Comic Title: Showcase Presents:The Flash Vol. 4 TPB
Publisher: DC
Cover Date: 2012
On Sale Date: October 24, 2012 Direct Market Date October 24, 2012
Source: ComicList, New Comic Book Releases List for Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Direct Market Date October 24, 2012
Source: Previews, #286

Cover Price: $19.99
Page Count: 528

See Also: The Guide to Graphic Novels and Collected Editions

Title: "The Flash -- Fact or Fiction?"
Pages: 23

Feature(s):
Flash (Barry Allen of Earth-1)

Writer: Cary Bates
Penciller: Ross Andru
Inker: Michael Esposito

Reprinted From:
Flash #179 (1968)

Feature Character(s)

• Flash (last appearance in Justice League of America #61; next appearance in Justice League of America #62)

Supporting Character(s)

• Iris Allen (last appearance in Flash #177; next appearance in Justice League of America #62)

Villain(s)

• A Nok (no further appearances)
• A gang of thieves (no further appearances)

Guest Appearance(s)

• Julius Schwartz (of Earth-Prime; next appearance in Justice League of America #123)

Other Character(s)

• An alien hunter (no further appearances)
• Bobby and his parents (no further appearances)

Comments:
This story introduces Earth-Prime, a parallel universe in which the Flash and other super-heroes only exist as comic book characters. It is not the real Earth and would later develop two super-heroes of its own, Ultraa and Superboy.

Synopsis:
Flash encounters a hurricane-like creature known as a Nok which feeds off Flash's aura. The Nok follows the Flash, who is unable to find a way to stop the creature. An alien hunter appears and tells Flash that he is responsible for bringing the Nok to Earth, but the Flash must recapture it before his ship leaves.

While fighting the Nok, Flash is thrown into a parallel universe. He soon discovers that super-heroes only exist as comic book characters in this reality. He is unable to cross the dimensional barrier to return home, so he looks up the one person who will believe that he is a super-hero, DC Comics editor Julius Schwartz.

At the DC offices, Flash meets Julie and proves that he has super speed. Julie then gathers parts for the Flash to build a cosmic treadmill. The treadmill enables him to return to Earth-1. Once, he is back in his own universe, Flash is able to stop the Nok using a chemical that mimics his aura. The alien hunter then takes the Nok away from Earth.