Comic Title: Flash Comics #104
Publisher: DC (National Comics Publications, Inc.)
Address: 480 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY
Cover Date: February 1949
On Sale Date: December 8, 1948 Copyright Date December 6, 1948
Source: Library of Congress, Periodicals 1948
Until 1958 DC did not report actual on sale dates to the copyright office
The publication dates listed in LoC records are NOT release dates.

Newsstand Date December 8, 1948
Source: Newsdealer Magazine, V3 #11

Frequency: Monthly
Cover Price: $0.10
Page Count: 48
Contains: Ownership Statement
Editor: Julius Schwartz

Title: "The Rival Flash"
Pages: 12

Feature(s):
Flash (Jay Garrick of Earth-2)

Writer: Robert Kanigher
Penciller: Carmine Infantino
Inker: Frank Giacoia

Reprinted In:
Flash #211 (1971)
Flash Archives Vol. 1 HC (1996)
Showcase Presents:The Flash Vol. 1 TPB (2007)
Flash:The Greatest Stories Ever Told TPB (2007)
Flash Omnibus Vol. 1 HC (2014)
Flash:A Celebration of 75 Years HC (2015)

Feature Character(s)

• Flash (last appearance in Flash Comics #103; next appearance in All-Star Comics #45)

Supporting Character(s)

• Joan Williams (final Golden Age appearance; last appearance in Flash Comics #103; next appearance in Flash #205)

Villain(s)

• The Rival (Dr. Clariss; no further appearances)
• Rival's gang (no further appearances)

Other Character(s)

• Jon Burnes (a former classmate of Joan Williams; no further appearances)

Comments:
Flash’s origin is retold in this story.

This is the final Golden Age Flash solo story. He would continue to appear in All-Star Comics with the Justice Society until 1951, before being revived in 1961 in Flash #123.

Synopsis:
The Rival, a villain with super-speed, appears in Keystone City and kidnaps Dr. Clariss, a visiting scientist. Flash suspects that the Rival is Jon Burnes, a former classmate who may have learned the Flash’s secret identity.

Flash tracks down his foe, but is captured by the Rival’s gang who also possess super-speed. Flash is then exposed to a gas which causes him to slow down. An exposure to "hard water" restores Flash’s speed and allows him to capture the gang.

The Rival is revealed to be Dr. Clariss, who was a chemistry teacher at Midwestern University at the time of Jay Garrick’s lab accident. He used "hard water" to give himself powers, but his formula is not correct and the powers wear off. Flash’s identity is saved and Clariss is jailed.