The story that introduced The Multiverse to The DCU.
Flash of Two Worlds is a story published in The Flash (1959) #123, which came out on September, 1961. This issue marks the introduction of The Multiverse into The DCU, with the Silver Age Flash, Barry Allen, meeting the Golden Age Flash, Jay Garrick. The story was written by Gardner Fox and illustrated by Carmine Infantino.
The Silver Age Flash, Barry Allen, is entertaining at a charity event for Iris West, when he accidentally crosses the "vibration barrier" between dimensions, and ends up in a world he dubbed "Earth-Two", where the Golden Age Flash, Jay Garrick, lives, who has retired from superheroing after marrying Joan Willaims. However, when some of Jay's rogues band together, the two Flash's team up to stop them.
Flash of Two Worlds provides examples of:
- 10-Minute Retirement: Jay Garrick has retired as the Flash, retiring at the same time Flash Comics was cancelled. He resumes being the Flash in the story.
- Alternate Universe: The story involves the Silver Age Flash accidently travelling to the Golden Age Flash's universe
- The Bus Came Back: The issue marks the return of Jay Garrick after the cancellation of Flash Comics, with his last appearance being in All-Star Comics #57.
- Comic Books Are Real: It's revealed that the Silver Age Flash read adventures of the Golden Age Flash, before discovering he really existed in a parallel universe. Barry muses that Gardner Fox's thoughts must have been tuned in to the events of Earth-Two.
- Meet Your Early-Installment Weirdness: The story has the silver Age Flash Barry meets Golden Age Flash Jay in an interdimensional mishap. The major success of this Silver Age story lead right into the annual JLA/JSA crossovers throughout the pre-Crisis era.
- The Multiverse: The story popularized the multi-universe concept, with the Silver Age Flash and the Golden Age Flash crossing paths, learning that each was living in an alternative universe.
- Mundane Utility: The story begins with Barry Allen performing tricks using his super-speed to entertain the children at a charity event.
- Oh, Crap!: After the Shade and the Thinker are both foiled by one of the Flashes, they meet up and compare note, realizing that there are now two Flashes running around. They quickly go to inform the Fiddler.
- Relationship Upgrade: After retiring as the Flash, Jay Garrick married his long-term girlfriend Joan Williams.
- Retcon: The story retroactivly establishes the Golden Age Flash's adventures to have taken place in an Alternate Universe, labeled Earth-Two.
- Vibration Manipulation: Barry Allen is transported to Earth-Two after vibrating his molecules to perform a party trick.
- Villain Team-Up: The Fiddler, The Shade, and The Thinker, have joined forces to commit thefts.
