Hawkman - The Flaming Darkness
"The Rival Flash!"
An accident, at the Midwestern University laboratory, endowed young Jay Garrick with the power of super-human speed. Garrick confided in his girlfriend, Joan, about his newfound abilities, and secret identity, as the Flash. Unbeknownst to Garrick, Joan shared some of his origin with another student, Jon Burnes. Eight years later, at a reception for Garrick's former chemistry teacher, Doctor Clariss, criminals moving almost faster than the eye can see, abduct Clariss. In their wake, a massive bolt of lightning strikes down, followed by the voice of Clarisss' abductor, the Rival. Garrick fears the Rival may actually know he is the Flash. Joan confesses that she shared some of the details of Garrick's origin with Burnes.
Garrick, as the Flash, interviews Burnes, who professes ignorance. As the Flash leaves Burnes' home, he is accosted by the Rival's gang. With each man able to move as fast as he can, the Flash finds his super-speed abilities virtually neutralized. Ultimately, the Flash is overpowered, and brought before the Rival. With the Flash delivered to the Rival, the crooks demand to get paid. The Rival agrees to rob the Keystone Bank, to appease his gang. Before they go, the Rival doses the Flash with a chemical compound that slows both his mind and body. It takes an enormous amount of focus, and a herculean effort, for the Flash to actually take any action. Very, very slowly, the Flash manages to locate the same hard water chemicals that originally gave him his super-speed powers.
His powers restored, the Flash catches up with the Rival at the Keystone Bank. Swinging the vault door back and forth at high velocity, the Flash pummels the Rival's gang into unconsciousness. After subduing the Rival himself, the Flash unmasks the Rival, revealing Clariss. Year ago, Clariss had overheard Joan's conversation with Burnes, and raided Garrick's laboratory. Clariss was only able to use the leftover chemicals to temporarily bestow super-human speed on his subjects. The Flash is relieved to learn that his secret identity is secure, when Clariss reveals that he believes the Flash to be a student who entered Garrick's laboratory, after Garrick was taken to the hospital.
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