Known to many simply as “The Fastest Man Alive,” The Flash is one of comics’ most famous superheroes. His history dates all the way back to the creation of DC Comics and continues to grow with each new incarnation of the character. Although he’s mostly known for his speed and his quick wit, The Flash has a deep, rich history in comics and pop culture. Read on to find out more about The Flash in the latest version of Get To Know Your Superhero:
The Flash was created by Gardner Fox and Harry Lampert and first appeared in comics in 1940.
It should be noted that The Flash is simply a title dawned by a few people who embody the power of super speed.
The first Flash was a man named Jay Garrick and his original superhero name was The Scarlet Speedster.
Jay Garrick’s Flash gained his powers through inhaling water vapors and absorbing the power.
The very first Flash costume included a helmet with tiny wings attached.
In the 1940’s The Flash became a prominent member of the Justice Society of America.
DC Comics as a whole took a big hit after the war and needed to re-invent a lot of their heroes, thus in 1956, Barry Allen was created as the new Flash.
Barry Allen gained his powers when he was soaked in chemicals that had been struck by lightning.
The new Flash became a staple in comics and he soon joined the Justice League of America along with Superman, Batman and a host of other legendary characters.
The next incarnation of the Flash actually happened before Barry Allen began to phase out. Allen’s nephew Wally West became Kid Flash after a similar accident involving lighting infused chemicals.
Kid Flash and Flash worked together for a few years until Barry Allen was killed in the Crisis on Infinite Earths story line. Wally West then dawned the Flash costume.
The next incarnation of The Flash involves time travel. Bart Allen, the grandson of Barry Allen and his wife Iris was born with accelerated aging many years in the future.
With the help of a virtual reality machine, Bart traveled back in time and met with Wally West. This also slowed his accelerated aging.
Bart is the youngest rendition of the Flash and is currently in the works to make a major com back in the DC Universe.
The Flash once had a television series on CBS that lasted one season starring John Wesley Shipp as Barry Allen.
The Barry Allen version of Flash is one of the members of the Justice League animated series.
The Flash has been featured in the television series Smalleville.
The Flash actually does more than simply run really fast, the molecules in his body are moving at such a fast rate that he is able to vibrate through some physical objects.
So those are some raw facts about The Flash. A few years ago there were rumours of a live action Justice League feature film, but they have since faded away. Probably a good idea considering movie franchises like Batman and Superman are quite different. So now, the next time you see that overweight guy walking around with the faded red T-shirt with the lightning bolt in the middle, you’ll be able to strike up an interesting conversation.
