It is important to know your Flashes, and know which one you're reading about. Jay Garrick was the original Flash during the Golden Age. His solo stories are mostly antiquated, but he appears regularly as a member of the Justice Society. Barry Allen is the classic modern Flash, whose first appearance marked the beginning of the Silver Age. Allen was a member of the Justice League, and died during the Crisis on Infinite Earths. He was resurrected over twenty years later and has headlined several series' since then. Wally West was the original Kid Flash, and took over as a replacement when Barry Allen died. West is known for being the most relaxed and humorous Flash. Bart Allen was originally Impulse, then grew up to become the second Kid Flash, and became the Flash temporarily when Wally was missing.
New readers[]
- The Flash: Born to Run is the beginning of Mark Waid's legendary era on Wally West. It is a Year One story detailing the early history of Wally West as Kid Flash working with Barry Allen.
- The Flash: Wonderland is the first arc by a then-unknown Geoff Johns on Wally West. This is the beginning of Johns' legendary run. The story deals with Wally being sucked into a mirror world by Mirror Master.
- The Flash: Blood Will Run is Geoff Johns' second Wally West storyline, beginning his long-time collaboration with artist Scott Kolins. The story involves Wally fighting a super-speed cult lead by the new villain Cicada.
- The Flash: Lightning in a Bottle by Danny Bilson and Paul DeMeo is the first story with Bart Allen as The Flash. Bart is rapidly aged after the events of Infinite Crisis and must learn to replace Wally West.
- The Flash: Rebirth by Geoff Johns is an epic mini-series that reintroduces Barry Allen to the DC Universe. Final Crisis resurrected Barry after twenty years, and this series has him dealing with the fallout of his return. Professor Zoom returns stronger than ever. Barry's origins are rebooted through an incident involving time travel and the Speed Force.
- The Flash: The Dastardly Death of the Rogues is Geoff Johns' first arc with Barry Allen as The Flash. This spins out of Johns' earlier storyline Rebirth which brought Barry Allen back from the dead after twenty years. It is a throwback to the Silver Age with Barry establishing his new status quo.
- The Flash: Move Forward by Francis Manapul and Brian Buccellato is the first arc in The New 52. This is a complete reboot, starring Barry Allen as the one and only Flash of the new DC Universe.
Further reading[]
- Final Crisis: Rogues' Revenge by Geoff Johns involves the Rogues returning home after a year on the run. They are forced to take back their titles, and battle Libra's Secret Society of Super-Villains.
- The Flash: Blitz by Geoff Johns is an epic storyline to celebrate issue #200 of the ongoing series. Wally West gains a new arch-nemesis when his close friend becomes a new Reverse-Flash, calling himself Zoom.
- The Flash: Dead Heat by Mark Waid has every speedster other than the Flash lose their powers. Wally West must fight Savitar, the leader of a speedster cult who is determined to kill every other speedster.
- The Flash: Emergency Stop by Grant Morrison and Mark Millar is a brief experimental run that takes Wally West in some imaginative new directions, inspired by the creativity of the Silver Age.
- The Flash: Flashpoint by Geoff Johns involves Barry Allen thrust into an alternate timeline where he is no longer The Flash. Professor Zoom alters history to erase his enemy, and Barry must team up with Batman to restore reality.
- The Flash: Full Throttle is the second and final arc with Bart Allen as The Flash. Inertia and the Rogues work together to give the new Flash the greatest fight of his life.
- The Flash: Ignition by Geoff Johns takes place when the Spectre erases everyone's memory of the Flash's secret identity. This includes Wally West, who must remember who he is.
- The Flash: The Return of Barry Allen by Mark Waid involves Barry Allen supposedly returning from the dead. Wally West is excited to have his mentor return, but quickly learns this man might not be what he seems.
- The Flash: Rogue War is Geoff Johns' final arc on Wally West. The story involves the Rogues splitting into multiple factions and tearing the Flash's city apart through war.
- The Flash: Terminal Velocity by Mark Waid is a story that involves Wally West teaming up with every other speedster to battle Kobra. This story also introduces the Speed Force when Wally begins to run so fast that he's in danger of never coming back.
- The Flash: The Trial of the Flash by Cary Bates is a Bronze Age story that involves Barry Allen put on trial for murdering Professor Zoom.
Single issues[]
- Crisis on Infinite Earths #8 -- "A Flash of Lightning!"
- DC Special Series #11 -- "Beyond the Super-Speed Barrier!"
- The Flash #105 -- "The Master of Mirrors!"
- The Flash #123 -- "Flash of Two Worlds"
- The Flash #148 -- "Doorway to the Unknown"
- The Flash #155 -- "The Gauntlet of Super-Villains!"
- The Flash #165 -- "One Bridegroom Too Many!"
- The Flash #174 -- "Stupendous Triumph of the Six Super-Villains!"
- The Flash #179 -- "Flash: Fact or Fiction?"
- The Flash #193 -- "Captain Cold Blows His Cool"
- The Flash #300 -- "1981: A Flash Odyssey"
- The Flash #324 -- "The Slayer and the Slain!"
- The Flash (Volume 2) #0 -- "Flashing Back"
- The Flash (Volume 2) #54 -- "Nobody Dies"
- The Flash (Volume 2) #91 -- "Out of Time"
- The Flash (Volume 2) #182 -- "Absolute Zero"
- The Flash (Volume 2) #190 -- "Rat Race"
- The Flash (Volume 2) #197 -- "Rogue Profile: Zoom"
- The Flash (Volume 2) #212 -- "Mirror, Mirror on the Wall"
- The Flash (Volume 2) #218 -- "Rogue Profile: Heat Wave"
- The Flash (Volume 3) #7 -- "What Goes Around, Comes Around"
- The Flash (Volume 3) #8 -- "Reverse-The Flash: Rebirth"
- Secret Origins Annual (Volume 2) #2 -- "Mystery of the Human Thunderbolt!"
- Superman #199 -- "Superman's Race With the Flash!"