The Mystery Of The Elongated Man!
The Flash races to rescue a falling kitten, when he is beaten to the punch by the Elongated Man. Reporters quickly swarm Central City's newest super-hero, completely ignoring the Flash. Later that same week, the Elongated Man saves a potential drowning victim, beating out the Flash again. At home, in his civilian identity of Barry Allen, a police forensics scientist, the Flash is awash with questions concerning the Elongated Man. What Allen can't possibly know is that the Elongated Man is really a man named Ralph Dibny. As a boy, Dibny had been brought to a traveling sideshow by his parents. Dibny was enthralled by the India Rubber Man's ability to twist his body into knots. Dibny stole away behind the curtain to ask the India Rubber Man how he could do the things he did. The India Rubber Man, however, refused to divulge his secret.
Dibny became obsessed with learning the secret. As an adult, Dibny traveled the country seeking out India Rubber Men at every sideshow, circus, and fair. None would reveal the tricks of their trade. Despondent, Dibny suddenly remembered that all the India Rubber Men he met were fond of a soft drink called Gingold. Dibny researched the Gingold, learning that it was flavored with the juice of a rare tropical fruit. Dibny chemically drew the essence of the fruit into a liquid compound that he then consumed. To Dibny's dismay, nothing happened. Wandering the street, Dibny noticed a flower pot falling towards him. Instinctively he raised his arm to shield himself, only to find the limb stretching out to grasp the flower pot. The Gingold extract had given him the ability to elongate his entire body, an ability he decided to use to help people.
Jealous over all the media attention the Elongated Man has been receiving. Allen wonders if the Elongated Man might, in fact, be responsible for a series of robberies. At that moment, Allen's girlfriend, reporter Iris West, calls to inform him that the Elongated Man may beat out the Flash for Central City's "Man Of The Year" award. Allen changes into his Flash costume and sets out to prove that the Elongated Man is actually a crook. The Flash convinces an Asian import company to display their collection of priceless vases at a nearby exhibition hall. Personally guaranteeing the safety of the vases, the Flash begins a security sweep of the hall. Suddenly, the owner of the import company bursts into the hall, and informs the Flash that the vases have been stolen from the warehouse they were stored in.
The Flash races to the scene of the crime, to find the Elongated Man exiting the warehouse. The Flash quickly nabs the Elongated Man, who reveals that he did, indeed, take the vases, to move them to a secure location. When the real thieves arrived to steal the vases, the Elongated Man took them down. The Elongated Man was on his way to inform the police, when the Flash captured him. Recognizing the criminal gang, the Flash notices that their ringleader, notorious criminal Perry Veto, isn't among them. The Elongated Man reveals that one man got away from him. The Flash tracks Veto by tire marks, left on the road in Veto's haste. Disabling Veto's car, the Flash ushers Veto to jail. At the "Man Of The Year" banquet, the Flash and The Elongated Man share the honor.
Danger On Wheels!
Schoolteacher, Linda Grant, informs her students that they will be attending school in a new building next year. Picking up on Grant's subtle distress, young Wally West lingers after class, and sees Grant crying. At West's inquiry, Grant reveals that her boyfriend, youth adviser Ralph Parker, lost the bid on the construction job for the new school. West visits the construction site of the new school, and sees two thugs beating up Parker. West changes into his Kid Flash costume, faster than the eye can see, and chases the thugs away.
At first, Parker believes he was assaulted for concerns he had raised regarding motorized "Go-Mobiles" being sold to children. Kid Flash reveals that he, himself, recently rescued two boys in Go-Mobiles who had crashed into one another. Parker and Kid Flash wander over to the Go-Mobile store, only to find that the agency has left Blue Valley. Parker surmises that the thugs may have been working for the Big Ace Construction Company. Parker had come to the new school's construction site to learn the methods by which Big Ace Construction could afford to build the new school so cheaply, and so quickly.
Suspecting that Big Ace Construction may be using substandard materials, Kid Flash puts the floors and gym equipment through the equivalent of a year's worth of wear and tear in a matter of seconds. Sure enough, the building materials prove to be shoddy. Big Ace Construction's swindling scheme revealed, the two thugs return and corner Parker and Kid Flash. The Fastest Boy On Earth easily takes down the two goons. Parker is awarded the building contract. With the help of the students, and Kid Flash, Parker is on schedule for completing the new school in time for classes in the Fall.
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