250's for America's 250 · Day 8: The Flash #250

Publishing: Thursday, June 18, 2026 · DC Comics · Cover date: June 1977

Cover art by Rich Buckler (pencils) and Jack Abel (inks)

See full issue details on the Grand Comics Database →

Back to DC for one of the real first-appearance keys of the whole countdown.

The issue

"One Freeze-Dried Flash—Coming Right Up!" traps the Scarlet Speedster in the icy grip of Captain Cold — and then a brand-new villain crashes the party. The Golden Glider intervenes, not to save the Flash, but so she alone can have the pleasure of destroying him. She's revealed to be Lisa Snart, Captain Cold's sister and the grieving lover of the late villain the Top, out for vengeance she blames on the Flash. Her ice-skating, jewel-themed gimmick debuts here.

Who's in it

• The Flash (Barry Allen) — the Scarlet Speedster, caught between two ice-themed villains with very different agendas.
• Iris Allen — Barry's wife, tied to the emotional stakes of the Rogues' ongoing vendetta.
• Captain Cold (Leonard Snart) — one of the Flash's oldest Rogues, wielding his signature cold gun.
• Golden Glider (Lisa Snart) — making her first appearance here: Captain Cold's sister, an ice-skating villain driven by grief and revenge.

Behind the book (creators)

• Writer: Cary Bates
• Pencils: Irv Novick · Inks: Vince Colletta
• Cover: Rich Buckler / Jack Abel
• Editor: Julius Schwartz

Meet the creators

Irv Novick had one of the longest careers in mainstream comics, starting in the Golden Age of the 1940s and still drawing top DC titles like Batman and The Flash well into the 1970s. Prized for his clean, storytelling-first layouts, he was one of the workhorse artists who kept DC's Bronze Age line running on schedule for decades.

Vince Colletta built his early career in the 1950s romance-comics boom before becoming one of the most prolific inkers in the industry, working over pencillers as varied as Jack Kirby and Irv Novick. His fast, fluid inking line made him a favorite of editors racing to hit deadlines, though it also made him a frequent subject of debate among fans and pencillers over how much of an artist's original linework it preserved.

What it's worth

A genuine key thanks to the first Golden Glider — a character who later turned up in The Flash TV show and HBO's Harley Quinn universe. Per current price tracking: NM- (9.2) around $80, with CGC 9.8 around $379 (multiple confirmed 2024 sales in the ~$345–$405 range, plus an outlier above $1,000 in 2023). Raw low-grade copies can still be had for just a few dollars.

Where to read it (collected edition)

A trade or omnibus reprint of Flash #250 could not be confirmed — the major Bronze Age Flash collections don't appear to include it. Treat as likely uncollected pending verification.

Part of "250's for America's 250" — counting 24 milestone #250 comics down to the U.S. 250th on July 4, 2026.