Editing The Flash (section)

==Publication history==
{{see also|The Flash (comic book)}}

=== Timeline ===
{{The Flash timeline}}

===Golden Age===
The Flash [[First appearance|first appeared]] in the [[Golden Age of comic books|Golden Age]] ''Flash Comics'' #1 (January 1940), from [[All-American Publications]], one of three companies that would eventually merge to form [[DC Comics]]. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Harry Lampert, this Flash was Jay Garrick, a college student who gained his speed through the inhalation of [[hard water]] vapors. When re-introduced in the 1960s Garrick's origin was modified slightly, gaining his powers through exposure to [[heavy water]].

Jay Garrick was a popular character in the 1940s, supporting both ''Flash Comics'' and ''[[All-Flash|All-Flash Quarterly]]'' (later published bi-monthly as simply ''All-Flash''); co-starring in ''[[Comic Cavalcade]]''; and being a charter member of the [[Justice Society of America]], the first superhero team, whose adventures ran in ''[[All Star Comics]]''. With superheroes' post-war decline in popularity, ''Flash Comics'' was canceled with issue #104 (1949) which featured an evil version of the Flash called the Rival. The Justice Society's final Golden Age story ran in ''All Star Comics'' #57 (1951; the title itself continued as ''All Star Western'').

===Silver Age===
In 1956, DC Comics successfully revived superheroes, ushering in what became known as the [[Silver Age of comic books]]. Rather than bringing back the same Golden Age heroes, DC rethought them as new characters for the modern age. The Flash was the first revival, in the tryout comic book ''[[Showcase (comic book)|Showcase]]'' #4 (October 1956).

This new Flash was Barry Allen, a police scientist who gained super-speed when bathed by chemicals after a shelf of them was struck by lightning. He adopted the name ''The Scarlet Speedster'' after reading a comic book featuring the Golden Age Flash.<ref name="dc-ency"/> After several more appearances in ''Showcase'', Allen's character was given his own title, ''The Flash'', the first issue of which was #105 (resuming where ''Flash Comics'' had left off). Barry Allen and the new Flash were created by writers [[Robert Kanigher]] and [[John Broome (writer)|John Broome]] and cartoonist [[Carmine Infantino]].

The Silver Age Flash proved popular enough that several other Golden Age heroes were revived in new incarnations (see: [[Green Lantern]]). A new superhero team, the [[Justice League|Justice League of America]], was also created, with the Flash as a main, charter member.

Barry Allen's title also introduced a much-imitated plot device into superhero comics when it was revealed that Garrick and Allen existed on fictional [[Parallel universe (fiction)|parallel world]]s. Their powers allowed them to cross the dimensional boundary between worlds, and the men became good friends. ''[[Flash of Two Worlds]]'' (''The Flash'' #123) was the first crossover in which a Golden Age character met a Silver Age character. Soon, there were crossovers between the entire Justice League and the Justice Society; their respective teams began an annual get-together which endured from the early 1960s until the mid-1980s.

Allen's adventures continued in his own title until the event of ''[[Crisis on Infinite Earths]]''. ''The Flash'' ended as a series with issue #350. Allen's life had become considerably confused in the early 1980s, and DC elected to end his adventures and pass the mantle on to another character. Allen died heroically in ''Crisis on Infinite Earths'' #8 (1985). Thanks to his ability to travel through time, he would continue to appear occasionally in the years to come.

===Modern Age===
The third Flash was [[Wally West]], introduced in ''The Flash'' #110 (December 1959) as [[Kid Flash]]. West, Allen's nephew by marriage, gained the Flash's powers through an accident identical to Allen's. Adopting the identity of Kid Flash, he maintained membership in the [[Teen Titans]] for years. Following Allen's death, West adopted the Flash identity in ''Crisis on Infinite Earths'' #12 and was given his own series, beginning with ''The Flash'' (vol. 2) #1 in 1987.<ref name="dc-ency"/> Many issues began with the [[catchphrase]]: "My name is Wally West. I'm the fastest man alive."

Due to the ''[[Infinite Crisis]]'' miniseries and the "[[One Year Later]]" jump in time in the [[DC Universe]], DC canceled ''The Flash'' (vol. 2) in January 2006 at #230. A new series, ''The Flash: The Fastest Man Alive'', began on June 21, 2006. The initial story arc of this series, written by [[Danny Bilson]] and [[Paul De Meo]] with art by Ken Lashley, focused on Bart Allen's acceptance of the role of the Flash.

''Flash: Fastest Man Alive'' was canceled with issue #13. In its place ''The Flash'' (vol. 2) was revived with issue #231, with [[Mark Waid]] as the initial writer. Waid also wrote ''All-Flash'' #1, which acted as the bridge between the two series.<ref>{{cite news| url = http://www.newsarama.com/heroes_philly07/DC/flash.html| title = Mark Waid Returns to ''The Flash''| access-date = July 15, 2007| last = Rogers| first = Vaneta |date=July 15, 2007| work = Newsarama |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070702073031/http://www.newsarama.com/heroes_philly07/DC/flash.html <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date = July 2, 2007}}</ref> DC had solicited ''The Flash: The Fastest Man Alive'' through issue #15. ''All Flash'' #1 replaced issue #14 and ''The Flash'' (vol. 2) #231 replaced issue #15 in title and interior creative team only. The covers and cover artists were as solicited by DC, and the information text released was devoid of any plot information.<ref>{{cite journal |date=May 2007 | title = DC Universe | journal = Previews | volume = 17 | issue = #5 | page = 82 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |date=June 2007 | title = DC Universe | journal = Previews | volume = 17 | issue = #6 | page = 86}}</ref>

In 2009, Barry Allen made a full-fledged return to the DCU-proper in ''[[The Flash: Rebirth]]'', a six-issue miniseries by [[Geoff Johns]] and [[Ethan Van Sciver]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.comicsbulletin.com/news/121695829519539.htm |title=SDCC News: Johns and Van Sciver Announce Flash Rebirth: News Bulletins |publisher=Comics Bulletin |date=July 24, 2008 |access-date=September 14, 2010 |archive-date=October 15, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081015130552/http://www.comicsbulletin.com/news/121695829519539.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref>