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: "The Man Who Broke the Time Barrier"
Pages: 10

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

Writer: John Broome
Penciller: Carmine Infantino
Inker: Joe Kubert

Reprinted From:
Showcase #4 (1956)

Feature Character(s)

• Flash (last appearance in Showcase #4; next appearance in Showcase #8)

Villain(s)

• Mazdan (a criminal from the future; no further appearances)

Other Character(s)

• Henry Brown and a judge from the future (no further appearances)

Comments:
Flash is able to break the time barrier unaided in this story.

Synopsis:
Throughout Central City objects are being mysteriously pulled away from their owners. When a beaker disappears from police scientist Barry Allen, the Flash investigates. He located an unknown individual who seems responsible. When he attempts to stop the man, he is prevented from doing so by rings of intense heat.

The man is Mazdan, a criminal from a future era. Mazdan was to be sent to 50th century Earth for imprisonment, but his time capsule was damaged and propelled back to the 20th century. He is stealing the objects to repair the capsule, return to his own time and take his revenge.

Back at police headquarters, Barry Allen learns of a robbery in progress in which the crook fits Mazdan’s description. He races to the scene as the Flash. Again he is menaced by rings of heat. This time however, Flash jumped through the rings and apprehends his target.

Mazdan easily escapes from his jail cell, but is tracked again by the Flash. Flash catches his foe at the site of the time capsule. Learning Mazdan’s story, Flash carries the villain back to his own era by races faster than time. Once the villain has been turned over to the future authorities, Flash speeds back to his own era.