The Flash is a character that’s been around since 1940, the Golden Age of Comics. Over the years, four men have worn the red-and-gold, and each one has made an impact on DC Comics’ history.
We polled Twitter users to find out who they thought the best* Scarlet Speedster was. The results are below:
Bart Allen – 3%
Bart Allen is the grandson of Barry Allen from the 30th century. He is also a descendent of Barry’s archnemesis Eobard Thawne, Professor Zoom, which makes family reunions somewhat awkward.
Bart started his career as Impulse before becoming the second Kid Flash. After Infinite Crisis, he was aged by the Speed Force and took over the role of Flash with Wally West presumed dead. His career was short-lived but no less important to speedster lore.
The younger Allen’s measly 3% isn’t too surprising considering he’s had the least mainstream exposure. He most notably appeared several times on Smallville.
Jay Garrick – 4%
Jay Garrick is the O.G. Flash. He pioneered the title, and is one of the longest lasting superheroes in history (he first appeared just one year after Batman, and two years after Superman). Garrick was also a major player in introducing the multiverse, which is something that’s become central to all superhero comics, not just DC’s.
Without Jay, who knows what the modern landscape of comics would look like? The other speedsters on this list probably wouldn’t even exist.
Yet he received only 4% of the vote. People need to learn better respect for their elders.
Wally West – 24%
Wally West is the Flash of a generation. Introduced as Kid Flash in 1959, Wally took over the Flash mantle following Barry Allen’s death in 1985. He would hold the title for over three decades, even after Barry’s return in 2009. Wally is also the Flash that fans know and love from the Justice League and Justice League Unlimited animated series.
He is the epitome of “legacy” in comics, the one sidekick who fulfilled his destiny, which is why Geoff Johns put him at the center of DC’s recent Rebirth special. If you got into DC superheroes between the mid-80s and early-00s, Wally is your Scarlet Speedster.
But West’s celebrity among millennials wasn’t enough to propel him to victory; he garnered just under a quarter of the total votes.
Barry Allen – 69%
Much like Jay Garrick was a pioneer of the Golden Age of Comics, Barry Allen was a pioneer of the Silver Age. Technically, he was the pioneer; his debut in Showcase #4 is considered the start of the Silver Age. Since then, Allen has been at the center of DC’s biggest world-shattering events.
Barry has every quality that a good hero should have. He has heart, and a strong moral compass that rivals that of Superman. He’s an inspiration to readers, yet he remains totally relatable. And although he’s been a fan favorite for almost 6 decades (October will be his 60th anniversary), Barry’s popularity is only increasing thanks to his leading role on CW’s The Flash.
It comes as no surprise that he won the poll, but the margin by which he won is a bit staggering.
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Fan Poll: Who is the best #Flash? @DCComics #TheFlash #comics #NCBD @CW_TheFlash
— Monkeys Fight Robots (@monkeys_robots) June 15, 2016
*”Best” is a relative term that in this case more accurately reflects “most popular.”
Thanks to everyone that voted. Do you agree with the results? Let us know in the comments! And vote in future fan polls by following us on Twitter @monkeys_robots!
