SHOWCASE #8 (1957)
by John Broome & Carmine Infantino
The retrospective on the villain origins has officially arrived in the Silver Age.
While the Deadshot and Killer Moth are in a bit of a gray zone, there is no doubt about this one: the Flash debuting in Showcase #4 is almost universally accepted as the real beginning of the Silver Age.
Just four issues later, he gets his first supervillain: Captain Cold.
He certainly didn’t waste any time: this is only the second issue featuring Barry Allen as the Flash, and Captain Cold is from his third published story!
I have no idea if the cover is supposed to be about the first story of the issue (which I’m not reviewing) or about the Captain Cold one. Because it makes no sense for either.
But without further ado, let’s meet Captain Cold. The citizens of Central City don’t seem impressed.
He uses his Cold Gun ™ to freeze a bank and everyone inside it. The employees seem remarkably chill about it (pun intended).
The Flash comics are notable in the Silver Age for at least TRYING to get some scientific plausibility here and there. It’s by no means perfect and there is plenty of ridiculous stuff, but compared to Superman this is like a physics lesson.
Since this is the first Flash story I’m reviewing, I just have to point out one of the most iconic and most ridiculous things introduced: the costume stored inside a ring.
This has NOTHING to do with the Flash’s powers: it’s just something Barry Allen invented in his spare time and keeps a secret to the world.
The Flash doesn’t need flying.
And here it is: The Flash versus Captain Cold!
0.0000000000001 nanoseconds later, the Flash wins.
That was fast. Pun intended.
Historical significance: 10/10
First villain for the Flash’s rogues gallery, and one of his most persistent ones.
Silver Age-ness: 10/10
Not AS ridiculous as other books, sure, but this sets the tone for decades of stories.
Does it stand the test of time? 6/10
Very basic, but at least it makes sense. How ridiculous would it have been if Captain Cold had the time to actually shoot the Flash when he’s coming straight at him?
Just kidding, of course: that is what SHOULD have happened. Instead we’ll have to wait Page 12 for Captain Cold’s defeat.
We then cut to a flashback showing Len Snart, “ambitious crook”, reading the newspaper.
Instead of just waiting for the magazine to publish the article, he decides to just steal it! WTF!?
The article gives him the idea to use a particle accelerator (!!!) to stop the Flash.
I’m a bit worried that the Flash JUST STARTED HIS CAREER and the newspapers are already trying to figure out a way to stop him!
Maybe the Marvel Universe isn’t so unique with regular people being afraid of superheroes.
Len Snart sneaks into a laboratory and promptly gets cancer.
Also I get the feeling Infantino has never actually seen a cyclotron, because that doesn’t look like any design I’ve ever seen.
The radiation gun that he built himself (?????) is now unexplainably turned into the Cold Gun ™, and that’s how Captain Cold gets his origin!
After a bit of workshop about the name.
He then experiments various elements in an attempt to achieve the lowest possible temperature.
He settles for liquid helium, which is liquid at −452.20 °F (−269 °C) and causes SUDDEN BEAR!!!
THAT IS NOT HOW MIRAGES WORK.
Yeah, uhm, aren’t we getting a little off brand here, Captain Cold? Nearly the entire second fight with the Flash revolves around illusions caused by absolute zero (WTF!?).
Until the Flash remembers that he is, you know, THE FLASH…
…and we get the panel that SHOULD have been at Page 4.
Historical significance: 10/10
First villain for the Flash’s rogues gallery, and one of his most persistent ones.
Silver Age-ness: 10/10
Not AS ridiculous as other books, sure, but this sets the tone for decades of stories.
Does it stand the test of time? 4/10
Captain Cold’s origin is classic nonsense that can still work. But having nearly the entire fight revolve around a HIGHLY nonsensical idea like absolute zero causing random illusions…
Ridiculous Flash feat of the day
Presented with no context, from the first story. 
How close is this to the modern character? 6/10
He might have the looks down (that is one killer design!), but we are still far from the classic Captain Cold. He’s usually driven by money, revenge and women… but the first one is understated, the second one is (understandably) rather weak, and the third completely absent.
It’s no surprise that Captain Cold’s first appearance is a bit underwhelming. His most important characteristic today is that he’s an old-fashioned supervillain… and he OWNS it.
