drforsey@watcgl.UUCP (Dave Forsey) (02/09/85)
<just finished moving, but I'm back... AH'M HERE! AH'M HERE! LET THE BELLS RING AND THE BANNERS FLAH! FEAST YER AHZ ON ME! AH KNOW IT'S TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE BUT AH'M HERE!! **AH'M HERE!!!**> 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. <STOP IT WITH THE VIOLINS AWREDDY! I'M *DONE*!!> The Gray Mouser
boyajian@akov68.DEC (Jerry Boyajian) (02/13/85)
> From: watcgl!drforsey (The Gray Mouser) > 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. 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
disc@homxb.UUCP (S.BERRY) (02/15/85)
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
drforsey@watcgl.UUCP (Dave Forsey) (02/21/85)
> 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). Welcome to the club. > What Earth are you posting from, anyway? An *old* one, buddy, an old one.... > Do you get these strange ideas at night and urges to post them... Something like that, yeah.... The Gray Mouser