Flash #174

Flash #174 (On Sale: September 5, 1967) features another cool cover by Carmine Infantino and Murphy Anderson. Almost a little Eisnerish. This issue features a milestone in the story of the Flash, as you will see. It kind of surprises me that this story has not been reprinted.

"Stupendous Triumph of the Six Super-Villains" is by John Broome, Carmine Infantino and Sid Greene (Infantino's last Flash issue). Mirror Master escapes from prison after tuning in on a parallel dimension inside one of his special mirrors. The other Earth is inhabited by a crimefighting Mirror Master and a criminal Flash. Mirror Master observes his counterpart using a mirror weapon that defeats the evil Flash. Mirror Master constructs a duplicate of the weapon, then breaks five of his fellow rogues out of prison.

The Rogues set a trap for the Flash, but Mirror Master's new weapon fails. After they escape, Mirror Master visits the parallel world to learn more about the weapon. He double-crosses the evil Flash, then learns how to use the mirror weapon.

After Mirror Master returns to his own world, he sets another trap for the Flash with the other Rogues. However, as they spring the trap, the evil Flash from the parallel dimension switches places with his counterpart. The Rogues then defeat the evil Flash. The Earth-1 Flash returns home and surprises the Rogues.

Barry Allen tells his wife Iris that he is the Flash and is surprised to learn that Iris already knows his secret since he talks in his sleep.

Edited by Julius Schwartz.