Atomic Spotlight 1950's - Captain Flash!

Read Captain Flash #1 here.

Captain Flash has the distinction of being a new superhero when such things were exceedingly rare. The first issue of Captain Flash appeared in 1954, years in which superheroes took a back seat to genre material such as romance, war, westerns, and teenage humor. Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, and a few others lingered at DC, and Marvel tried unsuccessfully to revive Captain America, Human Torch, and Sub-Mariner, so the appetite for superhero adventure seemed tepid at best. So what prompted Sterling to issue the hero is open to question, though the fact the company only lasted a year is indicative of how sound the decision was. Frankly the time was poor as criticism of comics was widespread and being a new rockem' sockem' underwear type, especially with a boy sidekick in tow was likely a weak opening position.

Captain Flash and Ricky

One great strength of the comic though was the evocative and kinetic artwork of Mike Sekowsky, a huge talent in the industry who alas is too little remembered these days. Sekowsky would go on to make a huge impact on comics some years later when he penciled the adventures of the Justice League of America. 

The allure of a hero powered by atomic might must've been attractive though as while the awesome power of the atom was evident the downside of radiation was still understood in a limited way, so it was still possible the infuse a man with that power with little regard to potential harmful side effects. Captain Flash does point the way forward to a new decade when some five or six years alter we will see an avalanche of heroes empowered by radiation in a host of different ways.

To read complete issues of Captain Flash click on the links supplied below each outstanding cover.

Read Captain Flash #2 here.

Read Captain Flash #3 here.

Read Captain Flash #4 here.

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