The Flash #110
☆ Be the first to review + Add to your collection — Join freeThe Flash #110 is one of the most consequential single issues of DC's Silver Age, packing two debut appearances into 32 pages: Wally West becoming Kid Flash — the first junior speedster — and Mark Mardon debuting as the Weather Wizard. Kid Flash was explicitly conceived as part of a DC-wide wave of sidekicks designed to match the appeal of Batman's Robin, and the character born here would eventually outgrow the role entirely, succeeding Barry Allen as the Flash after Crisis on Infinite Earths and serving as the title's lead hero for more than two decades. Meanwhile, Weather Wizard became a durable member of the Flash's Rogues Gallery, appearing in animation, live-action television, and comics well into the 21st century — a testament to how cleanly the Broome-Infantino team defined Silver Age villainy.
In "The Challenge of the Weather Wizard!", Wally West visits Aunt Iris and meets the Flash, only for a lab accident involving Barry’s chemicals to grant Wally super speed—launching him into his first adventure as Kid Flash. With the Flash’s guidance, the young hero faces off against a mysterious foe whose powers manipulate the weather, all while trying to contain a menagerie of escaped zoo animals. Written by John Broome and brought to life by Carmine Infantino’s dynamic art with inks by Joe Giella, this 1959 classic features a cover by Infantino and Giella that captures the moment Wally’s new powers ignite.
In "The Challenge of the Weather Wizard!", a desperate Mark Mardon, fleeing justice, seeks refuge at his brother Clyde’s home—only to discover Clyde dead. With Clyde’s research on weather manipulation in hand, Mark transforms his grief into a new identity, unleashing storm-driven chaos as the Weather Wizard.
Wally West visits Aunt Iris and stumbles into a thrilling encounter with the Flash, only to find himself transformed when a lab accident grants him super speed. Now as Kid Flash, his first mission leads him on a high-speed chase to stop a menagerie of escaped zoo animals causing chaos across the city.
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The issue was written by John Broome, penciled by Carmine Infantino, and inked by Joe Giella (with Murphy Anderson on cover inks), under editor Julius Schwartz — the same core team driving the broader Silver Age revival at DC. Schwartz and Broome were known for grounding their Flash stories in the science headlines of the day, and Bleeding Cool's research into the issue's context suggests the Weather Wizard concept likely drew on a widely-circulated 1958–59 newspaper series titled 'What are the Weather Wizards Up To?' discussing the military and economic potential of weather control — the kind of real-world scientific hook Schwartz actively sought out for the title. The issue carried a cover date of January 1960 but went on sale October 20, 1959, as confirmed by Grand Comics Database sourcing from a contemporary ad in Mystery in Space #56.
Trivia · 8 facts
- First appearance and origin of Kid Flash (Wally West), nephew of Iris West, who gains super-speed when a lightning bolt strikes chemicals in Barry Allen's lab — a near-identical recreation of the accident that gave Barry his powers.
- First appearance and origin of Weather Wizard (Mark Mardon), an escaped convict who seizes his deceased brother Clyde's weather-control wand and uses it to terrorize Central City — establishing him as a gadget-based Rogue in the Silver Age mold.
- Written by John Broome, penciled by Carmine Infantino, inked by Joe Giella (interiors) and Murphy Anderson (cover), edited by Julius Schwartz; published by National Comics Publications Inc. on October 20, 1959 (cover-dated January 1960).
- The two stories are titled 'The Challenge of the Weather Wizard!' and 'Meet Kid Flash!' — the latter depicting Wally's first solo adventure rounding up escaped zoo animals before Barry can arrive.
- Kid Flash's creation was part of DC's deliberate sidekick expansion alongside Aqualad, the first Wonder Girl, and Speedy, all modeled on the commercial success of Batman's Robin; these characters were later spun off as the founding core of the Teen Titans.
- Wally West wore a scaled-down version of Barry's red Flash costume in this debut; his distinctive yellow-and-red Kid Flash costume did not appear until The Flash #135 (1963).
- The 'Meet Kid Flash!' story has been reprinted numerous times, including The Flash Annual #1, The Flash #344 (partial), The Flash Annual Replica Edition #1, Even More Secret Origins #1, The Flash: A Celebration of 75 Years, The Flash: 80 Years of the Fastest Man Alive – The Deluxe Edition, The Flash Archives Vol. 2, The Flash Chronicles Vol. 2, and The Flash Omnibus Vol. 1.
- The origin was retold from Wally's perspective in The Flash (Vol. 2) #62, and Wally's eventual ascent to the Flash mantle following Barry Allen's death in Crisis on Infinite Earths makes this issue the narrative seed of one of the most significant legacy-hero arcs in superhero comics.
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Reprinted in Flash Annual #1 (1963), 80 Page Giant Magazine #4 (1964), Flash Album #1 (1965), Superman #1/1969 (1969), Flits Classics #2607 (1970), The Flash #197 (1970), Superman Supacomic #132 (1970), The Flash #203 (1971), Batman #997 (1979), The Flash #344 (1985), The Flash Archives #2 (2000), Flash Annual No. 1 Replica Edition #1 (2001), Even More Secret Origins #[nn] (2003), Spécial DC #23 (2004), Showcase Presents: The Flash #1 (2007), The Flash vs. the Rogues #[nn] (2010), The Flash Chronicles #2 (2010), DC Universe Secret Origins #[nn] (2012), DC Universe: Secret Origins #[nn] (2013), The Flash Omnibus #1 (2014), Flash: A Celebration of 75 Years #[nn] (2015), The Flash: The Silver Age #1 (2016), DC Comics Graphic Novel Collection #101 (2017), The Flash: The Silver Age Omnibus #1 (2019) + 4 more
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