First Appearance: All-Flash #11 (July–August 1943)The distant world of Karma describes itself as being millions of years ahead of Earth. Its cities float above the ground on magnetic power, leaving the surface of the planet a nearly uninterrupted jungle. Disease is unknown, and the people had lived in peace for thousands of years until war returned to Karma half a century ago. Three men known as Jakko, Wykin and Donno led an army to conquer the world, and ruled it with an iron fist. Years later, a rebellion led by Flingo overthrew them, and Flingo became the world’s leader.
Extradition from Earth
Donno, Wykin and Jakko
In 1943 (Earth calendar) the former dictators escaped in a stolen spaceship and fled to Earth. Earth’s environment granted them super-speed, but more astonishing was finding three humans, Winky, Blinky and Noddy, who looked exactly like the deposed dictators. They hatched a plan to have their doubles take their places on execution day, and tricked genius inventor Evart Keenan into following them so that they could use his inventions to re-take the planet.
Flingo and Jannie
Flingo and his companion* Jannie (who happened to look exactly like Jay Garrick and Joan Williams) pursued the fugitives to Earth, then followed them back to Karma with their doubles to rescue the Dimwits and stop the conquerors from learning the secrets of Keenan’s advanced weaponry. Donno, Wykin and Jakko briefly regained control of the planet, but were ultimately defeated by the Flash, Keenan’s inventions, and forces loyal to Flingo. Keenan chose to remain on Karma, where his inventions were less likely to be misused. (All-Flash #11, 1943)
Aftermath
The Flash and his sidekicks returned to Earth, and the Dimwits brought back a plant. The plant’s leaves, when eaten, turned humans temporarily invisible—something the Thinker’s gang put to good use. (All-Flash #12, 1943)
The Flash returned to Karma at Keenan’s request in 1946, when he learned that the planet would soon be plunged into a new stone age. Karma would be invaded in nine years (i.e. 1955), would fight valiantly for a year, but would never recover. The Flash was able to fight off the invaders, saving enough of Karma’s civilization—and the life of its adopted super-genius—so that it could rebuild. (All-Flash #23, 1946)**
Text by Kelson Vibber. Do not copy without permission.
Art
- All-Flash #11 (July–August 1943) - E.E. Hibbard
Golden-Age Appearances (possibly incomplete)
- All-Flash #11 (July–August 1943): “Troubles Come In Doubles,” Gardner Fox
- All-Flash #12 (Fall 1943): “Tumble Inn to Trouble,” Gardner Fox (plant only)
- Flash Comics #52 (April 1944): “The Machine That Thinks Like a Man,” Gardner Fox (mentioned only)
- All-Flash #23 (June–July 1946): “A World with Two Futures,” Gardner Fox
Notes
* I honestly cannot tell what role Jannie has in the expedition. Is she Flingo’s Vice-President? Assistant? Partner? Girlfriend? Sidekick? Attorney-General?
** “A World with Two Futures” is one of the few Golden-Age stories in which the Flash travels through time under his own power.
Home
