Absolute Flash is part of the second round of Absolute books, giving readers an all-new version of Wally West. Absolute Flash has made a lot of changes to the Flash canon, and it’s been a rather wild ride so far. The first three issues were paced at break neck speed, setting up Wally’s new powers and where he got them, a new version of the Rogues, and the death of Barry Allen. This fast paced opening to the book did a great job of hooking readers, but Absolute Flash #4 slows things down for a lot of really great worldbuilding. It also introduces a very important character to the Flash mythos — and the greater mythos of the DC Multiverse: Ralph Dibny, the superhero known as Elongated Man.
Elongated Man is known for several things — his detective skills, his sense of humor, and his wife Sue. Elongated Man’s history is pretty interesting; he’s a C-list Silver Age hero who became one of DC’s most beloved characters. Ralph’s appearance in the Absolute Universe showcases a new version of the character, one who has the potential to be the greatest version of the character ever. It’s also a really cool little subversion of the Flash canon, and gives an indication of what this book can become.
Ralph Dibny Has Been a Part of Some of DC’s Best — and Most Controversial — Stories
Elongated Man first appeared in The Flash (Vol. 1) #112. He was presented as an antagonist, as the Flash lost Central City’s Man of the Year award to the Stretchable Sleuth and the two of them clashed trying to prove themselves. Ralph Dibny loved contortionists, and learned that they all drank Gingold cola, a soft drink made with gingo, a rare Mexican fruit that many are allergic to. He distilled the cola to its essence, and gained his stretching powers. Elongated Man and the Flash had something of a contentious relationship at first, but soon became friends, as both of them were detectives who were trying to make their city a better place. Eventually, Ralph married Sue, who he met at a party he and the Flash went to. They became one of the most beloved married couples in comics, joining the Justice League (Sue was also considered a member of the team despite not being a superhero) during the Satellite League days. Elongated Man would later join the Justice League International version of the team, and earned the esteem of a whole new generation of fans. All of that led to the infamous story known as Identity Crisis, where Sue was killed by her friend Jean Loring, the Atom’s wife, and since then Ralph’s life has been something of a mess.
Ralph was killed in the story 52, reuniting with his dead wife after trying to resurrect her, and the two were teased to become ghost detectives. This never shook out, and then the New 52 changed everything. Ralph and Sue were eventually both brought back to life. The Absolute version of Ralph Dibny is very different from the previous versions; to begin with, he runs a youth center, where homeless teens can stay, and is not a detective. He’s married to Sue — she doesn’t appear in the issue, which is a tragedy — and so far he hasn’t shown any stretching abilities. He’s known at the youth center as a purveyor of that most maligned type of joke — the dad joke — which certainly fits Ralph’s character. Ralph became Elongated Man to that he could help people, and in the Absolute Universe, he’s still helping people, just in a new way. So far, he doesn’t seem to have his stretching powers, and is living in the city of Iron Heights instead of Central City, but there’s a good chance all of that will change in the months and years ahead.
This New Version of Ralph Dibny Should Have a Bright Future Ahead of Him
It’s really cool to see Wally meet Ralph Dibny because of the history of the Flash and Elongated Man. Ralph and Barry eventually became the best of friends, and this led to Elongated Man and Sue becoming Justice League mainstays throughout the ’70s and ’80s. Ralph was friends with Wally, as well, but they were never as close as Barry and Ralph. What makes this version of Ralph so exciting is the fact that there’s no Barry Allen in the Absolute DC Universe. Wally doesn’t have that father figure, and he needs someone to step into that role. That could very easily become Ralph.
Ralph Dibny is a character that has always been one of the most fun DC characters ever created. His relationship with Sue is one of the best relationships in superhero comics, bar none. Ralph acting as a surrogate father figure for Wally would also be something that readers haven’t really seen before. Ralph Dibny never had a sidekick, and he and Sue never had children. It’ll be great if readers can see Ralph step up for Wally, teaching him about life, if not superhero life. Whether Ralph becomes Elongated Man is another question, and the disposition of Sue Dibny is also unanswered. Readers haven’t gotten a lot of the Dibnys lately, and this is just what the doctor ordered.
Absolute Flash #4 is on sale now.
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