WARNING! LOTS OF SPOILERS AHEAD!
Release Date: July 1987
Title: Heart... of Stone
Writer: Mike Baron
Penciller: Jackson Guice
Inker: Larry Mahlstedt
Guest Stars: Francis Kane, Cyborg
Bad Guys: Vandal Savage
Cover: Jackson Guice
"Savage Showdown!". Vandal Savage is throwing Francis (who's wearing a short, pink, froofy dress) out of a window, with Flash reaching for her, almost running out the window himself.
The comic
Wally, now wearing his costume, faces off with Vandal Savage in his apartment. Savage explains that the heart belongs to the private investigator from last issue, that he killed him to protect his anonymity, and now he must kill Wally. Wally attempts to leave, but Savage has cast a containment spell around the apartment, and the door leads to some fiery other dimension. They fight, and Wally manages to push Savage out the door, and the containment spell is broken with an explosion. Vandal disappears.
Wally goes to the hospital to get his wrist fixed again, and Francis meets him there. He tells her about winning the lottery, and they go to her apartment, since his is trashed. He uses her computer to track Vandal Savage to the ownership of an upmarket antiques shop there in New York.
He spends the night at Frances' place, and the next day he collects his lottery winnings and visits Savage's antiques boutique, only to discover it has closed down. That night, Wally and Frances go out on the town to celebrate his new wealth. As they dine in a fancy restaurant a business card is delivered to their table - it's Savage's. Wally looks around, and sees Savage looking menacingly at them from the mezzanine level.
Savage smashes a window and throws out a random innocent diner. Wally changes into his uniform and zips off, catching the woman before she hits the ground. The Flash then has trouble getting back in, as Savage has cast a containment spell around the restaurant. While Flash searches for an entrance not covered by the spell, Savage is menacing Frances. She throws everything metal she can at him, but only makes him angrier. He is strangling her when Flash knocks him down from behind, having at last found a way in. They fight, and Flash eventually manages to throw him in the air, and Frances takes the opportunity to move a desert trolly under him, which rolls out the window. Savage disappears before he hits the ground, and he does not reappear. Wally theorises that he will lie low for a time now that the false identity he used for the antique shop has been exposed.
Later, Wally takes Frances out to Long Island in his new Porsche, and surprises Frances buy showing her the mansion he has just bought, and inviting her to move in with him.
Good Stuff
Vandal Savage: "I must kill you to protect my anonymity... and to take your force... to drink your blood... and live! I'll squeeze your heart like a grapefruit."
Wally's narration, after giving Frances some lingere: "Not everything is done at super-speed. Sleep, for instance."
Not-so-good Stuff
So Vandal Savage wants to kill Wally because he found out Savage sells antiques? Well, I suppose it might be a bit embarrasing if all the other supervillains found out. It's difficult being hardcore when everyone knows you care more about Louis XVI chairs than ruling the world.
Flashometer
Flash's current top speed is just under the speed of sound.
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