Editing The Flash (section)

===Golden Age===
The Flash [[First appearance|first appeared]] in the [[Golden Age of comic books|Golden Age]] ''Flash Comics'' #1 (January 1940), from [[All-American Publications]], one of three companies that would eventually merge to form [[DC Comics]]. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Harry Lampert, this Flash was Jay Garrick, a college student who gained his speed through the inhalation of [[hard water]] vapors. When re-introduced in the 1960s Garrick's origin was modified slightly, gaining his powers through exposure to [[heavy water]].

Jay Garrick was a popular character in the 1940s, supporting both ''Flash Comics'' and ''[[All-Flash|All-Flash Quarterly]]'' (later published bi-monthly as simply ''All-Flash''); co-starring in ''[[Comic Cavalcade]]''; and being a charter member of the [[Justice Society of America]], the first superhero team, whose adventures ran in ''[[All Star Comics]]''. With superheroes' post-war decline in popularity, ''Flash Comics'' was canceled with issue #104 (1949) which featured an evil version of the Flash called the Rival. The Justice Society's final Golden Age story ran in ''All Star Comics'' #57 (1951; the title itself continued as ''All Star Western'').