The Flash #336

The Flash number 336, released in August 1984, arrived during a tumultuous period for the DC Universe as the publisher prepared for the radical shifts of the Crisis on Infinite Earths. This specific issue features the Trial of the Flash storyline, a long-form narrative arc that saw Barry Allen facing severe legal consequences for his actions against the Reverse-Flash. The creative team, anchored by writer Cary Bates and artist Carmine Infantino, leaned heavily into the high-stakes soap opera drama that defined the character’s mid-1980s era.

Carmine Infantino’s distinct, kinetic illustration style remains a hallmark of this issue, reflecting his decades-long history with the Scarlet Speedster. By this stage in the series, the visual tone was marked by the intense, melancholic atmosphere of a hero running out of time, both metaphorically and within the impending editorial overhaul of the DC line. While not the most famous issue of the run, it stands as a clear example of the narrative ambition present in the series before Barry Allen’s eventual departure from his own title.