ALL-FLASH #32 (1948)
by Robert Kanigher & Lee Elias
This is the same issue where the Fiddler debuts, but he’s only an important villain for the original Flash. But it’s arguably more interesting to have a look at the often forgotten Golden Age Star Sapphire.
We have a quite unusual beginning: the Flash is found dead in the street!!!
This is also the first appearance of the even less known Golden Age Daily Bugle.
I don’t know, I have some doubts about the qualifications of this doctor.
So are they dead or are they breathing oxygen? Make up your mind!
You might think the story is about the efforts to revive the Flash, but SUDDEN PLANET!!!
It’s kind of a big deal. Leaving aside the effect the gravity of the planet would have… the comic sure doesn’t care about it… the “Star Sapphire” is killing all the plants!!!
That smoking nurse breaks the container keeping the Flash safe, but they find themselves on the other planet.
We’re told with a flashback how the Flash met Dr.Flura… she found a mysterious ship in her lab and asked for his help.
Golden Age stories are EXTREMELY efficient, so the Flash doesn’t waste any time!!!
We’re at page 8 of a 12 page story, so it’s about time Star Sapphire shows up. And she looks remarkably similar to her Silver Age counterpart!
Confusingly, Star Sapphire’s planet (which is also called Star Sapphire I guess) is in another dimension, and Flash is both on Earth and in this dimension… I think?
Sorry, my bad, the city on the planet is called Star Sapphire.
The Flash tries to overtake her (does she have superspeed?)…
…but in this dimension you kick the sand in front of you when you run. (WTF!?)
Flash’s solution? RUNNING UNDERGROUND.
Star Sapphire finds it funny that the Flash runs into some trees…
…but the Flash can make the tree fly by turning into its propeller.
What the… how does that… how can he…
A moment of silence for the Flash sacrificing himself to save the day.
Or not.
And so the Flash and Dr. Flura manage to make it back to Earth.
And I guess the planet disappears or something?
COMICS CAVALCADE #29 (1948)
by Robert Kanigher & Lee Elias
Star Sapphire has exactly one more appearance in the Golden Age: the last issue of Comics Cavalcade. That must be a curse or something, because her appearance on All-Flash was ALSO the last issue of that series!!!
This one begins in a simple manner, with the Flash being a bit of a showoff.
But that’s just the beginning because next day Jay Garrick, who the world doesn’t realize is actually the Flash (SOMEHOW) is literally the last man on Earth.
Naturally Star Sapphire is the reason for this, otherwise I wouldn’t be covering the story.
Also the planet is definitely called “Star Sapphire” now.
She moved all the men on the planet to her dimension (!!!!) but for whatever reason the women don’t believe her. Yeah, because there has to be a more logical explanation. (WTF!?)
She’s VERY powerful in this incarnation: while her first story treated the “seventh dimension” like it was your run-of-the-mill parallel dimension, this time she’s actually a seven-dimensional being.
Ah yes, the effects of five-dimensional gravity on three-dimensional bodies. I believe that’s covered in Bulls##t Science 101.
Flash fact: any Flash can do absolutely anything providing vibrations are namedropped.
The Flash is able to push Star Sapphire back to the seventh dimension (????) but she can calmly jog back to Earth.
Star Sapphire can apparently create nuclear explosions with her mind!!!
Not gonna lie, she’s actually a cool villain. Even if her powers don’t make any sense.
Then the Flash is able to vibrate backwards to pull EVERY SINGLE MAN BACK TO EARTH.
Yeah the Flash might just be a liiiiiittle overpowered. Why doesn’t he solve EVERY problem by turning time backwards!?!?
And so we end with the Flash realizing that the only reason he wasn’t transported to the seventh dimension with all the other men… is that he was kind of tired.
Historical significance: 0/10
These two are the ONLY appearances of the Golden Age Star Sapphire. Weirdly enough she doesn’t show up until a 2000 story by Mark Waid that sort of connects her to her Silver Age counterpart. Kind of weird that she never resurfaced, I fully expected to discover Roy Thomas brought her back on Justice Society or something.
Silver Age-ness: 107/10
Does it stand the test of time? 6/10
You know what? These aren’t half bad! Both stories are a fast read (pun intended) with plenty of action and fun moments. Sure absolutely nothing makes sense, but that’s the appeal of it.
