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"The Mightiest Punch of All Time!": This story is reprinted from The Flash #153.

The Flash #196 is an issue of the series The Flash (Volume 1) with a cover date of May, 1970. It was published on February 12, 1970.

Synopsis for "The Mightiest Punch of All Time!"

This story is reprinted from The Flash #153.

The criminal known as Professor Zoom is being released from prison in 25th century Earth. Zoom has manipulated a Cerebro scanning device to indicate that he has been reformed and is worthy of being set free. Once he is out of prison, Zoom resumes his criminal career. He focuses on a machine that encourages evil in all creatures by the radiation that it emits. Zoom hopes to travel to 20th century Earth to make the incredible Mr Element turn to crime once more after reforming. In the meantime, Al Desmond Alias Mr Element meets with Barry Allen in present day Earth. He is concerned that an upcoming promotion might tempt him to return to a life of crime. He can feel himself turning more and more evil. Desmond even attempts to rob the cash register of a restaurant but he is stopped by the Flash before he can carry out the actual crime. Desmond does not realize that his feelings of evil are being manifested by Zooms machine. Zoom eventually transports himself to the 20th century and begins to focus on the Flash. He feels that the scarlet speedster is preventing him from turning Mr Element into an evil criminal. With the help of his machine, Zoom manages to influence the Central City municipal council into passing a law which forbids anyone from traveling at super speed within the Central City limits. Zoom then challenges the Flash to stop his crime spree without breaking the newly announced law. Flash attempts to apprehend Zoom but has difficuly keeping up with him without using his super speed powers. At one point, Flash tricks Zoom into traveling just outside of the city limits so that he can legally use his super powers but the reverse flash avoids his trap. The battle between the two speedsters is observed by Al Desmond and he resigns himself to rescue the Flash through self-hypnosis. Mr Element rescues the Flash but his self hypnosis does not last long and he then attempts to kill Flash. Flash subdues Mr Element and transports him to the 25th century where they use their advanced technology to permanently reform Al Desmond from having anymore evil inclinations. Once cured, the two then travel back to present day Earth where Desmond announces that he will accept his company's offer of promotion.

Appearing in "The Mightiest Punch of All Time!"

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Synopsis for "The Speed of Doom!"

This story is reprinted from The Flash #108.

While out on a picnic date in Central City Park, Iris notices that their favorite tree stump by which they used to picnic by has disappeared. Barry recalls back to the events that led to the trees disappearance. Answering an add to test to see how fast the Flash can run, the Flash had walked into a trap set by Kee Feleg, a being from the world of Mohru. Kee Felag bombarded the Flash's feet with radiation that makes him unable to stop running. Felag's plan was to speed up the treadmill faster and faster until the Flash destroyed himself.

The Flash freed himself by running so fast he overloaded the machine and escaped. The Flash finds that fulgurites are being stolen by beings who are running at super speed. Following them through a dimensional barrier, he finds himself in the world of Mohru, where he learns from the Mohruvian police that the criminals of that world have gained super speed from stealing objects that have been struck by lightning (like the tree stump which Barry and Iris picnic by) to gather residual energy from the lightning strike to gain super speed. The Flash then helps the Mohruvian police force capture the criminal speedsters before returning to his own dimension.

Appearing in "The Speed of Doom!"

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  • Kee Feleg (Single appearance)

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  • Mohruvians

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Synopsis for "The Origin of the Flash's Masked Identity!"

This story is reprinted from The Flash #128.

Soon after receiving his amazing abilities, Barry Allen ponders whether or not he should wear a mask, since his predecessor, Jay Garrick, did not. He daydreams about addressing a conference of scientists, and telling them about his discovery of super-speed. In his daydream, his conference is interrupted by a massive tornado heading for Central City. With his super-speed, and not having a mask yet, he saves the city, and his face is all over the news.

As a result of all the media attention, a massive mob of people swarm around the police headquarters — all wanting to get a glimpse of the famous Barry Allen. When he hears of a burglary across town, he quickly changes into his "unmasked" costume, but is delayed by the mob outside when they recognize him. After struggling with the mass of people, he manages to catch the thieves, but realizes that if he had been kept another moment, the thieves would have gotten away.

As a result of this daydream, Barry decides to add a mask to his costume.

Appearing in "The Origin of the Flash's Masked Identity!"

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  • Gang of Thieves (In a vision)

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  • Dr. Bailey (In a vision)

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Synopsis for "The Mirror Master's Invincible Bodyguards!"

This story is reprinted from The Flash #136.

Barry Allen is in for a surprise when Iris invites him on a lunch date, and instead of getting lunch finds himself at the office of Professor Dobill who makes a living trying to analyze people and maximize their success. Iris tells Barry that she wants him to be more than the lazy and unmotivated person he appears to be, completely unaware that he is secretly the Flash. When left unattended in the waiting room, Barry overhears a radio news bulletin warning the public that the Mirror Master has broken out of jail. Deciding to come up with an excuse for his abrupt departure later, Barry changes into the Flash to search for his old foes.

Unable to find him, he goes to the jail where Mirror Master was being held and examines his room. Despite the fact that Mirror Master was not allowed to have a single mirror in his cell, the Flash finds a fire bucket and a loose wire that helped facilitate Mirror Master's escape. He explains that Mirror Master must have created a mirror by filling up the bucket with sand and using the wire to attract lightning that fused the glass into a reflective surface.

While at the hideout of Mirror Master, the crook reflects back at his motivation for breaking out of jail: The prison paper had listed him the third most successful Flash rogue, and had decided to break out to change that. He then begins his plot to destroy the Flash, by using a new device of his own invention he populates two mirrors with mirror duplicates that he will use to act as bodyguards for his current criminal plot, sure in the fact that they will aid him in stopping the Flash once and for all.

Mirror Master then makes an appearance at a Central City jewel salon where diamonds from the Bari Mines of South Africa are out on display. Using a mirror to blind the guests and the guards, Mirror Master then steals the jewels. When he makes his escape, the Flash arrives to stop him. As the Flash speeds by a mirror, the Mirror Master calls his mirror duplicates who blast the Flash with their twin ray guns, incapacitating the Fastest Man Alive long enough for the Mirror Master to make his escape.

As the Flash uses his vibration powers to match the frequency of the radiation the Mirror Master used to create his duplicates, the Mirror Master checks the Prison Grapevine newspaper with his mirrors and learns that he has surpassed the Trickster for the number one slot in the most successful criminals pole. This victory is short lived when the Flash arrives. However the Mirror Master is ready for the Flash as he is standing between two mirrors casting reflections of his mirror doubles.

The Flash, however, is prepared for this gimmick, and using his vibration powers mimics Mirror Master's powers and splits into three distinct beings. Two tackle and easily destroy the mirror duplicates while the real Flash defeats the real Mirror Master, who is summarily put back into prison. To add insult to injury, when Mirror Master checks out the next issue of the Grapevine, he finds that he's been bumped down to the number six spot.

Barry Allen is also in some hot water, as during his next date with Iris West, he is told that Iris enrolled him in the professors classes whether he likes it or not.

Appearing in "The Mirror Master's Invincible Bodyguards!"

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