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    The Flash #285

    The Flash » The Flash #285 - "If, at First, You Don't Succeed...!" released by DC Comics on May 1980.

    Short summary describing this issue.

    "If, at First, You Don't Succeed...!" last edited by MickRory on 03/22/23 06:57PM View full history

    Returning from his morning "jog" around the world, the Flash is attacked by the Trickster. The Trickster envelops the Flash in a mixed cloud of nitrous oxide, helium, and other chemicals. The Flash begins laughing uncontrollably, as he rises into the air. With the Flash incapacitated, the Trickster resumes his robbery of wealthy industrialist, P. J. Sloane's apartment. Through a few super-speed maneuvers, the Flash manages to disperse the Trickster's cloud. The Flash catches the Trickster in a super-speed generated whirlwind, just as the Trickster is exiting Sloane's apartment. The Trickster attempts to flee on his Tri-Jet Cycle, only to be thwarted when it runs out of gas.

    Luckily for the Trickster, one of the stolen chess pieces, he took from Sloane, falls out of his loot bag, striking the Flash. The Flash is moving at such high velocity that the impact fells him. Upon recovery, the Flash, as police forensics scientist, Barry Allen reports for work. Allen meets the new chief of police, Darryl Frye. In his laboratory, Allen finds undercover narcotics detective, Frank Curtis, waiting for him. Curtis has garnered the phone number of an available single woman for Allen. Despite the passage of a year since his wife's death, Allen still finds it too soon to begin dating again. After turning down a lunch invitation from his assistant, Patty Spivot, Allen suddenly remembers that he's expected to meet a moving company at his home.

    Allen, as the Flash, rushes home to pack up his belongings, in preparation for the movers. After work, Allen drives out to his new home, in Utopia Towers. Upon pulling into the parking lot, Allen narrowly avoids hitting a traveling toy salesman. Heading to his apartment, Allen meets his new neighbors, the icy, but astonishingly beautiful, Fiona Webb, and the jocular Mack Nathan. Allen is invited to dinner at Nathan's. At super-human speed, Allen unpacks his belongings and arranges all of his furniture, before heading over to Nathan's for dinner. Allen is introduced to Nathan's son, Troy.

    Over dinner, Allen learns that Nathan is a S.T.A.R. Labs scientist, working on an experimental method of nuclear propulsion. Their conversation is interrupted by the sounds of Troy's latest purchase, a robot toy soldier. Late that night, the robot toy soldier attempts to break into Nathan's safe. Nathan destroys the robot toy soldier, with a hammer. Nathan and Allen carpool to work. While discussing the incident, Allen realizes that the traveling toy salesman must have been the Trickster. Suddenly, the remains of the robot toy soldier begin emitting tear gas. Nathan loses consciousness, and control of the car, driving it over a cliffside.

    Allen, as the Flash, stops the car's descent, with a super-speed generated updraft. Bounding off the hood of Nathan's car, the Flash literally runs on the microscopic smoke particles trailing from the Trickster's Tri-Jet Cycle's exhaust. The Flash grabs ahold of the exhaust ports of the Trickster's Tri-Jet Cycle. The Trickster tries to burn the Flash off, but the Flash merely vibrates his molecular structure into intangibility. The Flash dismounts the Trickster, then beats him into unconsciousness, on the ground. The Flash resumes his civilian identity, before Nathan returns to consciousness, then relays the tale of the Trickster's defeat to Nathan.

    Notes:

    • This issue contains the Hostess Superhero Ad, Wonder Woman in "The Borrower"
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