Flash 106

"For days the Flash has been waiting for a chance at the mystery gorilla that's been terrorizing the town! Maybe this is it--!"

- Barry Allen

"Menace of the Super-Gorilla!" is the title to the first story featured in issue #106 of the superhero action comic book series The Flash, published by DC Comics. It is actually the third issue of the series under its current title. The story was written by John Broome with artwork by Carmine Infantino and inks by Joe Giella. A second feature in this issue is "The Pied Piper of Peril!", which was also crafted by the team of Broome, Infantino, and Giella. This issue shipped with an April-May, 1959 cover date and carries a cover price of 10 cents per copy (US).

"Menace of the Super-Gorilla"
A strange craft is seen moving at the speed of light and digs its way to Central City Park. When Barry Allen's friend, stage actor Fred Pearson (and star of the show The Great Gorilla) fears that he may be the strange gorilla creature that stalks the city at night, he calls Barry for help.

As Barry leaves the police station to meet Fred, he bolts through the park where he spots another unidentified object moving at the same speed the Flash does. He catches up to see a ship that suddenly reverses directions. Flash takes too long to turn around and loses it in the park. Flash decides he better hurry to meet Fred as he had originally planned. At dinner, Fred tells Barry how he had been knocked out before his performance the previous evening. However, when he woke up, he found out someone else gave a performance that went over well with the audience. All Fred can remember is voices in his head saying they "needed to hide for a bit".

At Central City Park, the craft reappears and Gorilla Grodd reveals he came from a hidden city in Africa. He has come seeking the world's greatest mind so that he may learn the secret of mind-control. He wants to use it to control the armies of Gorilla City in order to take over the world.

Grodd finds Solovar, a member of his own race, who has let himself be captured by humans and put in a zoo. Here he has posed as an ordinary ape in order to keep Gorilla City a secret from the world of humans. Stealing the ability, Force of Mind, Grodd returns to Gorilla City to begin his plans of domination.

Solovar frees himself and seeks out the Flash and asks for his help in stopping Grodd. The two travel to Gorilla City where Grodd has just taken over the army. Flash manages to battle Grodd by spinning around him faster than Grodd can think. This knocks Grodd out and removes the knowledge of Force of Mind from his memories. Flash then turns Grodd over to Solovar for punishment, and promises not to reveal the secret of Gorilla City's location to the rest of the world.

Returning to Central City, as Barry, the Flash tells his friend Fred that he need not worry about the strange gorilla sightings anymore, and then takes Iris out on a date to the zoo.

Appearances




















"The Pied Piper of Peril!"
A wave of crimes occurs across Central City. Windows are broken and expensive jewels are pulled from shelves, but nothing is removed from the stores.

Outside, people respond, as if called, to the musical lure of the Pied Piper's flute. This new criminal has tested his flute and tells his followers that he must stop the Flash if he is to complete his plans. He tells them that he has mastered sounds and even destructive sounds such as sonic booms.

For once, Flash arrives right on time for a date with Iris. Iris is shocked.

Hathaway causes a radio announcement with his flute calling out the Flash to stop the crimes that were not completed the previous night. Barry changes into the Flash and runs out of the apartment.

When the Flash arrives at one of the crime scenes, he finds the Piper. Piper creates a vibratory aura with his flute, freezing the Flash in his tracks, then exclaims that they have thirty minutes before the Flash will be released as he takes off with stolen goods. But the Flash vibrates his body and frees himself, just moments later, then catches up with Piper and takes him to jail.

Barry arrives back at Iris's apartment and tells her he just stepped out for a moment to get her the paper. Iris says she thought for a moment he would have caught them, like the Flash would have, but realized that would be foolish thinking.

Appearances



 * Iris West


 * Pied Piper, Hartley Rathaway















Notes & Trivia

 * This is the first appearance of Gorilla Grodd.


 * This is the first appearance of Hartley Rathaway, the Pied Piper.