All-Flash #1
All-Flash Quarterly #1 holds a clear structural milestone in Golden Age publishing: it gave Jay Garrick, the original Flash, his first solo title, making him only the third DC character — after Superman and Batman — to earn a dedicated quarterly of his own. The issue packs four Flash adventures, a retelling of Jay's origin from Flash Comics #1, and the debut of the jewel-obsessed villain the Monocle into a single 68-page package that demonstrated the commercial appeal of a single-character anthology at a moment when the shared-universe anthology format still dominated the medium. It also carried a tangible editorial self-awareness, opening with a JSA-themed frontispiece acknowledging that Flash's new solo commitment would make him too busy for regular Justice Society missions — an early, in-continuity explanation for a real publishing logistics problem. That combination of narrative ambition and business transparency makes the issue a snapshot of Golden Age editorial thinking at its most candid.
In "The Living Statues," a scientist’s breakthrough with the mysterious serum KZ-10—capable of turning living things to stone—draws the unwanted attention of criminals eager to exploit its power. As the line between flesh and stone blurs, the fate of those caught in its grasp hangs in the balance.
In "The Adventure of 'The Monocle' and His Garden of Gems," a cunning criminal known only as the Monocle turns high society's finest jewels into a personal treasure trove, setting his sights on the Flash when the hero intervenes. With cold precision, the Monocle treats the Scarlet Speedster not as a hero, but as just another obstacle to be removed from his path.
In "The Rodeo Racketeers," Cowboy Jack races to return to his family’s Oklahoma ranch after learning his father has struck oil—just as city gangsters target him, determined to eliminate the heir to a fortune they’re desperate to control. With danger closing in from every direction, Jack must rely on his wits and grit to survive the journey home.
When Joe Vickers takes desperate measures to cover his daughter’s hospital bills by investing in a pro hockey team, he soon finds himself tangled in a web of corruption—only to uncover that two of the team’s top owners are crooks with a dangerous agenda.
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We Buy Collections ▸History
The book was born from reader enthusiasm: an advertisement in All-Star Comics #4, written in the voices of Gardner Fox and artist E. E. Hibbard, invited fans to name the new quarterly because 'The Flash' alone would be confused with the existing monthly Flash Comics. Readers submitted entries and the first 500 received a free copy of All-Star Comics #5; the winning name — 'All-Flash Quarterly' — was formally announced inside the finished first issue itself. Managing editor M. C. Gaines and assistant editor Sheldon Mayer oversaw production, with Hibbard handling all interior art and cover duties while Fox scripted every Flash story; the issue went on sale around May 25, 1941, per copyright registration records corroborated by a notice in Superman #11.
Trivia · 7 facts
- First solo title for Jay Garrick (the Flash) — the third DC character after Superman and Batman to receive a dedicated quarterly comic.
- Written by Gardner Fox, with all art and the cover by Everett E. Hibbard; edited by M. C. Gaines (managing editor) and Sheldon Mayer (assistant editor).
- Contains a retelling of the Flash's origin, drawn from Flash Comics #1 (January 1940), in which college student Jay Garrick accidentally inhales hard-water vapors and gains superhuman speed.
- First appearance of the Monocle (Earth-Two), a jewel-stealing criminal mastermind who debuts in the story 'The Adventure of the Monocle and His Garden of Gems.'
- A biographical feature, 'Boys and Girls: Meet the Author and Artist of The Flash,' includes black-and-white photos of Gardner Fox and E. E. Hibbard — an unusually direct creator spotlight for the era.
- A notable production oddity: the lightning bolt on Flash's chest on the cover is printed backwards.
- The contents of this issue were later reprinted in Flash Annual #1 (Summer 1963), Flash Annual No. 1 Replica Edition (December 2001), and Golden Age Flash Archives Vol. 2 (March 2006).
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Reprints
Reprinted in Flash Annual #1 (1963), Flash Annual No. 1 Replica Edition #1 (2001), Golden Age Flash Archives #2 (2006)
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