Barry was already married to Iris at this point in his continuity. It doesn't create a massive change in their dynamic, but it does add to the everyman vibe Barry had going for him at this point. He's straight laced, fairly normal and lacking the more tragic elements that Geoff Johns would add decades later. Whether that's a positive or negative is down to personal preference. Personally I didn't mind it, but I do think the retcons Johns implemented give Barry a little extra something to make him more interesting. Here he is a very traditional hero with not much going else going on for him.
Honestly, outside of the Bates run this book isn't that great. Kanigher's stories often weren't that memorable with the clickbaity cover (common for DC at the time) often being resolved very quickly or having underwhelming resolutions. That being said the stories in here are typically only around 14 pages as the Flash series often featured backup stories with other heroes (Kid Flash and Green Lantern, though only Kid Flash's backups are collected here). That being said, Kanigher's run does offer a surprisingly important issue (#203) which adds a new interesting detail to Iris West. The change does feel unnecessary, but it did add a bit of momentum and continuity to these otherwise self-contained, episodic stories.
From #209, Cary Bates takes over and immediately the plot and writing of the issues becomes stronger. More of Flash's Rogues are utilised and if it wasn't for Irv Novick's artwork I would say these issues feel right out of the Silver Age, wacky fun with Barry getting into interesting scenarios. There aren't any issues I would say are classics (a far cry from what Marvel was doing at the time), but they are reliably entertaining due to their wackiness.
Art wise the majority is done by Irv Novick as mentioned who does an excellent job of capturing the Flash's Silver Age essence while still employing a more modern (at the time) style. Gil Kane also does the art for a handful of Kanigher's stories and their work is always a treat.
So overall the book's second half is stronger than the first and ensured I will continue picking up these Bronze Age volumes as an avid Flash fan. That being said, if you're a more casual reader you'd probably be better off starting from Post-Crisis.
The volume is essentially two halves, the first half collecting writer Robert Kanigher's time on the series and the second half seeing the beginning of Cary Bates' run which would last until the book's 350th issue. There's also an issue written by the legendary Len Wein, a World's Finest two-parter collecting the third Superman/Flash race and an issue of Brave and the Bold where Flash teams up with Batman to fight ghosts.
Barry Allen is the Flash here, still years away from Wally West taking over the mantle. Having not yet read the third omnibus collecting his Silver Age adventures I was surprised that Barry was already married to Iris at this point in his continuity. It doesn't create a massive change in their dynamic, but it does add to the everyman vibe Barry had going for him at this point. He's straight laced, fairly normal and lacking the more tragic elements that Geoff Johns would add decades later. Whether that's a positive or negative is down to personal preference. Personally I didn't mind it, but I do think the retcons Johns implemented give Barry a little extra something to make him more interesting. Here he is a very traditional hero with not much going else going on for him.
Honestly, outside of the Bates run this book isn't that great. Kanigher's stories often weren't that memorable with the clickbaity cover (common for DC at the time) often being resolved very quickly or having underwhelming resolutions. That being said the stories in here are typically only around 14 pages as the Flash series often featured backup stories with other heroes (Kid Flash and Green Lantern, though only Kid Flash's backups are collected here). That being said, Kanigher's run does offer a surprisingly important issue (#203) which adds a new interesting detail to Iris West. The change does feel unnecessary, but it did add a bit of momentum and continuity to these otherwise self-contained, episodic stories.
From #209, Cary Bates takes over and immediately the plot and writing of the issues becomes stronger. More of Flash's Rogues are utilised and if it wasn't for Irv Novick's artwork I would say these issues feel right out of the Silver Age, wacky fun with Barry getting into interesting scenarios. There aren't any issues I would say are classics (a far cry from what Marvel was doing at the time), but they are reliably entertaining due to their wackiness.
Art wise the majority is done by Irv Novick as mentioned who does an excellent job of capturing the Flash's Silver Age essence while still employing a more modern (at the time) style. Gil Kane also does the art for a handful of Kanigher's stories and their work is always a treat.
So overall the book's second half is stronger than the first and ensured I will continue picking up these Bronze Age volumes as an avid Flash fan. That being said, if you're a more casual reader you'd probably be better off starting from Post-Crisis.
April 3, 2026
Curiosa elección para continuar con las aventuras de Barry: la etapa aquí reunida no contiene ni creadores ni historias particularmente memorables, a excepción de los primeros episodios, dibujados por el grandísimo Gil Kane, con tintas del inefable Vinnie Colletta, el Don de los cómics, que aquí realiza uno de sus trabajos más atildados.
En fin, al lío: la primera mitad del volumen está guionizada por un competente Robert Kanigher y dibujada por un sorprendentemente efectivo Irv Novick (habitualmente un simple clon cutre de Neal Adams), lo cual se debe, sin duda, al magnífico entintado del gran Murphy Anderson. Sin embargo, en cuanto Cary Bates se hace cargo de la escritura, y Giordano de las tintas, el bajón de calidad es notable. Si Kanigher escribe historias entretenidas con el típico componente propio de la Silver Age de no tomarse a sí mismo muy en serio, Bates pergeña tontuna tras tontuna: sí, puede ser divertido ver al Capitán Búmeran contorsionarse hasta convertirse en un búmeran humano y golpear de rebote a un sorprendido Flash que lo acaba de lanzar por los aires, pero es una estupidez como un piano. Además, en las manos de Kanigher, hay un atisbo de continuidad, por ejemplo en las historias en las que se descubre que Iris viene del futuro y a continuación varios episodios se centran en esa distopía, en las vidas de sus auténticos padres, etc. Con Bates, Barry y Iris son personajes absolutamente planos, sin personalidad y sin hilo conductor en sus vidas más allá de su matrimonio. Recordemos que son los 70, y en esa época Marvel ya había demostrado con creces que los lectores estaban muy interesados en la vida privada de, por ejemplo, un Peter Parker o un Donald Blake, y en cómo sus problemas personales afectaban a sus vidas como súper héroes y viceversa. Lo que era perdonable (incluso entrañable) en los 60, no lo es tanto en la siguiente década, y no es de extrañar que se perciba a los personajes DC de esta época como acartonados y poco interesantes, sobre todo si los comparamos con sus contrapartidas de la competencia.
A pesar de todo, el tomo tiene sus virtudes. Pero vamos, yo lo había comprado por Carmine Infantino, que no hace ni un número. Para otra vez, me leeré los autores que aparecen bien en grande en la portada. Hay que ser gilipollas...
En fin, al lío: la primera mitad del volumen está guionizada por un competente Robert Kanigher y dibujada por un sorprendentemente efectivo Irv Novick (habitualmente un simple clon cutre de Neal Adams), lo cual se debe, sin duda, al magnífico entintado del gran Murphy Anderson. Sin embargo, en cuanto Cary Bates se hace cargo de la escritura, y Giordano de las tintas, el bajón de calidad es notable. Si Kanigher escribe historias entretenidas con el típico componente propio de la Silver Age de no tomarse a sí mismo muy en serio, Bates pergeña tontuna tras tontuna: sí, puede ser divertido ver al Capitán Búmeran contorsionarse hasta convertirse en un búmeran humano y golpear de rebote a un sorprendido Flash que lo acaba de lanzar por los aires, pero es una estupidez como un piano. Además, en las manos de Kanigher, hay un atisbo de continuidad, por ejemplo en las historias en las que se descubre que Iris viene del futuro y a continuación varios episodios se centran en esa distopía, en las vidas de sus auténticos padres, etc. Con Bates, Barry y Iris son personajes absolutamente planos, sin personalidad y sin hilo conductor en sus vidas más allá de su matrimonio. Recordemos que son los 70, y en esa época Marvel ya había demostrado con creces que los lectores estaban muy interesados en la vida privada de, por ejemplo, un Peter Parker o un Donald Blake, y en cómo sus problemas personales afectaban a sus vidas como súper héroes y viceversa. Lo que era perdonable (incluso entrañable) en los 60, no lo es tanto en la siguiente década, y no es de extrañar que se perciba a los personajes DC de esta época como acartonados y poco interesantes, sobre todo si los comparamos con sus contrapartidas de la competencia.
A pesar de todo, el tomo tiene sus virtudes. Pero vamos, yo lo había comprado por Carmine Infantino, que no hace ni un número. Para otra vez, me leeré los autores que aparecen bien en grande en la portada. Hay que ser gilipollas...
March 20, 2026
The art is a large step up compared to the first DC Finest Flash while still having the fun goofy silver age stories. I particularly enjoyed the one where author somehow travels into the world of his creations.
April 10, 2026
Mostly wacky stories in here dealing with Flash’s Rogues gallery as the comic moves into the Bronze Age. Iris West’s insane backstory is revealed where she’s a time traveler from the future didn’t see that coming. 1970-1974. 8/10
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews