Flash Comics #3 is an issue of the series Flash Comics (Volume 1) with a cover date of March, 1940.
Synopsis for The Flash: "The Trial of Major Williams"
Appearing in The Flash: "The Trial of Major Williams"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Joan Williams
- Ex-Major Williams (First appearance)
Antagonists:
- Mr. Berstoff, spy
- James, his butler
- Town Cackle City Editor
Other Characters:
- Mr. Eddens, reporter
- Jail Guards
- County Cops
Locations:
- New York City Area
- Jay Garrick's apartment
- Town Cackle, tabloid newspaper office
- County Jail
- Empire State Building
- Berstoff's Country Residence
- U.S. Army Headquarters
Synopsis for Cliff Cornwall: "The Romance of Cliff Cornwall"
Appearing in Cliff Cornwall: "The Romance of Cliff Cornwall"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- enemy femme fatale
Synopsis for Hawkman: "The Secret of Dick Blendon"
Carter Hall learns that his old friend Dick Blendon is dead. When he consoles Dick's father, he meets Una Cathay, a scientist friend of Dick's, and he is suspicious of Una, her sinister associate, Count Torgoff, and her henchman Rolf. When he discovers that Dick's body is missing he investigates. Hawkman discovers that Una has revived Dick, and is keeping him prisoner with several other scientists, in oversized laboratory flasks, hoping to learn from her captives, one way or another, the secret of eternal life. Una, a scientist, tries to put a voodoo hex on Hawkman but thanks to Shiera's extremely keen eyesight and quick wits, he narrowly avoids being killed. He returns to her lab and rescues Dick, who, it turns out, was never really dead after all. Hawkman then confronts the villains, who have found their victims gone, and as Torgoff pulls a gun, Hawkman pins him to the wall with a dagger. Una makes her getaway during this action, and as Hawkman makes for the window to locate the fleeing villain, the Count frees himself and lunges at Hawkman just as he is flying out the window, and falls to his death. As Una Cathay makes for her car, the Hawkman swoops over and hurls a dagger, taking out one tire, causing Miss Cathay to hit a tree, breaking her neck.
Appearing in Hawkman: "The Secret of Dick Blendon"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Count Torgoff (Dies)
- Una Cathay (Dies)
- Rolf (Dies)
Other Characters:
- Dick Blendon
Locations:
- New York City
- 20 Hudson Terrace
- Una Cathay's Laboratory
Items:
Vehicles:
- Cathay's Coupe (Destroyed)
Synopsis for Johnny Thunder: "Johnny Vs. Gunpowder Glantz"
Appearing in Johnny Thunder: "Johnny Vs. Gunpowder Glantz"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Gunpowder Glanz
- Mike Trainer
Other Characters:
- Press Agent
Synopsis for Rod Rian of the Sky Police: "The Mephisian Menace"
Appearing in Rod Rian of the Sky Police: "The Mephisian Menace"
Featured Characters:
- Rod Rian
Supporting Characters:
- Sky Police
Antagonists:
- Mephisians
Locations:
- Land of the Living Dead
Synopsis for The King: "The Terror of the Underworld"
Appearing in The King: "The Terror of the Underworld"
Featured Characters:
- The King (First appearance)
Supporting Characters:
- Myrna Mallon (First appearance)
Antagonists:
- Boss Barton (Single appearance)
Synopsis for Flash Picture Novelette: "The Scarlet Scarab"
A wealthy banker with five household servants and a daughter gets his expensive ruby scarab stolen. The daughter did it.
Appearing in Flash Picture Novelette: "The Scarlet Scarab"
- Appearances not yet listed
Synopsis for The Whip: "Get the Whip"
Appearing in The Whip: "Get the Whip"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- King
- Padre Demo
Antagonists:
- Sheriff Todds
- The Association of Ranchers
- Green
Locations:
Notes
- Published monthly by All-American Comics, Inc.
- The Flash:
- First issue for art by Everett E. Hibbard, replacing Harry Lampert.
- Jay Garrick's superhero identity is revealed to one County Jail guard, by Major Williams. This news is relayed to the City Editor of the Town Cackle, who reports it to a foreign spy. It is not clear whether the Cackle ever published this information.
- The foreign nation for whom Major Williams was accused of spying is not named.
- As in the previous issue, The Flash operates in New York City.
- Jay's college is referred to as "a Western State University," which, for an east-coast publisher, is just what Midwestern University is.
- The Flash forces a written confession from Berstoff.
- The Trial Of Major Williams is reprinted in Golden Age Flash Archives Volume 1.
- Hawkman: The Secret of Dick Blenden is reprinted in Golden Age Hawkman Archives Volume 1.
- Last issue for Dennis Neville art, next issue Sheldon Moldoff takes over.
- In this story, Carter Hall's home address is given as 20 Hudson Terrace. In Flash Comics #1 he lived at 88 Rimble Road. Carter Hall is quite wealthy and might simply own several expensive homes.
- Dick Blendon and all of his scientist pals learn Hawkman's secret identity, but they all promise to keep it a secret. Carter Hall himself has been thus far quite careless about it.
- Hawkman has now killed his 3rd and 4th evildoers, Count Torgoff and Una Cathay. Also henchman Rolf falls to his death from a rooftop.
- Una Cathay's voodoo murder technique: she ties a hair onto Hawkman's wrist, with which she will burn the hero to death. Shiera Sanders spots this hair from across a room, makes the correct inference, and intervenes.
- Una Cathay's formula for the secret of eternal life seems to still exist at the end of this story.
- Johnny Thunder is reprinted in The JSA All Stars Archives Volume 1.
- First issue for The King by John B. Wentworth and William Smith.
- Last issue for George Storm art on The Whip; next issue Homer Fleming takes over.
- Also appearing in this issue of Flash Comics was:
- "Adventure in a Time Warp, Part 1" (text story) by Gardner F. Fox
See Also
Links and References
Look at how sad this is making Batman. You did this.
