The countdown continues with 1992's "One Perfect Gift" from Flash #73 by Mark Waid, Greg LaRocque and Ray Richardson...

In "One Perfect Gift," Wally and his girlfriend, Linda Park (they had only gotten together a few issues ago, but they were already such a good couple that it felt longer - damn, Bill Loebs did such a great job setting Waid up for the Wally/Linda relationship) are celebrating Christmas with Joan and Jay Garrick (the Golden Age Flash).

Wally is being a bit of...well...a bit of a pest...





While on patrol, Jay asks Wally what he wants for Christmas. Wally seems to be not overly thrilled...







The dedication to Denny O'Neil is extremely apropos, as this story definitely evokes many Denny O'Neil Christmas stories in old issues of Batman.

Finally, after the story had a traditional (although very well told) resolution, Waid gives us a brilliant epilogue...





and the reveal of who is at the door takes the issue to a WHOLE other level. The last page actually WAS reprinted in a trade that collected #74-79 (hint: That story was called "The Return of Barry Allen")!

Wow, this really was a great issue. LaRocque and Richardson did a fine job on the artwork and Waid just killed it from a plot and characterization stand-point. This was roughly a year into his Flash run (it was issue #73) and he already had put his stamp on the book as a whole, and there was a lot more good stuff to come in the future!!!