Tom versus Flash number 288 or let's try and keep our mask on for a change.

Welcome back for the Flash number 288, the August 1980 issue feature cover penciled by Don Heck, inked by Dick Geradano, edited by Len Ween.

Our story in this issue is The Day It Rained Flash, written by

Carrie Bates, art by Don Heck and Frank Chiaramante, lettered by John Costanza, and colored by Gene

DeAngelo. Our situation, we got Al Desmond, the one we know previously. I'm going to call

him dark-haired Al Desmond. Al Desmond I, who we know was Mr. Element was Dr. Alchemy.

It appears that Dr. Alchemy has returned, but it turns out it's a red-headed dude who's

also named Al Desmond, who I'm going to call El Desmond 2, who's trying to frame Al Desmond

1 for what's going on.

The Flash is desperately trying to find out why his friend has turned back to evil.

Well, we start with the Flash running around Central City at Super Speed searching every inch of town for Al Desmond. Come on. It's saying he's in a cave, Flash. They're always in caves or cabins. And he never looks in this sewer, afraid of this, sir. Just running around town looking for him. Extremely concerned because Al has been a model citizen for the last couple years since he's

been rehabilitated.

Why would he go back to being evil?

We then cut to Central City Police Station where Captain Fry is giving a briefing on Al Desmond

showing the picture of everyone, insinuating that perhaps this was all a plan by Al to act

good for a couple of years and then come steaming back as Dr. Alcmy to pull off a bunch of crimes.

We go back to Flash, still running around town. No, it had to be Al. It was his voice. How could it be

anybody else? He flashes back to confronting Al and his wife, Rita, about what was going on.

Al Singer was at home helping clean up after the dishwasher backed up. Rita saying that he wasn't

there. He left for Central City at six in the morning. It all looks horrible. We go back to Captain Fry's

meeting where he's saying, he's going on to say, I invited our police scientist to be consulted on

this meeting, Barry on him, but it appears he's too busy to bother showing up.

...