Every week, I'll examine the five goofiest moments from a five-issue stretch of a particular comic book series. Here is a list of the moments featured so far.
This week, we look at Flash #127-131, written by John Broome (#127-128, 130-131) and Gardner Fox (#129) and (lead story in #139-141, back-up story in #138, 140) and drawn by Carmine Infantino and Joe Giella (both lead stories and back-up stories).
As always, this is all in good fun. I don't mean any of this as a serious criticism of the comics in question. Not only were these writers certainly never imagining people still reading these comics decades after they were written, great comics often have goofy moments (Kirby/Lee's Fantastic Four is one of the best comic book runs of all-time and there were TONS of goofy stuff in those 100 plus issues!).
HONORABLE MENTIONS
I loved how in the early days of the Flash (like here in #127), he could just do pretty much anything he felt like. "Change his body to make it emit solar radiation? Sure, why not!"
Similarly, I like the early days of Green Lantern, like his guest spot in #131, where they followed the "yellow" weakness way too closely....
It was not just Flash who could do pretty much anything he wanted to, as we see in #130, the Mirror Master hypnotizes his lawyer with mirrors because, you know, it worked, didn't it? So shut up!...
I have no idea what Infantino had in mind when he designed this "American Freedom" statue...
You have to admire the confidence of Abra Kadabra in #128...
"It's a time machine, how hard can it be? I'm a magician, right?" I want to see David Copperfield try to fly a jumbo jet now.
As we saw in the last installment of Goofiest Moments, magnetism can do anything, so this should not be a surprise, but I still enjoy the concept of "neo-magnetism" to mind-control people (from #127)...
5. Julie Schwartz thinks you're a moron
So later in that issue, Grodd uses his neo-magnetism power to enrapture Central City. He then expands his influence over the TV. Schwartz decided that you wouldn't be able to figure out what was going on, so he explains it to you, you moron you...
4. The Little Flash Prince
Remember what I say about how something being goofy doesn't mean that it can't be awesome? This bit from #128 when Abra Kababra shoots Barry Allen into outer space is a great example of that. It is way awesome, but also very goofy...
3. Whenever Cyborg got mad, Flash figured he was flashing back to his African tribal ancestry...
This back-up story from Flash #127 has two notable goofy elements. You see, one of Wally's friends at school is an adopted Native American lad. The kid's father is worried about him, as he has been acting secretive. So Wally tracks him to the woods where the kid undresses and begins to dress up as a Cherokee brave....
So, first off, Wally worried about his friend "flashing back" to his tribal ancestry? Gah?!
But as weird as that it is by Wally, it IS kind of odd that Tommy changes into that outfit just to investigate some bad guys (not THAT odd, but still pretty odd).
2. My one weakness - forward momentum!!
In #130, Trickster (well, someone dressed as Trickster) attacks Flash by shooting a boxing glove with a Trickster banner on it at him. And this somehow HITS the Flash?
That worked but bullets don't?
1. The easiest way to stop neo-magnetism
John Broome seemed like he was just tired of the Grodd story by the end of the tale, and just has Flash drop him to the ground, which somehow cancels out Grodd's "neo-magnetism"...
Oooookay.