Comic Title: Secret Origins Annual #2
Publisher: DC
Cover Date: 1988
On Sale Date: May 10, 1988 Shipping Date May 10, 1988
Source: Direct Currents, #3

Shipping Date May 10, 1988
Source: Comics Buyers Guide, #754, #756, #758

Copyright Date May 10, 1988
Source: Library of Congress, Copyright Office 1988

Shipping Date May 3, 1988
Source: Amazing Heroes, #138

Newsstand Date May 24, 1988
Source: Comics Buyers Guide, #754, #756, #758

Cover Price: $2.00
Page Count: 64
Editor: Mark Waid

Title: "Mystery of the Human Thunderbolt"
Pages: 31

Feature(s):
Flash (Barry Allen Post-Crisis)

Writer: Robert Loren Fleming
Penciller: Carmine Infantino
Inker: Murphy Anderson
Letterer: Gaspar Saladino
Colorist: Thomas J. Ziuko

Reprinted In:
Secret Origins of the World's Greatest Super-Heroes TPB (1990)

Feature Character(s)

• Flash (Barry Allen becomes the Flash; last appearance in Secret Origins Annual #2; next appearance in Secret Origins #32)

Supporting Character(s)

• Iris West (during the origin of the Flash; earliest chronological appearance; next appearance in Secret Origins #46)

Villain(s)

• A terrorist (no further appearances)
• Rogues (first post-Crisis appearance; next appearance in Flash #19)
• Mirror Master (first post-Crisis appearance; no further appearances)
• Captain Cold (earliest chronological appearance; next appearance in Manhunter #1)
• Captain Boomerang (last appearance in Suicide Squad #44; next appearance in Legends #3)
• Heat Wave (first post-Crisis appearance; next appearance in Flash #19)
• Top (first post-Crisis appearance; next appearance in Hawk and Dove Annual #1)
• Pied Piper (first post-Crisis appearance; next appearance in Flash #20)
• Weather Wizard (first post-Crisis appearance; next appearance in Flash #19)
• A human thunderbolt (no further appearances)
• Anti-Monitor (first post-Crisis appearance; no further appearances)

Other Character(s)

• Detective Russo (no further appearances)
• Several police officers (Louie named; no further appearances)
• A prison warden (no further appearances)

Flashback Appearance(s)

• Barry Allen (as a child; earliest chronological appearance; next appearance in Secret Origins Annual #2)
• Flash (during a battle with the Rogues; last appearance in Flash #19; next appearance in Christmas with the Super-Heroes #2)
• Flash (during his battle with the Anti-Monitor; last appearance in Secret Origins Annual #2; no further appearances)

Cameo Appearance(s)

• Flash (Jay Garrick; in a comic book)
• Grodd (in flashback)
• Reverse-Flash (in flashback)
• Trickster (in flashback)
• Abra Kadabra (in flashback)

Comments:
This story is divided into three parts.
Part 1 (pages 1-15): The origin of the Flash
Part 2 (pages 16-23): The Flash Vs. the Rogues
Part 3 (pages 24-31): The death of the Flash

This story reveals that the lightning bolt which endowed Barry Allen with his super powers was actually Barry himself sent back in time during his mission to destroy the Anti-Monitor's anti-matter cannon.

Synopsis:
Barry Allen grew up reading the comic book adventures of the Flash. When he became older, he was habitually slow and always running late, but still he managed to land a job as a scientist in the crime lab of the Central City Police Department. When his girlfriend Iris Allen was in danger from terrorists, Barry wished he had the power to save her. Suddenly a lightning bolt crashes through the window and... stops.

The lightning bolt speaks to Barry and tells him to put a certain chemical on the shelf. By doing so, the lightning promises him the power to save Iris, but it comes with a price, the shortening of his own life. Barry follows through, placing the chemical on the shelf. The lightning bolt then strikes. Barry is splashed with electrified chemicals and granted super-speed. He rushes off to save Iris.

Four years later, Flash is scheduled to be honored for his service to the city. The Rogues break Weather Wizard out of jail. They then plan an attack on the Flash Museum. To get Flash out of the way, they create a human lightning bolt which chases the Flash around town. Flash defeats the Rogues by putting them in Flash costumes of their own. The human lightning bolt then strikes down the villains.

Years later, the Flash is captured by the Anti-Monitor. To save the universe, Flash tries to destroy the villain's anti-matter cannon by chasing a tachyon particle. Barry moves so fast that he travels back in time. Once he completes his chase of the tachyon, he is turned into pure energy. He then becomes the lightning bolt which struck the chemicals and gave him his powers in the first place.