Celebrating Artist Andy Kubert

Celebrating artist Andy Kubert on his birthday (February 27, 1962) with his covers from the DC series Flashpoint...

...a major reality change in the life of Barry Allen (the Flash) orchestrated by his enemy, the Reverse Flash!

Flashpoint #1 Special Edition (September, 2011)

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Flashpoint #1 and #1 (Canadian Expo exclusive) (July and October, 2011)

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Flashpoint #2 and #3 (August and September, 2011)

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Flashpoint #4 and #5 (Early and Late October, 2011)

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Flash Crossover Multiple Issues

One odd thing over the years, is that while JLA/JSA meetings seemed to take either more issues or more space, Flash team-ups usually only went for one issue....

...except for the 3 issues where Barry and Jay Flashes worked together here!

Follow along quickly as the tale is told....

Vandal Savage -- Wanted Dead And Alive

It started simple enough in Flash #235 (August, 1975) by Cary Bates, Irv Novick and Tex Blaisdell (under a stunning Dick Giordano cover), heralding not only Jay Flash's return, but that of Green Lantern Hal Jordan and villain, Vandal Savage....in a full length tale.


Barry thought his Flash adventures were going to make him late for a dinner of Veal Scaloppine with his wife Iris...but, instead, he found her missing.  Instead, he is confronted by Vandal Savage, who tells him he took his wife (and after a bit of a battle....in Barry's mind), Flash follows up on this.  Meanwhile, Hal Jordan (Earth's Green Lantern) is getting his ex, Carol Ferris, back in his life, until Vandal Savage shows up and takes her from him (and gives Hal a little mental battle as well).

The heroes end up on Earth-2, helping out Flash Jay Garrick, and asking him about Vandal Savage....and he relates that the meteor crash which may have not have taken Savage's life, but just transferred him to Earth-1, but, Jay was mysteriously too busy to help the heroes.  Back to Earth-1, where Vandal Savage taunts Flash and Green Lantern, goading them to finding the meteor which would restore Savage's immortality, and Hal uses his power ring to see at least one of the girls are inside it.....and Green Lantern and Flash use their powers to put out the flaming meteor (and capture Vandal Savage).  They open the meteor....to find only Carol Ferris.  Savage explains he went to kidnap Iris, but she was already missing.  This puts Barry into detective mode, now on the hunt for his wife....though, if he could just peer into Earth-2 he would find her, as Jay is hiding her from him!


Jay Flash was last in a team-up with Barry in Flash #229, and Vandal Savage appeared in the Jay-Barry meeting the time previous, in Flash #215, both covered here, with Vandal Savage next returning for a bit in the 1970s All-Star Comics run.

Nowhere On The Face Of The Earth

Not finding Iris has put Barry in a bit of distress, as shown in Flash #236 (September, 1975) by Cary Bates, Irv Novick and Tex Blaisdell (under a Mike Grell cover).

Barry Flash is searching (a little carelessly) through Central City and the surrounding areas for his wife, Iris, to no avail.

Meanwhile, on Earth-2, Jay Flash is stopping menaces in Keystone City, with a little help from the mystical Dr. Fate, who has come to help with another problem...that of Iris Allen!  Dr. Fate uses a spell to keep Barry Flash busy on Earth-1 while Jay Flash and he look for a solution for the problem Iris has, which is she now has an aura that, if it comes into contact Flash's super speed aura, will result in a cataclysm.

Barry thinks he sees Iris on a live TV report, so goes to the tunnel that it is coming from, and does find Iris....or so he thinks, as the lady says she isn't.  While there, he is attacked by a pair of mystical hands, and he tries to keep "Iris" safe from them, eventually defeating the hands, and finding out that this lady wasn't Iris.  It was all a mystical spell by Dr. Fate to keep Barry busy, but, while that did, neither Dr. Fate nor Jay Flash found a cure for Iris.  So, they decide to send her to the 30th Century for help....but, coincidentally, that's where Barry Flash is going to look for her, speeding off on his cosmic treadmill!

Dr. Fate is fresh off his appearance with the JLA/JSA, meeting the Freedom Fighters (as chronicled here), and Joan Garrick makes a quick appearance, between Flash #229 and the 1970s All-Star Comics run..

The 1,000 Year Separation

The distractions Barry had faced to find Iris has made him desperate in Flash #237 (November, 1975) by Cary Bates, Irv Novick and Frank McLaughlin (with Ernie Chan doing the cover....and revealing the mystery villain behind Iris' disappearance....the Reverse-Flash!).

Barry is on his way to 1000 years in the future, the time Iris West originally came from (she was translocated into the past to keep her alive, explained in another story for another day).

Flash is approaching his wife and her parents in the future....when he suddenly gets a mystic bolt from Dr. Fate explaining to him what has been going on and the dire fate the universe will suffer if he touches his wife again.   Even being this close to Iris causes disasters, but why?

Well, Reverse-Flash shows up to explain.  Seems he set this plan in motion the last time he battled Barry (and tried to marry Iris).  Now, Reverse-Flash plans to marry her in 2975!  Barry is dejected, but notices things Eobard Thawne does....and, after a quick battle with his foe, figures out the vibrations he uses to cancel out the energy flux around Iris, and is able to duplicate them to free her from their problem.  Thawne escapes, as Barry and Iris enjoy their reunion, then head home for a long overdue dinner!

Dr. Fate appears next in his first solo story since the Golden Age, then joins Jay in the first issue of the JSA revival of All-Star Comics that introduced Power Girl.  Reverse-Flash isn't done with alternate Earths either, as he meets with the magical fellow here in a later issue of Secret Society of Super-Villains.

Come back quick, because there are still many Flash crossovers to come!
 

Flash Facts: Barry And Iris' Wedding

The comic book wedding of Barry Allen and Iris West didn't quite go the same as the version seen on CW's Flash (during the Crisis On Earth-X event they had), but it was interesting nonetheless. 

In "One Bridegroom Too Many" from Flash #165 (November, 1966 by John Broome, Carmine Infantino and Joe Giella, under a Murphy Anderson cover), Barry did indeed get his wedding interrupted, but it was the Flash doing it!   This involved some trickery from the 25th Century villain, Reverse Flash (a.k.a. Eobard Thawne), and this time, Barry had to be careful not to reveal his identity to his guests (which included Wally West's parents, Professor Ira West who Iris' thought was her father, Al Desmond who was formerly Dr. Alchemy, and Barry's parents, Henry and Nora Allen).   

Barry's dilemma was that he had not yet told Iris (nor almost anyone at the wedding other than Wally), that he was the Flash.

This plot point continued for a year, with Barry finally deciding to tell Iris during the course of the "Stupendous Triumph Of The Six Super-Villains" in Flash #174 (November, 1967 by John Broome, Carmine Infantino and Sid Greene under a classic cover by Carmine Infantino and Murphy Anderson featuring Flash's Rogue's Gallery).  This was complicated by facing a good Mirror Master and evil Flash from a parallel Earth (as well as Barry's Earth-1 Rogues including his Mirror Master), but Barry had been his own worst enemy (and the solution to his problems) as Iris already knew.  

Seems Barry talks in his sleep....so, believe it or not, Flash solved his own problem, not by being the Fastest Man Alive, but by simply slowing down and being with the woman he loved!

Flash Facts: Tradepaperbacks We Need Fast

While DC Comics is getting better about collecting old stories, Flash has been running behind in that race (at least as far as his later Silver Age and Bronze Age stories...as well as the earlier stories of the time when Wally West was the Flash).

So, to help out, a few ideas for collections that would get the hearts of fans of the CW's Flash show racing!

Flash Vs. Reverse-Flash

One of the biggest battles of the Flash's first season was his fight against the Reverse-Flash.  While his origin tale from Flash #139 (September, 1963 by John Broome, Carmine Infantino and Joe Giella) has been reprinted, only a few of his later appearances have been collected in color (most notably, his participation in Superman-Flash races in Flash #175 and DC Comics Presents #1 and #2, and his appearances as a member of the Secret Society of Super-Villains in Secret Society of Super Villains #12-15 and Justice League of America #166-168 facing the Justice League of America, though only available in hardcover, so a softcover companion like Secret Society of Super Villains Volume 1 had would be nice).

If you collected Flash #139, Flash #147, Flash #153, Flash #165, Flash #186, Flash #225, Flash #233, Flash #237, Flash #281-283, Flash #323 and Flash #324, you'd collect the beginning to end of Eobard Thawne in 275 pages including covers,  (well, more or less, missing a few one page appearances, and the results of his end in Flash #325), and have a book Flash TV show fans would like, as they could see Thawne's Silver Age life unfold!

Flash Team-Ups

Before Batman had a lock on Brave and the Bold, Flash teamed up with a few heroes in that title, with the Atom in Brave and the Bold #53, Martian Manhunter in Brave and the Bold #56, the Doom Patrol in Brave and the Bold #65, and Spectre in Brave and the Bold #72.  Flash also worked with Hawkman in Super-Team Family #3, and the New Gods in Super-Team Family #15.

While that's only 157 pages, additional pages could be found from Flash #198 (a back-up story meeting Zatanna), Brave and the Bold #99 (the only Batman/Flash team-up not reprinted in color), Action Comics #437 (with Superman, Green Arrow and Green Lantern as well, following up on a Superman/Green Arrow team-up from World's Finest Comics #210, and maybe Superman/Green Arrow team-ups could be collected), and Showcase #100 (which has Flash working with, well, everyone who premiered in Showcase, a title which introduced Barry Allen to the world as well!), which would get you over 240 pages with covers!

Atom's Wedding

Regular readers might realize that we left out Super-Team Family #11, with Flash, Supergirl and the Atom vs. T.O. Morrow....and as all of those characters have appeared in live action TV shows, it would be a shame not to see this collected....but, that could be collected with Super-Team Family #12-14, which is a mini-Atom saga, looking for his missing wife, Jean Loring....

....and add Secret Society of Super-Villains #10, and Justice League of America #154-157, to see the saga completely through, ending in the Atom's wedding (which Supergirl and Captain Comet also guest star in!

You even get a lot of action with Superman, Batman, Green Arrow Black Canary, and even Grodd and Captain Cold) all right round 300 pages.

Wally Settles As Flash

When Barry Allen disappeared for a while, Wally West took over as Flash (previously being Kid Flash, the Flash's sidekick). 

It took a while for Wally to get use to being the Flash, and he even wore the same outfit as Barry Allen did for a time.

But, in a story running from Flash #42 to Flash #50 (all by William Messner-Loebs, Greg LaRocque and Jose Marzan Jr., Wally comes to terms with Barry's legacy, gets closer to girlfriend, Linda Park, faces his own foe of Kilg%re, fights Grodd alongside Vixen and Rex the Wonder Dog, and then deals with Vandal Savage, all the while protecting his friends including Elongated Man, Tina McGee and Chunk.  Throw in the epilogue of Flash #51 (with Flash helping the new Lady Flash and the Kapitalist Kouriers, written and drawn by the same team, but inked by Roy Richardson), and you'd have about 250 pages of super-speed fun!

Flash Vs. Demonic Rogues

Last, but not least, a little dive into Mark Waid's run of writing the Flash, also with Wally West as the Flash.  By this point, Jay Garrick had returned, Wally also worked with new heroes like Argus, and also was growing quite close to Linda Park....but, he was also having problems living in Keystone City....

...but, starting with Flash #120, written by Mark Waid and Brian Augustyn, pencilled by Paul Ryan and inked by John Nyberg all the way through Flash #129, Wally dealt with a rogue in the Presidential race, becoming a bi-coastal super-hero, new foe Mr. Frost, old upgraded foe Major Disaster....as well as the return of the Rogues' Gallery, whom had been assumed dead from their dealings with the demon, Neron, in Underworld Unleashed (and Argus, Jay Garrick and the Justice League of America guest-star to help with this!)...all in 230 pages, including covers (and, throw in Flash Annual #10 from 1997, to get the collection up to 283 pages...and see Wally fight Rainbow Raider, as well as a Pied Piper solo story...).

By no means is this a complete coverage of the Flash, but if we could see these collections, and maybe a few others (like Flash/Green Lantern team-ups, or a third Crisis on Multiple Earths: The Team-Ups collection, both of which will likely be covered later....and both have been teased at here), Flash's history wouldn't be left in the dust.....

Flash Facts: The Early Days of Reverse-Flash

Reverse-Flash was one of Barry Allen's deadliest enemies, having all the same speed powers that the Flash did, but none of his morals or character, time-traveling back from the 25th Century to make things rough for the Flash.



A little different than the character that has appeared on the CW's Flash, so let's take a quick look at the comic history of the Reverse-Flash!

Menace Of The Reverse-Flash

In Flash #139 (September, 1963, by John Broome, Carmine Infantino, and Joe Giella), we first meet Eobard Thawne, a resident of the 25th Century who finds Dr. Walter Drake's time capsule with a Flash uniform, and uses future science to give himself super-speed.  Flash arrives in the 25th Century (to save the future from a potential problem in the capsule), and defeats the criminal referred to as the Professor, then Professor Zoom, because Thawne only got the speed of the Flash, and not the aura that protected Barry from his speed, which the Reverse-Flash duplicated with chemicals.  Flash solved the problem, and destroys Professor Zoom's costume.

This tale has been reprinted a few times, like in Flash #205 (April-May, 1971), the Flash Archives #5 of 2009, and DC Comics Presents: The Flash of 2011.

Our Enemy, The Flash

With Flash #147 (September, 1964 by John Broome, Carmine Infantino, and Joe Giella), the Reverse-Flash returns, and turns reformed criminal Al Desmond back into his element changing identity of Mr. Element (a previous foe of the Flash, who also worked as Dr. Alchemy from Flash's earliest days in Showcase), to stabilize his own Element Z, and get his Reverse-Flash speed back.  This leads to another battle with the Flash, which Barry wins over Eobard, as well as being able to prove the innocence of Al Desmond as Al was only a pawn in Professor Zoom's hands.



This tale has been reprinted in Flash Archives #6 of 2012. 

The Mightiest Punch Of All Time

Flash #153 (June, 1965 by John Broome, Carmine Infantino, and Joe Giella) delivers another tale of the Reverse-Flash, with Thawne being released from prison in the 25th Century by cheating on a psychological exam.  Then, the Reverse-Flash tries again enlists the help of Mr. Element, but Al calls on the Flash for help.  Reverse-Flash makes his own cosmic treadmill to come back to the 20th Century, and gains the power of mental manipulation, which he uses to turn Central City against the Flash.  Flash eventually takes on Professor Zoom directly, finishing him off with quite a punch, as well as getting poor Al Desmond help for his criminal tendencies.

This tale was reprinted in Flash #196 (April-May, 1970).

One Bridegroom Too Many

With Flash #165 (November, 1966 by John Broome, Carmine Infantino, and Joe Giella), Professor Zoom develops the habits he uses a lot more in the future.  The day before Barry marries Iris West, Thawne brings Barry to the 25th Century, and Reverse-Flash comes back, disguised as Barry to wed Iris!

Coming back in time to make Barry miserable and taking Barry's place are themes Thawne will revisit again and again.


This tale was reprinted in Flash #328 (December, 1983) and in Flash: The Greatest Stories Ever Told Tradepaperback of 2007.

The Race To The End Of The Universe

In Flash #175 (December, 1967 by E. Nelson Bridwell, Ross Andru, and Mike Esposito), the Reverse-Flash works with another time travelling villain of the Flash, 64th Century Abra Kadabra, to manipulate the second Superman/Flash race, and cause problems for Barry Allen.  The two villains get defeated by Superman and the Flash, but still no winner in the race is decided...

..and won't be for a while.


More history on the Superman/Flash races is here, and you can find this tale reprinted in the Limited Collector's Edition C-48 of 1976 and in the Superman Vs. Flash Tradepaperback of 2005.

Time Times Three Equals -- ?

Flash #186 (March, 1969 by Mike Friedrich, Ross Andru and Mike Esposito) sees the revival of a Golden Age hero, Sargon the Sorcerer, whose Ruby of Life allows him to manipulate matter, but he comes back as a bad guy.  Sargon breaks the Reverse-Flash out of his 25th Century prison, planning to get Professor Zoom to teach him more time travel tricks, but Thawne only wants revenge on the Flash.  Professor Zoom battles Sargon, using his own magic against him and trapping the sorcerer in a nether dimension (which he tricks the Flash into freeing him from).  After their return, Flash battles the Reverse-Flash again, using the Ruby of Life to defeat him, but Sargon gets away.


This tale has yet to be reprinted, though this cover provides an eerie look into the future of the Flash.

Green Lantern Master Criminal of the 25th Century

Flash #225 (January-February, 1974 by Cary Bates, Irv Novick and Dick Giordano) sees an odd event...

...with Flash teaming up with the Reverse-Flash against Flash's friend, Green Lantern?  This happens because Professor Zoom created a "syntho-steed" menace that he sent back to the 20th Century, and the two heroes had to go to 25th Century to get Professor Zoom's help in defeating it.



This tale has yet to be reprinted, but wouldn't it make a great addition to a collection of Flash/Green Lantern team-ups?

The Deadly Secret Of The Flash

Flash #233 (May, 1975 by Cary Bates, Irv Novick and Dick Giordano) sees a bit of the ability to plan and think fast on his feet for the Reverse-Flash, who comes back in time to take Iris Allen as his, and ruin Barry Allen's life.  Thawne's original plan doesn't seem to be successful, but in this case he had a back-up plan, and it took a little time for it to manifest...

...but, as a time traveller, Professor Zoom would be okay with that!


This tale was collected in The Flash: A Celebration of 75 Years in 2015, as it well defines the character of the Reverse-Flash!

The 1,000-Year Separation

What Professor Zoom set up in his last appearance comes home in Flash #237 (November, 1975 by Cary Bates, Irv Novick and Frank McLaughlin).  Flash had spent the previous two issues looking for Iris Allen (who had disappeared in a battle with Vandal Savage), and the Golden Age Flash and Dr. Fate had been keeping Barry away from Iris, this all due to energy that the Reverse-Flash had put into Iris that would destroy the world if Barry saw Iris again, which Thawne would only remove if Iris wed him.  Iris was at her original birth time of the 30th Century (a long story, but Iris was also from the future), and Flash fought the Reverse-Flash there to save Iris, and bring her home.


This story has not been reprinted.

Super-Villain Team-Up

When next the Reverse-Flash appeared, it was as a part of the Secret Society of Super-Villains, working with villains like the Wizard, Blockbuster, the Floronic Man and Star Sapphire, all after the Wizard got rid of Grodd!  More on that team after introducing more of it's members, and you can also read more of Reverse-Flash's legacy here! 

Flash ReAction Figures 2015 Series 1

With Flash being a quick hit for the CW, Funko ran as fast as it could to make some Flash Reaction figures in 3 and 3/4 inch scale planned for release in July, 2015!

Series 1 is set to include the Flash, his chilly foe of Captain Cold (which needs a little bit of work), and his speedster nemesis, the Reverse Flash (who also looks a little too darkened up....).

Still, pair these up with the Arrow Funko Reaction figures Series 1, or enjoy them on your own, be sure to run right out and get these when they are available!  Hoping for more foes as well....like Heat Wave, Weather Wizard, Golden Glider, Pied Piper, the Trickster and Grodd....and friends like Firestorm, Iris West and the Atom!

Flash Facts Evil Speedsters

The Flash isn't the only speedster to have a legacy...it applies to the villainous speedsters as well. Here's a few facts on the folks that run the wrong way.

Rival

First Appearance: Flash Comics #104 (February, 1949).


Created by: John Broome and Carmine Infantino


Flash Foe: Jay Garrick

Edward Clariss was a chemist who duplicated the accident that gave Jay Garrick his speed...and became Jay's super-speed Rival in Flash Comics #104 (February, 1949).  Rival was successful in ending the Flash...that issue was the last of Jay's run.  Rival came back to face the Flash as a member of the Injustice Society under Johnny Sorrow for two issues of JSA (#16 and #17 in November/December, 2000, which gave Rival his only cover appearance!).  Rival returned again as Jay was mentoring Impulse, for the last two issues of Impulse's run (#88 and #89, September/October, 2002), wherein Rival ended up possessing Impulse's usual mentor, Max Mercury.  Jay and the rest of the Justice Society faced Rival and the Injustice Society again in JSA All-Stars #1 (July, 2003).

Reverse Flash

First Appearance: Flash #139 (September, 1963).


Created by: John Broome and Carmine Infantino


Flash Foe: Barry Allen

Eobard Thawne was from the 25th Century, and a fan of Flash (Barry Allen)...well, more or less.  Thawne found Barry's costume in a time capsule, and, being smart, treated it to allow him super-speed (and he reversed the colors since he planned to do evil with the costume).  Barry traveled to the 25th Century to retrieve the costume, and ended up defeating Professor Zoom (another name for the Reverse Flash).  Still, Thawne kept coming back, with more plots and plans...usually trying to become Barry Allen, or marry Iris West.  He even joined with other foes of Barry Allen, including the Secret Society of Super-Villains (most notably, Secret Society of Super-Villains #11-15 and Justice League of America #166-168), and was involved in a few of the early races between Superman and the Flash, no less!

It was just another day at the races with Reverse Flash, at least until Thawne went too far, killing Iris and pushing Barry to the edge....and beyond.  Barry killed Thawne accidentally in Flash #323-325 (damaging the time stream, something hinted at right before the Crisis on Infinite Earths...and Barry's own disappearance for a time).

Still, a good villain will find a way to come back...

...menacing Wally West during his time as the Flash (but before Thawne became the Reverse Flash and then again, working with another evil speedster as well), and then coming back during the Blackest Night event as an animated corpse...before being revived to life, and being a menace to Barry and the DC Universe as a whole.

The Reverse Flash had all the same speed abilities as the Flash did, but none of his moral restraint, so he messed with Barry Allen's life all along his time line, creating the Flashpoint event, then restarting the DC Universe with the New 52!

Zoom

First Appearance: Flash Secret Files #3 (November, 2001 as Hunter), Flash #197 (June, 2003, as Zoom)


Created by: Geoff Johns and Scott Kolins


Flash Foe: Wally West

Hunter Zolomon did not have a good life, having parents who weren't particularly appreciative, and, worst still, a father who was a serial killer (who died, after killing his mother).  Hunter took this and tried to be better, working for the FBI as a psychologist, where he even found Ashley, the love of his life.  But, inaction on Hunter's part allowed a criminal to kill her father, and they split, and Hunter was injured as well, never being able to run again.  Hunter ended up at Keystone City's police department, working there, becoming friends with Wally West...at least until a savage attack by Gorilla Grodd paralyzed poor Hunter.  Hunter asked Wally to fix his lousy life by using the Cosmic Treadmill to travel in time...but Wally wouldn't.  Zolomon tried himself, and the resulting explosion shattered Zolomon's connection to time, and turned him into Zoom, fighting with Flash in Flash #197-200!

Zoom had a purpose, to make Wally West's life miserable, so that Wally would understand pain, and be willing to change time to make things better.  Along the way, Zoom works with the new Secret Society (including his recruiter, the Cheetah, and Superman's reversed clone, Bizarro), and continues his battle with Wally, including a massive battle through time, as Zoom messes with Wally's love, Linda Park, and also recruits Reverse Flash into the fight (as well as Jay Flash, Barry Flash, and Bart Allen who is Kid Flash at this time), and battles Flash's Rogue's as well, as evil speedsters are never Rogues!).

Wally stops Zoom by locking him in the moment that Ashley's father dies...and that keeps him away, at least until the Infinite Crisis (because Crises are never good for Flashes....).

Zoom then frees the next generation of Flash (Inertia, more on him soon) from his prison while negotiating with Bart's grandma (Iris Allen) in Flash: The Fastest Man Alive #10-11, fights Damage (whom he had scarred in the opening of Infinite Crisis), joins with Libra and other villains during the Final Crisis, and then tries to change Inertia into Kid Zoom, who then changes Zoom back along his timeline into crippled Hunter Zolomon (all during Final Crisis: Rouge's Revenge).

Hunter is not deterred, and meets with Reverse Flash in prison, during Flash: Rebirth, going back to the idea he is helping Flashes, promising to make Reverse Flash better.

Inertia

First Appearance: Impulse #50 (July, 1999).


Created by: Todd DeZago and Ethan Van Sciver


Flash Foe: Bart Allen

Thaddeus Thawne started life as a clone of Bart Allen (Impulse), created by President Thaddeus Thawne (a descendant of Reverse Flash) in the 30th Century, first facing Impulse (along with his mentor, Max Mercury) over the issues of Impulse #50-53 (1999), then returning for a rematch in #56, and in #63-67 (trying to be Impulse...must be a characteristic of the Thawnes to want to be Flashes!).

Inertia returned after Bart was artificially aged up and taking over the role of the Flash, finding himself without super-speed and having to take Velocity 9 to fight, facing off with Bart's Flash in Flash: The Fastest Man Alive #5-8, and then #10-13 (over 2007, stopping between to join Deathstroke's Titans East in Teen Titans #43-46), with, in Flash: The Fastest Man Alive #13, Inertia was able to do something no evil speedster was ever able before, to kill Bart's Flash (with Wally stopping Inertia quite literally in All-Flash #1).

Still, the angry little man was revived yet again, this time by Zoom during the course of Final Crisis: Rogue's Revenge, where Inertia took on the mantle of "Kid Zoom" and removed Zoom's powers...before the Rogue's got to Kid Zoom, ending his run.

As long as there are Flashes, there will be rivals to those Flashes, running in reverse, even when the Flash transfers mediums to television like on the CW!