Flash Fridays – The Flash #348 August 1985

We pick up a nanosecond after Captain Frye has turned over his hard-won evidence showing that the Reverse Flash is still alive. After they’ve viewed the evidence at the police lab, the Flash takes off and, alone in the lab, Frye seems to be hanging up the Captain Incredible outfit for the last time. Meanwhile, as they say in the comic books, continues his round-up and (elimination?) of the remainder of the Flash’s Rouges Gallery by snatching up Captain Boomerang and the Rainbow Raider. In a scene at police headquarters, we see them wondering why all of these villains have gone missing and who could possibly be doing it.

Cut to the jury deliberation room where we find that after several attempts the jury is deadlocked after several votes. Suddenly, the juror Nathan Newbury takes charge of the discussion, and he whops a small hand-held device (think universal screwdriver) out of his jacket pocket saying it’s time for them to disembark. He takes them into the time stream going back to the scene of the crime to show the jurors exactly what took place, while at the same time removing the Flash’s mask to show them that the Flash really is Barry Allen after all. Just as Newbury’s stunt is convincing the jury of the Flash’s innocence, the reverse Flash appears out of nowhere zapping Newbury with a wand and saying as he does so: “ A gallant try I’ll grant you, but all for naught. You think I don’t know who you really are… and what you’re trying to accomplish!” to which Newbury replies: “Don’t think I don’t know who you really are! The Reverse Flash then waves the wand again and causes the jury to forget this entire incident. With a final wave, he inhabits the body of Nathan Newbury.

Jump cut to the Allen home where Barry’s parents are rousing him to tell him that the jury has apparently reached a verdict. Another jump cut to the courtroom where we see Nathan Newbury announcing that the jury has found the defendant… guilty as charged. This, of course is no surprise to anyone who so much as glanced at the cover.