Tom versus the Flash number 293 or it's expensive to hoard elephants.

Welcome back for the Flash number 293 to January 1981 issue feature a cover penciled by George Perez with issue being edited by Len Wien.

You may notice something odd about this issue.

The first story and the backup story are

the same lengths, and the cover is actually relevant to the backup story, which always seems to

happen when Pied Piper is in his story. And let's just get to the first story. It's the Pied Piper's

Paradox Parall, guest written by Jerry Conway, art by Don Hack, lettered by Gaspar, colored by by Gene DeAngelo we start with the Flash running through Central City Park on his way to the police station getting back to work runs right past the fountain in the middle of the parking guess who's in the middle of the fountain on type of sort of the stone structure in the middle it's the Pied Piper just sort of playing along on his fluid a little bit just making a little bit of music for the people the Flash knows. Pye Biber's up to no good. It's the Pied Piper, just sort of playing along on his fluid a little bit,

just making a little bit of music for the people. The Flash knows. Pied Piper's up to no good.

He's got to get him away from all these people. He's trying to control their minds, make him dance crazy, make him go wild. So the Flash kicks up a water spout in the fountain that picks up Pied Piper, and he drags him away from all the people just dropping him on his ass farther

when the park Pied Piper gets up pissed offs him away from all the people just dropping him on his ass farther away in the park.

Pied Piper gets up pissed off. He's on probation, number one. Number two, it's not illegal to play your pipe in the park. This isn't Blue Valley where it's illegal to recite Shakespeare in the park. Now, you can play your music here, to which the Flash is acting a bit fascist, says, you're right, It's not illegal to play your pipe in the park, but in your case, I know you're up to no good. What is it that you want? Just tell me now. Pied Piper laughs a little bit, and he says, well, I'm just playing to keep the elephants away. To which the Flash, does not want to play games in this situation. There's no elephants around here. Pipebipa. See, it's working incredibly well. Now, if I can't play my pipes, I can't guarantee

what's going to happen at this moment.

As Flash is pushing Pied Piper through the park, a cloud of dust sort of kicks up. There's some sound.

Flash is thinking, Pipeper's last as a man, until he turns around to follow the sound of pounding

hooves to see an entire pack of angry

elephants stampeding through central city park again the park one of the most dangerous places in

this city pipe pipers laughing saying oh you know i can't be irresponsible you know i was playing

to keep them away flash has to get in the action he's got to save all these people from these

crazed outraged elephants i don't know where they come from. So we get a great panel of Flash running around, picking people up, running over elephants, dragging him away, getting him out of the action. There's still a stampede, though. He's got to take care of it. So he gets out on the street in front of the elephants and starts pounding his feet on the ground so fast. He heats up the pavement, turning it into tar, catching the elephants.

Oh, the poor elephants. They didn't really have anything to do with this. I mean, obviously, they're being manipulated in some situations, so the elephants are just stuck in the ground. Flash comes over to Pied Piper to take care of them. Flash is baby and Pied Piper says, listen, when I stop playing, they showed up. I don't know how you can think

it's my fault that they're here. I didn't play

any notes to drive them crazy. They just

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