For over 80 years, the Flash has been one of the most popular and influential superheroes in comic book history. From his prominent role as a member of the Justice League to his numerous appearances in various forms of media, the Fastest Man Alive is a household name in DC Comics. Over the years, there have been several people who have taken on the role of the Scarlet Speedster, and now there is an entire Flash Family comprised of multiple generations of superheroes. The Flash has many beloved storylines that have helped to shape the DC Universe, including Flashpoint and Flash: Rebirth. Still, there are also plenty of lesser-known stories that fans should know.
From fast-paced action to deep character explorations, these are five underrated Flash stories that deserve more recognition.
5) “One-Minute War”
It’s common knowledge that Speed Force-users like the Flash can move so fast that the world around them appears to move at a snail’s pace. But what happens when an entire war occurs in the blink of an eye? Written by Jermey Adams, this unique and exciting tale introduces an invading alien race known as the Fraction that harnesses the Speed Force to freeze the Earth and its inhabitants in time. Frozen in a moment, the Earth is left vulnerable as the Fraction plans to destroy the planet by draining it of its Speed Force energy. Of course, the Flash Family is immune to the Fraction’s time-altering abilities and band together to fight the alien invasion. “One-Minute War” is an incredible thrill-ride that emphasizes the reasons why the Flash Family is so fun, as each member gets to have their moment to shine in this fast-paced conflict. With a captivating premise, interesting villains, breathtaking action, and emotional character moments, the “One-Minute War” is an excellent story for any fan of the Flash Family.
4) “The Return of Barry Allen”
After Barry Allen sacrificed his life to save the Multiverse during the events of Crisis on Infinite Earths, his sidekick Wally West continued his mentor’s legacy and became the new Flash. Of course, given that this is the world of comic books, fans were expecting Barry to return within a short period of time. This expectation appeared to be justified in the story “The Return of Barry Allen,” written by Mark Waid. Barry Allen reappeared, having seemingly returned from the dead, despite Wally only having the Flash mantle for a brief period. Without getting into spoilers, not everything is as it seems. Barry is shown to be far more violent than he was before, and he accuses Wally of stealing his name and legacy. Other speedsters, like Jay Garrick and Johnny Quick, begin investigating their resurrected friend to find the truth. What follows is a gripping tale filled with mystery, suspense, and drama. The story also has an interesting take on the theme of legacy. Furthermore, it serves as a great means to solidify Wally West as the best choice to be the new Flash.
3) “Lightning in a Bottle”
Jay Garrick, Barry Allen, and Wally West are all well-known for their roles as the Flash, but many people forget about the fourth Flash: Bart Allen. The grandson of Barry Allen from the future, Bart, is best known for his time as the young superhero, Impulse. In this story, written by Paul De Meo and Danny Bilson, Bart takes over his grandfather’s speedster mantle and becomes the Flash. Following the events of Infinite Crisis, Wally West and the Speed Force disappear, leaving most speedsters, including Bart, powerless. A year later, a lab accident reconnects Bart to the Speed Force. However, despite regaining his abilities, Bart was reluctant to assume the Flash mantle. This reluctance stemmed from the fact that, due to Bart’s natural connection to the Speed Force, he ages faster the more he uses it. Despite this fear, Bart ends up becoming the new Scarlet Speedster to protect the city and the people he loves. The story is a gripping analysis of Bart’s character that examines his internal and external struggles as the new Flash. Although Bart had the Flash mantle for only 13 issues, “Lightning in a Bottle” is still a fantastic story with great action, comedy, and character development. It’s a fitting story for such an underrated Flash.
2) “Rogue War”
“Rogue War,” the end of writer Geoff Johns’ time as the head writer for The Flash comic series, serves as an epic conclusion to his run. The story centers around the titular supervillain team, the Rogues, battling a new squad of Rogues. This new team of Rogues is made up of former members of the original group. These ex-villains assembled as part of an FBI task force created to apprehend the original Rogues. As the two teams operate on opposite ends of the law, they inevitably end up clashing and threaten to throw all of Keystone City into chaos. Meanwhile, Wally is desperately trying to end the conflict between the two Rogues teams without any bloodshed. The story successfully incorporates almost every major villain Wally has ever faced into a well-crafted epic. For fans of Wally West and the Rogues, this is a must-read event!
1) “Finish Line”
After a 101-issue run as the head writer, Joshua Williamson’s epic finale has Barry Allen face off against the Reverse-Flash and an all-new supervillain team, the Legion of Zoom. This team consists of some of Barry’s deadliest enemies, including Gorilla Grodd, the Rogues, and the Turtle. To make matters even worse, the Reverse-Flash possessed Barry’s body and trapped the hero’s mind in the Speed Force! Now the rest of the Flash Family must free Barry and defeat Reverse-Flash and the Legion of Zoom. The entire story feels like a love letter to the Flash legacy, as almost every major and minor hero and villain in the character’s mythos makes an appearance. Even several characters that haven’t been seen in years make their return, such as Inertia and the future Flash, John Fox. The story has a lot of great moments of action, comedy, tension, and heart that encapsulate everything we love about the Flash and his family.
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