F.R.E.D. (Functional Recorder of Encyclopedic Data)	BIOGRAPHY
Created by Len Wein and Irv Novick

PERSONAL DATA

Real Name: Functional Recorder of Encyclopedic Data
Base of Operation: Central City
Gender: Programmed male
Hair: None
First Appearance: Flash #217 (August-September 1972): "Flash Times Five is Fatal"
Creators: Len Wein and Irv Novick

HISTORY

F.R.E.D. (Functional Recorder of Encyclopedic Data) was a supercomputer created by the absent-minded Professor Ira West. The Professor had often forgotten to disengage F.R.E.D.'s circuits when not in use and it appeared frequent power overloads led it to a "nervous breakdown." When asked by the Professor how someone like the Flash could have super speed, the computer explained it was the work of five ex-track stars stationed in various places around Central City. Wearing identical costumes, the clever fraud gave the illusion of super speed.

Stunned by this idea, the Professor left, once more forgetting to power down the computer. Left operational, F.R.E.D. rethought its calculations, realizing it was a decimal point off. F.R.E.D. believed the Professor would dismantle the computer if her learned of the error, so F.R.E.D. set out to split the Flash into five separate beings with a transmorphic discharge, thereby changing the speedster to fit F.R.E.D.'s explanation.

Concerned the Flash would learn the truth, F.R.E.D. sent the speedster's duplicates against the original, but the Flash was able to reintegrate them into himself. The strain was ultimately too much for the computer as it burnt itself out, leaving behind a puzzled Professor West. -Flash #217

CHRONOLOGY

For a definitive list of appearances of F.R.E.D. in chronological order click here