Message-ID: <1211@watcgl.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 8-Feb-85 17:11:16 EST
Article-I.D.: watcgl.1211
Posted: Fri Feb  8 17:11:16 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 9-Feb-85 05:57:49 EST
Distribution: net
Organization: U of Waterloo, Ontario
Lines: 43



Catching up on what's left of the net after a few weeks' absence,
I notice a lot of messages about how DC is gonna get rid of the Flash
and good thing, too. Now admittedly I have given the series cursory
attention at best over the last I-won't-say-how-many years, but this
talk causes a bizarre sadness, a heaviness like unto leaden velour,
to settle upon me. I have such fond memories of the Flash. My very
first superhero comic was a Flash Giant (80 pages! 25 cents! Alas!).
I was seven, and mostly read How and Why science books for fun. This
comic came around and taught me things beyond my imagining, showed me
what could happen if this science I was learning were extended, stretched.
The young me always considered FLASH the most scientific of comics; it
introduced me to the very concept of science fiction. (Sure, the old
me now realizes that most of it was garbage as far as decent SF science
goes, but we're talking about expanding the consciousness of some grubby
little brat till it reaches the stars, fer chrissakes.) For years, FLASH
was my favourite comic and favourite character. The concept and 
possibilities of superspeed astounded and excited me like nothing else
in comics. Every issue seemed to have some new piece of Nifty Science
Stuff in it. Superman supposedly had superspeed too, but never seemed
to know how to use it like Flash.

And the art of Infantino/Giella, to my young eyes, was so sleek and
graceful as to shame everything else I'd seen. (And those cityscapes...!)
It was one of my prime motivations to become a comic artist, and 
Infantino was my first role model. Somehow I still can't accept the
angular stylization of his later work...

Dammit, I loved those old FLASHes. Even later, when Infantino left so
I did too, (hey, I was young and stupid) it was always nice to know Flash
was around. If Flash goes, I will miss him. I owe him my
chosen profession. Granted, these have been the maudlin nostalgic
mewlings of an old coot, but *too bad*. I just wanted to go on record
in defense of what the Flash once was, if nothing else. I'd be interested
to know if anyone else in netland remembers him the way I do.



				       The Gray Mouser

Message-ID: <557@decwrl.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 13-Feb-85 03:08:42 EST
Article-I.D.: decwrl.557
Posted: Wed Feb 13 03:08:42 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 13-Feb-85 17:15:00 EST
Sender: daemon@decwrl.UUCP
Organization: DEC Engineering Network
Lines: 30

[color=blue]>  From:	watcgl!drforsey		(The Gray Mouser)[/color]

[color=blue]>  Dammit, I loved those old FLASHes. Even later, when Infantino left so[/color]
[color=blue]>  I did too, (hey, I was young and stupid) it was always nice to know Flash[/color]
[color=blue]>  was around. If Flash goes, I will miss him. I owe him my[/color]
[color=blue]>  chosen profession. Granted, these have been the maudlin nostalgic[/color]
[color=blue]>  mewlings of an old coot, but *too bad*. I just wanted to go on record[/color]
[color=blue]>  in defense of what the Flash once was, if nothing else. I'd be interested[/color]
[color=blue]>  to know if anyone else in netland remembers him the way I do.[/color]

Yes, I do. I have to agree with just about everything you said in your
article. I always had a great fondness for the Fox/Broome/Infantino FLASH's.
(And yes, it's criminal to see how low Infantino's art has sunk these days)
FLASH and the Adam Strange stories in MYSTERY IN SPACE always had the right
*feel* of great sf (despite the pulp-level pseudo-science) just because of
Infantino's art. Later writer's and artists just didn't give the character
the same pizzazz.

And that's why I feel that the Flash should pass on. You say you'll miss the
ol' guy. Well, I *already* miss him. The Flash I remember died almost 20 years
ago. Nothing lasts forever. I admit that there's always a chance that some
young maverick, another Simonson or Miller or Starlin, could come along and
restore the character's greatness (look what happened to SWAMP THING, for
God's sake!), but I think we and DC are better off if Flash is snuffed.


--- jayembee (Jerry Boyajian, DEC, Maynard, MA)

UUCP:	{decvax|ihnp4|allegra|ucbvax|...}!decwrl!dec-rhea!dec-akov68!boyajian
ARPA:	boyajian%akov68.DEC@DECWRL.ARPA

Message-ID: <507@homxb.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 15-Feb-85 13:50:47 EST
Article-I.D.: homxb.507
Posted: Fri Feb 15 13:50:47 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 16-Feb-85 06:42:40 EST
References: <1211@watcgl.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Holmdel NJ
Lines: 7

Hear! Hear!  I could've sworn I wrote this...I felt
exactly the same (My first comic was a Flash "80-page Giant"
as well).  What Earth are you posting from, anyway?  Do
you get these strange ideas at night and urges to post them...

			SJBerry

Message-ID: <1335@watcgl.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 21-Feb-85 13:23:09 EST
Article-I.D.: watcgl.1335
Posted: Thu Feb 21 13:23:09 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 22-Feb-85 21:10:38 EST
References: <1211@watcgl.UUCP> <507@homxb.UUCP>
Organization: U of Waterloo, Ontario
Lines: 16

[color=blue]>  Hear! Hear!  I could've sworn I wrote this...I felt[/color]
[color=blue]>  exactly the same (My first comic was a Flash "80-page Giant"[/color]
[color=blue]>  as well).[/color]

Welcome to the club.

[color=blue]>  What Earth are you posting from, anyway?[/color]

An *old* one, buddy, an old one....

[color=blue]>  Do you get these strange ideas at night and urges to post them...[/color]

Something like that, yeah....


				The Gray Mouser