Comic Title: Essential Showcase 1956-1959 TPB
Publisher: DC
Cover Date: 1993
On Sale Date: December 1, 1992 Shipping Date December 1, 1992
Source: Previews, Vol. 2 #9 (#45)

Shipping Date December 1, 1992
Source: Direct Currents, #58

Shipping Date December 3, 1992
Source: Advance Comics, #47

Direct Market Date December 3, 1992
Source: Comic Shop News, #277

Copyright Date December 22, 1992
Source: Library of Congress, Copyright Office 1992

Cover Price: $19.95
Page Count: 192
Editor: Bob Kahan

See Also: The Guide to Graphic Novels and Collected Editions

Title: "Around the World in 80 Minutes"
Pages: 14

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

Writer: Robert Kanigher
Penciller: Carmine Infantino
Inker: Joe Giella

Reprinted From:
Showcase #13 (1958)

Feature Character(s)

• Flash (last appearance in Showcase #8; next appearance in Showcase #13)

Supporting Character(s)

• Iris West (last appearance in Showcase #8; next appearance in Showcase #13)

Villain(s)

• The Black Cat (a French criminal; no further appearances)
• Several Egyptian bandits (no further appearances)

Other Character(s)

• Princess Tara (no further appearances)

Synopsis:
Police scientist Barry Allen has developed a radio watch that alerts him to trouble spots around the globe. His first call for help originates from Paris, France. Barry races to the rescue but must make it back within 80 minutes to keep a date with his girlfriend, Iris West.

Flash arrives at the Eiffel Tower to discover that a criminal, the Black Cat, is threatening to blow up the tower with an atom bomb. Flash rescues a woman from the tower and captures the crook in a downdraft which prevents him from dropping his bomb.

As Flash is heading home, his watch alerts him to trouble in Cairo. Some bandits have captured Princess Tara and are forcing her to hand over the jewels of Bagdad. The criminals are atop a pyramid, and the Flash is prevented from climbing it. Instead he causes the pyramid to crumble and he catches the falling Princess. After restoring the pyramid, he again heads home.

An avalanche in Tibet diverts Flash from his trip home. He quickly stops the avalanche and races home across the Pacific. During his journey he stops a pirate sub, but learns that it is Tuesday. He left on Monday and now believes that he missed his date with Iris by an entire day. When he arrives to apologize to Iris, he discovers that he was not late after all. He crossed the international date line and has regained his lost day. His journey took him only 80 minutes.