The Flash (comic book)
Encyclopedia
The Flash is an ongoing comic book
series featuring the DC Comics
superhero
of the same name
. The character's first incarnation, Jay Garrick, first appeared in Flash Comics
#1. When Silver Age
Flash Barry Allen was introduced, that character took over Flash Comics numbering and the series was retitled simply as, The Flash.
Although the Flash is a mainstay in the DC Comics stable, the series has been cancelled and rebooted several times. The first series featuring Barry Allen was cancelled at issue #350 in the event of the character's death in the universe altering event Crisis on Infinite Earths
. When Wally West
succeeded Allen as the Flash, a new series began with new numbering in June 1987. That series was briefly canceled in 2006 in the wake of the Infinite Crisis
event, but was restarted with its original numbering in 2007, only to be canceled again in 2008 in the wake of Barry Allen's return in Final Crisis
and The Flash: Rebirth
. In September 2009, DC Comics announced on its official blog that the series would be revived for a third volume by writer Geoff Johns
and artist Francis Manapul
after the completion of the Blackest Night event in 2010.
and Keystone City
. The citizens live under constant threat of supervillains and a number of "blue collar" costumed criminals, known as the Rogues
. After being caught in an accident at the Central City Police Department's Crime Lab, forensic scientist (previously "police scientist") Barry Allen is gifted with incredible speed. Inspired by his childhood hero Jay Garrick
, Allen creates a new persona under Garrick's moniker "The Flash". Using his incredible speed, and stepping up where normal men and women cannot, Allen fights for the citizens and protects them from supernatural harm.
in 1949, the character was rather stagnant for the rest of the Golden Age
era. When editor Julius Schwartz
joined DC Comics in the 1950s, he envisioned bringing many old DC characters back in new and interesting ways. Some of Schwartz's more notable reinventions include bringing back the Justice Society of America
as the Justice League of America
, re-imagining the Golden Age Green Lantern
mythology as a universal law enforcement unit
along with a new main character
, and creating a new Flash character and restarting his series.
#4, industry insiders and fans widely believe that the Silver Age of Comic Books
came into existence. Allen starred in The Flash when the series started, assuming the original Flash Comics with issue #105. Many notable events occurred in this era, such as the birth of the Flash Rogues
. One of the most notable issues to come out of this run was issue #123, which featured a story known as "The Flash of Two Worlds
". In it, Allen meets his inspiration in Jay Garrick, after accidentally being transported to a parallel universe where Garrick existed (in this previous continuity, Garrick and the other characters of the Golden Age only existed as comics characters in the mainline shared universe). This brought about a new concept in the formative stage of what would become the DC Universe
, and in fact gave birth to the current conceptualization featuring it as a multiverse
.
Due to Allen's death in Crisis on Infinite Earths
, the series was cancelled with issue #350 in 1985. In the actual Crisis event, Wally West
(previously known only as Allen's sidekick Kid Flash
) stated his intent to take up his uncle's mantle as the Flash.
Featuring Wally West
as the main character, the Flash mostly operated out of Keystone City
. Featuring long, illustrious runs most notably by writers Mark Waid
and Geoff Johns
, the second volume originally went in a different direction from the series starring Barry Allen by making Wally West more flawed. This Flash could not constantly maintain his super-speed because of his hypermetabolism, and would consume gargantuan amounts of food in order to continue operating at top speed. This metabolic limitation would later be continued into Barry Allen's character for the brief television series The Flash
that ran in 1990.
When Mark Waid began his run in the early 1990s, he brought back more traditional Flash aspects from Barry Allen's era by reforming the Rogues, some of which were new incarnations of old characters, and bringing more of a sci-fi/fantasy aspect that had been lost in Flash titles since Allen's departure. Waid had also made Wally West much more powerful in an attempt to take him out of Barry Allen and Jay Garrick's shadows. When writer Geoff Johns
stepped aboard with issue #164, he refocused the character on some of the Silver Age aspects by spending single issues on building the psychology of the various Rogues. Johns also created Zoom
, the third of the Reverse-Flash
es, and fleshed out the environmental character of Keystone City in an attempt to make it unique in the faces of other DC fictional cities like Metropolis
or Gotham
.
In the wake of the "One Year Later
" event and Wally West's disappearance in Infinite Crisis
, DC canceled The Flash vol. 2 in favor of a new series starring Bart Allen
as the Flash. The new series ran only 13 issues and ended with Bart's death. Mark Waid returned to the title briefly in 2007 to bring about the return of Wally West, but the series was canceled again in late 2008 with the return of Barry Allen in the event series Final Crisis
. Spinning out of Final Crisis, writer Geoff Johns and artist Ethan Van Sciver
created The Flash: Rebirth
, a 6-issue mini-series bringing Barry Allen back to a leading role in the DC Universe as the primary Flash. Allen is also an integral character in the crossover event Blackest Night, and had a self-titled limited series tying into the main event.
in 2010. The only released story information was the initial arc's title, "The Dastardly Death of the Rogues!"
In January 2010, DC Comics announced that the series' opening arc would be launched under the banner of Brightest Day
, a line-wide aftermath story to the crossover "Blackest Night". In April, DC released The Flash: Secret Files and Origins 2010 one-shot, setting the stage for the status quo of the new series. It was followed one week later with the release of The Flash vol. 3, #1.
In response to a fan question on its blog The Source's Flashpoint Friday
feature, DC announced that May 2011's Flash #12 would be the final issue of the series. At the time, no other details were provided.
. After the events of The Flash: Rebirth
, Barry Allen is reintegrating himself into life in Central City
. Under the cover of having been in witness protection
, Allen returns to the Central City Police Department's crime lab and returns to the streets as the Flash. While readjusting to life as the Flash, a man appears out of thin air in the costume of Flash rogue the Mirror Master
, and promptly dies on the street.
When Barry arrives on the scene and investigates the body, he sees that the man is neither original Mirror Master Sam Scudder, or the current Rogue, Evan McCulloch. Hearing of another portal appearing, Barry transforms into the Flash and runs to investigate. When he arrives, a group of people in costumes similar to the Rogues appear and tell Barry that they are a crew from the 25th century, and that he is under arrest for murdering the "Mirror Monarch." Barry tells the crew that he has not killed anyone, to which their apparent leader, "Commander Cold", tells him, "Not yet. But you will."
An adventure then erupts where Flash must try and stop these apparent murders while simultaneously clearing his name with the Renegades. After his success, an electrical disturbance erupts in front of a bar and a mysterious figure on a motorcycle emerges only to take off through the streets of Central City
stating that he needs to find fuel, and also Barry Allen. The Flash confronts the person on a dock who reveals himself to be "Hot Pursuit:" a Barry Allen of a parallel Earth. Hot Pursuit's motorcycle converts itself into a police baton and uses it to prove that the Flash is the generator of the Speed Force
. Barry uses the equipment in the crime lab to examine a hair he took off of Hot Pursuit's helmet and confirms that he is genetically identical to him, and is then interrupted by Patty Spivot. The two head to another crime scene where a thirty-one year old man was drastically aged, and Barry finds a large single tire mark nearby. The police then find a young boy hiding away in a shipping container who may be a witness.
Iris then calls Barry home where she, Jay Garrick
, Wally West
, and Bart Allen who are all troubled by the way that he has been isolating himself from everyone. Bart believes that Barry dislikes him and runs of until he is attacked by Hot Pursuit. Barry arrives but is too late, Hot Pursuit discharges electricity at Bart with his baton and is engulfed in lightning. At the station, the young boy meets Patty and reveals that he had stolen the years from the others in an attempt to make himself younger and transforms into the Reverse Flash
.
Flash and Hot Pursuit begin to fight while the Reverse-Flash explains that he has discovered new powers granted to him by the speed force and how he was able to consume the memories of his victims prepares to do the same to the same to Patty. Barry confronts Patty who thinks she should leave but Barry tells her that with her help can do a lot of good until they are interrupted by Iris. Iris tells him that all the memories of his past have caused him to isolate himself from everyone and that his family will stand by him. Barry visits his mother's grave in memory of her birthday while some where else the Reverse Flash says "It changes, It all changes." and a lighting bolt strikes from the skies, leading directly into the first issue of Flashpoint
and concluding this series.
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
series featuring the DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
superhero
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
of the same name
Flash (comics)
The Flash is a name shared by several fictional comic book superheroes from the DC Comics universe. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Harry Lampert, the original Flash first appeared in Flash Comics #1 ....
. The character's first incarnation, Jay Garrick, first appeared in Flash Comics
Flash Comics
Flash Comics was an anthology comic book published by All-American Publications and later National Periodicals . The title ran for 104 issues between January 1940 to February 1949. Although the name of the comic book was Flash Comics, the Flash was only one of many different series featured in the...
#1. When Silver Age
Silver Age of Comic Books
The Silver Age of Comic Books was a period of artistic advancement and commercial success in mainstream American comic books, predominantly those in the superhero genre. Following the Golden Age of Comic Books and an interregnum in the early to mid-1950s, the Silver Age is considered to cover the...
Flash Barry Allen was introduced, that character took over Flash Comics numbering and the series was retitled simply as, The Flash.
Although the Flash is a mainstay in the DC Comics stable, the series has been cancelled and rebooted several times. The first series featuring Barry Allen was cancelled at issue #350 in the event of the character's death in the universe altering event Crisis on Infinite Earths
Crisis on Infinite Earths
Crisis on Infinite Earths is a 12-issue American comic book limited series and crossover event, produced by DC Comics in 1985 to simplify its then 50-year-old continuity...
. When Wally West
Wally West
The Flash is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. He is the first Kid Flash and the third Flash....
succeeded Allen as the Flash, a new series began with new numbering in June 1987. That series was briefly canceled in 2006 in the wake of the Infinite Crisis
Infinite Crisis
Infinite Crisis is a 2005 - 2006 comic book storyline published by DC Comics, consisting of an eponymous, seven-issue comic book limited series written by Geoff Johns and illustrated by Phil Jimenez, George Pérez, Ivan Reis, and Jerry Ordway, and a number of tie-in books...
event, but was restarted with its original numbering in 2007, only to be canceled again in 2008 in the wake of Barry Allen's return in Final Crisis
Final Crisis
Final Crisis is a crossover storyline that appeared in comic books published by DC Comics in 2008, primarily the seven-issue miniseries of the same name written by Grant Morrison. Originally DC announced the project as being illustrated solely by J. G. Jones; artists Carlos Pacheco, Marco Rudy and...
and The Flash: Rebirth
The Flash: Rebirth
The Flash: Rebirth is a six issue monthly American comic book limited series written by Geoff Johns and illustrated by Ethan Van Sciver. Published by DC Comics, the series features characters from throughout the nearly seventy year history of Flash comics. This is the creative team's second...
. In September 2009, DC Comics announced on its official blog that the series would be revived for a third volume by writer Geoff Johns
Geoff Johns
Geoff Johns is an American comic book writer, best known for his work for DC Comics, where he has been Chief Creative Officer since February 2010, in particular for characters such as Green Lantern, The Flash and Superman...
and artist Francis Manapul
Francis Manapul
-Career:Manapul is known for his work on Witchblade and The Necromancer for Top Cow, working on the former for three years, off and on, returning for the tenth anniversary issue in 2005.He provided covers for various titles, most notably for some G.I...
after the completion of the Blackest Night event in 2010.
Premise
The Flash saga has taken place primarily in the fictional municipalities of Central CityCentral City (DC Comics)
Central City is a fictional city that appears in stories published by DC Comics, and is the home of the Silver Age version of the Flash, Barry Allen. It first appeared in Showcase #4 in September-October 1956.-Location:...
and Keystone City
Keystone City
Keystone City is a fictional city in the . Specifically, it is the home of both the original Flash, Jay Garrick, and the third Flash, Wally West...
. The citizens live under constant threat of supervillains and a number of "blue collar" costumed criminals, known as the Rogues
Rogues (comics)
Some of the enemies of the comic book superhero the Flash, led by Captain Cold, constitute a loose criminal association who refer to themselves as the Rogues, disdaining the use of the term "supervillain" or "super-criminal"....
. After being caught in an accident at the Central City Police Department's Crime Lab, forensic scientist (previously "police scientist") Barry Allen is gifted with incredible speed. Inspired by his childhood hero Jay Garrick
Jay Garrick
Jay Garrick is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in the DC Comics universe and the first to use the name Flash.-The Flash:...
, Allen creates a new persona under Garrick's moniker "The Flash". Using his incredible speed, and stepping up where normal men and women cannot, Allen fights for the citizens and protects them from supernatural harm.
Publication history
After the cancellation of Flash ComicsFlash Comics
Flash Comics was an anthology comic book published by All-American Publications and later National Periodicals . The title ran for 104 issues between January 1940 to February 1949. Although the name of the comic book was Flash Comics, the Flash was only one of many different series featured in the...
in 1949, the character was rather stagnant for the rest of the Golden Age
Golden Age of Comic Books
The Golden Age of Comic Books was a period in the history of American comic books, generally thought of as lasting from the late 1930s until the late 1940s or early 1950s...
era. When editor Julius Schwartz
Julius Schwartz
Julius "Julie" Schwartz was a comic book and pulp magazine editor, and a science fiction agent and prominent fan. He was born in the Bronx, New York...
joined DC Comics in the 1950s, he envisioned bringing many old DC characters back in new and interesting ways. Some of Schwartz's more notable reinventions include bringing back the Justice Society of America
Justice Society of America
The Justice Society of America, or JSA, is a DC Comics superhero group, the first team of superheroes in comic book history. Conceived by editor Sheldon Mayer and writer Gardner Fox, the JSA first appeared in All Star Comics #3 ....
as the Justice League of America
Justice League
The Justice League, also called the Justice League of America or JLA, is a fictional superhero team that appears in comic books published by DC Comics....
, re-imagining the Golden Age Green Lantern
Alan Scott
Alan Scott is a fictional character, a superhero in the and the first superhero to bear the name Green Lantern.-Publication history:The original Green Lantern was created by young struggling artist Martin Nodell, who was inspired by the sight of a New York Subway employee waving a red lantern to...
mythology as a universal law enforcement unit
Green Lantern Corps
The Green Lantern Corps is the name of a fictional intergalactic military/police force appearing in comics published by DC Comics. They patrol the farthest reaches of the DC Universe at the behest of the Guardians, a race of immortals residing on the planet Oa...
along with a new main character
Hal Jordan
Harold "Hal" Jordan is a DC Comics superhero known as Green Lantern, the first human shown to join the Green Lantern Corps and a founding member of the Justice League of America. Jordan is the second DC Comics character to adopt the Green Lantern moniker...
, and creating a new Flash character and restarting his series.
Volume 1 (1959–1985)
Volume 1 primarily starred Barry Allen as the Flash. After the character's first appearance in ShowcaseShowcase (comics)
Showcase has been the title of several comic anthology series published by DC Comics. The general theme of these series has been to feature new and minor characters as a way to gauge reader interest in them, without the difficulty and risk of featuring "untested" characters in their own ongoing...
#4, industry insiders and fans widely believe that the Silver Age of Comic Books
Silver Age of Comic Books
The Silver Age of Comic Books was a period of artistic advancement and commercial success in mainstream American comic books, predominantly those in the superhero genre. Following the Golden Age of Comic Books and an interregnum in the early to mid-1950s, the Silver Age is considered to cover the...
came into existence. Allen starred in The Flash when the series started, assuming the original Flash Comics with issue #105. Many notable events occurred in this era, such as the birth of the Flash Rogues
Rogues (comics)
Some of the enemies of the comic book superhero the Flash, led by Captain Cold, constitute a loose criminal association who refer to themselves as the Rogues, disdaining the use of the term "supervillain" or "super-criminal"....
. One of the most notable issues to come out of this run was issue #123, which featured a story known as "The Flash of Two Worlds
Flash of Two Worlds
"Flash of Two Worlds!" is a landmark comic book story that was published in The Flash #123 . It introduces Earth-Two, and more generally the concept of the multiverse, to DC Comics...
". In it, Allen meets his inspiration in Jay Garrick, after accidentally being transported to a parallel universe where Garrick existed (in this previous continuity, Garrick and the other characters of the Golden Age only existed as comics characters in the mainline shared universe). This brought about a new concept in the formative stage of what would become the DC Universe
DC Universe
The DC Universe is the shared universe where most of the comic stories published by DC Comics take place. The fictional characters Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman are well-known superheroes from this universe. Note that in context, "DC Universe" is usually used to refer to the main DC continuity...
, and in fact gave birth to the current conceptualization featuring it as a multiverse
Multiverse
The multiverse is the hypothetical set of multiple possible universes that together comprise all of reality.Multiverse may also refer to:-In fiction:* Multiverse , the fictional multiverse used by DC Comics...
.
Due to Allen's death in Crisis on Infinite Earths
Crisis on Infinite Earths
Crisis on Infinite Earths is a 12-issue American comic book limited series and crossover event, produced by DC Comics in 1985 to simplify its then 50-year-old continuity...
, the series was cancelled with issue #350 in 1985. In the actual Crisis event, Wally West
Wally West
The Flash is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. He is the first Kid Flash and the third Flash....
(previously known only as Allen's sidekick Kid Flash
Kid Flash
Kid Flash is the name of several fictional characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics, originally created by John Broome and Carmine Infantino, as a junior counterpart to DC Comics superhero The Flash. The first incarnation of the character, Wally West, debuted in The Flash #110...
) stated his intent to take up his uncle's mantle as the Flash.
Volume 2 (1987–2008)
Wally West
The Flash is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. He is the first Kid Flash and the third Flash....
as the main character, the Flash mostly operated out of Keystone City
Keystone City
Keystone City is a fictional city in the . Specifically, it is the home of both the original Flash, Jay Garrick, and the third Flash, Wally West...
. Featuring long, illustrious runs most notably by writers Mark Waid
Mark Waid
Mark Waid is an American comic book writer. He is well known for his eight-year run as writer of the DC Comics' title The Flash, as well as his scripting of the limited series Kingdom Come and Superman: Birthright, and his work on Marvel Comics' Captain America...
and Geoff Johns
Geoff Johns
Geoff Johns is an American comic book writer, best known for his work for DC Comics, where he has been Chief Creative Officer since February 2010, in particular for characters such as Green Lantern, The Flash and Superman...
, the second volume originally went in a different direction from the series starring Barry Allen by making Wally West more flawed. This Flash could not constantly maintain his super-speed because of his hypermetabolism, and would consume gargantuan amounts of food in order to continue operating at top speed. This metabolic limitation would later be continued into Barry Allen's character for the brief television series The Flash
The Flash (TV series)
The Flash is a 1990 American television series that starred John Wesley Shipp as the superhero, the Flash , and co-starred Amanda Pays. The series was developed from the DC Comics characters by the writing team of Danny Bilson and Paul De Meo, and produced by their company, Pet Fly Productions, in...
that ran in 1990.
When Mark Waid began his run in the early 1990s, he brought back more traditional Flash aspects from Barry Allen's era by reforming the Rogues, some of which were new incarnations of old characters, and bringing more of a sci-fi/fantasy aspect that had been lost in Flash titles since Allen's departure. Waid had also made Wally West much more powerful in an attempt to take him out of Barry Allen and Jay Garrick's shadows. When writer Geoff Johns
Geoff Johns
Geoff Johns is an American comic book writer, best known for his work for DC Comics, where he has been Chief Creative Officer since February 2010, in particular for characters such as Green Lantern, The Flash and Superman...
stepped aboard with issue #164, he refocused the character on some of the Silver Age aspects by spending single issues on building the psychology of the various Rogues. Johns also created Zoom
Zoom (comics)
Zoom is a fictional comic book supervillain from the DC Comics universe. He is primarily associated with the superhero Wally West, the third Flash and is the third of the Reverse-Flashes...
, the third of the Reverse-Flash
Reverse-Flash
Reverse-Flash is a title that has been taken by three supervillains in DC Comics. All of them have super-speed and are enemies of the Flash dynasty.-Golden Age:...
es, and fleshed out the environmental character of Keystone City in an attempt to make it unique in the faces of other DC fictional cities like Metropolis
Metropolis (comics)
Metropolis is a fictional city that appears in comic books published by DC Comics, and is the home of Superman. Metropolis first appeared by name in Action Comics #16 ....
or Gotham
Gotham City
Gotham City is a fictional U.S. city appearing in DC Comics, best known as the home of Batman. Batman's place of residence was first identified as Gotham City in Batman #4 . Gotham City is strongly inspired by Trenton, Ontario's history, location, atmosphere, and various architectural styles...
.
In the wake of the "One Year Later
One Year Later
"One Year Later" was a 2006 storyline event running through the DC Universe. As the title suggests, it involves a narrative jump exactly one year into the future of the DC Comics Universe following the events of the Infinite Crisis event, to explore major changes within the continuities of the many...
" event and Wally West's disappearance in Infinite Crisis
Infinite Crisis
Infinite Crisis is a 2005 - 2006 comic book storyline published by DC Comics, consisting of an eponymous, seven-issue comic book limited series written by Geoff Johns and illustrated by Phil Jimenez, George Pérez, Ivan Reis, and Jerry Ordway, and a number of tie-in books...
, DC canceled The Flash vol. 2 in favor of a new series starring Bart Allen
Bart Allen
Bartholomew "Bart" Allen is a superhero in the . Allen first appeared as the superhero Impulse. He would later go on to become the second Kid Flash and the fourth Flash. Allen's first cameo appearance was in The Flash #91, while his first full appearance was in issue #92...
as the Flash. The new series ran only 13 issues and ended with Bart's death. Mark Waid returned to the title briefly in 2007 to bring about the return of Wally West, but the series was canceled again in late 2008 with the return of Barry Allen in the event series Final Crisis
Final Crisis
Final Crisis is a crossover storyline that appeared in comic books published by DC Comics in 2008, primarily the seven-issue miniseries of the same name written by Grant Morrison. Originally DC announced the project as being illustrated solely by J. G. Jones; artists Carlos Pacheco, Marco Rudy and...
. Spinning out of Final Crisis, writer Geoff Johns and artist Ethan Van Sciver
Ethan Van Sciver
Ethan Daniel Van Sciver is an American comic book artist, best known for illustrating a number of titles including Green Lantern, Superman/Batman, New X-Men, and The Flash: Rebirth...
created The Flash: Rebirth
The Flash: Rebirth
The Flash: Rebirth is a six issue monthly American comic book limited series written by Geoff Johns and illustrated by Ethan Van Sciver. Published by DC Comics, the series features characters from throughout the nearly seventy year history of Flash comics. This is the creative team's second...
, a 6-issue mini-series bringing Barry Allen back to a leading role in the DC Universe as the primary Flash. Allen is also an integral character in the crossover event Blackest Night, and had a self-titled limited series tying into the main event.
Volume 3 (2010–2011)
Revival
On September 8, 2009, DC Comics' official blog "The Source" announced that after the completion of The Flash: Rebirth and "Blackest Night", Geoff Johns would return to writing a new Flash ongoing series with previous Adventure Comics collaborator Francis ManapulFrancis Manapul
-Career:Manapul is known for his work on Witchblade and The Necromancer for Top Cow, working on the former for three years, off and on, returning for the tenth anniversary issue in 2005.He provided covers for various titles, most notably for some G.I...
in 2010. The only released story information was the initial arc's title, "The Dastardly Death of the Rogues!"
In January 2010, DC Comics announced that the series' opening arc would be launched under the banner of Brightest Day
Brightest Day
Brightest Day is a year-long comic book maxi-series that began in April 2010. The story follows the ending of the series Blackest Night and how the aftermath of these events affect the entire DC Universe.-Plot:...
, a line-wide aftermath story to the crossover "Blackest Night". In April, DC released The Flash: Secret Files and Origins 2010 one-shot, setting the stage for the status quo of the new series. It was followed one week later with the release of The Flash vol. 3, #1.
In response to a fan question on its blog The Source's Flashpoint Friday
Flashpoint (comics)
Flashpoint is an American comic book crossover story arc published by DC Comics. Consisting of an eponymous core limited series and a number of tie-in titles, the storyline premiered in May 2011...
feature, DC announced that May 2011's Flash #12 would be the final issue of the series. At the time, no other details were provided.
Plot
The new Flash series begins after the completion of Blackest Night and starts in line with Brightest DayBrightest Day
Brightest Day is a year-long comic book maxi-series that began in April 2010. The story follows the ending of the series Blackest Night and how the aftermath of these events affect the entire DC Universe.-Plot:...
. After the events of The Flash: Rebirth
The Flash: Rebirth
The Flash: Rebirth is a six issue monthly American comic book limited series written by Geoff Johns and illustrated by Ethan Van Sciver. Published by DC Comics, the series features characters from throughout the nearly seventy year history of Flash comics. This is the creative team's second...
, Barry Allen is reintegrating himself into life in Central City
Central City (DC Comics)
Central City is a fictional city that appears in stories published by DC Comics, and is the home of the Silver Age version of the Flash, Barry Allen. It first appeared in Showcase #4 in September-October 1956.-Location:...
. Under the cover of having been in witness protection
Witness protection
Witness protection is protection of a threatened witness or any person involved in the justice system, including defendants and other clients, before, during and after a trial, usually by police...
, Allen returns to the Central City Police Department's crime lab and returns to the streets as the Flash. While readjusting to life as the Flash, a man appears out of thin air in the costume of Flash rogue the Mirror Master
Mirror Master
Mirror Master is a fictional character and a supervillain in the DC Universe. He is a recurring foe of the Flash with considerable technical expertise and skills involving the use of mirrors. Four individuals have donned the guise of Mirror Master...
, and promptly dies on the street.
When Barry arrives on the scene and investigates the body, he sees that the man is neither original Mirror Master Sam Scudder, or the current Rogue, Evan McCulloch. Hearing of another portal appearing, Barry transforms into the Flash and runs to investigate. When he arrives, a group of people in costumes similar to the Rogues appear and tell Barry that they are a crew from the 25th century, and that he is under arrest for murdering the "Mirror Monarch." Barry tells the crew that he has not killed anyone, to which their apparent leader, "Commander Cold", tells him, "Not yet. But you will."
An adventure then erupts where Flash must try and stop these apparent murders while simultaneously clearing his name with the Renegades. After his success, an electrical disturbance erupts in front of a bar and a mysterious figure on a motorcycle emerges only to take off through the streets of Central City
Central City (DC Comics)
Central City is a fictional city that appears in stories published by DC Comics, and is the home of the Silver Age version of the Flash, Barry Allen. It first appeared in Showcase #4 in September-October 1956.-Location:...
stating that he needs to find fuel, and also Barry Allen. The Flash confronts the person on a dock who reveals himself to be "Hot Pursuit:" a Barry Allen of a parallel Earth. Hot Pursuit's motorcycle converts itself into a police baton and uses it to prove that the Flash is the generator of the Speed Force
Speed Force
The Speed Force is a concept presented in various comic books published by DC Comics, primarily in relation to the various speedsters in the DC Universe.-Empowered:...
. Barry uses the equipment in the crime lab to examine a hair he took off of Hot Pursuit's helmet and confirms that he is genetically identical to him, and is then interrupted by Patty Spivot. The two head to another crime scene where a thirty-one year old man was drastically aged, and Barry finds a large single tire mark nearby. The police then find a young boy hiding away in a shipping container who may be a witness.
Iris then calls Barry home where she, Jay Garrick
Jay Garrick
Jay Garrick is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in the DC Comics universe and the first to use the name Flash.-The Flash:...
, Wally West
Wally West
The Flash is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. He is the first Kid Flash and the third Flash....
, and Bart Allen who are all troubled by the way that he has been isolating himself from everyone. Bart believes that Barry dislikes him and runs of until he is attacked by Hot Pursuit. Barry arrives but is too late, Hot Pursuit discharges electricity at Bart with his baton and is engulfed in lightning. At the station, the young boy meets Patty and reveals that he had stolen the years from the others in an attempt to make himself younger and transforms into the Reverse Flash
Professor Zoom
Eobard Thawne, who has gone by the codenames "Professor Zoom" and "Reverse-Flash", is a fictional character, a comic book supervillain in the DC Universe. Thawne is the Arch enemy of the superhero Barry Allen, the second hero to be called the Flash...
.
Flash and Hot Pursuit begin to fight while the Reverse-Flash explains that he has discovered new powers granted to him by the speed force and how he was able to consume the memories of his victims prepares to do the same to the same to Patty. Barry confronts Patty who thinks she should leave but Barry tells her that with her help can do a lot of good until they are interrupted by Iris. Iris tells him that all the memories of his past have caused him to isolate himself from everyone and that his family will stand by him. Barry visits his mother's grave in memory of her birthday while some where else the Reverse Flash says "It changes, It all changes." and a lighting bolt strikes from the skies, leading directly into the first issue of Flashpoint
Flashpoint (comics)
Flashpoint is an American comic book crossover story arc published by DC Comics. Consisting of an eponymous core limited series and a number of tie-in titles, the storyline premiered in May 2011...
and concluding this series.