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{{Multiple issues|
#REDIRECT [[Jay Garrick]]
{{refimprove|date=June 2012}}
{{R from fictional character|DC Comics}}
{{In-universe|date=April 2016}}
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{{Infobox comics character <!--Wikipedia:WikiProject Comics-->
| image = [[File:Garrick ross.jpg|250px]]
| caption = Jay Garrick, the original Flash. <br /> Cover art for ''JSA'' #78, by [[Alex Ross]].
| alt =
| character_name = Jay Garrick
| real_name = Jason Peter "Jay" Garrick
| publisher = [[DC Comics]]
| debut = ''[[Flash Comics]]'' #1 <br /> (January 1940)
| creators = [[Gardner Fox]] <br />[[Harry Lampert]]
| alter_ego =
| species = <!-- optional -->
| homeworld = <!-- optional -->
| partners = [[Flash (Barry Allen)|Barry Allen]] <br />[[Wally West]] <br />[[Alan Scott|Green Lantern (Alan Scott)]] <br />[[Bart Allen]] and [[Wildcat (comics)]]
| alliances = [[Justice Society of America]] <br />[[All-Star Squadron]] <br />[[Justice League]]
| aliases = <!-- optional: actual identities the character uses, not nicknames -->
| supports = <!--optional-->
| powers = Ability to run at the [[speed of light]] <br />Superhumanly fast reflexes <br />Augmented by the extra-dimensional [[Speed Force]]<br/>Frictionless aura<br/>Speed theft
}}

'''Jay Garrick''' is a [[fictional]] [[superhero]] appearing in [[American comic book]]s published by [[DC Comics]]. He is the first superhero called the '''[[Flash (comics)|Flash]]'''.<ref name="dc-ency">{{Cite book | last = Jimenez | first = Phil | author-link = Phil Jimenez | contribution = The Flash | editor-last = Dougall | editor-first = Alastair | title = The DC Comics Encyclopedia | pages = 124–127 | publisher = [[Dorling Kindersley]] | place = New York | year = 2008 | isbn = 0-7566-4119-5 | oclc = 213309017}}</ref> The character was created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Harry Lampert. He first appeared in ''Flash Comics #1'' (1940).

After a bizarre laboratory accident, he acquired the ability to move at superhuman speed, and chose to fight crime as a costumed vigilante, calling himself "the Flash". Jay Garrick has made numerous appearances in other media, including his live-action debut as a cameo in ''[[Smallville]]'', played by Billy Mitchell, and in ''[[The Flash (2014 TV series)|The Flash]]'', portrayed by [[John Wesley Shipp]].

==Publication history==
[[File:FllashComics GA 1.jpg|thumb|left|150px|First appearance in ''Flash Comics'' #1 (Jan 1940).]]
The character of Jay Garrick was created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Harry Lampert. The character first appeared in the first issue of the anthology series ''Flash Comics'' in 1940, published by [[All-American Publications]]. He was soon featured in ''All-Star Comics'' as part of the [[Justice Society of America]]. In 1941, he got his own solo comic book series, ''[[All-Flash]]''.

After World War II, superheroes declined in popularity, <!-- thus causing the Flash's comic book series to be canceled - right? I assumed that that is why it mentioned superheroes' declining popularity. -->causing many of the Flash's comic book series to be canceled. ''All-Flash'' was canceled in 1948 after 32 issues. ''Flash Comics'' was canceled in 1949 after 104 issues. ''All-Star Comics'' was canceled in 1951 after 57 issues, marking Garrick's last [[Golden Age of comic books|Golden Age]] appearance. Garrick would not appear again for ten years, and never got another solo series.

In 1956, DC Comics reinvented the Flash character, giving him a new costume, name, and background. This new Flash, named [[Flash (Barry Allen)|Barry Allen]], was completely unrelated to Jay Garrick. In fact, Garrick had never existed, as far as the new books were concerned. Barry Allen's first appearance shows him reading a copy of ''Flash Comics'', lamenting that Garrick was "just a character some writer dreamed up". Readers welcomed the new Flash, but still had an interest in the old one.

Jay Garrick made a guest appearance in ''Flash'' #123. In this issue, Garrick was treated as residing in a parallel universe ([[Multiverse (DC Comics)#Earth-Two|Earth-Two]]), which allowed the character to exist without any continuity conflicts with Barry Allen (who existed on [[Multiverse (DC Comics)#Earth-One|Earth-One]]), yet allowed him to make guest appearances in [[Silver Age of Comic Books|Silver Age]] books. Garrick only made guest appearances for most of the 60s and 70s. However, starting in 1976, Garrick became a regular character in the revived ''All-Star Comics'', partaking in adventures with the Justice Society, in stories set in modern times. In 1981, he and the Justice Society appeared in ''All-Star Squadron'' in stories set during World War II.

In 1985, DC Comics merged all of its fictional characters into a single shared universe. Jay Garrick now shared the same world as the new Flash. DC wrote the character out of continuity in the one-shot ''Last Days of the Justice Society'', but brought the character back in the 1990s due to fan interest. Unlike characters such as Batman or Superman, DC decided not to update Jay as a young hero, but portrayed him as a veteran of World War 2 with a magically-prolonged lifespan. Jay Garrick became a regular character in ''JSA'' and ''Justice Society of America''.

==Fictional character biography==

===The Flash===
'''Jason Peter Garrick'''<ref>''JSA'' #87 (September 2006)</ref> is a college student, who, prior to 1940 (later [[Retroactive continuity|retconned]] to 1938), accidentally inhales [[hard water]] vapors after taking a smoke break in his laboratory where he had been working (later stories would change this to [[heavy water]] vapors). As a result, he finds that he can run at [[superhuman]] speed and has similarly fast reflexes. Retcons imply that the inhalation simply activated a latent [[metahuman|metagene]].

After a brief career as a [[college football]] star, he dons a red shirt with a lightning bolt and a stylized [[Brodie helmet|metal helmet]] with wings (based on images of the Roman god [[Mercury (mythology)|Mercury]]). He then begins to fight crime as the Flash.<ref name="dc-ency" /> The helmet belonged to Jay's father, Joseph, who fought during [[World War I]].<ref>''The Flash'' (vol. 2) #208 (May 2004)</ref> He sometimes uses the helmet as a weapon or a type of shield, as seen in ''[[Infinite Crisis]]''.<ref>''Infinite Crisis'' #4 (March 2006)</ref> He has also used it to direct a beam of light at [[Eclipso]].

In the early stories, it seems to be widely known that Garrick is the Flash.<ref>{{Cite comic | Writer = [[Gardner F. Fox]] | Artist = Everett E. Hibbard | Story = | Title = Flash Comics | Volume = 1 | Issue = 6 | Date = June, 1940 | Publisher = [[All-American Publications]] | Page = | Panel = | ID = }}</ref> Later stories would show him as having his [[Secret identity|identity secret]], and that he is able to maintain it without the use of a mask by constantly "vibrating" his features, making him hard to recognize or clearly photograph. The effectiveness of this is debatable, as he later blamed his girlfriend, Joan, deducing his true identity on his lack of a mask.

During his career, he would often find himself embroiled in semi-comical situations inadvertently initiated by [[Winky, Blinky, and Noddy]], a trio of [[tramp]]s known as the Three Dimwits, who tried their hand at one job after another, and never successfully.

His first case involves battling the Faultless Four, a group of [[blackmailers]] (Sieur Satan, Serge Orloff, Duriel, and Smythe), who plot to steal an atomic bombarder and sell it. It is later revealed that a professor found the last container of heavy water vapors and used it to gain superspeed, becoming the [[Reverse-Flash#The Rival|Rival]]. He briefly takes away Jay's speed after capturing him, making him super-slow, but Jay uses the gases again, allowing him to regain his superspeed and defeat the Rival.

Like the Flashes who followed him, Garrick became a close friend of the [[Green Lantern]] of his time, [[Alan Scott]], whom he met through the Justice Society of America.

===Justice Society of America===
The Flash soon became one of the best-known of the [[Golden Age of comic books|Golden Age]] of superheroes. He was a founding member of the Justice Society of America and served as its first chairman.<ref>{{Cite comic | Writer = [[Gardner F. Fox]] | Penciller = | Inker = | Story = | Title = [[All Star Comics]] | Volume = 1 | Issue = 3 | Date = Winter, 1940 | Publisher = [[All-American Publications]] | Page = | Panel = | ID = }}</ref> He was originally based in [[New York City]],<ref>{{Cite comic | Writer = | Penciller = | Inker = | Story = | Title = Flash Comics | Volume = 1 | Issue = 5 | Date = May, 1940 | Publisher = [[All-American Publications]] | Page = 4 | Panel = 4 | ID = }}</ref> but this was later [[Retroactive continuity|retconned]] to the fictional [[Keystone City]]. He left the JSA after issue #6, but returned several years later (issue #24, spring 1945). He had a distinguished career as a crime-fighter during the 1940s.

Garrick's early history was largely the subject of [[retcons]]. A story explaining the retirement of the JSA members, including the Flash, explained that, in 1951, the JSA was investigated by the [[House Un-American Activities Committee]] for possible [[Communist]] sympathies and asked to reveal their identities. This was later revealed to be partly caused by [[Per Degaton]]. The JSA declined, and Garrick, who recently married his longtime girlfriend Joan, retired from superhero life. As a trained scientist, he ran an experimental laboratory for several decades.

''[[All-Star Squadron]] Annual'' #3 states that the JSA fought a being named [[Ian Karkull]], who imbued them with energy that slowed their aging, allowing Garrick and many others - as well as their girlfriends and sidekicks - to remain active into the late 20th century without infirmity. The 1990s ''[[Starman (DC Comics Modern Age)|Starman]]'' series notes that [[Shade (comics)|the Shade]] prompted Garrick to come out of retirement in the 1950s, but the details of his activities during this time are hazy at best.

===Earth-Two===
Garrick emerged from retirement in 1961 to meet the [[Silver Age of comic books|Silver Age]] Flash, [[Flash (Barry Allen)|Barry Allen]], from a [[Parallel universe (fiction)|parallel world]]. The rest of the JSA soon joined the Flash, although their activities during the 1960s (other than their annual meeting with Earth-One's [[Justice League|Justice League of America]]) were unrecorded, although it is clear that Garrick and [[Green Lantern (Alan Scott)]] were good friends.

Garrick was a key member of the JSA's 1970s adventures (as chronicled in ''All-Star Comics'' and ''[[Adventure Comics]]''). Garrick also helped to launch the careers of [[Infinity Inc.]] Following the ''[[Crisis on Infinite Earths]]'', all the parallel worlds are merged into one, and Keystone City becomes the twin city of Allen's [[Central City (DC Comics)|Central City]], with the two separated by a river. An updated story suggests that Keystone in this new continuity is rendered invisible and wiped from the memories of the world for many years through the actions of several [[supervillain]]s.

===21st Century===
In the early 21st century, many of Garrick's JSA cohorts have retired or died, but Garrick remains active with the latest incarnation of the group. He is physically about 50 years old, thanks to the effects of several accidental anti-aging treatments, but his chronological age is closer to 90. He is one of the few surviving members of the Justice Society of America after [[Zero Hour: Crisis in Time|Zero Hour]].<ref>''Zero Hour: Crisis in Time'' #2 (September 1994)</ref> Of the three original JSA members still on the team (along with Alan Scott and [[Wildcat (comics)|Wildcat]]), Jay takes a fatherly approach toward his teammates and the DC superhero community in general.

===''Infinite Crisis'' and ''One Year Later''===
{{main|Infinite Crisis|One Year Later}}

Garrick and his wife, Joan, have guardianship of [[Bart Allen]] after [[Max Mercury]]'s disappearance. During the events of ''Infinite Crisis'', Garrick states that the [[Speed Force]] is gone after a battle in which many speedsters, living and dead, wrestle [[Superboy-Prime]] into the Speed Force and disappear. Garrick is left behind when he reaches his limit and cannot follow.{{Clarify|reason=Left behind where? Cannot follow who or what?|date=March 2017}} Bart Allen returns, aged several years, having absorbed the entire Speed Force during his pursuit of the escaped Superboy-Prime. Garrick claims that without the Speed Force, his own power is less than before: like [[Wally West]] in the ''Crisis on Infinite Earths'' aftermath, he can only run close to the [[speed of sound]]. He also states that, as the Speed Force is no longer retarding his aging, his speed is diminishing with time. After Bart leaves Keystone City for Los Angeles, Garrick, once again, is the city's sole guardian. After hearing news of Bart's demise, Garrick collapses with grief, consoled by Jesse Chambers.

Garrick continues his work as a member of the reformed Justice Society of America, under the leadership of [[Power Girl]]. After the death of Bart Allen, Garrick's full speed returns. Garrick is currently the mayor of Monument Point, where the JSA is now based. He faces problems due to the JSA being based in the Town,{{Clarify|reason=What town? And why is Town capitalized?|date=March 2017}} but after talking to another official, who says that, as Garrick is not a politician, he doesn't have to worry about being re-elected, Garrick gains confidence.<ref>''Justice Society of America'' (vol. 3) #49 (May 2011)</ref>{{Dubious|date=March 2017|reason=I thought that mayors are elected, so Garrick "not having to worry about being re-elected" doesn't make any sense to me...what am I missing?}} Soon after this, he holds a funeral for [[Alan Scott]], who is killed defeating the villain D'arken, and tells the Justice Society that they must endure.

====Clone====
In the ''[[Outsiders (comics)|Outsiders]]: [[One Year Later]]'' story arc, a clone of Garrick appears as an antagonist, created by the [[Brotherhood of Evil]]. He appears to be in his late 20s or early 30s and is brainwashed into working for a Malinese dictator. The clone is defeated by the combined efforts of the Outsiders. He possesses Jay Garrick's super-speed, but none of his memories or expertise.<ref>''Outsiders'' #36 (July 2006)</ref> His unconscious body is placed in the custody of Alan Scott, [[Checkmate (comics)|Checkmate]]'s White King.

Due to lingering issues in the cloning process, made more unpredictable by the metagene itself, the clone is infected by a fast acting version of the ''clone plague'' deteriorating and shortening the lifespan of clones in the DC Universe. This makes it difficult for Checkmate to find a way to wake him and undo his brainwash, because, even with his special suit, tailored to stave the degenerating process, he would be doomed to a slow death whenever he awakens from his [[suspended animation]].

===''Brightest Day''===
In Brightest Day, Garrick and the rest of the JSA help Alan Scott and his children overcome the power of the Starheart, and, in turn, help save the planet from the Dark Avatar. After the events of the ''Brightest Day'', Garrick and the rest of the JSA travel to the city of Monument Point, which has been attacked by a superpowered terrorist named Scythe. Just before being defeated, Scythe snaps Jay's long standing friend Alan Scott's neck.<ref>''Justice Society of America'' #44</ref>{{Full citation needed|date=March 2017}} In the following story, it is revealed that Scythe is the product of Nazi genetic engineering, and that Scott and Garrick had been tasked by the president with killing him back when he was in infancy during World War II. The two heroes could not agree on a course of action, and, as a result, Scythe was allowed to live.<ref>''Justice Society of America'' #45</ref>{{Full citation needed|date=March 2017}} Doctor Mid-Nite discovers that the injuries Scott sustained have paralyzed Scott, and that any attempt to heal himself could break his constant concentration, which could result in the Starheart once again regaining control of his body.<ref>''Justice Society of America'' (vol. 3) #46</ref>{{Full citation needed|date=March 2017}}

Jade visits her bed-ridden father in the Emerald City, and offers to use her abilities to help him walk again. Scott declines his daughter's offer, reasoning that if the Starheart were to once again take over his body, it could result in the deaths of everyone in the city. [[Eclipso]] attacks the city, which results in [[Jesse Quick]] having to get Scott to safety.<ref>''Justice League of America'' (vol. 2) #55</ref>

Later, the JSA tries to take down the villain D'arken, who has broken free from imprisonment beneath Monument Point and absorbed the powers of JSA members, but D'arken is too powerful for the JSA to take him down. Due to this, only non-superpowered and magical members fight D'arken.{{Why|date=March 2017}} The JSA tells Alan Scott that unleashing the Starheart is the only way to destroy D'arken. However, after releasing the Starheart energies, Scott's body begins to incinerate. Afterwards, the JSA attends a funeral for Scott, whom they believe to be dead.<ref>''Justice Society of America'' (vol. 3) #54 (August 2011)</ref> Garrick is upset at having lost one of his closest friends and founding members of the JSA.

===Rebirth===
Following the return of [[Wally West]] to DC continuity during ''[[DC Rebirth]]'', Barry Allen is overwhelmed by the Speed Force when he shakes hands with Wally West. This not only causes Barry to become possessed by an echo of Eobard Thawne, but also caused Barry to start being absorbed into the Speed Force itself. It takes both Wally and the current [[Wally West II|Kid Flash]]'s interference to prevent Barry from being absorbed for good. Barry later reveals that, when he was overwhelmed by the Speed Force, he saw visions of possible future events. He also reveals that his last glimpse before he was returned to normal was something that was trapped inside the Speed Force. Although he could not recognize this object, it still filled him with hope. It is then revealed that Barry saw the helmet of the pre-Flashpoint Jay Garrick.<ref>''The Flash'' #9</ref>{{Full citation needed|date=March 2017}}

==Collected editions==
This is a list of collected editions or reprints of ''Flash Comics'' and other comics featuring Jay Garrick. The Archives are hardcover. All of the others are softcover trade paperbacks.
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Title !! Material collected
|-
! colspan="2"| Original
|-
| valign="top" | '''The Golden Age Flash Archives (vol. 1)''' HC (1999)
| valign="top" | ''Flash Comics'' #1-17
|-
| valign="top" | '''The Golden Age Flash Archives (vol. 2)''' HC (2006)
| valign="top" | ''Flash Comics'' #18-24 <br /> ''All Flash Comics'' #1-2
|-
| valign="top" | '''The Greatest Flash Stories Ever Told''' HC (1990) and TPB (1991)
| valign="top" | ''Flash Comics'' #1, 66, 86 <br /> ''Comic Cavalcade'' #24 <br /> ''Showcase'' #4 <br /> ''The Flash'' (vol. 1) #107, 113, 119, 124, 125, 137, 143, 148, 179 <br /> ''Five-Star Super-Hero Spectacular'' <br /> ''The Flash'' (vol. 2) #2
|-
| valign="top" | '''The Flash: The Greatest Stories Ever Told''' TPB (2007)
| valign="top" | ''Flash Comics'' #86, 104 <br /> ''The Flash'' (vol. 1) #123, 155, 165, 179 <br /> ''The Flash'' (vol. 2) #91 <br /> ''DC Special Series'' #11
|-
| valign="top" | '''Crisis on Multiple Earths: The Team-Ups''' (vol. 1)
| valign="top" | ''Flash'' (vol. 1) #123, 129, 137, 151
|-
| valign="top" | '''Crisis on Multiple Earths, The Team-Ups''' (vol. 2)
| valign="top" | ''Flash'' Vol. 1 #170, 173
|}

==Powers and abilities==
As the Flash, Garrick can run at [[Speedster (fiction)|superhuman speeds]] and has superhumanly-fast reflexes. The limits of his speed have fluctuated over the years, though he has usually been second to DC's "flagship" Flash, [[Flash (Barry Allen)|Barry Allen]].

In his earliest appearances, Garrick could move swiftly enough to intercept bullets. He could carry people away with him at super-speed without causing injury due to extreme acceleration. He could make himself invisible by vibrating his body at high frequencies. Over time, Jay Garrick finds that the fuel for his powers (and those of other speedsters) is the [[Speed Force]].

In the 2012 series Earth 2, Jay's powers are a blessing from the god [[Mercury (mythology)|Mercury]]. He can magically transform his clothing into his costume at will.

==Other versions==

===New 52===
[[File:Earth 2 issue 2.jpg|thumb|right|150px|The new Jay Garrick, from the cover of ''Earth 2'' #2.]]
Following the 2011 reboot of the DC comics universe, a new version of Jay Garrick is introduced in the first issue of the ''[[Earth-Two|Earth 2]]'' comic book. This version of Garrick, portrayed as a 21-year-old recent [[Bachelor's degree or higher|college graduate]], is spurned by his girlfriend, Joan, and possesses very little in terms of career prospects. The character receives his superspeed from [[Mercury (mythology)|Mercury]], a dying [[List of Roman deities|Roman god]] who sees bravery in Garrick, and is also the last god to fall following a war with [[Apokolips]]. Mercury claims that he has been held for the past 10 years by a greater threat than Apokolips. Garrick escapes a World Army Helicopter that sees the event as Mercury dies and tells Garrick to run. He saves a couple from Apokorats, saying he will do it in "a Flash". Later, Garrick arrives in Poland and meets [[Hawkgirl]].<ref>''Earth-2'' #2 (June 2012)</ref> Working alongside [[Hawkgirl]] and [[Alan Scott#The New 52|Alan Scott]], he assists in defeating [[Solomon Grundy (comics)|Solomon Grundy]], making his first public debut as the Flash.<ref>''Earth-2'' #5 (September 2012)</ref>

===''52 ''and ''Countdown''===
In the final issue of DC's year-long series ''[[52 (comics)|52]] ''in 2007, a new [[Multiverse (DC Comics)|Multiverse]] is revealed, originally consisting of [[List of DC Multiverse worlds|52 identical realities]]. Among the parallel realities shown, one is designated "Earth-2". As a result of [[Mister Mind]] "eating" aspects of this reality, it takes on visual aspects similar to the pre-Crisis Earth-Two, now called Earth-2, to distinguish the two separate realities. In one-panel, a new counterpart to Jay Garrick is shown, among other Justice Society of America characters. The names of the characters and the team are not mentioned in the panel in which they appear,<ref>{{Comic book reference | title=[[52 (comics)|52]] | issue=52 | date=May 2, 2007 | publisher=[[DC Comics]] | page=13 | panel=3 }}</ref> but they are later specifically used in the ''Countdown: Arena ''series, where the new Earth-2 Flash is specifically identified as Jay Garrick and does not allow others to call him "Flash". Despite being an almost exact duplicate to the original World War II Garrick, it is shown that the new Earth-2 Garrick is much younger, having no gray hair at all.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?t=111900 |title=The 52 exit interviews: grant morrison |accessdate=2007-05-12 |last=Brady |first=Matt |date=2007-05-08 |publisher=Newsarama |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070510031223/http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?t=111900 |archivedate=May 10, 2007 |df= }}</ref> Other Garricks are shown in the 52 multiverse. A second young Jay Garrick lives on the unspecified Earth that Wally West went to with his young children at the beginning of Bart Allen's tenure as the Flash. This Garrick is separate from the young post-Crisis Earth-2 Garrick, as the post-Crisis Earth-2 heroes make no mention of Wally or his children on their Earth.<ref>''The Flash: The Fastest Man Alive'' #6 (January 2007)</ref>

The multiverse established in ''52'' is later replaced following DC's 2011 ''[[Flashpoint (comics)|Flashpoint]] ''storyline. Following this, a new multiverse is established and all series were relaunched as part of DC's [[The New 52]] publishing event. The post-''52'' pre-''Flashpoint'' Earth-2 Jay Garrick ceases to exist, as did the mainstream Jay Garrick. A new but entirely different Earth-2 Jay Garrick then becomes the continually published version of the character ([[#The New 52|see publication history]]).

===Elseworlds===
In the [[Elseworlds]] book ''[[JSA: The Unholy Three]]'', Jay Garrick is portrayed as a post-WW2 United States [[intelligence agent]] stationed in Russia, working under the code-name '''Mercury'''. He is instrumental in bringing down the story's [[General Zod|rogue Superman]].<ref>''JSA: The Unholy Three'' (2003)</ref>

===Wonderland===
When Brother Grimm helped Captain Cold and Mirror Master trap Wally West in an alternate world where the Speed Force never existed, it is revealed that Jay Garrick never gained his speed in the accident and died during the Second World War.

===Flashpoint===
In the ''[[Flashpoint (comics)|Flashpoint]]'' reality, Jay Garrick died rather than developing super-speed after inhaling hard water.<ref>''Flashpoint: Kid Flash Lost'' #3 (August 2011)</ref>

===Smallville===
{{Plot|section|date=April 2016}}
Garrick first appears in "Haunted", where, in an attempt to help [[Bart Allen|Impulse]] find a way to keep his speed demon from stalking him, Clark takes Impulse to the JSA Brownstone, saying that they must find Garrick, because, as a fellow speedster, he might have answers they need. Arriving at an old residence in the outskirts of Utah, Superman and Impulse encounter an old withered version of Garrick equipped with a cane. At first, Garrick isn't thrilled at meeting Impulse, who had stolen his identity a few years earlier. Clark informs Garrick of Carter Hall's initial plan (prior to his untimely death) to reinstate the Justice Society of America, with the remaining living members helping to guide the new generation of Heroes. Impulse asks Garrick to reveal all that he knows about the [[Black Flash]]. Garrick shows signs of fear at the mention of that name, and begins to reveal the reason behind his handicap. The Government broke his leg a decade ago, and Garrick refused to have it repaired – thus depriving himself of his Super Speed abilities, which would prevent the Black Flash from haunting Garrick. However, Garrick can still feel the Black Flash’s presence, and he realizes that the Black Flash has its sights set on Impulse. The only way to stop the Black Flash is for Impulse to die. As the speed storm crackles in Utah, Clark tries to reason with Garrick, saying that there must be another way to help Bart. Garrick asserts that there is no choice in the matter, and that by using the Speed Force, the demon{{Clarify|reason=What demon?|date=March 2017}} is there to collect the debt. Clark asks why there were no records of speed storms while Garrick was with the JSA. Garrick surmises that Impulse is so fast that it has made the creature hungry and desperate. Picking up on the thought, Clark reasons that it is sending out the speed storms to try to create a new speedster to take on as its prey. Impulse realizes that the biology of the speedsters is special and that that's why so many have died in the attempts. Impulse asks Garrick how many speedsters there are. Garrick gives a mealy answer about not being the first and Impulse not being the last. Impulse confronts him about not having raced the demon{{Clarify|reason=Again, what demon?|date=March 2017}} himself to stop to have possibly stopped it, and Garrick denounces their abilities as a curse. Clark offers that curses can be blessings if they don't let their powers control their lives. Garrick likens Clark to Carter Hall and Impulse takes the opportunity to call Garrick out for not having stayed in touch with his team, mentioning that even though Garrick didn't know Carter, he still attended his funeral. Garrick owns up to not being proud of how he acted, but Impulse is still unsatisfied. Riled up, Impulse starts tapping into the Speed Force before Clark manages to stop him. Clark fields communication from Chloe at Watchtower. He asks how she is and she tells him she's coping. She alerts him to a speed storm brewing in Las Vegas, a huge one that isn't slowing down and is killing many. Clark relays the message to Impulse, who tries running off on his own. Clark grabs him and Impulse argues that the racer is waiting for him there and is calling to him. Clark tells Chloe that they didn't come up with a solution. She responds that S.T.A.R. Labs might have something. Patched to Emil Hamilton, the doctor explains they took the concept of sending Clark into the sun to remove his irradiation to fashion a containment suit. He states that they modified the suit to collect speed energy and that Clark might be able to use it to constantly move fast enough to confront the demon. The scientists at S.T.A.R. fire a pod into the atmosphere and it quickly rockets its way to the young heroes' location in Utah. The pod opens to reveal the new suit, a black and silver affair with a glowing S-Shield. Clark quickly puts on the suit and speeds to the massive storm in Las Vegas. Boldly, Clark proclaims to the demon that it's "time for round two." After Clark leaves Garrick, Impulse sits silently and watches the speed storm on the horizon. Impulse decides to go help Clark. Before he{{Clarify|reason=Who? Clark, Impulse, or Garrick?|date=March 2017}} leaves, he tells Impulse that he heard the same names that Impulse did the first time he got his powers. Jay tells him that the speed force is something that binds all the speedsters together. Impulse then runs off. Later, Garrick and Clark meet at the JSA brownstone and talk about Impulse and Carter. Clark tells him not to blame himself, but Garrick thinks that he should have done something about it years ago. Garrick leaves with [[Red Tornado (Ma Hunkel)|Abigail Hunkel]] when Emil shows up, but not before looking at his old tin hat. {{Clarify|reason=This has to be "X runs a school", but there's no X.|date=March 2017}}runs a school for the "gifted" in San Francisco with [[Superboy (Kon-El)|Conner Kent/Superboy]], [[Speedy (Mia Dearden)|Speedy]], [[Jaime Reyes|Blue Beetle]], [[Miss Martian]] & [[Wonder Twins|Zan and Jayna]] as his students.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newsarama.com/19106-bryan-q-miller-brings-the-teen-titans-to-smallville.html|title=BRYAN Q. MILLER Brings the TEEN TITANS To SMALLVILLE|work=Newsarama.com}}</ref> He also had his leg fixed and regained full use of his speed powers, though he is seen wearing a brace when out in the field.

==In other media==
{{main|The Flash in other media}}

===Comic adaptations===
* Jay Garrick appears on the cover of a comic book in the ''[[Watchmen (film)|Watchmen]]'' tie-in, ''[[Tales of the Black Freighter (film)|Under the Hood]]''.{{Citation needed|date=April 2016}}

===Television===

====Animation====
* Jay Garrick is a recurring character in ''[[Batman: The Brave and the Bold]]'', voiced by [[Andy Milder]]. He is of the heroes [[Batman]] most frequently teams up with. In the teaser plot of "Trials of the Demon!", he and Batman stop the [[Scarecrow (DC Comics)|Scarecrow]] and Scream Queen on [[Halloween]]. After learning that the pumpkins{{Clarify|reason=What pumpkins?|date=March 2017}} are infected with a toxin,{{Clarify|reason=What toxin?|date=March 2017}} Garrick rounds up every pumpkin in town. When the townspeople demand to know what happened, Garrick finds Batman already gone. Garrick briefly appears in the "The Fate of Equinox", in which he lends his powers to Batman to help against Equinox. He returns as a member of the Justice Society in the episode "The Golden Age of Justice". In "Requiem for a Scarlet Speedster", Garrick acknowledges that Barry Allen disappeared in a battle with [[Eobard Thawne|Professor Zoom]]. Batman, Jay and [[Wally West|Kid Flash]] use the cosmic treadmill to travel to the 25th century and help Barry battle Professor Zoom.
* Jay Garrick and Joan Garrick appear in ''[[Young Justice (TV series)|Young Justice]]'', voiced by [[Geoff Pierson]] and [[Kath Soucie]], respectively. They are introduced in the episode "Downtime", where the Allen and West families throw a birthday party for Jay. Jay is referred to as a 'retired speedster' by Joan, and does not appear to possess the slowed-aging that his comic book counterpart does. He temporarily comes out of retirement in the episode "Bloodlines" in order to help Barry, Kid Flash, and Impulse during a battle against [[Neutron (comics)|Neutron]], as well as in the series finale to help the Justice League save the Earth. Through the series, it is mentioned that the Garricks have been acting as Impulse's guardians.

====Live action====
[[File:Jay Garrick (John Wesley Shipp).jpg|thumb|upright|[[John Wesley Shipp]] as Jay Garrick / The Flash on ''[[The Flash (2014 TV series)|The Flash]]''.]]

* The character is alluded in the 1990 ''[[The Flash (1990 TV series)|The Flash]]'' live-action TV series. The [[Trickster (comics)|Trickster]] paints a statue of [[Mercury (mythology)|Mercury]] red and yellow to mock the Flash (Barry Allen). The statue resembles Jay Garrick's costume.{{Citation needed|date=February 2016}} The series features Barry Allen's older brother "Jay Allen", named after Jay Garrick as a homage to him,{{citation needed|date=January 2016}} and his murder in the pilot episode inspires Barry's career as the Flash. A street in that show's Central City is named Garrick, and in one instance a cop reports from the corner of Gardner and Fox.{{Citation needed|date=February 2016}}
* Jay Garrick is alluded in ''[[Smallville]]''. In season four's "Run", the name is one of [[Bart Allen]]'s aliases. The actual character appears in season nine's "Absolute Justice" (played by Billy Mitchell). He is a superhero in the 1970s, as well as a research scientist. He was framed by the government for fraud as part of their plan to disable the JSA. He, like the others, falsely confessed to all charges, but they were never convicted. With law enforcement aware of his superhero identity, Garrick retired. In 2010, [[Clark Kent (Smallville)|Clark Kent]] and [[Chloe Sullivan]] find old black and white police footage of Garrick, along with his criminal record. Very little is said about him, but it was confirmed by [[Courtney Whitmore|Stargirl]] he was still alive, and it was hinted he had children. In the eleventh issue of the comic book continuation, it is revealed that Garrick's leg was disabled, and that he could no longer run at superhuman speed, which is how the government was able to arrest him. It is also revealed that Bart got Garrick's name, along with those of Barry Allen and Wally West, through [[subliminal stimuli]] from the Speed Force. Garrick becomes a recluse after retiring.<ref>''Smallville Season 11'' #11 (March 2013)</ref> Clark and Bart consult Jay to find out how to stop the Black Flash. After Bart sacrifices his life to stop the Black Flash, Jay feels guilty for not doing anything about the Black Flash years ago. He then forms a school for gifted children in San Francisco, forming a team of teenaged superheroes, the [[Teen Titans]], consisting of [[Superboy (Kon-El)|Superboy]], [[Miss Martian]], [[Speedy (Mia Dearden)|Speedy]], [[Blue Beetle (Jaime Reyes)|Blue Beetle]], [[Wonder Twins]], and later [[Raven (comics)|Raven]]. He also had his leg repaired, regaining his speed, but he still wears a brace while in the field.
* In July 2015, it was announced that [[Teddy Sears]] would appear as Jay Garrick in the second season of ''[[The Flash (2014 TV series)|The Flash]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2015/07/12/comic-con-2015-the-flash-casts-jay-garrick-for-season-2|title=COMIC CON 2015: THE FLASH ADDS JAY GARRICK, WALLY WEST FOR SEASON 2|last=Goldfarb|first=Andrew|publisher=IGN|date=July 11, 2015|accessdate=July 16, 2015}}</ref> It was later revealed that Sears' character was actually [[Hunter Zolomon|Hunter Zolomon / Zoom]] masquerading as Garrick.<ref name="ZoomIDrevealed">{{cite web|url=http://www.ew.com/article/2016/02/23/flash-zoom-identity-jay-garrick-hunter-zolomon|title=The Flash reveals Zoom's identity!|last=Abrams|first=Natalie|work=Entertainment Weekly|date=February 23, 2016|accessdate=February 23, 2016}}</ref> The real Jay Garrick appears in the season 2 finale. In this show, Garrick is actually the Flash of Earth-3 and the doppelgänger of Henry Allen, Barry Allen's father (portrayed by [[John Wesley Shipp]]), having been held captive by Zoom, who unsuccessfully attempts to siphon Garrick's Speed Force energy.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ew.com/article/2016/05/24/flash-finale-season-3-spoilers-john-wesley-shipp-jay-garrick|title=The Flash reveals man in the iron mask!|last=Abrams|first=Natalie|work=Entertainment Weekly|date=May 24, 2016|accessdate=May 25, 2016}}</ref> Shipp stated in a later interview that he was scheduled to return as Garrick in season 3.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.movienewsguide.com/flash-season-3-explore-earth-3-jay-garrick-scenes/217236 |title=‘The Flash' Season 3 To Explore Earth 3, More Jay Garrick Scenes |publisher=Movienewsguide.com |date=2016-05-27 |accessdate=2016-08-25}}</ref> Garrick returns in the season 3 episode "Paradox", acting as a stern mentor to Barry Allen, as he explains the adverse consequences of time travel, using the analogy of trying to repair a broken coffee cup, and advises Barry to live with the mistakes that he made when he attempted to alter the timeline. Garrick next appears in "The Present", facing his version of the Flash villain [[Trickster (comics)|Trickster]], when Barry asks his help to defeat the self-proclaimed speed god [[Savitar (comics)|Savitar]]. Garrick endures a beating from Savitar to give Barry the opportunity to stop Savitar's pawn [[Doctor Alchemy]]. Later, at Garrick's suggestion, the two speedsters throw the box with the Philosopher's Stone, Savitar's touchstone,{{Clarify|reason=What's a touchstone?|date=March 2017}} into the Speed Force to end Savitar's threat. Barry, however, is catapulted five months into the future, where he witnesses Savitar killing [[Iris West Allen|Iris West]]. Garrick returns Barry to his own time, and claims that what Barry saw was a potential future that could change. Garrick then encourages Barry to focus more on the present.<ref>{{cite web|author=Daniel Falconer |url=http://screenrant.com/flash-jay-garrick-present-synopsis/ |title=The Flash: Jay Garrick Returns In ‘The Present’ Synopsis |publisher=Screenrant.com |date=2016-11-18 |accessdate=2016-11-27}}</ref> Shipp stated in a January 2017 interview that he is scheduled to return as Garrick in several more episodes in Season 3.<ref>{{cite web|author=Meagan Damore |url=http://www.cbr.com/flash-jay-garrick-will-figure-in-more-prominently-in-back-half-of-s2/ |title=Flash: Jay Garrick Will 'Figure in More Prominently' in Back Half of S2 |publisher=CBR |date=2016-05-12 |accessdate=2017-02-08}}</ref> Garrick later enters the Speed Force to help Barry save Wally West from the Speed Force prison that Wally was tricked into entering. Garrick elects to remain behind in the Speed Force so that Barry and Wally can escape.{{Citation needed|date=March 2017}}

===Films===
* Jay Garrick makes a cameo appearance in the opening credits of the animated film ''[[Justice League: The New Frontier]]''. He is seen being forced out of heroics by the government.

===Video games===
* Jay Garrick appears in ''[[DC Universe Online]]'', voiced by [[Ryan Wickerham]].

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
* [http://www.dcdatabaseproject.com/Flash_%28Jay_Garrick%29 Flash (Jay Garrick)] entry on DCDatabaseProject
* [http://www.toonopedia.com/flash1.htm Flash (1939)] at [[Don Markstein's Toonopedia]]. [http://www.webcitation.org/6jOaL26as?url=http://toonopedia.com/flash1.htm Archived] from the original on July 30, 2016.
* {{cite web| archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20060323061226/http://www.monitorduty.com/mdarchives/2005/12/alan_kistlers_p_3.shtml |first=Alan|last= Kistler| title= Profile On: The Flash - Part 1| publisher= MonitorDuty.com| date = December 21, 2005| archivedate= March 23, 2006| url= http://www.monitorduty.com:80/mdarchives/2005/12/alan_kistlers_p_3.shtml}}

{{Flash}}
{{Justice Society of America}}
{{Earth-Two}}
{{GoldenAge}}

[[Category:All-American Publications characters]]
[[Category:Characters created by Gardner Fox]]
[[Category:Characters created by Harry Lampert]]
[[Category:Comics characters introduced in 1940]]
[[Category:DC Comics characters who can move at superhuman speeds]]
[[Category:DC Comics characters with accelerated healing]]
[[Category:DC Comics metahumans]]
[[Category:DC Comics superheroes]]
[[Category:Earth-Two]]
[[Category:Fictional beings from parallel universes]]
[[Category:Fictional players of American football]]
[[Category:Fictional scientists]]
[[Category:Flash (comics)]]
[[Category:Golden Age superheroes]]
[[Category:Male characters in comics]]

Revision as of 21:18, 7 May 2017

Jay Garrick
Jay Garrick, the original Flash.
Cover art for JSA #78, by Alex Ross.
Publication information
PublisherDC Comics
First appearanceFlash Comics #1
(January 1940)
Created byGardner Fox
Harry Lampert
In-story information
Alter egoJason Peter "Jay" Garrick
Team affiliationsJustice Society of America
All-Star Squadron
Justice League
PartnershipsBarry Allen
Wally West
Green Lantern (Alan Scott)
Bart Allen and Wildcat (comics)
AbilitiesAbility to run at the speed of light
Superhumanly fast reflexes
Augmented by the extra-dimensional Speed Force
Frictionless aura
Speed theft

Jay Garrick is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. He is the first superhero called the Flash.[1] The character was created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Harry Lampert. He first appeared in Flash Comics #1 (1940).

After a bizarre laboratory accident, he acquired the ability to move at superhuman speed, and chose to fight crime as a costumed vigilante, calling himself "the Flash". Jay Garrick has made numerous appearances in other media, including his live-action debut as a cameo in Smallville, played by Billy Mitchell, and in The Flash, portrayed by John Wesley Shipp.

Publication history

File:FllashComics GA 1.jpg
First appearance in Flash Comics #1 (Jan 1940).

The character of Jay Garrick was created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Harry Lampert. The character first appeared in the first issue of the anthology series Flash Comics in 1940, published by All-American Publications. He was soon featured in All-Star Comics as part of the Justice Society of America. In 1941, he got his own solo comic book series, All-Flash.

After World War II, superheroes declined in popularity, causing many of the Flash's comic book series to be canceled. All-Flash was canceled in 1948 after 32 issues. Flash Comics was canceled in 1949 after 104 issues. All-Star Comics was canceled in 1951 after 57 issues, marking Garrick's last Golden Age appearance. Garrick would not appear again for ten years, and never got another solo series.

In 1956, DC Comics reinvented the Flash character, giving him a new costume, name, and background. This new Flash, named Barry Allen, was completely unrelated to Jay Garrick. In fact, Garrick had never existed, as far as the new books were concerned. Barry Allen's first appearance shows him reading a copy of Flash Comics, lamenting that Garrick was "just a character some writer dreamed up". Readers welcomed the new Flash, but still had an interest in the old one.

Jay Garrick made a guest appearance in Flash #123. In this issue, Garrick was treated as residing in a parallel universe (Earth-Two), which allowed the character to exist without any continuity conflicts with Barry Allen (who existed on Earth-One), yet allowed him to make guest appearances in Silver Age books. Garrick only made guest appearances for most of the 60s and 70s. However, starting in 1976, Garrick became a regular character in the revived All-Star Comics, partaking in adventures with the Justice Society, in stories set in modern times. In 1981, he and the Justice Society appeared in All-Star Squadron in stories set during World War II.

In 1985, DC Comics merged all of its fictional characters into a single shared universe. Jay Garrick now shared the same world as the new Flash. DC wrote the character out of continuity in the one-shot Last Days of the Justice Society, but brought the character back in the 1990s due to fan interest. Unlike characters such as Batman or Superman, DC decided not to update Jay as a young hero, but portrayed him as a veteran of World War 2 with a magically-prolonged lifespan. Jay Garrick became a regular character in JSA and Justice Society of America.

Fictional character biography

The Flash

Jason Peter Garrick[2] is a college student, who, prior to 1940 (later retconned to 1938), accidentally inhales hard water vapors after taking a smoke break in his laboratory where he had been working (later stories would change this to heavy water vapors). As a result, he finds that he can run at superhuman speed and has similarly fast reflexes. Retcons imply that the inhalation simply activated a latent metagene.

After a brief career as a college football star, he dons a red shirt with a lightning bolt and a stylized metal helmet with wings (based on images of the Roman god Mercury). He then begins to fight crime as the Flash.[1] The helmet belonged to Jay's father, Joseph, who fought during World War I.[3] He sometimes uses the helmet as a weapon or a type of shield, as seen in Infinite Crisis.[4] He has also used it to direct a beam of light at Eclipso.

In the early stories, it seems to be widely known that Garrick is the Flash.[5] Later stories would show him as having his identity secret, and that he is able to maintain it without the use of a mask by constantly "vibrating" his features, making him hard to recognize or clearly photograph. The effectiveness of this is debatable, as he later blamed his girlfriend, Joan, deducing his true identity on his lack of a mask.

During his career, he would often find himself embroiled in semi-comical situations inadvertently initiated by Winky, Blinky, and Noddy, a trio of tramps known as the Three Dimwits, who tried their hand at one job after another, and never successfully.

His first case involves battling the Faultless Four, a group of blackmailers (Sieur Satan, Serge Orloff, Duriel, and Smythe), who plot to steal an atomic bombarder and sell it. It is later revealed that a professor found the last container of heavy water vapors and used it to gain superspeed, becoming the Rival. He briefly takes away Jay's speed after capturing him, making him super-slow, but Jay uses the gases again, allowing him to regain his superspeed and defeat the Rival.

Like the Flashes who followed him, Garrick became a close friend of the Green Lantern of his time, Alan Scott, whom he met through the Justice Society of America.

Justice Society of America

The Flash soon became one of the best-known of the Golden Age of superheroes. He was a founding member of the Justice Society of America and served as its first chairman.[6] He was originally based in New York City,[7] but this was later retconned to the fictional Keystone City. He left the JSA after issue #6, but returned several years later (issue #24, spring 1945). He had a distinguished career as a crime-fighter during the 1940s.

Garrick's early history was largely the subject of retcons. A story explaining the retirement of the JSA members, including the Flash, explained that, in 1951, the JSA was investigated by the House Un-American Activities Committee for possible Communist sympathies and asked to reveal their identities. This was later revealed to be partly caused by Per Degaton. The JSA declined, and Garrick, who recently married his longtime girlfriend Joan, retired from superhero life. As a trained scientist, he ran an experimental laboratory for several decades.

All-Star Squadron Annual #3 states that the JSA fought a being named Ian Karkull, who imbued them with energy that slowed their aging, allowing Garrick and many others - as well as their girlfriends and sidekicks - to remain active into the late 20th century without infirmity. The 1990s Starman series notes that the Shade prompted Garrick to come out of retirement in the 1950s, but the details of his activities during this time are hazy at best.

Earth-Two

Garrick emerged from retirement in 1961 to meet the Silver Age Flash, Barry Allen, from a parallel world. The rest of the JSA soon joined the Flash, although their activities during the 1960s (other than their annual meeting with Earth-One's Justice League of America) were unrecorded, although it is clear that Garrick and Green Lantern (Alan Scott) were good friends.

Garrick was a key member of the JSA's 1970s adventures (as chronicled in All-Star Comics and Adventure Comics). Garrick also helped to launch the careers of Infinity Inc. Following the Crisis on Infinite Earths, all the parallel worlds are merged into one, and Keystone City becomes the twin city of Allen's Central City, with the two separated by a river. An updated story suggests that Keystone in this new continuity is rendered invisible and wiped from the memories of the world for many years through the actions of several supervillains.

21st Century

In the early 21st century, many of Garrick's JSA cohorts have retired or died, but Garrick remains active with the latest incarnation of the group. He is physically about 50 years old, thanks to the effects of several accidental anti-aging treatments, but his chronological age is closer to 90. He is one of the few surviving members of the Justice Society of America after Zero Hour.[8] Of the three original JSA members still on the team (along with Alan Scott and Wildcat), Jay takes a fatherly approach toward his teammates and the DC superhero community in general.

Infinite Crisis and One Year Later

Main articles: Infinite Crisis and One Year Later

Garrick and his wife, Joan, have guardianship of Bart Allen after Max Mercury's disappearance. During the events of Infinite Crisis, Garrick states that the Speed Force is gone after a battle in which many speedsters, living and dead, wrestle Superboy-Prime into the Speed Force and disappear. Garrick is left behind when he reaches his limit and cannot follow.[clarification needed] Bart Allen returns, aged several years, having absorbed the entire Speed Force during his pursuit of the escaped Superboy-Prime. Garrick claims that without the Speed Force, his own power is less than before: like Wally West in the Crisis on Infinite Earths aftermath, he can only run close to the speed of sound. He also states that, as the Speed Force is no longer retarding his aging, his speed is diminishing with time. After Bart leaves Keystone City for Los Angeles, Garrick, once again, is the city's sole guardian. After hearing news of Bart's demise, Garrick collapses with grief, consoled by Jesse Chambers.

Garrick continues his work as a member of the reformed Justice Society of America, under the leadership of Power Girl. After the death of Bart Allen, Garrick's full speed returns. Garrick is currently the mayor of Monument Point, where the JSA is now based. He faces problems due to the JSA being based in the Town,[clarification needed] but after talking to another official, who says that, as Garrick is not a politician, he doesn't have to worry about being re-elected, Garrick gains confidence.[9][dubious – discuss] Soon after this, he holds a funeral for Alan Scott, who is killed defeating the villain D'arken, and tells the Justice Society that they must endure.

Clone

In the Outsiders: One Year Later story arc, a clone of Garrick appears as an antagonist, created by the Brotherhood of Evil. He appears to be in his late 20s or early 30s and is brainwashed into working for a Malinese dictator. The clone is defeated by the combined efforts of the Outsiders. He possesses Jay Garrick's super-speed, but none of his memories or expertise.[10] His unconscious body is placed in the custody of Alan Scott, Checkmate's White King.

Due to lingering issues in the cloning process, made more unpredictable by the metagene itself, the clone is infected by a fast acting version of the clone plague deteriorating and shortening the lifespan of clones in the DC Universe. This makes it difficult for Checkmate to find a way to wake him and undo his brainwash, because, even with his special suit, tailored to stave the degenerating process, he would be doomed to a slow death whenever he awakens from his suspended animation.

Brightest Day

In Brightest Day, Garrick and the rest of the JSA help Alan Scott and his children overcome the power of the Starheart, and, in turn, help save the planet from the Dark Avatar. After the events of the Brightest Day, Garrick and the rest of the JSA travel to the city of Monument Point, which has been attacked by a superpowered terrorist named Scythe. Just before being defeated, Scythe snaps Jay's long standing friend Alan Scott's neck.[11][full citation needed] In the following story, it is revealed that Scythe is the product of Nazi genetic engineering, and that Scott and Garrick had been tasked by the president with killing him back when he was in infancy during World War II. The two heroes could not agree on a course of action, and, as a result, Scythe was allowed to live.[12][full citation needed] Doctor Mid-Nite discovers that the injuries Scott sustained have paralyzed Scott, and that any attempt to heal himself could break his constant concentration, which could result in the Starheart once again regaining control of his body.[13][full citation needed]

Jade visits her bed-ridden father in the Emerald City, and offers to use her abilities to help him walk again. Scott declines his daughter's offer, reasoning that if the Starheart were to once again take over his body, it could result in the deaths of everyone in the city. Eclipso attacks the city, which results in Jesse Quick having to get Scott to safety.[14]

Later, the JSA tries to take down the villain D'arken, who has broken free from imprisonment beneath Monument Point and absorbed the powers of JSA members, but D'arken is too powerful for the JSA to take him down. Due to this, only non-superpowered and magical members fight D'arken.[why?] The JSA tells Alan Scott that unleashing the Starheart is the only way to destroy D'arken. However, after releasing the Starheart energies, Scott's body begins to incinerate. Afterwards, the JSA attends a funeral for Scott, whom they believe to be dead.[15] Garrick is upset at having lost one of his closest friends and founding members of the JSA.

Rebirth

Following the return of Wally West to DC continuity during DC Rebirth, Barry Allen is overwhelmed by the Speed Force when he shakes hands with Wally West. This not only causes Barry to become possessed by an echo of Eobard Thawne, but also caused Barry to start being absorbed into the Speed Force itself. It takes both Wally and the current Kid Flash's interference to prevent Barry from being absorbed for good. Barry later reveals that, when he was overwhelmed by the Speed Force, he saw visions of possible future events. He also reveals that his last glimpse before he was returned to normal was something that was trapped inside the Speed Force. Although he could not recognize this object, it still filled him with hope. It is then revealed that Barry saw the helmet of the pre-Flashpoint Jay Garrick.[16][full citation needed]

Collected editions

This is a list of collected editions or reprints of Flash Comics and other comics featuring Jay Garrick. The Archives are hardcover. All of the others are softcover trade paperbacks.

Title Material collected
Original
The Golden Age Flash Archives (vol. 1) HC (1999) Flash Comics #1-17
The Golden Age Flash Archives (vol. 2) HC (2006) Flash Comics #18-24
All Flash Comics #1-2
The Greatest Flash Stories Ever Told HC (1990) and TPB (1991) Flash Comics #1, 66, 86
Comic Cavalcade #24
Showcase #4
The Flash (vol. 1) #107, 113, 119, 124, 125, 137, 143, 148, 179
Five-Star Super-Hero Spectacular
The Flash (vol. 2) #2
The Flash: The Greatest Stories Ever Told TPB (2007) Flash Comics #86, 104
The Flash (vol. 1) #123, 155, 165, 179
The Flash (vol. 2) #91
DC Special Series #11
Crisis on Multiple Earths: The Team-Ups (vol. 1) Flash (vol. 1) #123, 129, 137, 151
Crisis on Multiple Earths, The Team-Ups (vol. 2) Flash Vol. 1 #170, 173

Powers and abilities

As the Flash, Garrick can run at superhuman speeds and has superhumanly-fast reflexes. The limits of his speed have fluctuated over the years, though he has usually been second to DC's "flagship" Flash, Barry Allen.

In his earliest appearances, Garrick could move swiftly enough to intercept bullets. He could carry people away with him at super-speed without causing injury due to extreme acceleration. He could make himself invisible by vibrating his body at high frequencies. Over time, Jay Garrick finds that the fuel for his powers (and those of other speedsters) is the Speed Force.

In the 2012 series Earth 2, Jay's powers are a blessing from the god Mercury. He can magically transform his clothing into his costume at will.

Other versions

New 52

The new Jay Garrick, from the cover of Earth 2 #2.

Following the 2011 reboot of the DC comics universe, a new version of Jay Garrick is introduced in the first issue of the Earth 2 comic book. This version of Garrick, portrayed as a 21-year-old recent college graduate, is spurned by his girlfriend, Joan, and possesses very little in terms of career prospects. The character receives his superspeed from Mercury, a dying Roman god who sees bravery in Garrick, and is also the last god to fall following a war with Apokolips. Mercury claims that he has been held for the past 10 years by a greater threat than Apokolips. Garrick escapes a World Army Helicopter that sees the event as Mercury dies and tells Garrick to run. He saves a couple from Apokorats, saying he will do it in "a Flash". Later, Garrick arrives in Poland and meets Hawkgirl.[17] Working alongside Hawkgirl and Alan Scott, he assists in defeating Solomon Grundy, making his first public debut as the Flash.[18]

52 and Countdown

In the final issue of DC's year-long series 52 in 2007, a new Multiverse is revealed, originally consisting of 52 identical realities. Among the parallel realities shown, one is designated "Earth-2". As a result of Mister Mind "eating" aspects of this reality, it takes on visual aspects similar to the pre-Crisis Earth-Two, now called Earth-2, to distinguish the two separate realities. In one-panel, a new counterpart to Jay Garrick is shown, among other Justice Society of America characters. The names of the characters and the team are not mentioned in the panel in which they appear,[19] but they are later specifically used in the Countdown: Arena series, where the new Earth-2 Flash is specifically identified as Jay Garrick and does not allow others to call him "Flash". Despite being an almost exact duplicate to the original World War II Garrick, it is shown that the new Earth-2 Garrick is much younger, having no gray hair at all.[20] Other Garricks are shown in the 52 multiverse. A second young Jay Garrick lives on the unspecified Earth that Wally West went to with his young children at the beginning of Bart Allen's tenure as the Flash. This Garrick is separate from the young post-Crisis Earth-2 Garrick, as the post-Crisis Earth-2 heroes make no mention of Wally or his children on their Earth.[21]

The multiverse established in 52 is later replaced following DC's 2011 Flashpoint storyline. Following this, a new multiverse is established and all series were relaunched as part of DC's The New 52 publishing event. The post-52 pre-Flashpoint Earth-2 Jay Garrick ceases to exist, as did the mainstream Jay Garrick. A new but entirely different Earth-2 Jay Garrick then becomes the continually published version of the character (see publication history).

Elseworlds

In the Elseworlds book JSA: The Unholy Three, Jay Garrick is portrayed as a post-WW2 United States intelligence agent stationed in Russia, working under the code-name Mercury. He is instrumental in bringing down the story's rogue Superman.[22]

Wonderland

When Brother Grimm helped Captain Cold and Mirror Master trap Wally West in an alternate world where the Speed Force never existed, it is revealed that Jay Garrick never gained his speed in the accident and died during the Second World War.

Flashpoint

In the Flashpoint reality, Jay Garrick died rather than developing super-speed after inhaling hard water.[23]

Smallville

Garrick first appears in "Haunted", where, in an attempt to help Impulse find a way to keep his speed demon from stalking him, Clark takes Impulse to the JSA Brownstone, saying that they must find Garrick, because, as a fellow speedster, he might have answers they need. Arriving at an old residence in the outskirts of Utah, Superman and Impulse encounter an old withered version of Garrick equipped with a cane. At first, Garrick isn't thrilled at meeting Impulse, who had stolen his identity a few years earlier. Clark informs Garrick of Carter Hall's initial plan (prior to his untimely death) to reinstate the Justice Society of America, with the remaining living members helping to guide the new generation of Heroes. Impulse asks Garrick to reveal all that he knows about the Black Flash. Garrick shows signs of fear at the mention of that name, and begins to reveal the reason behind his handicap. The Government broke his leg a decade ago, and Garrick refused to have it repaired – thus depriving himself of his Super Speed abilities, which would prevent the Black Flash from haunting Garrick. However, Garrick can still feel the Black Flash’s presence, and he realizes that the Black Flash has its sights set on Impulse. The only way to stop the Black Flash is for Impulse to die. As the speed storm crackles in Utah, Clark tries to reason with Garrick, saying that there must be another way to help Bart. Garrick asserts that there is no choice in the matter, and that by using the Speed Force, the demon[clarification needed] is there to collect the debt. Clark asks why there were no records of speed storms while Garrick was with the JSA. Garrick surmises that Impulse is so fast that it has made the creature hungry and desperate. Picking up on the thought, Clark reasons that it is sending out the speed storms to try to create a new speedster to take on as its prey. Impulse realizes that the biology of the speedsters is special and that that's why so many have died in the attempts. Impulse asks Garrick how many speedsters there are. Garrick gives a mealy answer about not being the first and Impulse not being the last. Impulse confronts him about not having raced the demon[clarification needed] himself to stop to have possibly stopped it, and Garrick denounces their abilities as a curse. Clark offers that curses can be blessings if they don't let their powers control their lives. Garrick likens Clark to Carter Hall and Impulse takes the opportunity to call Garrick out for not having stayed in touch with his team, mentioning that even though Garrick didn't know Carter, he still attended his funeral. Garrick owns up to not being proud of how he acted, but Impulse is still unsatisfied. Riled up, Impulse starts tapping into the Speed Force before Clark manages to stop him. Clark fields communication from Chloe at Watchtower. He asks how she is and she tells him she's coping. She alerts him to a speed storm brewing in Las Vegas, a huge one that isn't slowing down and is killing many. Clark relays the message to Impulse, who tries running off on his own. Clark grabs him and Impulse argues that the racer is waiting for him there and is calling to him. Clark tells Chloe that they didn't come up with a solution. She responds that S.T.A.R. Labs might have something. Patched to Emil Hamilton, the doctor explains they took the concept of sending Clark into the sun to remove his irradiation to fashion a containment suit. He states that they modified the suit to collect speed energy and that Clark might be able to use it to constantly move fast enough to confront the demon. The scientists at S.T.A.R. fire a pod into the atmosphere and it quickly rockets its way to the young heroes' location in Utah. The pod opens to reveal the new suit, a black and silver affair with a glowing S-Shield. Clark quickly puts on the suit and speeds to the massive storm in Las Vegas. Boldly, Clark proclaims to the demon that it's "time for round two." After Clark leaves Garrick, Impulse sits silently and watches the speed storm on the horizon. Impulse decides to go help Clark. Before he[clarification needed] leaves, he tells Impulse that he heard the same names that Impulse did the first time he got his powers. Jay tells him that the speed force is something that binds all the speedsters together. Impulse then runs off. Later, Garrick and Clark meet at the JSA brownstone and talk about Impulse and Carter. Clark tells him not to blame himself, but Garrick thinks that he should have done something about it years ago. Garrick leaves with Abigail Hunkel when Emil shows up, but not before looking at his old tin hat. [clarification needed]runs a school for the "gifted" in San Francisco with Conner Kent/Superboy, Speedy, Blue Beetle, Miss Martian & Zan and Jayna as his students.[24] He also had his leg fixed and regained full use of his speed powers, though he is seen wearing a brace when out in the field.

In other media

Main article: The Flash in other media

Comic adaptations

Television

Animation

  • Jay Garrick is a recurring character in Batman: The Brave and the Bold, voiced by Andy Milder. He is of the heroes Batman most frequently teams up with. In the teaser plot of "Trials of the Demon!", he and Batman stop the Scarecrow and Scream Queen on Halloween. After learning that the pumpkins[clarification needed] are infected with a toxin,[clarification needed] Garrick rounds up every pumpkin in town. When the townspeople demand to know what happened, Garrick finds Batman already gone. Garrick briefly appears in the "The Fate of Equinox", in which he lends his powers to Batman to help against Equinox. He returns as a member of the Justice Society in the episode "The Golden Age of Justice". In "Requiem for a Scarlet Speedster", Garrick acknowledges that Barry Allen disappeared in a battle with Professor Zoom. Batman, Jay and Kid Flash use the cosmic treadmill to travel to the 25th century and help Barry battle Professor Zoom.
  • Jay Garrick and Joan Garrick appear in Young Justice, voiced by Geoff Pierson and Kath Soucie, respectively. They are introduced in the episode "Downtime", where the Allen and West families throw a birthday party for Jay. Jay is referred to as a 'retired speedster' by Joan, and does not appear to possess the slowed-aging that his comic book counterpart does. He temporarily comes out of retirement in the episode "Bloodlines" in order to help Barry, Kid Flash, and Impulse during a battle against Neutron, as well as in the series finale to help the Justice League save the Earth. Through the series, it is mentioned that the Garricks have been acting as Impulse's guardians.

Live action

John Wesley Shipp as Jay Garrick / The Flash on The Flash.
  • The character is alluded in the 1990 The Flash live-action TV series. The Trickster paints a statue of Mercury red and yellow to mock the Flash (Barry Allen). The statue resembles Jay Garrick's costume.[citation needed] The series features Barry Allen's older brother "Jay Allen", named after Jay Garrick as a homage to him,[citation needed] and his murder in the pilot episode inspires Barry's career as the Flash. A street in that show's Central City is named Garrick, and in one instance a cop reports from the corner of Gardner and Fox.[citation needed]
  • Jay Garrick is alluded in Smallville. In season four's "Run", the name is one of Bart Allen's aliases. The actual character appears in season nine's "Absolute Justice" (played by Billy Mitchell). He is a superhero in the 1970s, as well as a research scientist. He was framed by the government for fraud as part of their plan to disable the JSA. He, like the others, falsely confessed to all charges, but they were never convicted. With law enforcement aware of his superhero identity, Garrick retired. In 2010, Clark Kent and Chloe Sullivan find old black and white police footage of Garrick, along with his criminal record. Very little is said about him, but it was confirmed by Stargirl he was still alive, and it was hinted he had children. In the eleventh issue of the comic book continuation, it is revealed that Garrick's leg was disabled, and that he could no longer run at superhuman speed, which is how the government was able to arrest him. It is also revealed that Bart got Garrick's name, along with those of Barry Allen and Wally West, through subliminal stimuli from the Speed Force. Garrick becomes a recluse after retiring.[25] Clark and Bart consult Jay to find out how to stop the Black Flash. After Bart sacrifices his life to stop the Black Flash, Jay feels guilty for not doing anything about the Black Flash years ago. He then forms a school for gifted children in San Francisco, forming a team of teenaged superheroes, the Teen Titans, consisting of Superboy, Miss Martian, Speedy, Blue Beetle, Wonder Twins, and later Raven. He also had his leg repaired, regaining his speed, but he still wears a brace while in the field.
  • In July 2015, it was announced that Teddy Sears would appear as Jay Garrick in the second season of The Flash.[26] It was later revealed that Sears' character was actually Hunter Zolomon / Zoom masquerading as Garrick.[27] The real Jay Garrick appears in the season 2 finale. In this show, Garrick is actually the Flash of Earth-3 and the doppelgänger of Henry Allen, Barry Allen's father (portrayed by John Wesley Shipp), having been held captive by Zoom, who unsuccessfully attempts to siphon Garrick's Speed Force energy.[28] Shipp stated in a later interview that he was scheduled to return as Garrick in season 3.[29] Garrick returns in the season 3 episode "Paradox", acting as a stern mentor to Barry Allen, as he explains the adverse consequences of time travel, using the analogy of trying to repair a broken coffee cup, and advises Barry to live with the mistakes that he made when he attempted to alter the timeline. Garrick next appears in "The Present", facing his version of the Flash villain Trickster, when Barry asks his help to defeat the self-proclaimed speed god Savitar. Garrick endures a beating from Savitar to give Barry the opportunity to stop Savitar's pawn Doctor Alchemy. Later, at Garrick's suggestion, the two speedsters throw the box with the Philosopher's Stone, Savitar's touchstone,[clarification needed] into the Speed Force to end Savitar's threat. Barry, however, is catapulted five months into the future, where he witnesses Savitar killing Iris West. Garrick returns Barry to his own time, and claims that what Barry saw was a potential future that could change. Garrick then encourages Barry to focus more on the present.[30] Shipp stated in a January 2017 interview that he is scheduled to return as Garrick in several more episodes in Season 3.[31] Garrick later enters the Speed Force to help Barry save Wally West from the Speed Force prison that Wally was tricked into entering. Garrick elects to remain behind in the Speed Force so that Barry and Wally can escape.[citation needed]

Films

  • Jay Garrick makes a cameo appearance in the opening credits of the animated film Justice League: The New Frontier. He is seen being forced out of heroics by the government.

Video games

References

  1. ^ a b Jimenez, Phil (2008). "The Flash". In Dougall, Alastair (ed.). The DC Comics Encyclopedia. New York: Dorling Kindersley. pp. 124–127. ISBN 0-7566-4119-5. OCLC 213309017.
  2. ^ JSA #87 (September 2006)
  3. ^ The Flash (vol. 2) #208 (May 2004)
  4. ^ Infinite Crisis #4 (March 2006)
  5. ^ Gardner F. Fox (w), Everett E. Hibbard (a). Flash Comics, vol. 1, no. 6 (June, 1940). All-American Publications.
  6. ^ Gardner F. Fox (w). All Star Comics, vol. 1, no. 3 (Winter, 1940). All-American Publications.
  7. ^ Flash Comics, vol. 1, no. 5, p. 4/4 (May, 1940). All-American Publications.
  8. ^ Zero Hour: Crisis in Time #2 (September 1994)
  9. ^ Justice Society of America (vol. 3) #49 (May 2011)
  10. ^ Outsiders #36 (July 2006)
  11. ^ Justice Society of America #44
  12. ^ Justice Society of America #45
  13. ^ Justice Society of America (vol. 3) #46
  14. ^ Justice League of America (vol. 2) #55
  15. ^ Justice Society of America (vol. 3) #54 (August 2011)
  16. ^ The Flash #9
  17. ^ Earth-2 #2 (June 2012)
  18. ^ Earth-2 #5 (September 2012)
  19. ^ 52, no. 52, p. 13/3 (May 2, 2007). DC Comics.
  20. ^ Brady, Matt (2007-05-08). "The 52 exit interviews: grant morrison". Newsarama. Archived from the original on May 10, 2007. Retrieved 2007-05-12. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  21. ^ The Flash: The Fastest Man Alive #6 (January 2007)
  22. ^ JSA: The Unholy Three (2003)
  23. ^ Flashpoint: Kid Flash Lost #3 (August 2011)
  24. ^ "BRYAN Q. MILLER Brings the TEEN TITANS To SMALLVILLE". Newsarama.com.
  25. ^ Smallville Season 11 #11 (March 2013)
  26. ^ Goldfarb, Andrew (July 11, 2015). "COMIC CON 2015: THE FLASH ADDS JAY GARRICK, WALLY WEST FOR SEASON 2". IGN. Retrieved July 16, 2015.
  27. ^ Abrams, Natalie (February 23, 2016). "The Flash reveals Zoom's identity!". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved February 23, 2016.
  28. ^ Abrams, Natalie (May 24, 2016). "The Flash reveals man in the iron mask!". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved May 25, 2016.
  29. ^ "'The Flash' Season 3 To Explore Earth 3, More Jay Garrick Scenes". Movienewsguide.com. 2016-05-27. Retrieved 2016-08-25.
  30. ^ Daniel Falconer (2016-11-18). "The Flash: Jay Garrick Returns In 'The Present' Synopsis". Screenrant.com. Retrieved 2016-11-27.
  31. ^ Meagan Damore (2016-05-12). "Flash: Jay Garrick Will 'Figure in More Prominently' in Back Half of S2". CBR. Retrieved 2017-02-08.
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