THE FLASH #145

This 1964 pre-direct market issue predates the newsstand/direct distinction, so no variant designation applies. Visible defects include moderate spine stress with several ticks along the spine edge, mild corner wear at the top left and bottom corners, and light overall surface wear consistent with handling. There is minor edge chipping along the right border and some color rub on the yellow background near the spine; the book is in a protective sleeve which may obscure some surface detail. Interior and back cover were not assessed.

The Flash #145 arrived in mid-1964 as part of the title's long, steady run under the John Broome/Carmine Infantino creative team that defined the character's Silver Age identity. Infantino's dynamic, motion-forward cover work and Broome's tightly plotted scripts were the engine of the series through the 1960s, and this issue is a representative example of that era's house style rather than a landmark single issue. Kid Flash back-up features were a regular fixture of the book by this point, giving the issue additional appeal to Wally West completists even without a first appearance on its own cover.

Market data shows a broad, well-populated census typical of a mid-run Silver Age Flash issue: certified copies span the full grading spectrum with active sales activity concentrated in the 6.5 to 9.6 range, and pricing climbs steadily rather than sharply until the very top of the curve. Demand is driven primarily by Silver Age Flash and Barry Allen collectors building complete title runs, plus general Silver Age superhero buyers drawn to Infantino cover art, rather than by any single event or character debut. The absence of recorded 9.8 sales despite seven copies existing at that grade suggests the top of the population trades infrequently and privately rather than through open auction.

This is a book that performs best as a run-filler for Flash and Barry Allen collectors, with low and mid-grade raw copies trading cheaply and predictably as commodity Silver Age material. High-grade certified copies carry a real premium reflecting genuine scarcity at the top of the census, but that premium is driven by condition rarity rather than content significance, and buyers seeking a definitive Flash key should look elsewhere in the run. Expect steady, unspectacular demand across grades, with the best copies attracting die-hard Flash specialists and near-complete-run collectors willing to pay for census-topping condition.