Iron Mask

Real Name: Unknown
First Appearance: Captain Flash #1 (1954)
Original Publisher: Sterling
Created by: Mike Sekowsky and Martin Smith

Origin: 

Iron Mask was a villain who planted a lead-coated hydrogen bomb in Atom City and challenged Captain Flash and Ricky Davis to find it. The only clue he gave them was a riddle. Captain Flash was able to decipher the riddle and traveled to Matto Grosso, where he encountered Iron Mask's robots, which were modeled after monsters from the Ancient Greek myth (mostly the Odyssey). After defeating the monsters, he realized that their names were a clue to the bomb's location -a construction site. With less than seconds to spare, he used his powers to disable the bomb... Only to discover that Iron Mask used it as a distraction to sneak into the city's atomic energy plant and steal radioactive cobalt. Thanks to Ricky's timely intervention, Captain Flash was able to stop the Iron Mask, but he seemingly fell to his death before he could be apprehended.

The story strongly hinted that Iron Mask would become a recurring enemy, but this was his only appearance.

Powers and Abilities: 

Iron Mask was a brilliant inventor who was able to create a proton gun and life-like robots of various shapes and sizes. He also seemed to have at least some knowledge of nuclear physics.

Public Domain Appearances: 

Captain Flash #1

Captain Flash & Ricky

Real Name: Keith Spencer & Ricky Davis
First Appearance: Captain Flash #1 (Nov 1954)
Original Publisher: Sterling
Created by: Martin Smith & Mike Sekowsky

Origin:

Captain Flash was Keith Spencer, a science professor who lived in Atom City, a municipality located somewhere in western United States. As the name implies, lots of atomic research went on there. One day, Keith Spencer was a teaching a class when an experiment with radioactivity went horribly wrong. Keith bravely shielded his students with his own body, absorbing all the radiation. Although he survived the experience, he knew that the radiation would eventually kill him and prepared for a slow, painful death.

But to Keith's surprise and disbelief, he didn't die. In fact, the radiation seem to have made him feel stronger, faster, more resilient and generally better then ever before. Keith ran several experiments, not daring to allow himself a glimmer of hope, but the results came back the same. Keith clapped his hands and, to his amazement, this set off a miniature atomic explosion within his body. He became taller and more muscular, and his newfound abilities increased exponentially. Keith decided to use his powers to fight crime and protect the Atom City from anyone who tries to use the power of the atom for nefarious purposes as Captain Flash.

The effect of the atomic explosion were temporary. Whenever Keith needed to become Captain Flash, he had to clap his hands and his powers returned to their peak. Sometimes, the power ran out in the middle of the fight (the comics never established just how long they were supposed to last), but he could regain it by clapping his hands. He fought Eastern Block agents, aliens and supernatural creatures (most of which were after the research conducted in Atom City) He was nicknamed "America's Ace Defender."

Ricky Davis, a student in Keith's class, didn't have any super powers, but he put on a costume and tagged along as Captain Flash's sidekick, Ricky. Mostly, it was out of a sense of obligation (after all, Keith did save his life).

Public Domain Appearances:

Captain Flash #1-4