Flash and Longshot

Two more key books I believe every comic book collector should own come from both DC and Marvel Comics.

After Barry Allen’s (the Silver Age Flash) death in DC Comics’ Crisis On Infinite Earth's, published back in the mid-1980s, someone new took up the mantle of the Flash.

Who better to replace the Flash than young Wally West the nephew of Barry Allen?

Wally obtained his powers when a freak accident (identical to one that changed Barry into the Flash) happened to him.  Thus Kid Flash was born.

Wally would aid his uncle and eventually join the Teen Titan and then the rechristened New Teen Titans.

After his uncle’s demise Wally took on the mantle of the Flash albeit with diminished speed powers.

Wally’s speed was reduced to around the speed of sound and whenever he used his powers he required mass amounts of food to replenish his strength.

Wally held onto the title of the Flash until his uncle’s reappearance several decades later.

The New Flash #1 is in essence the second ’first’ appearance of the Flash.  Wally recently returned during the ‘Rebirth’ of DC Comics.

Longshot #1 from Marvel Comics not only presented a new character to the Marvel Universe (Longshot) and a future member of the X-Men, it also premiered the fist appearance of several new second-tier characters.

Its most important contrition however was the premiere of the young wunderkind artist Arthur Adams to the world.

Arthur was in his late teens when Longshot came out yet his art was highly detailed, sophisticated and amazing in its complexity.

Arthur would go n to be one of the premiere comic book artists of all time and is still active to this day.