The Flash #115

Oh yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Judging by the cover you defiantly know this issue of the Flash is going to contain some high dosage of Silver Age fun, so buckle up and get ready to flash (see what did their) to the past with #115 of the Flash!

OK! So the story begins with Gorilla Grodd in his gorilla prison in Gorilla City telling us (the readers!) about how the pill he has can trap in the body of any living creature, but he will take the chance to break out. Before us (the readers!) can tell Grodd that drugs are never the answer he takes the pill. Gorilla Grodd soon collapse and appears to be dead and King Solovar of the Gorilla City alerts the Flash to know. Meanwhile on the streets of Central City, Grodd appears to have taken over a body of a bald man which I will just call Lex Luthor. Anyway Luthor Grodd gets a job as a gorilla trainer at the zoo and gets the gorillas pull off heist for him. Of course the Flash saves the day.

However, Luthor Grodd makes a little gun to make the Flash obese! After this Flash forgets about who he is and soon becomes a sideshow at a carnival. Flash then regains his senses and finds a conviently place dehydrated potatoes factory. Knowing that with dehydration of potatoes mean the weight and height of potatoes go down the Flash sits inside with the potatoes. After this Flash finds Luthor Grodd and saves the day.

The story was entertaining with the art by Carmine Infantino and Joe Giella being great! I love the way the great Carmine draws the Gorilla. The art really gives it that DC Comics feel in my opinion. The writing by John Broome was at a all right pace in the book and the fun Silver Age creativity and absurdity of the plot is even more fun. It also teaches 3 great lessons.

1. Taking chances with your pills could make you a Lex Luthor lookalike.
2. If you become fat you will always find work as a sideshow.
3. Back in the 60's they couldn't get away with a lot, but they sure did get away with a lot politically incorrect stuff by today standards.

This is a prime example of way I love the Silver Age. A weird quirky story that takes us back to a time when comics didn't take themselves to seriously. While I do like the seriousness of comics it's stuff like this that makes me smile when I am in a bad mood.

Oh and sadly I read this story in 80 Page Giant #4 so I did not get the Elongated Man story.