Key Comic Book First Appearances: Values & How to Spot Them

Flash (Barry Allen) First Appearance: Showcase #4 Value by Grade

Quick answer

Flash (Barry Allen) first appeared in Showcase #4; CGC copies sell from $7,899 to $99,450. How to confirm an original and spot reprints.

Updated 2026-09-25 · Sources: pricecharting.com, CGC Comics, 13thdimension.com

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What are the key facts?

Character: Flash (Barry Allen)
Publisher: DC
First appearance: Showcase #4
Cover date: September-October 1956
On sale: 1956
Creators: Robert Kanigher, John Broome, Carmine Infantino
Value range (CGC, PriceCharting): $7,899 (CGC 2.0) to $99,450 (CGC 9.2)

Where Flash (Barry Allen) first appeared

Flash (Barry Allen) first appeared in Showcase #4 (cover date September-October 1956), published by DC, by Robert Kanigher, John Broome, Carmine Infantino. The source puts it this way: "Showcase #4 graded CGC 9.2, with the first appearance of the Silver Age Flash (Barry Allen)".

How much is Showcase #4 worth?

PriceCharting values for Showcase #4 (1956) by CGC grade, based on recorded sales and updated September 25, 2026:

CGC 2.0: $7,899
CGC 3.0: $11,557
CGC 4.0: $14,206
CGC 5.0: $16,518
CGC 6.0: $33,600
CGC 7.0: $66,425
CGC 8.0: $76,500
CGC 9.0: $93,013
CGC 9.2: $99,450

The spread from CGC 2.0 ($7,899) to CGC 9.2 ($99,450) shows how much condition matters on a key issue. Restored, trimmed or incomplete copies sell far below these figures, and reprints and facsimiles (see below) are worth a small fraction. Grade and restoration are confirmed by a grading service such as CGC or CBCS; prices move with the market and the character's popularity.

How to tell you have Showcase #4

Cover date / publisher on CGC census record: CGC's census record lists the cover date as 9-10/56.
Original creative team: the original issue was written by Robert Kanigher and John Broome, with art by Carmine Infantino.

Reprints and facsimiles

Several later editions reproduce this issue. They are easy to mistake for the original at a glance:

DC Facsimile Edition: Showcase #4: Modern DC Facsimile Edition reprint with its own separate on-sale date, distinct from the 1956 original printing; also issued with foil and blank-sketch variant covers not present on the original.

Checks that apply to any key issue

Indicia: the small print on the first page or inside cover gives the issue number, date and publisher; reprints usually say so there.
Cover price and barcode: a price or barcode format that did not exist in the year printed means a later edition.
Paper and staples: decades-old newsprint is tan at the edges; bright white pages on an old date are a warning sign.
Restoration: color touch, trimmed edges and married covers are common on expensive keys; a grading service can detect them.

How to photograph it for identification

Shoot the front cover flat, straight on, in even light, then the indicia page and the back cover. Include the top edge and staples in one frame. The app reads the title, issue number and cover and matches it against the checks above; the indicia photo settles most reprint questions.

FAQ

What comic is Flash (Barry Allen)'s first appearance?

Showcase #4, cover-dated September-October 1956, from DC.

How do I know if my Showcase #4 is an original?

Cover date / publisher on CGC census record: CGC's census record lists the cover date as 9-10/56. Also check for the DC Facsimile Edition: Showcase #4: Modern DC Facsimile Edition reprint with its own separate on-sale date, distinct from the 1956 original printing; also issued with foil and blank-sketch variant covers not present on the original.

Should I get it graded?

If it is genuinely this issue and in decent shape, a grading service authenticates it and detects restoration. Read the comic grading guide first so you know what the grade will mean.

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