TheFlashis a staple of DC lore and a Justice League icon, and fans have grown to love the Scarlet Speedster in the decades since Jay Garrick originated the mantle. Barry Allen and Wally West, among other speedsters in the DC Universe, have helped fortify the Flash legacy in the DC Universe and win fans' hearts from one generation to the next.
Of course, every superhero’s fanbase has strong opinions about them, and Flash fans are far from an exception to this rule. There’s plenty to debate over when it comes to the Fastest Man Alive, whether it’swhich Flash people think is the bestor which story readers come back to the most. Some opinions are more commonplace, whereas others are a bit more controversial.These 8 Flash opinions are definitely unpopular, but it can’t be denied that there’s at least some truth to them all.
8The Flash Has A Better Rogues Gallery Than Batman
The Flash’s Villains Easily Put Batman’s to Shame
Batman might have the most renowned rogues gallery in DC Comics, but the Flash’s villains are the best in the business.Reverse-Flashis a fan-favorite foe, and the Flash has faced a number of other speedsters over the years as well, from Savitar to Godspeed. They aren’t the only Flash villains worthy of recognition, though. In fact, the Flash’s best adversaries are the ones without powers, and they trump every other hero’s villains with ease.
10 Strongest Flash Villains in DC Comics
The Flash has one of the greatest rogues galleries in DC Comics, and these 10 villains are the most powerful opponents he has ever faced.
In Flash lore,the Rogues are a group of supervillainswho operate with a code of conduct and specific rules that must be followed. Consisting of Captain Cold, Mirror Master, and other classic enemies, the Rogues form a united front against the Flash rather than operating alone like most villains. Although other villains may work together from time to time, they aren’t an organization with a deep sense of loyalty to one another.The Rogues' unity allows them to slow down the Fastest Man Alive without powers of their own, making them a true force to be reckoned with.
7Wallace West Deserves a Defined Role in the Flash Family
DC’s Replacement for Wally West Can Coexist With the Original
WhenWally West’s Flash was retconnedout of DC’s continuity in the New 52 reboot, fans were rightfully upset about the erasure of a beloved hero. To fix the damage, DC replaced him with a Kid Flash named Wally West; however, rather than being a return to form, the new Wally was an entirely different character despite sharing the name. Since then, the original Wally West has returned as the Flash, and the new Wally - referred to as Wallace - is his sidekick.
The problem is that Wallace West no longer has a clearplace in the Flash familynow that the original Wally is back.Some readers remain wary of there being two Wally Wests, but theycancoexist; they just need to follow different paths to set them apart.Luckily, there’s a solution inThe Flash#784 by Jeremy Adams and Amancay Nahuelpan, where a variant of Wallace forges a new mantle as “Burst”. Creating his own identity could be the perfect way for Wallace to become his own speedster, outside of Wally’s shadow.
6The Flash’s Best Love Interest Is Linda Park
Iris May Have More Mainstream Recognition, But Linda Is the Clear Winner
When most who aren’t overly familiar with the Flash’s comics try to think of his best love interest, they may default to Iris West due to her prominent role in film and TV adaptations. However, theFlash’s best romance is actually with Linda Park. Linda is a reporter who first appeared in 1989’sThe Flash#28 by William Messner-Loebs and Greg LaRocque, and her relationship with Wally West is much stronger than Iris' relationship with Barry Allen.
Linda Park isn’t just Flash’s wife and the mother of his children; she’s the true source of his power.She’s his lightning rod that keeps him grounded, even allowing him to return from the Speed Force when such a feat shouldn’t have been possible. Because the Speed Force is fueled by love,Wally’s love for Lindais what allows him to maintain his connection to it. The Flash’s relationship with Linda has endured through insurmountable hardships, from villain encounters to continuity reboots, proving that she’s the hero’s definitive love interest.
5Bart Allen Deserved a Longer Run as the Flash
DC’s Failed Flash Wasn’t Given a Chance to Find Himself
Jay Garrick, Barry Allen, and Wally West are widely regarded as the three main Flashes in DC history. What many aren’t aware of, though, is that there was a fourth Flash who’s been cast aside over the years. Bart Allen, also known as thehero Impulse, became the Flash after Wally West vanished in 2006’sInfinite Crisisevent. Bart had been set up as the next Flash since his debut, but unfortunately, his long-awaited moment in the spotlight didn’t last.
Interested in reading Bart Allen’s run as the Flash? Check outThe Flash: The Fastest Man Aliveby Danny Bilson, Paul Demeo, Marc Guggenheim, Ken Lashley, and Art Thibert, available now in collected formats from DC Comics!
Bart’s short-lived adventures as the Fastest Man Alive left much to be desired. He was abruptly aged up, and his lackluster supporting cast failed to salvage these bizarre circumstances. As a result, after only thirteen issues,Bart was killed by the villain Inertiaso Wally could become the Flash again.While Bart’s Flash stories certainly weren’t great, he could have become as iconic as his predecessors if he’d been given the chance.Characters need time to find their footing, and this underrated Flash deserved a longer run to make the role his own.
4Wally West’s Rebirth Costume Is His Worst Look
The Flash has worn multiple variations of his classic costume over the years. One such variation isWally West’s Rebirth costume, which he wore after his return to DC continuity. This costume features a darker shade of the Flash’s trademark red, and it sparks with blue lightning rather than gold. Additionally, the cowl is open to let Wally’s hair flow freely. On a surface level, this suit isn’t terrible, but its implications for Wally cement it as his worst look in DC history.
When Wally first became the Flash, he struggled with feeling unworthy of Barry’s legacy. Graduating from hisKid Flash costumeto the Flash suit was a coming-of-age moment for him that proved he was on Barry’s level. Therefore,Wally wearing a costume based on his Kid Flash look upon his return is emblematic of his character regression. He couldn’t be reinstated as the main Flash with Barry back in action, so he was continuously sidelined. Wally later reverting to his Barry-inspired ’90s costume as he became the main Flash again solidifies the Rebirth costume as a step-down.
3The Flash Family Is Becoming Overcrowded
DC Has Way Too Many Flashes Running Around
DC is filled to the brim with superhero families nowadays, from theBat-family to the Super-family. These families consist of heroes that share matching power-sets and exist in relation to a core hero in DC lore. However, these families tend to get a bit overstuffed, and the Flash family is no exception. In its current form, the Flash family consists of thirteen heroes, and the family having so many members means many of them get overlooked.
The key issue with the Flash family is that there are four heroes who presently call themselves “the Flash”: Jay Garrick, Barry Allen, Wally West, and Avery Ho. To fix this problem, Jay and Barry should retire, and Avery should go her own way andre-establish the Justice League of Chinato avoid being treated as a secondary Flash. Beyond the Flashes, Max Mercury needs to step down as well, so Impulse can take his place rather than being stuck as a perpetual child.The Flash family would thrive with fewer members, otherwise none of them will ever get the attention they deserve.
2Barry Allen’s Flash Should Have Stayed Dead
The Second Flash’s Resurrection Was a Mistake
Sorry, Barry Allen fans, but this hot take is irrefutably true. WhenBarry Allen died in DC’s first Crisis, Wally West stepped up to inherit the Flash mantle and carry on the legacy in his absence. Barry’s death was necessary to move the Flash forward, as he’d run around in the red spandex for long enough. However, in 2008’sFinal Crisisby Grant Morrison and J.G. Jones, Barry was resurrected from the dead and made his unexpected return to continuity.
10 Best Flash Powers In All of DC Lore That Don’t Involve Running
The Flash’s super-speed isn’t the only ability at his disposal, so here are some of the Fastest Man Alive’s greatest superpowers other than speed.
Rather than standing aside soWally could continue on as the main Flash, Barry was reinstated as the Flash and supplanted Wally when he was wiped from continuity.Ever since Barry became the primary Flash again, the Flash mantle has grown stagnant as he’s refused to hand it down again.Moreover, Wally’s decades of heroism were forgotten in lieu of propping up Barry despite his time having come and gone. Thankfully,Barry has now lost his powersand stepped down again, so his return seems to have been a failed experiment - one that shouldn’t have happened at all.
1The Flash Mantle Needs to be Passed Down Again
Like Jay and Barry, Wally West Shouldn’t Stay the Flash Forever
The Flash mantle is, ultimately, about legacy. There is noone “true” Flash, as it’s forged by every hero who uses the name. If the big issue with Barry Allen’s return is that it stagnated the Flash legacy, then the same must hold true for Wally West finally taking the mantle back. He is the quintessential legacy hero, after all, who paved the way for anew generation of heroes in the ’90s; therefore,refusing to let Wally pass the torch and keep the Flash legacy alive goes against everything he stands for.
As delighted as fans might be to see Wally as the main Flash again after hiscontroversial erasure in the New 52and subsequent sidelining in DC’s Rebirth era, this status quo shouldn’t last long. Wally already had a twenty-year tenure as the Flash prior to his decade of struggle, so he’s nearly run his race - just like Barry has. Sooner than later, Wally West needs to slow down so a fresh face can become the nextFlash.
The Flash
The Flash is the superhero name given to the DC Comics character who utilizes unparalleled speed tied to a dimensional power known as the “speed force” to overwhelm their opposition. Premiering in 1939, the original Flash arrived as Jay Garrick. Still, it would be superseded by Barry Allen in popularity and featured status, but the Flash is one character that has met many of their alternate selves. The character is typically seen as a part of the Justice League in nearly all incarnations.
