Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Speaker A: Are you ready? Yeah. Are you with it? Yeah. Okay, let's go. You know what to do. The whole world's watching and counting on you. And all you people listening out there.
Everybody everywhere.
[00:00:13] Speaker B: Hang on, hang on, hang on.
Welcome to Checkered Past, A loving postmodern examination of the. Go. Go. Check branded comic magazines published by DC Comics between February 1966 and in August 1967. I'm Dr. Bob, and each week I'll be your guide on this trippy tour through 535 mid century masterpieces of graphic noveldom. This week, Flash 170 cover date May 1967 cover price $0.12. Cover artists Carmine Infantineau and Murphy Anderson. Edited by Julia Schwartz. Featuring the see nothing spells of Abracadabra. Written by Gardner Fox. Art by Carmine Infantineau and Sid Green. Are you ready? Are you with it? Then away we go. Go.
Open up your eyes Take a look
[00:01:12] Speaker C: at the world around you don't you
[00:01:14] Speaker B: want to land a helping hand?
Try it on your sides if you like the feeling about.
Backstage after a play, Barry meets actor John Cardine. During their meeting, Barry hears a voice which announces his secret identity. However, no one around Barry can hear the voice. Suspicious, Barry follows Cardine as the Flash. The trail leads to a ceramic store which is in the process of being robbed. Confused? Don't worry, I'll be right back with doctor Husband to explain everything.
[00:01:51] Speaker C: I took my favorite dining. Dancing too.
She took my arm and then she cuddled and coo.
She said big dad, I've got a runner in my hose and I'll be back soon. As I pat on my nose Abracadabra. Where is my baby? Abracadabra. No more babies. Must be magic. Soon she'll be seen on the arm of some man that shows a little more green.
[00:02:16] Speaker D: Oh, hi. Hi. How are you?
[00:02:18] Speaker B: I'm all right. How are you?
[00:02:19] Speaker D: Oh, fine, thanks.
[00:02:20] Speaker B: Things are pretty quiet in this town.
[00:02:23] Speaker D: Oh, yeah, right. Can't see anything, can't hear anything. Don't know what's going on. Right.
[00:02:27] Speaker B: No. And it rained all day. I did see and hear that.
[00:02:31] Speaker D: Yeah, that was nice, actually.
[00:02:32] Speaker B: Was it?
[00:02:33] Speaker D: Yeah. When I got off work and came home, it was 58 degrees outside, which was really quite nice.
[00:02:38] Speaker B: Brr.
[00:02:39] Speaker D: Yeah.
[00:02:40] Speaker B: That's Fahrenheit. Foreign listeners.
[00:02:42] Speaker D: Yes. And that means you won't be warm for the next six months.
[00:02:46] Speaker B: Correct? Yeah, I haven't been warm for the last six either, so.
Kelshan. Kelshon.
[00:02:54] Speaker D: How are you?
[00:02:55] Speaker B: I'm all right. I'm tired.
[00:02:58] Speaker D: Yeah, neither one of us Slept enough last night.
[00:03:00] Speaker B: I never sleep enough.
[00:03:01] Speaker D: I took coffee with me to school today, didn't I?
[00:03:04] Speaker B: You did?
[00:03:05] Speaker D: In a thermos.
[00:03:06] Speaker B: How modern.
[00:03:07] Speaker D: Well, it just kept me going. Cuz today, Tuesday is my big, big, big day.
[00:03:12] Speaker B: Yes, right. Today is Tuesday, in case you're wondering. Listener.
[00:03:16] Speaker C: Yes.
[00:03:19] Speaker B: Yeah, I don't have anything. I had a pretty boring day.
[00:03:22] Speaker D: I'm sorry.
[00:03:23] Speaker B: It's all right. I don't mind.
[00:03:24] Speaker D: Oh, I've really, really gotta get out there in the yard. Maybe you'll help me.
[00:03:29] Speaker B: Not tonight. It's pouring down rain and it's 58 degrees.
[00:03:32] Speaker D: No, I mean like, we gotta weed the flower beds. I only have a couple flower beds. I know, I know. You hate doing that.
[00:03:39] Speaker B: What do you got going on tonight after this?
[00:03:42] Speaker D: Yeah, you know, I am so tired.
Nothing.
[00:03:47] Speaker B: Oh.
[00:03:48] Speaker D: I mean, I might play a little bit of flute, but otherwise I'm just absolutely beat.
[00:03:55] Speaker B: Yeah. Yeah.
[00:03:56] Speaker D: I'm happy to be here and happy to talk about the comics, but I just. Normally, you know me, I've got like, I'm gonna do this thing and I'm
[00:04:03] Speaker B: gonna do this thing. Yeah.
[00:04:04] Speaker D: And blah, blah, blah. But yesterday was a very, very, very long day, knocking through a bunch of administrative projects. And today was a full day of teaching. When I say full day, like I get into work at like 8:30 and I was done at 6, so.
[00:04:18] Speaker B: Wow.
[00:04:19] Speaker D: And I. I mean, I have like 15 minute breaks here and there, but I pretty much go all day, so.
[00:04:24] Speaker B: Well, I only had to. I mean, I had my day of work, but then I was supposed to teach a lesson, but he canceled, so here I am.
[00:04:33] Speaker D: Okay.
[00:04:34] Speaker A: All right.
[00:04:38] Speaker B: Did you know anything about Abracadabra?
[00:04:40] Speaker D: Abracadabra. Abracadabra.
[00:04:46] Speaker B: Not that abracadabra.
[00:04:48] Speaker D: No. Oh, no, I did not.
[00:04:52] Speaker B: All right, I couldn't remember if we'd seen him before or not, but he's from the 64th century.
He's a magician, but was frustrated by lack of audience support since the super science of the 64th century made his magic tricks seem commonplace.
So he stole a time machine and came back to the 20th century to pester the Flash and become a star.
Okay, he uses his futuristic scientific technology to make people love him.
[00:05:24] Speaker D: No, he doesn't.
[00:05:25] Speaker B: He does. That's his modus operandi. Okay, maybe not in this particular story. We are talking, of course, about Flash170 the see nothing spells evapor. Abracadabra.
And now he spends much of his time trying to get revenge on the Flash, who put him in jail in the 64th century.
[00:05:44] Speaker D: Yeah.
[00:05:46] Speaker B: Are you ready?
[00:05:47] Speaker D: I am so ready.
[00:05:49] Speaker B: Flash. Number 160.
No, sorry. 170.
Such is the terrible fate that falls upon the fastest man on Earth. He cannot see any crooks. He. He cannot hear them. And even if he should arrest them, he would be unable to testify against them. Flash's value as a superhero has become nil.
The see nothing spells of Abracadabra.
Also hear nothing and speak nothing.
They didn't title it that, however.
[00:06:24] Speaker D: Yeah.
So as the curtain goes down on the Central City Civic center production of A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court.
[00:06:32] Speaker B: Oh, how exciting. Iris has an old classmate, Margot Tyler.
[00:06:36] Speaker D: Margot? Margot.
[00:06:37] Speaker B: In the cast, she plays the role of Alisonde.
[00:06:41] Speaker D: Yes, of course.
[00:06:42] Speaker B: Barry's usual. He doesn't like the theater. He's a police scientist.
[00:06:45] Speaker D: No.
[00:06:46] Speaker B: And he's slow as molasses when he's not wearing his Flash uniform.
[00:06:50] Speaker D: So Margot Tyler comes up with her with her hair piled high. Iris, darling.
[00:06:55] Speaker B: Margo, honey.
Now, Barry's interested in the real star of the show. The man who played Merlin the magician. His magic feats were spectacular. And his name is John Cardine. Cardine.
Barry gets to meet him. He shakes his hand.
Of course, if this is like most civic theaters, the cast all comes out, the audience after the show.
[00:07:20] Speaker D: Yes.
[00:07:20] Speaker B: Meet their public.
Barry congratulates him on his performance.
[00:07:26] Speaker D: Superb performance.
[00:07:27] Speaker B: But just then, Barry hears the voices inside of his head.
You don't have a prop to make scary voices?
No.
[00:07:36] Speaker D: And he doesn't hear it inside his head, actually. He hears it loudly in his ears.
That's important.
[00:07:42] Speaker B: Okay. Well, nobody else, he says.
[00:07:44] Speaker D: I'm happy to see you here, Flash. But don't worry, I won't tell the world you are Barry Allen. Not yet.
[00:07:52] Speaker B: Gasp.
Barry wonders why everyone else isn't turning to stare at him.
[00:07:57] Speaker D: Because he's hearing the voice loud and clear enough. Who in this room is speaking those words to him?
[00:08:04] Speaker B: Well, we don't know yet.
But he suspects it's John Cardine who's standing backstage smoking a cigarette. That's a no.
[00:08:15] Speaker D: No.
[00:08:16] Speaker B: If a loose ash gets on that wooden stage, the whole place goes up in flames.
You gotta go out, step out in the alley, out the stage door.
[00:08:25] Speaker D: Right.
[00:08:26] Speaker B: All right.
Now, Barry remembers that the way the magic tricks were performed on stage actually did look like magic. And Barry only knows one person who can do things like that. Zatanna. Oh, no. He knows two people. Also abracadabra, but also someone else. But I won't mention them.
[00:08:44] Speaker D: 64th century prison.
[00:08:46] Speaker B: Yes. As far as Barry knows, he Is now.
Iris and Margot are going to Darcy's for an after theater snack and some girl talk. I wouldn't mind if you don't join us, Barry.
[00:08:58] Speaker D: I love that. She says, I wouldn't mind if you begged off.
Yeah.
[00:09:01] Speaker B: Thank you, Iris.
Thanks, honey. You're an understanding wife.
He couldn't ask for a better excuse to get away from the old news. Hen
[00:09:15] Speaker D: soon, in a darkened staged alley, the police department scientist lifts the ring from his pocket and touches a secret
[00:09:21] Speaker B: spring which ejects a flashy uniform that expands on contact with the air.
[00:09:25] Speaker D: So he's going to follow John Cardine at invisible vibrational speed before he moves in to ask his questions.
[00:09:32] Speaker B: Now, I've just come. You may wonder how John Cardine got cast in this production.
[00:09:38] Speaker D: Mm.
[00:09:39] Speaker B: I've just come from playing piano for three days of auditions at the local community theater. And I can assure you, if you're a man, you get cast.
Now, John Cardine is going into Ceramics Castle after closing hours. What? Well, they have a rare display of special ceramics in there, like the Archie Bray foundation in Helena, Montana.
[00:10:04] Speaker D: Oh, I love the Archie Bray Foundation.
[00:10:05] Speaker B: So do I. Listener. If you ever go to Helena, Montana, go to the Archie Bray foundation right outside town.
They have lovely ceramics for display and for sale.
[00:10:17] Speaker D: But here's the thing.
[00:10:19] Speaker B: Ceramists go there in residencies to work on their art.
And if something misfires or something goes wrong and cracks, they just take all the weird oddball pieces and strew them about the grounds. It was an old brick foundry, so
[00:10:37] Speaker D: there are wonderful little treasures to discover. You can wander the grounds. Yes, there are wonderful treasures to discover throughout the entire property.
[00:10:45] Speaker B: And also large scale works.
[00:10:49] Speaker D: It's really, really something. We've been there several times.
[00:10:53] Speaker B: Oh, yes. I always go.
[00:10:54] Speaker D: Yes.
[00:10:55] Speaker B: All framed by the city park of Mount Helena.
[00:11:00] Speaker D: Yeah, that chair seems to be coming apart.
[00:11:03] Speaker B: Oh, no.
Oh, no. Oh, no.
All right. Why is he going into Ceramics Castle after closing hours?
Well, it appears that he's not the only one there. There's also a gang of crooks robbing the ceramics.
[00:11:18] Speaker D: Now, sardine.
John Cardine. Rather not sardine.
Is it John Cardine? John Cardine, Yeah. John Cardine appears to have disappeared. Once he goes by the flash, sees
[00:11:31] Speaker B: the crooks, he's gonna make quick work of him, too, with his spinny arm. That's your favorite trick?
[00:11:36] Speaker D: My favorite trick? The spinny arms, which creates a torn, which lifts the guys into the air. And he uses his other fist to punch. And then he uses his spinny arms to create tornado, which whirls them all
[00:11:48] Speaker B: about, Also dodging bullets the whole time.
[00:11:51] Speaker D: Yes.
[00:11:53] Speaker B: Welly carts these crooks down to the police station.
[00:11:56] Speaker D: In you go. Take him to jail.
[00:12:01] Speaker B: But just as he's taking them inside, A stranger off the street approaches him.
It's the owner of ceramic's castle. To thank him for saving those display treasures and to give you this medallion as a reward.
[00:12:15] Speaker D: Look at that face that flash has given him. How did you learn so quickly what I'd done? And hold it. I don't accept rewards.
[00:12:23] Speaker B: Now, for just a second, he drops his eye to the medallion, Noticing what an odd device it is.
But when he seeks to return the reward, the man is gone.
[00:12:34] Speaker D: Mm.
[00:12:36] Speaker B: There's also a third man watching from the shadows, but we'll get to that later.
All right. Well, flash is going inside the police station anyway, so he's just gonna leave this item in there for guy to pick up later.
And as he goes to the booking sergeant and who wants to know what the charges are?
And flash says, why? I don't know. I can't imagine why I brought these fine gentlemen in here.
[00:13:08] Speaker D: I don't know any of them. I don't know what they've done. They don't even look like criminals.
[00:13:12] Speaker B: Them's mighty kind words, flash. Now, if you'll excuse us, we gotta get going. We gotta date down at ceramic castle.
[00:13:20] Speaker D: My apologies, gentlemen, for inconveniencing you.
[00:13:22] Speaker B: That's okay, flash. And in turn, we'll bring no charges against you for false arrest.
[00:13:28] Speaker D: The judge is like, what's going on around here?
As puzzled as flash leaves. As a puzzled flash leaves the precinct house, Someone is watching from the shadows.
[00:13:37] Speaker B: It's the same gentleman as before. And he thinks we came here too late. All we can do now is wait for our opportunity to help flash.
[00:13:45] Speaker D: We?
[00:13:46] Speaker B: But who is it?
[00:13:48] Speaker D: Well, he's being observed by these characters.
[00:13:50] Speaker B: Yes.
Now there's two more of them, Total of three.
You just said that literally.
All right. As flash strolls calmly down the street, which is what he's famous for, walking at a normal pace, he comes upon a man getting held up in an alley.
[00:14:15] Speaker D: Well, he walks by a man getting held up in an alley.
[00:14:18] Speaker B: Now, the man sees the flash and tells the crook, the flash is right behind you.
Crook's not falling for that trick.
[00:14:27] Speaker D: Yeah, Crook says he ain't nowhere here, so better hand over that wallet while you're still alive.
[00:14:33] Speaker B: Say, over a hundred smackers. Not bad.
[00:14:38] Speaker D: So the flash, poor man, is right by. Psst.
[00:14:41] Speaker B: Flash. Over here. I'm being robbed. Look at Flash.
[00:14:43] Speaker A: Psst.
[00:14:45] Speaker B: Flash continues to calmly walk by the alley.
And mosey's on by. And this poor man still gets robbed.
He keeps moving. He walks by an armored car being smashed into by a carload of crooks.
He does not pay any attention.
And they then comes across some kind of mob hit.
Also, he doesn't pay attention.
[00:15:21] Speaker D: Oh, yeah, yeah, I see them.
[00:15:22] Speaker B: Yeah, I know. It's very confusing because it looks like the same car as armored.
[00:15:27] Speaker D: Yep, yep.
[00:15:28] Speaker A: Truck.
[00:15:28] Speaker D: Hold up. So there's rival mob gangs that are driving down the road firing at each other. And the Flash doesn't even notice.
[00:15:36] Speaker B: No. He continues walking politely down the street. But I notice he does look both ways before crossing.
[00:15:42] Speaker D: Yeah.
[00:15:43] Speaker B: Right in front of the armed robbery.
Like a man bereft of his senses, the fastest man on Earth races along Central Boulevard. He hears nothing except his own voice. The chatter of submachine guns, the raucous shouts of robbers. The cries of helpless victims. All of them go in here.
What is happening in Central City?
[00:16:03] Speaker D: It looks like mayhem. Beirut looks like Gotham.
[00:16:09] Speaker B: Well, people firing machine guns at each other, buildings coming apart, people being robbed and punched in the street.
[00:16:14] Speaker D: What's that? A tank turned over. That's armored car.
[00:16:16] Speaker B: Oh, that's the armored car, yeah.
Now, these three strangers who've been following
[00:16:20] Speaker D: him trailed the Flash all the way from the police station.
[00:16:24] Speaker B: Yes.
[00:16:25] Speaker D: Say to each other, this is worse than we thought.
[00:16:27] Speaker B: Central City is in the midst of a riot. Apparently, there's guys smashing windows at the jewelry store.
Now, these fellows say, maybe we should interfere to stop this wave of lawlessness. But the other says, no, we don't dare take a hand yet. We must wait until we get Flash alone in private.
[00:16:47] Speaker D: Other eyes are also televiewing. The scarlet speedster. Bypass crime after crime as mocking laughter rises into the air.
[00:16:54] Speaker B: Ha, ha.
[00:16:55] Speaker D: My scheme is working perfectly now to change from this assumed identity back to my real self with my control pack, which enables me to switch personalities. I change from my appearance as the ceramics castle owner to the face of actor John Cardine, which in turn was my disguise for my real self. Abracadabra. Criminal genius of the 64th century whose future science enables me to function in this 20th century as a great magician.
[00:17:23] Speaker B: That was a nice touch.
[00:17:24] Speaker D: Thank you.
[00:17:24] Speaker B: Voice changes.
Now we have a flashback.
[00:17:29] Speaker D: I've been known to trod the boards.
[00:17:33] Speaker B: Just a little while ago, we learn that Abracadabra was in the 64th century in prison after his last capture by the Flash.
I just did some quick research and we learned that we have seen Abracadabra. Before on this very podcast. Probably like six or seven years ago.
[00:17:56] Speaker D: Okay.
[00:17:57] Speaker B: It was flash number 163, August 1966.
[00:18:00] Speaker D: Okay.
[00:18:07] Speaker B: And I think that might have been his first appearance.
No, never mind.
[00:18:12] Speaker D: Well, folks, we get into a sequence, a flashback sequence.
[00:18:17] Speaker B: Yeah. So he's in prison.
He's got a robot guard in prison there to keep him company and to prevent him from escaping.
[00:18:27] Speaker D: Right.
[00:18:27] Speaker B: Now, this robot can't shut up.
Talks day and night, and he's trying to. Abu Khattab is trying to trick him into getting him out. He wants a. The robot is programmed to grant his every wish as long as it would not lead to escape. So he asks for a nail file.
I guess nail files still exist in the 64th century. We haven't invented any better way to shape our nails if it works well. Well, you know, in the Jetsons, which wasn't nearly as far ahead as the 64th century, they had just little. You know, Jane would stick her fingers in little machine, and they'd come out beautiful.
All right, now, the robots programmed to cook 50 hot meals. So Abracadabra asks for corned beef on rye and a bottle of iced cola, both of which I'm also glad to learn they still have in the 64th century.
His only request that can't be granted is for this robot to shut up.
Now, Abracadabra has a new idea. He asks for a length of I34 wire, two solar energy cells, some mini cobalt lenses, and claims he's going to make himself an educational toy to pass
[00:19:54] Speaker D: the time, which the robot thinks is a therapeutic value. Has therapeutic value approved.
[00:20:02] Speaker B: Back the robot comes. Abracadabra works through the night, yet he is ordered to sleep by the robot.
And he invents some kind of. Well, he invents the medallion, which we saw earlier, and guess what?
[00:20:22] Speaker D: What?
[00:20:22] Speaker B: It even works on robots.
Anyone who looks at the medallion is unable to see, hear, or speak evil.
And so Abracadabra escapes. He fools the guards, steals a time machine, and off he goes to the 20th century, where he lounges in his comfortable, spacious apartment reading the newspaper.
[00:20:50] Speaker D: Yes, he sees in the newspaper that there is a local production of. They're casting a local production of A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court.
[00:21:01] Speaker B: Right? Yes.
[00:21:02] Speaker D: And so he thinks what a tremendous Merlin I would make with my magic powers. And why not? To hear the rousing salvos of applause, to see my name in newspaper headlines on the theatre Marquis. All that would be a living.
[00:21:15] Speaker B: This guy is. Attention. Hungry.
[00:21:18] Speaker D: Oh, yeah.
[00:21:19] Speaker B: All he wants is attention and applause and people to pay attention to him. I wonder if we can think of any modern figures in politics or entertainment who are that have that affliction.
[00:21:35] Speaker D: I don't know.
[00:21:37] Speaker B: I'm talking about the president of the United States.
So he's sooner or later bound to run into the Flash. He's got a detector ring to alert him to Flash's presence whenever he's near.
[00:21:51] Speaker D: Great.
[00:21:53] Speaker B: And wouldn't you know it?
The very opening night of a Connecticut Yankee, his ring goes off as he shakes Barry Allen's hand. Mm.
Now, I'm surprised he didn't know, being from the 64th century, that Barry Allen was Flash. It seems to me like that would be historical knowledge.
[00:22:10] Speaker D: But he didn't do his homework, I suppose.
[00:22:12] Speaker B: I guess not.
Now he's gloating over the fact that Barry was startled when he telepathically revealed his secret identity. See? I told you it was telepathic.
[00:22:26] Speaker D: I know, but Barry didn't know. You had said Barry hears in his head and Barry heard.
[00:22:32] Speaker B: No, he did. Because it was telepathic.
[00:22:34] Speaker D: Technically, yes, but he thought that he really believed that people were hearing it in the room.
[00:22:38] Speaker B: Sure, sure, sure.
Abracadabra deliberately did all this to get Barry to follow him to the Ceramics castle because he sensed it was being robbed.
He went in knowing the Flash would follow him and grab the crooks. That gave Abracadabra the opportunity to pose as the owner of Ceramics Castle and hand Flash the Psycho Nizer in the shape of a medallion. And now Flash could see no evil, hear no evil and speak no evil. Ha, ha.
Now, the best part of all is Abracadabra is the only one who can remove the psychonic influence from the Flash.
Without my help. Which he'll never get. He's doomed to remain that way the rest of his life.
Now Flash returns home.
[00:23:23] Speaker D: Yes.
[00:23:26] Speaker B: Worried that John Cardine knows his secret identity.
Worried that he brought four men to police headquarters without knowing why. And now he was about to go home, into the home where he lives as Barry Allen with his wife, Iris.
But he was still dressed as a Flash. Now Iris doesn't know he's a Flash. He hasn't told her yet, even though they're married. That's not healthy.
[00:23:48] Speaker D: What's going on with me that I'm doing this right?
[00:23:52] Speaker B: So he quickly reverses his ring costume trick.
[00:23:57] Speaker D: And is all that. Is that tuxedo in that jacket and the overcoat and the bow tie, all that was underneath his costume?
[00:24:02] Speaker B: Yes, because his costume super compresses all his clothes. Okay, I don't know.
I mean, I would assume maybe his clothes are specially treated with something that allows him to flatten out, but Barry opens the door after he changes and gasps like in a telenovela.
[00:24:24] Speaker D: Gasp in Spanish. I must be seeing things. He can't believe it.
[00:24:28] Speaker B: Good, good, good.
[00:24:30] Speaker D: Is that Dr. Fate, Flash of Earth 2, Dr. Midnight. They're all there in his living room.
[00:24:36] Speaker B: I had no idea this was coming.
[00:24:39] Speaker D: You just been. You must have squeezed.
[00:24:42] Speaker B: I did. Squee, squee. I don't know if you know this.
[00:24:46] Speaker D: What?
[00:24:47] Speaker B: But I have a particular fondness for Dr. Midnight.
For? He was in the very first issue of Justice League. What I ever read in my whole life.
It was the second part of an Earth2JSA JLA team up, and Dr. Midnight was on the team. And I just loved everything. I loved his costume, I loved his
[00:25:06] Speaker D: gimmick, his goggles, his cape.
[00:25:10] Speaker B: Yeah. Little moon on his forehead. He's got little moon buttons down his jerkin.
Red and green Christmas colors. What's not to love?
All right. Yes, these are a trio of superheroes from that other Earth, which is a parallel of our own. On their world, they track down crime and evil, just as the Scarlet Speedster does on Earth One.
But before we go into what's happening, Flash says. Flash of Earth 2, Jay Garrick.
Why didn't you stop all those crimes being committed tonight right under your nose, young man?
[00:25:48] Speaker D: Well, he says. Crimes? What crimes? It was a real quiet night in Central City, says Barry.
[00:25:54] Speaker B: Well, Dr. Midnight's gonna lay out what. What all flash overlooked.
[00:25:58] Speaker D: When Dr. Midnight relates what happened, he says, and all you. Barry says, and you say, all those things happen without me being aware of it.
[00:26:08] Speaker B: Dr. Fate says, yes, the answer must. Oh, wait, he's wearing a helmet. The answer must tie in with why we're here on Earth 1.
[00:26:16] Speaker D: I'll put my special voice modulator off the shelf over there if you want some time.
[00:26:20] Speaker B: Back in the Salem tower, which is my magical lookout post, Dr. Fate is in his magic tower in Salem. And his magic crystal picks up an evil emanation extending through all time and space.
[00:26:37] Speaker D: With the aid of supernatural wisdom and extraterrestrial knowledge, which was given to him by Nabu the Wise. He tracked down that evil filled energy.
[00:26:45] Speaker B: Well, it's not entirely accurate to say it was given to him. Oh, now, he does have some minor magical powers when he's not wearing the helmet. But the helmet is Nebu. Oh, it kind of possesses him. Oh, yeah.
I don't know if that was made Clear at this point in history, but it's kind of a problem for him sometimes.
[00:27:07] Speaker D: Oh, really?
[00:27:08] Speaker B: Well, yeah. He can't.
Nebu just takes over and his whole personality changes. And his poor wife, Inza, she doesn't know what to do. She's beside herself stuck in that tower.
[00:27:20] Speaker D: Oh, dear.
[00:27:21] Speaker B: Well, it all worked out because she eventually became Dr. Fate herself. Oh, yeah. A girl Dr. Fate. Can you believe it? Sure.
So Dr. Fate discovered that the evil he senses was born far in the future has come through space and time. And Terry's now in Central city on Earth 1.
So he goes to notify the Flash of his Earth, where, to his surprise and delight, he found Dr. Midnight just hanging out of Flash's house in costume while Flash is just dressed in civilian clothes.
That's normal, I guess. Yeah.
All right.
Dr. Fate tells them all about it. They decide they must alert the flash on Earth 1. But we must proceed carefully, say, in our civilian identities to avoid possible recognition and detection by the evil unknown menace. Yes, they're going to contact Flash in complete secrecy.
And Dr. Midnight insists on going along because the last time he saw the Flash, the Flash talked him out of joining him on a case.
[00:28:32] Speaker D: I knew. This time he wants to be involved.
[00:28:34] Speaker B: I should say, say so right now. They've laid all this out for Barry.
And Barry deduces, correctly that Abracadabra has escaped his 64th century jail cell and has returned to Central City. Moreover, he's put a magic spell on me.
[00:28:51] Speaker D: Yeah.
[00:28:52] Speaker B: Dr. Fate tries to remove the spell, but he can't.
[00:28:55] Speaker D: That's because the spell is science and not magic.
[00:28:59] Speaker B: Yeah, we know that, but they don't.
But what Dr. Fate can do is to reveal Abracadabra's target for tonight, where it looks like thieves are already stealing gold artifacts.
Well, Barry can't see anything, but off they go to stop the crime.
[00:29:18] Speaker D: Moments later, after Flash dons his uniform, the quartet of superheroes races out on the trail of Abracadabra.
[00:29:25] Speaker B: Flash. Barry, Flash says, what? I can't see or hear anything evil going on. How come we fight it? And these fellas have an idea. They have an idea. They've been at this a long time. They've had it since WW2, the big one.
As the combined superheroes from tourists thunder into the room with the golden loot. Only flash of Earth1 is visible. The other, Flash, vibrates invisibly as a mantle of magic conceals doctor's fate and Midnight.
Dr. Fate is not an actual doctor.
[00:29:58] Speaker D: He's not.
[00:29:59] Speaker B: Not that kind of a doctor. Dr. Midnight is.
He's a M.D. okay. But he's also blind.
[00:30:06] Speaker D: Oh, that's right.
[00:30:07] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:30:08] Speaker D: Does he just scream all the time to get his way around?
[00:30:11] Speaker B: No, his goggles allow him to see. Okay. But also his particular form of blindness. He can see perfectly in pitch black.
Oh, so that's why he became Dr. Midnight.
And that's why he's got blackout bombs.
All right.
The criminals see Flash raising in. He can't see or hear them, but it appears that Jay Garrick is running close behind him, guiding his arms and legs and vibrating so crooks can't see him.
Crooks fire bullets. That's not gonna work. Dr. Midnight, concealed by Dr. Fate's magic, throws a blackout bomb so the criminals can't see Flash. The flashes, we should say, start punching.
Dr. Fate makes some gold statues come to life, which scares the crooks because they're a cowardly lot, as everyone knows, Right?
And the crooks are defeated for the most part.
Now, in the darkest shadows, Abracadabra has stood transfixed by amazement as he sees
[00:31:22] Speaker D: Flash has developed remarkable new powers.
[00:31:25] Speaker B: Yeah, it was bad enough to arrive here and find other crooks stealing the gold I had marked as my own. Since in my 64th century, there is no gold, it all having been destroyed in an interplanetary war, making gold priceless.
This is new information to me. You'd think they can make gold in the 64th century.
[00:31:43] Speaker D: Yeah, you'd think so. They still dress like weirdos.
[00:31:50] Speaker B: Now, I don't know who is thinking. Dr. Midnight has a cryotuber which affects the nerves of the human body, enabling him to control anyone it's fired at.
[00:32:08] Speaker D: Right.
So?
[00:32:12] Speaker B: Well, I don't understand, because that thought is coming from Dr. Midnight, but also, Abracadabra sounds like something Abracadabra would do anyway. Abracadabra makes the floor come alive with hands and grab the Flash while he's gonna make off with the.
Oh, I see what happened. Dr. Midnight fired the cryo tuber at the crooks.
[00:32:34] Speaker D: Yes.
[00:32:37] Speaker B: Abracadabra made the floor come alive and grab the Flash.
And then Dr. Fate makes the floor hand start swinging Flash around, right?
Like a whirligig and hurls Flash right at abracadabra. And then Dr. Midnight uses the cryotuber on Flash to
[00:33:00] Speaker D: protect the Flash to soften the blow
[00:33:01] Speaker B: so he won't feel it. It kills the nerve endings so you don't feel anything.
Abracadabra's knocked backwards into the golden statues.
Abracadabra thinks, incorrectly, that by taking away Your ability to see, hear and speak. I've increased your powers, but you're still no match for me, Flash. I'm the greatest magician of all time in space.
And he's making the Flash spin even faster and fly off onto the floor.
[00:33:36] Speaker D: Right, but don't worry. But who's saving him? Dr. Fate.
[00:33:41] Speaker B: Dr. Midnight still is under the influence of the cryotuber, so he won't be harmed.
Dr. Fate makes several after images of the Flash appear, confusing Abracadabra, who is too confused to act. And so there's only one possible solution. He's got to break the spell that he put on him.
And the next moment, Abracadabra becomes visible to the Flash, who races at him at top speed.
Runs right past him.
Abracadabra thinks he's in the clear. But it turns out Flash wasn't raising at Abracadabra after all. He was raising on those other crooks who are still under the influence of the cryotuber. He brings them along in his super speed wake. They crash into Abracadabra.
And who just has just enough power left to make Flash's uniform start constricting onto him.
He's going to be crushed to death.
[00:34:50] Speaker D: Yes,
[00:34:52] Speaker B: luckily, he can vibrate fast enough to get out of his costume, streak naked at Abracadabra through the museum or wherever they are, and get back to his costume before anybody sees his altogether.
[00:35:08] Speaker D: Yeah,
[00:35:11] Speaker B: a quartet of jubilants.
Oh, you bet he did.
Well, there's some supposition that Dr. Midnight is, you know, one of us.
[00:35:23] Speaker D: A confirmed bachelor.
[00:35:24] Speaker B: Yes.
Quartet of jubilant superheroes stands over the inert evildoer. Dr. Fate still confused why his magic didn't stop him. And Flash isn't gonna tell. We only learn it by an editor's note.
[00:35:38] Speaker D: Why won't Flash tell him?
[00:35:39] Speaker B: I don't know.
It's because you already told. It's because it's not magic. It's 64th century science.
Flash is going to take Abracadabra back to his own time on his cosmic treadmill. After I see you fellows off to Earth too. And take the crooks you helped me capture to jail.
[00:36:01] Speaker D: Upon his entry from the 64th century return, rather, Flash changes into his Barry Allen identity and sees his wife coming out of a taxi.
[00:36:11] Speaker B: Iris, you're getting home kind of late.
[00:36:14] Speaker D: Margot and I had so much to talk about. But how are you? How come you're home so late?
[00:36:21] Speaker B: I ran into some, er, old friends also as well.
They were in town. Only for a short time.
[00:36:28] Speaker D: Oh, I'd like to meet them sometime.
[00:36:30] Speaker B: You will, dear. You will.
Once I finally make up my mind to tell her that I'm the flat.
[00:36:37] Speaker D: Oh, no, he hasn't told her yet. He sleeps right beside her every night.
[00:36:41] Speaker B: I know.
[00:36:42] Speaker D: You know, I couldn't keep secrets from you.
[00:36:45] Speaker B: I know. You talk in your sleep.
[00:36:47] Speaker D: Asleep all the time.
[00:36:47] Speaker B: Well, that's how she's gonna find out. Cause Barry also talks to sleep.
[00:36:52] Speaker D: Oh, the other morning, I was laughing so hard.
[00:36:55] Speaker B: I know you were.
[00:36:56] Speaker D: I was laughing and laughing.
[00:36:58] Speaker B: I woke myself up laughing after, I was so happy. Cause the night before that, you had a dream where we got divorced.
[00:37:04] Speaker D: We were getting divorced. We hadn't gotten divorced.
[00:37:06] Speaker B: Oh, okay. So there was still time to turn it around.
[00:37:08] Speaker D: Well, I just couldn't figure out why you were being so damn mean to me.
[00:37:11] Speaker B: Well, that's just how I am.
Maybe I was possessed by the helmet of Naboo.
[00:37:17] Speaker D: I told a friend of mine about this dream, and he said, well, this is Jung. This is. He said, let me do some Jungian. He said, your husband is you.
[00:37:29] Speaker B: Well, I don't have anything else. Do you? Oh, no.
[00:37:35] Speaker D: I looked for. I read through the letters to see if Irene Varden offered.
[00:37:39] Speaker B: I did, too. There was nothing.
[00:37:41] Speaker D: No.
[00:37:42] Speaker B: Well, I've got some bad news.
[00:37:43] Speaker D: What?
[00:37:45] Speaker B: Next week.
[00:37:46] Speaker D: Oh, God. Jerry Lewis.
[00:37:48] Speaker B: Yes, you guys. Oh, my God.
[00:37:49] Speaker C: I knew it.
[00:37:50] Speaker D: I knew it, I knew it, I knew it.
[00:37:51] Speaker B: But you know what? I'm gonna throw in something also. World's finest.
[00:37:55] Speaker D: Oh, good.
[00:37:55] Speaker B: We'll just do a twofer.
[00:37:56] Speaker D: It'll be a nice balance, won't it?
[00:37:58] Speaker B: I'll say.
Because it's a world's finest. It's a story of the future Superman and future Batman.
[00:38:04] Speaker D: Oh, wow.
[00:38:05] Speaker B: I know.
[00:38:05] Speaker D: I always love to see a 1968, 67 version of the future.
[00:38:10] Speaker B: Who doesn't?
You can find us on social media. Ogocheckpod. You can rate and review us wherever you get your podcasts from. You can find us on our sister podcast, Nerd Orchestra. And you can find us right back here next week with World's Finest and Jerry Lewis. Jerry Lewis.
Bye.
So we can kicking out the hedge looking for.
[00:38:50] Speaker D: Way it used to be looking at you like thinking it all behind.
