A Stab In The Black!

Police forensics scientist, Barry Allen, watches a television news broadcast, on the Flash's recent battle with the Shade. Allen's father, Henry, returns home. The condition of Allen's comatose mother has not changed. Roy G. Bivolo, the notorious Rainbow Raider, literally paints himself invisible, to escape from prison. Allen's father holds a gun to his son's head, while Allen sleeps. Though it would be a simple matter to murder his son, Allan's father stays his hand, opting instead to make Allen suffer.

Allen's father rouses Allen from slumber. Another "Black & White Out" phenomena is occurring. Allen investigates, as the Flash. Bivolo steals a car. The Flash journeys to Keystone City, on Earth-2. There the "Black and White Out" phenomena manifests as bands of intense color, saturating the city. Having confirmed the Shade's story, the Flash returns to Central City, and Earth-1. The Flash agrees to team-up with the Shade, to solve the crisis. The Rainbow Raider stands upon a hillside, overlooking Central City.

Having absorbed all the color waves from Central City into an enormous prism, the Rainbow Raider bombards himself with the color waves. The Flash, with the Shade, discover the Rainbow Raider's Color Shifter, and Chromacolor Prism. The Rainbow Raider ambushes the Flash, hitting the Scarlet Speedster with a red beam that causes his molecules to start imploding. The Rainbow Raider reveals that he has succeeded in restoring his color vision.

The Flash uses the complete molecular control he holds over his own atoms, to reverse the effects of the Rainbow Raider's red beam. The Flash removes the Rainbow Raider's goggles, only to quickly learn that the Rainbow Raider no longer needs them to use his powers. The Flash is hit with an emerald hued beam, infusing his body with enormous, uncontrollable kinetic energy. While the Flash tries to burn the energy out of his system, the Shade takes the opportunity to strike.

The Flash suddenly becomes a living silhouette. The Rainbow Raider bathes the Flash in yellow energy, then switches to blue. The Shade's darkness field, however, protects the Flash from all of the Rainbow Raider's color wavelengths. The Flash beats the Rainbow Raider into unconsciousness, then shatters the Chromacolor Prism. The Shade, however, has escaped back to Earth-2. Allen's father receives a phone call from Police Captain Darryl Frye, inquiring as to Allen's whereabouts. Unbeknownst to either man, Allen, wrapped from head to toes in bandages, has, inexplicably, become a patient at the Morningside Clinic.

The Robbery

Bennie breaks into a wealthy couple's bedroom. Acting on information garnered from the maid, Bennie finds the safe, behind a picture, and opens it. Immediately, an alarm sounds. Bennie flees the scene, leaping into the getaway van. The driver, Sybil, tears off, with the police in hot pursuit. Sybil manages to lose the police, on the Triboro Bridge, when she veers off towards the East River Islands. At a toxic waste dumpsite, Bennie and Sybil steal one of the canisters, intending to extort money from the city for it.

Bennie feels the plan is somewhat outside of their wheelhouse, but Sybil convinces him to go through with it. Suddenly, their van begins floating in the air. Firestorm, the Nuclear Man, has transformed the van into a helium balloon. Firestrom delivers the two thieves to the nearest police precinct house. Firestorm then disposes of the canister of toxic waste. Had the two thieves not taken such a dangerous item, Firestorm would not have gotten involved. Bennie's fears, it seems, were justified.

Notes:

• This issue contains the Hostess Superhero Ad, Plastic Man in "Gold for Dessert"