With the origin and first appearance of Barry Allen as the Flash, most historians date the beginning of the Silver Age with this issue of Showcase. Reinventing a Golden Age hero for new readers who had no memory of the original was an inventive and original way to face declining circulation. In 1956, comic readers were assumed to be eight to ten years old. That meant they had no idea who the Flash had once been. By updating the concept of a speedster and giving him a new, sleeker, modern appearance, DC hoped that new readers would be attracted to comic books. It took some time for sales results to come in, but DC realized they had a hit and with that knowledge they went about reinventing Green Lantern, Hawkman and several other heroes from the Golden Age. This issue was written by Robert Kanigher and he adds a nice little touch to this story. Aware of DC’s history with the concept, he has Barry Allen reading a comic book, Golden Age Flash Comics #13. This inspires Allen to name himself after the original hero. This little touch set up decades of continuity within the DC Universe. The cover and interior art is by Carmine Infantino and Joe Kubert. The issue has a back-up story by John Broome that also has Infantino and Kubert art. The cover has an “S” written on the cover in grease pencil. The book is listed as part of the Ohio-Fairborn Collection. The pages are off-white to white. The book is CGC-certified 8.0. (VF).