"A Deadly Shade of Peril!"

Police forensics scientist, Barry Allen, races out, as the Flash, before Captain Daryl Frye, and Patty Spivot, enter the forensics laboratory. Allen's father, Henry, is accosted in the hospital parking lot, by the young man that, accidentally, ran the Allen's off the road, putting Henry's wife into a coma. The Flash, as Allen, meets with his father. The doctor informs them that there has been no change in Mrs. Allen's condition. Suddenly, all the color drains from the room. Allen investigates, as the Flash.

The whole of Central City is affected by the strange phenomena. The Flash prevents several traffic accidents, caused by driver's lack of depth perception, due to the strange "Black and White Out". The Flash saves a group of children, playing in the park, from being hit by a broken helicopter rotor. As suddenly as it began, the phenomena ends. The Flash, as Allen, returns to work, where he is accosted by Frye. Expecting to be dressed down, Allen is surprised when Frye shows sympathy for Allen's situation.

Allen looks in on the current whereabouts of Roy G. Bivolo, the notorious Rainbow Raider. Allen, as the Flash, checks in on Bivolo, at a minimum security installation, just outside of Central City. The Flash is assured that Bivolo had nothing to do with the strange color draining phenomena. Unable to sleep, Allen is wide awake when the phenomena resumes. Allen investigates, again, as the Flash. A bolt of ebony lightning heralds the arrival of the Shade in Central City.

The Flash charges the Shade, only to be trapped within a swirling portal of abject darkness. Playing for time, the Flash inquires as to why the Shade has made the trip, between dimensions, to Earth-1. The Shade was about to embark on another crime spree, in Keystone City, when his weaponry was neutralized by intense bands of color, manifesting throughout the city. The Shade tracked the phenomena back to Earth-1. While the Shade has been talking, the Flash has been vibrating his molecules, at super-human speed, to work out an escape from the portal.

The Flash launches the Shade across Central City, like a missile. By the time the Flash catches up with the Shade, only his Ebony Cane remains. The Shade's voice emanates from the Ebony Cane. The Shade proposes that he and the Flash team-up, to resolve the issues created by the strange phenomena, as they affect them both. Bivolo reveals himself to be the culprit behind the phenomena. Allen's father plots his own son's death.

The Multiplex Complex

Inexplicably, Professor Martin Stein is in control of Firestorm, the Nuclear Man, with Ronald Raymond acting as his subconscious. Stein has little time to consider the situation, as he is under attack from Multiplex. Firestorm flees from his old enemy. Raymond reminds Steins that Multiplex is out to steal the prototype for a new radar guidance system. Reluctantly, Stein, as Firestorm, returns to the battle. Firestorm uses his nuclear-powered blasts to pop Mulitiplex's duplicates like soap bubbles.

While Firestorm is distracted with one group of duplicates, a second group ambushes him from behind, rendering him unconscious. Multiplex succeeds in taking the prototype, while also taking Firestorm captive. Firestorm uses his power to re-arrange molecules to easily escape his bonds. Firestorm binds Multiplex with power cables, that drain the energy from him, forcing him to recombine. With Multiplex subdued, Stein states his preference for Raymond being in control of Firestorm, with Stein as the subconscious guide.

Notes:

• This issue contains the Hostess Superhero Ad, Superman in "Gold Mine Rescue"