Flash: Animated (Justice League Unlimited (original) (raw)

The Flash is the fastest man alive, able to run and think at super-speed. His egocentric, class clown personality clashed sharply with the more serious Superman in their first meeting, a charity race around the world. When the race was interrupted by theWeather Wizard, they worked together to defeat the villain and learned to respect each other (Superman: “Speed Demons,” 1997).

The Flash is also a founding member of the Justice League. Perhaps the youngest member of the League, the Flash is always ready with a joke to break the tension.

While his fellow Leaguers sometimes find him annoying, the Flash is very well-liked in his hometown of Central City. In fact, the city opened a Flash Museum in his honor (Justice League Unlimited: “Flash and Substance,” 2006).

Text by Kelson Vibber. Do not copy without permission.

• Art Credits
• TV Appearances
• Comic Book Appearances
• Further Notes
• Related Commentary

Art

• Costumed: Justice League style guides (thanks to Bill Walko for the image).
• Unmasked: Justice League episode: “Star Crossed” (thanks to Ian Pyett for the screen shot and Chaz Brown for the episode title)

TV Appearances

• Superman episode: “Speed Demons” (September 13, 1997)
• Justice League - regular (2001–2004)
• Static Shock episodes: “A League of Their Own” Parts 1 & 2 (March 1 & 8, 2003)
• Justice League Unlimited - regular (2004–2006)
• Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths direct-to-home video movie (February 2010)**

Comic Book Appearances

• Batman: Gotham Adventures #25 (June 2000): “Recognized, In Flashes, And With Glory,” Scott Peterson
• Regular in Justice League Adventures (2001–2004)
• Regular in Justice League Unlimited (2004–2008)

I’m not including appearances in Adventures in the DC Universe, since they seem to be basically another perspective on the main DCU; Gotham Adventures, however, is clearly in the continuity of the animated series.

Notes

The Flash as portrayed in the Superman and Justice League cartoons is very similar to the way he was portrayed in Justice League Europe during the early 1990s: an impatient, wise-cracking glory-hound who always has an eye out for the ladies.

This version of the character appears in the various DC Animated Universe (DCAU) series that ran from 1992–2006. Fans often refer to this world as the “Diniverse” (after writer Paul Dini) or “Timmverse” (after character designer Bruce Timm). See TV Tropes: DCAU.

Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths (2010) takes place in a different continuity, but was originally written to bridge the Justice League and Justice League Unlimited series. When the story was retooled for the home video market, Warner Bros. made changes to bring it more in line with current comics continuity: Hal Jordan as Green Lantern, for instance. The Flash is never named, but keeps the costume design (minus the yellow outline around his insignia) and characterization from the series.

*Thanks to Kris for pointing out the Static Shock appearances.

Related Commentary

• Iced Mochas for the Amazons
• Justice League Animated? at Crimson Lightning