The Flash #176 is an issue of the series The Flash (Volume 1) with a cover date of February, 1968. It was published on December 5, 1967.
Synopsis for "Death Stalks the Flash!"
Iris Allen lies in a hospital bed with a severe case of Grippe. Her fever spikes and she suddenly goes into a coma. While she is in her comatose state, Iris keeps murmuring Flashes name. She seems to be in a deep nightmare. Barry is beside himself with worry as to how he can help his wife. He desperately wants to wake his wife out of her nightmarish dream but feels hopeless. He then recalls a certain area in the Spectrum of Velocity where he experienced a strange haunting feeling. He decides to break the speed of light barrier to investigate the strange Velocity Spectrum. Once he finds it he enters the strange band and sees that it is filled with people experiencing nightmares. He finds Iris in the dimension and views her nightmare. Iris is standing as she views the Flash battling a figure of death itself. The Flash figures that he is going to have to defeat death in this nightmarish realm to wake his wife out of her coma. He discovers that the death figure is sensitive to light and he uses his body to vibrate at a certain speed to generate light that defeats the figure of death. He dispatches the figure as it warns him that Death will eventually win. The Flash then runs back to the hospital to find that Iris is recovering nicely.
Appearing in "Death Stalks the Flash!"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Dan Bolton (Single appearance)
- Death (In dream sequence only)
Other Characters:
Locations:
Items:
Vehicles:
Synopsis for "Professor West--Lost, Strayed, or Stolen?"
Barry signs up his father In law Professor West for a memory course. He hopes that the course will help him improve his failing memory. Barry is particularly interested in locating his electric shaver that the professor had borrowed. The professor sits in on the class and he spots a man that he seems to recognize. The mystery man turns out to be former student of the professor who was attending the memory session so he can recall where he buried a stash of money. The professor approaches him and informs the man that he once witnessed him burying something on the campus of Central University. The mysterious man and his colleagues ask the professor to show them where he witnessed the strange burial. As they ride in the car, Professor West is able to recall more details including where he left his son in laws electric shaver. They arrive at the spot where the Professor saw the mysterious man burying something and the crooks quickly find their buried loot. Once they find the money they decide to shoot the professor and bury him in the hole they just dug. In the meantime, Iris is getting worried about her missing father who should have arrived from memory class. The professor is wearing a special watch given to him by Barry, it gives out a vibration that allows the Flash to locate him instantly. The Flash quickly sets out to look for his father in law and arrives just in time to prevent the bullets from killing the Professor. The criminals are quickly apprehended and jailed. The next day finds Barry shaving with his new found electric razor as Professor West walks around demonstrating his newly improved memory.
Appearing in "Professor West--Lost, Strayed, or Stolen?"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Thieves (Single appearance)
- Robbie (Single appearance)
Other Characters:
- Central City Police Department
- Dr. Binzo (Single appearance)
Locations:
- Central City
- Memory Institute of Central City (Single appearance)
Items:
Vehicles:
Synopsis for "Open the Door, Earthman!"
This story is reprinted from Mystery in Space #34.
A man is hiking through the woods when he encounters two aliens with weapons pointed at him. The aliens mention that they are from another galaxy and they have arrived to conquer Earth. They present the man with a challenge that will provide him with the chance to save the Earth from harm. He is shown two identical boxes, one is empty and the other contains a death ray that will signal the start of the conquest. The box with the death ray will also instantly kill the man. If he opens that empty box, no harm will come and the aliens will leave peacefully. If he opens the box with the death ray, he will die and the conquest of the Earth will begin. The alien further mentions that he has 5 minutes to open the right door and live. If he chooses the wrong door he will die. The man asks if there are any clues and the alien responds yes but you have to have a sharp mind to pick up on it. The man taps on the boxes and picks them up to compare. He also touches each box to observe the facial reaction of the aliens but he does not notice any clues that will help him. The clock is ticking and the Aliens inform him that he has to pick or else he will be shot and the invasion will commence. The man suddenly realizes that he knows the clue that will save him. He opens the box on the right side and it is empty. The aliens are true to their word and they leave never to return. The man then reveals that the alien had announced the clue at the beginning. “Open the right door and live.”
Appearing in "Open the Door, Earthman!"
Featured Characters:
- Unnamed Earthman (Single appearance)
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Unnamed Aliens (Single appearance)
Other Characters:
Locations:
Items:
- Alien rayguns
Vehicles:
- Alien spacecraft
Notes
- The first two stories were reprinted in Showcase Presents: The Flash Vol. 4.
- "Death Stalks the Flash!"
- In John Broome's first version of this script, Iris Allen died. Editor Julius Schwartz was initially supportive of the idea, but later changed his mind and had the story rewritten so Iris lives.[1]