Flash

The Flash is published by DC Comics. Current price per issue is $2.50.

Last Issue

 * The Flash #229: 21 Dec 2005

Current Issue

 * The Flash #230: 18 Jan 2006

Next Issue

 * The Flash: Fastest Man Alive #1: 21 Jun 2006

Status
Published monthly. Final issue was #230. Scheduled to be relaunched in June 2006 as The Flash: Fastest Man Alive.

Main Characters

 * The Flash/Wally West - The fastest man alive. Can tap into The Speed Force to acheive great speed in running. Can also add or take away speed from other objects.

Allies

 * The Flash/Jay Garrick - The original Flash from the 'Golden Age' of the 1940s. Kept relatively young by his connection to the Speed Force.


 * Kid Flash/Bart Allen - The fastest kid alive. From the future, where he was rapid-aged in a virtual reality environment before being sent back in time to our time for protection. Previously known as Impulse.


 * Jesse Quick - Daughter of Johnny Quick, another speedster from the 1940s. Taps into the Speed Force by reciting a secret formula. Unlike the other speedsters, she can fly as well as run fast.


 * Linda Park - Television reporter. Wife to Wally West. They have 2 twins, whose names have not been confirmed by the main series, but other series gives them the names "Iris" and "Barry."


 * JLA - The Flash is a longtime member of the Justice League of America.


 * Teen Titans - Wally West was one of the founding members of the Teen Titans, and still has friends associated with the group, such as Bart Allen and Cyborg.


 * Justice League Elite - The Flash, along with fellow JLA member Green Arrow, joined a more agressive strike-force loosely associated with the JLA called the Justice League Elite. The group is now officially retired.


 * The Outsiders - A group started by former Teen Titans members, The Flash is not a member of this group, but is close friends with its founder Nightwing (aka Dick Grayson) and was a teammate of Arsenal when he was using the name Speedy.

Enemies

 * The Reverse-Flash/Professor Zoom/Eobard Thawne - Speedster from the 25th Century who travelled back in time to try to kill Iris West. His costume is the inverse of The Flash: Yellow costume with red trim. Killed (inadvertantly) by Barry Allen. - Reverse-flash


 * Zoom/Hunter Zoloman - Speedster who does not tap into the Speed Force, but rather by altering his personal timeframe. He believes that Wally West needs to suffer personal tragedy in order to be a better hero, and has become fixated on killed West's wife, Linda Park. - Reverse-flash

Minor Characters

 * The Flash/Barry Allen - Wally West's uncle. The second speedster to go by the moniker The Flash. Died saving the universe during Crisis on Infinite Earths.


 * Iris Allen - Wally West's aunt. Bart Allen's grandmother. Widow of Barry Allen.


 * Joan Garrick - Wife to Jay Garrick.


 * Meloni Thawne - Mother to Bart Allen.

Other Characters/Places/Things

 * Ashley Zolomon: Wife of Hunter Zolomon/Zoom. Currently works as a Profiler for the Police Department.

The Flash #230
The final issue of the series has Flash triumphing once again over Vandal Savage and realizing the importance of his family. He goes so far as to consider giving up the life of a super-hero. He manages to defeat Savage by reversing the impact of the weapon Savage stole from him, sending Savage into orbit on a meteor that was about to collide with Earth.

The Flash #228
Part 2 of "Finish Line." Wally recruits the help of his close friend Nightwing in tracking down the weapon stolen from the Flash Museum. He also reveals to Dick that he has been having vivid nightmares about something terrible happening to his family. Dick and Wally track down the weapon to Cyborg, who has "borrowed" it to see what it does, as it's original purpose was never revealed. Wally ignore his friends' requests to know more about it before giving it to strangers, but Wally's desire to protect his family (and his natural impulsiveness) get the best of him as he takes the weapon and heads to the parisioners wanting to use it to return to their utopian homeworld.

The Flash #227
The first part of the "Finish Line" story arc that will conclude The Flash: Volume 2 series. Wally has been experiencing some terrible dreams as of late, and we learn one of the negative side effects of being the "Fastest Man Alive" is that in a single night of sleep, his mind can make up a hundred different scenarios. The stress of watching a thousand imagined horrors happening to his family begin wearing on the speedster, and looking for relief, he turns to Linda's parents and their newfound religious peace.

Agreeing to give it a chance, Wally visits their church to find a group of predominantly super-powered individuals trying to return to their other-dimension homeworld. Wally just begins to feel sympathy for them, they say they need only one more thing to make their journey to Utopia complete: a weapon from the Flash museum. They agree to let Wally join them in their new civilization if he will get it for them, but when he goes to the museum to get it, he find it has been stolen.

The Flash #226
"down time" - Wally takes a mountain climbing trip, but develops altitude sickness because of his side trips as The Flash. Despite his sickness he manages to rescue the other climbers when disaster strikes.

The Flash #225
"Rogue War" part 6 of 6. Barry & Wally battle both Zooms through time and space, defeating them, and Barry takes Prof. Zoom back to the future. During the course of the battle, Wally ends up back at the time when Zoom caused Linda to miscarry, and interferes with those events, altering the timeline. Back in the present, Linda gives birth to twins, and The Rogues decide to take up Luthor's offer to join the Secret Society.

The Flash #224
"Rogue War" part 5 of 6. The Reverse-Flash (Eobard Thawne) arrives from the future on a cosmic treadmill, and together with Zoom they battle Flash, Jay Garrick, and Kid Flash. They battle at super-speed through the streets of Keystone City, then through time via the cosmic treadmill, until finally Barry Allen arrives on a cosmic treadmill.

Collections

 * The Flash: Born to Run - Collects ???. "When Wally West, the adolescent nephew of the Flash's fiancée, accidentally gained powers of super speed, he became the Scarlet Speedster's sidekick. Growing up as his hero's protégé, Kid Flash had a childhood of amazing action and adventure. But on the day that the Flash died, Wally's carefree adolescence abruptly ended and his life as an adult began. The Flash: Born to Run looks back at Wally's earliest days as the Kid Flash and explores the gamut of his emotions and experiences from his first day as a child hero to his succession of Barry Allen as the new Flash. A journey full of humor and drama, this story shows just how much Wally West loves being the fastest man alive." - WorldCat - ISBN 1563895048


 * The Flash: The Return of Barry Allen - Collects #74-79. "Current Flash Wally West faces his uncle Barry -- seemingly back from the dead -- with open arms. But what is the incredible secret behind his reappearance?" - WorldCat - ISBN 1563892685


 * The Flash: Terminal Velocity - Collects #0, 95-100. "As a result of the events in Zero Hour, Flash achieved the speed of light, and in so doing was flung headlong on an odyssey of self-rediscovery. He encountered, for the first time, the mysterious force on the Other Side of Light, a strange energy that in time would cause him to transcend all previous limits, transforming Wally West into the quintessential fusion of humanity and velocity." - WorldCat - ISBN 1563892499


 * The Flash: Dead Heat - Collects #108-111, plus Impulse #10-11. "The ruthless Savitar attempts to take control of the Speed Force, an indefinable energy field that is the source of all speedsters' powers. Learning that every one of his allies, including Impulse and Jesse Quick, has lost their speed, the Flash rushes to take on this new menace. But when the Scarlet Speedster confronts Savitar, he learns that his enemy has diligently studied the Speed Force and can use it in ways that Flash never dreamed of. Up against a foe who is more than his equal, Flash's only chance of victory now lies in the desperate self-sacrifice of one of his dearest friends." - WorldCat - ISBN 1563896230


 * The Flash: Race Against Time - Collects #112-117? "In this sequel to The Flash: Dead Heat, the Flash finds himself lost in time after defeating the evil Savitar. Trapped in the 64th century, the Scarlet Speedster encounters inconceivable horrors in a future he could never have imagined. Hoping to use the love that he shares with his girlfriend as a beacon, Flash tries to find his way back to his own era. Unfortunately, a new speedster named Johnny Thunder, who is trying to usurp his identity and steal his girlfriend, has convinced Linda that he is dead. Now Flash must overcome the complexities of time and the machinations of a new enemy in order to reclaim his life." - WorldCat - ISBN 1563897210


 * The Flash: Blood Will Run - Collects #170-176. "Cicada, the charismatic leader of a deadly cult, makes his first appearance as he bastardizes the Flash's lifetime of heroic acts. Cicada's cult has been systematically murdering every person that the Flash has ever saved in Keystone City. Now as the fastest man alive comes to realize that he is indirectly responsible for the death of some many innocent people, he must shed his guilt and face Cicada head-on before any more blood is shed in his name. But when he discovers that someone special from his past is one of Cicada's devoted followers, the Flash finds himself on the verge of a catastrophic breakdown." - WorldCat - ISBN 1563898799


 * The Flash: Rogues - Collects #177-181. "Keystone City is on the brink of destruction again, and only The Flash can save it. But can he handle Captain Cold and the Mirror Master as well? Throw the Plunderer, Gorilla Grod and the Pied Piper into the mix, and it's a recipe for disaster!"- WorldCat - ISBN 1563899507


 * The Flash: Crossfire - Collects #183-191. "The Flash has opposed many costumed villains in his career, but when they team up under the control of a new criminal known as Blacksmith, things go from tough to impossible! And when the artificial intelligence known as the Thinker makes his presence known the Flash finds himself in a crossfire between the two sets of villains." - WorldCat - ISBN 1401201954


 * The Flash: Blitz - Collects #192-200. "Featuring the stories 'Run Riot' and 'Blitz!' In this collection, the Fastest Man Alive may not be fast enough to survive an attack from Gorilla Grodd and then prevent an attack by Zoom that's both deadly and intensely personal!" - WorldCat - ISBN 1401203353


 * The Flash: Ignition - Collects #201-206. "A series of bizarre incidents helps police mechanic Wally West discover that he is the Flash! Can he relearn his powers in time to solve a series of murders in Keystone City?" - WorldCat - ISBN 1401204635


 * The Flash: The Secret of Barry Allen - Collects #207-211, 213-217. "The Flash teams with Nightwing to face Gorilla Grodd! And a dark decision from Barry Allen's past is revealed, leading Wally to make some difficult choices of his own." - WorldCat - ISBN 1401207235


 * The Flash: Rogue War - Collects #1/2, 212, 218, 220-225. "The brewing contest between the original rogues gallery and the newest rogues ignites into a conflagration that may result in the destruction of Keystone City and the death of the Scarlet Speedster!" - WorldCat - ISBN 1401209246

History
Jay Garrick In the 40s, The Flash was a scientist named Jay Garrick, who inherited his ability from a chemical experience gone awry. Although the idea of being given super-speed from a failed "hardwater experiment" may seem a bit far-fetched to today's sentiments, it was enough to give Jay Garrick a 9 year-run as a star in the comic books Flash Comics and All-Flash Quarterly. His regular series was ended as comic book sales nationwide sagged in the post-World War II climate of extreme conservatism.

Barry Allen The concept of The Flash was reimagined and released in 1956 with Showcase #4, when Barry Allen made his debut as a police scientist who had been given the gift of speed. Because it was so well-received by the public, Barry Allen took over his own book, The Flash, starting where the original Flash Comics series ended, number 105.

The reintroduction of the Flash came with several changes, and several similarities to the Golden Age's Jay Garrick. The Flash was still a mild-mannered scientist, who's real-life persona seemed to be chronically late. He was then transformed while working in his laboratory and managed to keep his secret-identity from those closest to him. While Jay was only a scientist, Barry Allen worked as a forensic scientist for a police department. It was while working in his police lab that a bolt of lightning crashed through a window and struck Barry, forcing him into a shelf full of chemicals. This chemical bath endoed mild-mannered Barry Allen with the gift of super-speed and the ability to fight for justice outside the sterile environment of his lab.

Barry's personal life was centered around his relationship with Iris West, his fiancee and eventually, his wife. Strong and somewhat independent, Iris was always frustrated with how her fiancee never seemed to be able to get anywhere on time. Iris had a nephew who was a huge fan of the Flash, named Wally West. Wally the president of his city's Flash Fan Club, and was thrilled to learn that Aunt Iris's boyfriend could arrange a meeting with the Scarlet Speedster. Bored with the boring police scientist and anxious to meet his idol, Wally was only half-listening to Barry as he recounted the accident which gave the Flash his powers. In the middle of the story, however, the unthinkable happened when the same accident reoccurred, granting Wally the same super powers it gave Barry. And thus, in The Flash #110 "Kid Flash" was born.

Eventaully, Iris and Barry were married, and the Flash began considering whether it was time to share his secret with Iris. Perhaps she would be a bit more understanding of his chronic tardiness if she knew that he was fighting crime as the Flash. Barry knew he somehow had to tell Iris his secret life as the Flash, but he wrestles with the how and when for quite sometime. In a rather amusing and awkward issue, he finally reveals to her who he is, only to find out Iris has known since they were married, because Barry talked outloud in his sleep.

The success of thie "new" Flash spurred DC to start revamping it's lineup, recreating many of the golden-age characters, such as Green Lantern, Hawkman, and others. With all the reintroductions and reimaginings, it was only logical for both fans and writers alike to wonder: what would happen if the new characters met their classic counterparts? Once again, DC used the Flash to explore new territory to examine exactly what it might be like for contemporary heroes to meet the Golden Age versions of themselves. In The Flash #123, DC opened up the concept of Earth-1 and Earth-2, two planets in two separate dimensions, one that was home to all of the Golden Age versions of their superheroes, another one with all of the contemporary versions.

This concept fueled the DC Universe for decades, for more information on it, see the page on the History of the DC Universe. Eventually, Barry's character became the epitome of a hero: an excellent father-figure to Kid Flash, the perfect husband, an example of clean living and an upstanding role-model. However, perfection does not inspire interesting storylines. To keep a comic from growing stale, DC had learned there must be constant conflict, or eventually Barry Allen would suffer the same fate as Jay Garrick. And so, in The Flash #276, Iris Allen was murdered Flash's archnemsis, Dr. Zoom: the Reverse Flash.

This of course devastated Barry, who briefly suffered a mental breakdown and was unable to tell friend from foe. Eventually, though, he regained his clarity and, through the help and support of his friends, was able to resume his life, both personally and professionally. However, his world was turned upside-down. He was eventually able to love again, and Barry began seeing a woman by the name of Fiona Webb. They dated seriously and eventually were engaged. Dr. Zoom once again surfaced and made an attempt to kill Fiona, but at the last minute Flash was able to grab Zoom, accidentally killing him.

Thus began the Trial of the Flash. Flash was tried for murder in the criminal justice system, but in true comicbook form, time anomalies and futuristic science were able to not only reunite Barry and Iris, his one true love, but also allow him to be seen as a vindicated hero in the eyes of the world. Still devastated by the recent events of his life, Flash left our time to be with his love, Iris, in the 30th century. His regular series ended with issue #350. Iris and Barry lived together outside of out time until Barry was once again called on to protect and serve, this time on a grander scale. In Crisis on Infinite Earths Barry was called on by the executives at DC to resolve a multiversal crisis which had its roots in his "discovery" of Earth-2. The crisis saved the lives of countless millions, combining alternate dimensions into a streamlined single DC Universe, but at the cost of his own. He died a hero, and in his life and death, inspired many others to be a hero as well.

Order Codes
These are the order codes and prices as provided by Diamond Distribution. Your local comic shop should be able to order these for you.


 * JAN05 0301	FLASH #220	$2.25
 * FEB05 0277	FLASH #221	$2.25
 * MAR05 0400	FLASH #222	$2.25
 * APR05 0335	FLASH #223	$2.25
 * MAY05 0229	FLASH #224	$2.25
 * JUN05 0365	FLASH #225	$2.50
 * JUL05 0224	FLASH #226	$2.50
 * AUG05 0212	FLASH #227	$2.50
 * SEP05 0235	FLASH #228	$2.50
 * OCT05 0245	FLASH #229	$2.50

Collections

 * AUG05 0517	FLASH AND GREEN LANTERN THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD TP (STAR12954)	$12.95
 * SEP05 0752	FLASH ARCHIVES VOL 1 HC (STAR01839)	$49.95
 * SEP05 0753	FLASH ARCHIVES VOL 2 HC (STAR10830)	$49.95
 * SEP05 0556	FLASH BLITZ TP (MAY04 0310)	$19.95
 * SEP05 0557	FLASH BORN TO RUN TP (STAR09279)	$12.95
 * SEP05 0558	FLASH CROSSFIRE TP (DEC03 0264)	$17.95
 * SEP05 0559	FLASH DEAD HEAT TP (STAR11396)	$14.95
 * SEP05 0560	FLASH IGNITION TP (DEC04 0259)	$14.95
 * SEP05 0562	FLASH RACE AGAINST TIME TP (STAR13531)	$14.95
 * SEP05 0564	FLASH ROGUES TP (JAN05 8097)	$14.99
 * SEP05 0565	FLASH TERMINAL VELOCITY TP (STAR18143)	$14.95
 * SEP05 0563	FLASH THE RETURN OF BARRY ALLEN TP (STAR01840)	$12.95
 * MAY05 0230	FLASH THE SECRET OF BARRY ALLEN TP	$19.99

Future Publication Dates
Dates subject to change at the whims of the publisher or distributor. Please see the Diamond Shipping Lists for current information.


 * The Flash: Fastest Man Alive #1: 21 Jun 2006

Links

 * DC Comics - Publisher Website
 * Flash - GCD entry
 * Flash (comics) - Wikipedia entry