The Shade #3

Spinning out of the pages of Starman, this June 1997 miniseries issue pairs the enigmatic Shade — looming large in his signature dark hat and coat — with a lightning-charged speedster in a classic red-and-gold Flash costume, surging forward with crackling energy across Tony Harris's cover. A leering, theatrical mask on a staff adds an unsettling carnival menace to the scene, and the tagline "When Lightning Strikes!" promises the kind of pulpy, atmospheric drama that made this era of DC storytelling so compelling. James Robinson and Bret Blevins bring their talents to a story set in 1951, lending the whole affair a rich, noir-tinged period flavor.