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Reverse-Flash

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Reverse-Flash is a title that has been taken by three supervillains in DC Comics. All of them have super-speed and are enemies of the Flash dynasty.

The three Reverse-Flashes, corresponding to the first three Flashes, are:

The Rival (Golden Age Reverse-Flash)

The Rival. Art by Carlo Barberi and Terry Austin.

The Rival Flash first appeared in Flash Comics #104 (February 1949). He is Dr. Edward Clariss, a professor at the university attended by the Golden Age Flash, Jay Garrick. He believes he has recreated the formula that gives Garrick his speed, which he calls "Velocity 9." Bitter at the rejection of his claims by the scientific community, Clariss becomes a criminal, wearing a darker version of the Flash's outfit. His version of the formula, however, proves to be temporary, and he is defeated when it is expended.

JSA #16 (November 2000) reveals that the Rival battled the Flash several months after his first appearance; in doing so he reaches lightspeed and vanishes into the Speed Force. Following the reformation of the Justice Society of America 50 years later, Clariss is retrieved from the Speed Force (which had been revealed as the Valhalla of fallen speedsters, good or evil, as well as their source of power) by Johnny Sorrow, who invites him to join the new Injustice Society. The Rival, driven to insanity by his time in the Speed Force, races across the country on a super-speed killing spree. The Flash realizes that the Rival's path across the country spells out Clariss' name, and that the final murder will be Jay's wife Joan. The Flash manages to absorb the Rival's speed before he can kill Joan.

The Rival returns in Impulse #88 (September 2002), posing as Joan Garrick's doctor. Now pure speed energy, he possesses Garrick's fellow Golden Age speedster Max Mercury. After battling Jay and Impulse, the Rival escapes, still in possession of Max Mercury's body. He has not been seen since.

There is another Golden Age Reverse Flash, a robot who wears a reversed-color version of Garrick's costume. The robot's only appearance was in one panel in The Flash vol. 2, #134 (February 1998), in which he is easily defeated by Garrick.

Professor Zoom (Silver Age Reverse-Flash)

Main article: Professor Zoom

Pre-Crisis

Eobard Thawne, Professor Zoom, first appeared in The Flash #139 (September 1963). Originally, he is a criminal from the 25th century, who found a time capsule containing the Silver Age Flash's costume. He is able to use a machine to amplify the suit's speed energy, giving himself the abilities of the Flash as long as he wears it. In the process, the colors of the costume reverse, with the suit becoming yellow, the boots and lightning bolt highlights turning red, and the chest symbol's white circle becoming black. He uses his speed powers to commit crimes. His knowledge of Allen’s dual identity enables him to strike at him by killing his wife, Iris, and later attempting to kill his fiancée Fiona. It was in saving Fiona’s life that the Flash broke Zoom’s neck, killing him.

Post-Crisis

After the Crisis on Infinite Earths, Professor Zoom's origin was revamped. As seen in the Return of Barry Allen storyline in The Flash (vol. 2) #74-79, Eobard Thawne started out as a fan of the Flash. After gaining super-speed by replicating the electrochemical bath that gave Barry Allen his powers - even undergoing surgery to make himself look like Barry -, he traveled backward in time to meet his hero. However, Thawne became mentally unstable upon discovering he is destined to become a villain, his mind - already disoriented by the stress of time travel - seeking escape by convincing himself that he is Barry Allen. However, his true nature is eventually revealed due to his more violent nature, "Barry" attacking Central City in 'revenge' for 'forgetting him', until he is ultimately defeated by Wally West and he tricks Zoom into returning to his proper time.

Even though Thawne retained no memories of his trip through time, he was now left with a deep and bitter hatred of Barry Allen. This was due to feeling "betrayed" by Barry. Thawne began travelling back in time to battle the Flash to get revenge on him, using his knowledge of "history" to his advantage.

Professor Zoom has returned as the main villain in the mini-series Flash: Rebirth. Zoom claims to have a resurrection coming up soon, obviously referencing the Blackest Night. In this appearance, Zoom claims to have not only travelled back in time and murdered Barry Allen's mother, but also to have engineered Barry's return from the speed force.

Zoom (Modern Age Reverse-Flash)

Main article: Zoom (comics)
File:FlashZoom.jpg
Zoom, from the cover to The Flash (v.2) #197 (June 2003). Art by Scott Kolins.

Hunter Zolomon first appeared in The Flash: Secret Files & Origins #3, created by Geoff Johns and Scott Kolins.

After arriving in Keystone City, Hunter Zolomon was hired as a profiler, working with the police in their Department of Metahuman Hostilities. His work put him in constant contact with the Flash (Wally West), and the two became good friends. His insight was critical in solving a number of cases, but he always resented being stuck behind a desk.

One day, Hunter was severely injured in an attack by Gorilla Grodd, leaving him paralyzed from the waist down. He asked Wally West to use the time-travelling cosmic treadmill in the Flash Museum to prevent this from occurring. West refused, saying that he couldn't risk damaging the timestream. Zolomon then broke into the museum and attempted to use the treadmill himself. The resulting explosion destroyed the museum (as well as his remaining sanity) and shifted Hunter's connection to time. He could now alter his personal timeframe, giving the effect of super-speed.

Zolomon decided that West wouldn't help because, unlike Barry Allen, he had never suffered personal tragedy. Zolomon decided that if he became the new Zoom and killed West's wife (Linda Park), this would help the Flash become a better hero.

Tangent Comics

The evil Reverse-Flash from Tangent Comics.

In DC's Tangent Comics reality, Reverse Flash is an evil holographic duplicate of Lia Nelson (the Flash), created by a sinister government agency. She was charged with negative ionic energy to disperse Flash's photon-based form. However Flash's lightwave powers outmatched Reverse-Flash's and Reverse-Flash was destroyed.

Appearances in other media

Live action series

In the live action television series The Flash (1990), Barry Allen temporarily takes the false name Professor Zoom while investigating the Mirror Master in the episode "Done With Mirrors." In the episode "Twin Streaks," a scientist Jason Bressell and his assistant Ted Witcome create a clone of Barry they name Pollux. Though this blue-suited character bears a resemblance to the Reverse-Flash, Pollux has no direct relation to any comic anti-Flash, but more similar to Bizarro.

Animated series

  • In the Justice League Unlimited episode, "Divided We Fall", Brainiac/Lex Luthor creates robotic copies of the League's villainous counterparts, the Justice Lords; since the Flash died before the Lords were formed, instead Brainiac/Luthor creates a duplicate wearing the red-on-yellow costume of the Reverse-Flash.
  • A Reverse-Flash will appear in the teaser of the Batman: The Brave and the Bold episode "The Fate of Starro". He commits a bank robbery, and Batman and Blue Beetle have to stop him.

Video Games

See also

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