The Black Flash is a fictional comic book character from DC Comics. Created by writers Grant Morrison and Mark Millar, and artist Ron Wagner, the character had cameos in The Flash vol. 2 #138 (June 1998), before appearing in full in The Flash vol. 2 #141 (September 1998).

Fictional character background

Original depiction

The Black Flash essentially fulfills the same role as Death for those who possess super-speed in the DC Universe, returning the speedster to their power source: the Speed Force. It is reportedly seen before the deaths of Barry Allen and Johnny Quick. Max Mercury has also seen the Black Flash while having had several near-death experiences. The specter speedster came for Wally West to draw back to the Speed Force, but instead took Linda Park. Having seen portents of Wally's death, Max Mercury and Jesse Quick intercepted Wally before reaching the museum where Linda was waiting, with Linda thus being struck by the lightning that was meant to kill Wally. It later returns to try to take Wally again, freezing time except for those who possess a connection to the Speed Force. Max Mercury, Jay Garrick, and Jesse Quick all attempt to assist Wally by distracting the Black Flash; Wally finally defeats the Black Flash by racing the creature to the end of time, to a point where Death would have no meaning, causing the creature to dissipate. The Black Flash appears to Bart Allen when the Flash loses his powers while battling the Rogues at the Getty Center. Despite a clash with Inertia (another possible candidate for the Black Flash), Bart is killed shortly thereafter by the panicked Rogues when it appears Bart would win, even without powers. Most recently, the Black Flash is revealed to represent the Speed Force's dark aspect which is responsible for the empowerment of Wally's children. His connection to death is limited to those connected to the Speed Force. While an issue of Captain Atom suggests Death of the Endless, the Black Racer, and Nekron are all aspects of the same force, Neil Gaiman (creator of Death of the Endless) disagrees with this idea, stating that his creation is the ultimate personification of Death. During the Final Crisis, Wally theorizes that the Black Racer pursuing himself and Barry is in fact the Black Flash. A charred corpse, appearing to be the Black Flash, was found in Iowa by two boys in The Flash: Rebirth. When the Force Barrier was destroyed and the other forces were unleashed, the Black Flash was sent to hunt down Psych, Fuerza and Steadfast. The Black Flash killed Psych arrives within the Flash Museum and attacks Steadfast. The cosmically enhanced Hunter Zolomon takes Barry into the "Forever Force" (timestream) built by the Speed Force to which the Black Flash chases the two speedsters in order to kill (hoping to heal the Speed Force). Zolomon later sacrifices himself to the Force Barrier in order to finally heal the Speed Force, trapping the Black Flash.

Barry Allen

The second Black Flash is Barry Allen due to Professor Zoom altering the Speed Force for a time.

Eobard Thawne

The third Black Flash is the reanimated corpse of Eobard Thawne equipped with a power ring as a member of the Black Lantern Corps for a time.

Other versions

The Ame-Comi Girls universe version of Black Flash is Jesse Quick.

In other media

Television

Similar creatures called the Time Wraiths appear in The Flash. These versions serve as the Speed Force's enforcers by hunting down speedsters who attempt to change the timeline.

Video games

Miscellaneous

A demonic version of the Black Flash (also known as the Speed Demon and Black Racer) appears in Smallville Season 11 #12. It seeks out Impulse and Jay Garrick's souls, but comes into conflict with the former and Superman. As the fastest of the two speedsters, the Black Flash primarily focuses its attention on Impulse until the latter sacrifices himself to destroy the demonic speedster, which goes on to inspire Garrick to come out of retirement and form the Teen Titans.