Humble Beginnings: Make Way for Mr. McLightningpants

When comic book superheroes ushered in a modern sort of mythology, it was only fitting that one them resembled a figure from ancient mythology. As comics' first super-speedster, the most distinctive feature of the Flash's costume was the winged, wide-brimmed helmet that evoked Hermes, the fleet-footed messenger of the Greek gods, later renamed "Mercury" when the Romans co-opted the Greek deities.

However, there was one feature of Jay Garrick's original costume that definitely wasn't based on ancient images of Hermes. Appearing on the cover of Flash Comics #1 (1940), check out the snazzy yellow lightning bolts adorning Jay's blue pants!

(click on the image for a larger view)

 

The "leg lighting" only stuck around for two issues...or, to be more precise, one and a half issues. By the middle of Flash Comics #2, the leg lightning started popping in and out, until finally disappearing for good by the story's end.

From that point forward, the leg lightning was history...with only a few random exceptions over the next year or so.  Sometimes a tiny icon of a lightning-legged Flash would appear on covers that featured other characters from the anthology title (such as Hawkman), yet the interior stories stuck with the lightning-free blue pants (click on the icon art to the left for a closer look). 

When the cover icon was discontinued after issue #7, the last remnant of the leg lightning had faded away. That is, until it inexplicably returned on the covers of Flash Comics #8 and #10... as well as in an utterly random single panel in issue #13! (click to enlarge)

Were there any additional appearances of Flash's infamous lightning legs? I'm not sure...but maybe my pals over at the Flash-centric Speed Force website have more to add. 

Comments

[Kelson]

I can't think of any specific examples myself, but I'll flip through some archives & back issues when I get a chance.

The article on E.E. Hibbard in The Flash Companion suggests it was a change he made in the costume when he took over the series, but that doesn't fit with the later appearances. Unless someone else was doing the art on those?

[suedenim]

Roy Thomas *must* have written a story that both explains the disappearance of the lightning bolts *and* their cameo in #13. Right?

[Mark Engblom]

LOL! I wouldn't put it past ol' Roy to do just that.