The Flash (character)
The Flash is a prominent superhero character in the DC Comics universe, first introduced in 1940. Known as "the fastest man alive," The Flash possesses the remarkable ability to run at superhuman speeds, a defining characteristic that has persisted through various alter egos, including Jay Garrick, Barry Allen, Wally West, and Bart Allen. The original Flash, Jay Garrick, gained his powers after an accident in his lab, while Barry Allen, perhaps the most recognized iteration, acquired his abilities from a lightning strike combined with chemicals. The character has undergone numerous transformations over the decades, contributing to extensive storylines and a rich legacy.
The Flash has inspired multiple comic book series, animated films, and live-action adaptations, including two television series that aired from 1990 to 1991 and from 2014 to 2023. Barry Allen, portrayed by Grant Gustin in the later series, became a central figure alongside numerous supporting characters and villains. Wally West, who initially started as Kid Flash, took on the role of the Flash following Barry's death in the 1985 storyline "Crisis on Infinite Earths." The character has also appeared in various live-action films, notably played by Ezra Miller in the 2017 film "Justice League" and the standalone "The Flash," released in 2023. Despite facing various challenges in adaptations, The Flash remains a beloved icon in superhero lore, captivating audiences with themes of heroism and resilience.
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The Flash (character)
One of the most enduring characters in the DC Comics universe is the Flash. The Flash debuted in 1940. The Flash has had various alter egos since his introduction, including Jay Garrick, Barry Allen, Wally West, and Bart Allen. No matter which one donned the Flash's name and garb, the Flash's defining superpower has always been the ability to run at the speed of light. Despite changing alter egos and costumes, the Flash has continued as a popular character for more than seventy-five years. The superhero has inspired countless comic books, two television series (1990–91 and 2014–23), a half dozen animated movies, and several live-action films.
Background
The original Flash character debuted in 1940 in comic books by writer Gardner Fox and illustrator Harry Lampert. The character, also known as "the fastest man alive," is believed to have been based on the Roman god of speed, Mercury. The Flash begins as a college student named Jay Garrick, who lives in Keystone City. One night, while working in his lab, Garrick falls asleep and accidentally knocks over his science experiment, which involves radioactive gases. He breathes in the gases and almost dies. After a few weeks, he recovers and discovers that he has developed an incredible new superpower: super speed.
The original Flash is portrayed wearing a costume consisting of a red shirt with a lightning bolt on it, blue and yellow pants, and a silver-winged helmet. In the comic books, the Jay Garrick version of the Flash is portrayed as middle-aged. He is, however, much older. Various events in Garrick's story line inhibited the natural aging process. At one point, for example, he spends some time in suspended animation. Garrick's Flash makes his last appearance in 1951.
The Flash Today
Several other Flash alter egos have been introduced since 1951. The second, and perhaps most well-known, is forensic scientist Barry Allen. Allen spends much of his time searching for clues to his mother's murder and fights hard to solve any criminal case he is given. Allen's Flash debuted in 1956 in a comic book authored by John Broome and Robert Kanigher and illustrated by Carmine Infantino and Joe Kubert.
Living in Central City, Allen is known for running late wherever he goes. This changes when a lightning bolt strikes a shelf in his lab. Chemicals explode and spill, and suddenly Allen is blessed with super speed. His costume includes yellow boots, but it is his red bodysuit with a lightning bolt emblazoned on the front that earns him the nickname the "Scarlet Speedster." Allen is able not only to move at the speed of light but also to run up and over buildings and to pass through solid objects, frequently creating sonic booms as he does so.
The Allen iteration of the Flash continued for nearly thirty years (1956–85). In his adventures, he faces such foes as Captain Cold, Captain Boomerang, Mirror Master, Weather Wizard, Trickster, and the Pied Piper. In some issues of the comic book, Allen is accompanied by his nephew and sidekick, Wally West, known as Kid Flash. West receives his superpowers in much the same way as the other Flash characters: while visiting his uncle at the Central City police station, he is struck by lightning while too close to some dangerous chemicals. He becomes an official member of a younger group of superheroes, the Teen Titans.
When Barry Allen is killed trying to save the world from the villain Anti-Monitor, Wally West assumes the role of the Flash. West's flash took over in issue number 12 of Crisis on Infinite Earths, published in 1985. At first, the fan base was not pleased with West's portrayal of the superhero, but over time, he became quite popular. West starts out slower than the other Flash characters but ends up becoming the quickest of all of them. He is credited with discovering a link to an energy source called the Speed Force, from which the Flash's superpowers are supposedly derived. In later comics, Wally West's Flash is portrayed as Black rather than Caucasian.
Wally West appeared in comics featuring the Flash from 1987 through 2010. The only exception was in 2006, when a character named Bart Allen appeared as the Flash in a thirteen-issue arc. Bart Allen is Barry Allen's grandson and comes from the future. During Bart Allen's stint as the flash, he battles a villain known as Inertia, who eventually kills him. At that point, West returns as the Flash.
The various alter egos of the Flash have overlapped considerably over time, which can make it difficult to keep track of the Flash's identity. For example, although Barry Allen died in Crisis on Infinite Earths, he returned in Final Crisis in 2008. Moreover, reboots of comic book series can sometimes eliminate characters altogether. When DC Comics restarted all of its series, Barry Allen was the Flash; Jay Garrick, Wally West, and Bart Allen were eliminated.
The Flash has appeared in the animated television series Super Friends and in several animated movies. From 1990 to 1991, actor John Wesley Shipp played the Flash in the live-action television series The Flash. In 2013, the CW Television Network introduced the Flash in season two, episode eight of the live-action television series Arrow. In the episode, titled "The Scientist," actor Grant Gustin portrayed Barry Allen. The following year, the television series The Flash, starring Gustin as Barry Allen/Flash, premiered on the CW and ran for a noted nine seasons before ending in 2023. In addition, the Flash made appearances, though more minor, in the DC live-action films Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016) and Suicide Squad (2016). Played in these instances by actor Ezra Miller, the Flash, with Miller again reprising the role, had a larger part in the cast of 2017's Justice League, a different version of which, consisting of material entirely helmed by Zack Snyder this time, came out in 2021. Though a live-action film centering on the character had long been in some stage of development, it would not be released, as The Flash and starring Miller, until 2023. Receiving mixed or negative reviews overall, the film did not perform as well as others in the superhero genre, bringing in comparatively poor box-office numbers within the first month of its theatrical release.
Bibliography
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Betancourt, David. "What Went Wrong with 'The Flash'?" The Washington Post, 1 July 2023, www.washingtonpost.com/comics/2023/07/01/the-flash-box-office/. Accessed 17 July 2023.
Collura, Scott. "Comics History 101: The Flash." IGN, 30 Sept. 2014, www.ign.com/articles/2014/09/30/comics-history-101-the-flash. Accessed 4 Dec. 2016.
Couch, Aaron. "First Reactions of 'The Flash' from CinemaCon: 'Among the Best Superhero Films Ever.'" The Hollywood Reporter, 25 Apr. 2023, www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/the-flash-ezra-miller-cinemacon-1235401610/. Accessed 26 Apr. 2023.
"The Flash." DC Comics, www.dccomics.com/characters/the-flash. Accessed 17 July 2023.
Marnell, Blair. "Origins and Evolutions: The Flash." SuperHeroType, 2 Feb. 2015, www.superherohype.com/features/328079-origins-and-evolutions-the-flash#/slide/1. Accessed 4 Dec. 2016.
Rivera, Joshua. "The Most Important Character in the DC Universe Isn't Batman or Superman—It's the Flash." Business Insider, 22 May 2015, www.businessinsider.com/the-flash-is-the-best-dc-superhero-2015-5. Accessed 4 Dec. 2016.