Flash has been one of DC Comics’ most important heroes since the Golden Age, when Jay Garrick was introduced in Flash Comics in 1940. However, since Barry Allen’s introduction in the Silver Age, the Flash Family has grown by leaps and bounds, and they remain, overall, the fastest speedsters in any comic book, regardless of company. There have been Flashes, different characters who served as Kid Flash, and offshoots that go by various names, but remain known as part of the Flash family. However, not all Flash characters are created equal, and some members of the Flash family are much faster than others.
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From the original Flash to the various Flash speedsters who followed, here are the fastest versions of Flash ranked.
10) Jay Garrick
Jay Garrick was the first Flash in the Golden Age of Comics before he and his Justice Society team were moved to Earth-Two in DC Comics. However, while he was the first, he was never the fastest, as his powers were not as defined as those of later speedsters, and the Speed Force was not yet known. While he has never been as fast as any other Flash, he still might be the most respected among members of the Flash Family.
9) Wallace West
For years, Wally West was one of the most popular Flash variants in DC Comics. However, after the New 52, Wally West was gone, replaced by a character introduced on The CW version of Flash named Wallace West. This has changed with both Wallys in DC now, and Wallace West is the current Kid Flash. He is fast, as are all members of the Flash Family, but he is not as fast as others, as he is still young and training, with much room to grow and speed up as he gets older.
8) Bart Allen
Bart Allen is the former Kid Flash, and he currently goes by the name of Impulse. However, he was also known, for a time, as Flash after Wally West disappeared after Infinity Crisis. However, Bart wasn’t up to Wally or Barry Allen’s level, and he ended up being killed by the Rogues before he returned as Kid Flash in the New 52. He is back after Infinite Frontier, and while he is faster than Wallace West, he has never reached the level of other heroes who took on the role of Flash.
7) Irey West
This Flash Family member is Irey West, the daughter of Wally West and Linda Park. However, she was lost for many years with her twin brother Jai in the Dark Multiverse before finally returning and becoming the second Impulse, a role she shared with her cousin Bart Allen. She has since become known as Thunderheart. While not technically a Flash, a possible future that Doctor Manhattan showed revealed that Irey ended up becoming the new Kid Flash. She has more speed than Bart and Wallace, thanks to her being Wally’s daughter, but it is still less than most adult Flash variants.
6) Johnny Quick
Johnny Chambers was known as Johnny Quick and was part of the Golden Age of superheroes. He was part of the All-Star Squadron, and he eventually fell in love with and married Liberty Belle, with whom he served in the Justice Society. His power was super speed, but he used a mathematical formula to help him gain use of the Speed Force. His speed was never as fast as that of other members of the Flash Family, but he was still faster than many from his era.
5) Max Mercury
When Max Mercurt was a hero in his prime, it was in the Golden Age, and he was known as the “Guru of Speed” and “The Whrilwind of the West.” He had a connection to the Speed Force, and he was fast enough to actually jump through time a few times throughout history. When he showed up in more modern times, he was the man who helped mentor Bart Allen. While not as famous as other Flash Family members, he is still extremely fast and was more advanced than Jay Garrick from his era.
4) Jesse Quick
Jesse Quick is Jesse Chambers, the daughter of the Golden Age hero Johnny Quick and Justice Society member Liberty Belle. She took up the mantle as Jesse Quick, and she was even faster than her father since she inherited both parents’ powers (Liberty Belle also had super speed, on top of strength and endurance). She helped Wally West in his battle with Savitar, and she ended up as fast as any Flash member, even taking on the role of Flash at one point.
3) John Fox
John Fox is the Flash from the future, operating in the 27th Century. He gained the Speed Force powers when he was exposed to tachyon radiation. He returned to the present day when Wally West ended up in his future to ensure that nothing changed while Wally was gone that would delete his future. While John is not like most Flash variants from the main timeline, he is still a Flash, and he has incredibly fast speed, eventually becoming the Flash of the 853rd Century.
2) Barry Allen
Barry Allen is the standard-bearer in the Flash family, and there aren’t many people faster than him. Barry was the one who became Flash when the Silver Age began, and he served in that role until Crisis on Infinite Earths, where he sacrificed himself to defeat Anti-Monitor. He returned after being absent for over a decade, and he is still the best of all Flash heroes in DC Comics. However, he is only the second-fastest hero to serve as Flash.
1) Wally West
Wally West took over as Flash after Barry Allen died during Crisis on Infinite Earths, and he did something amazing. Wally became the fastest Flash of all time during his role as the main Flash in the DC Comics universe. Wally disappeared after Identity Crisis and DC erased his entire existence from DC Comics, which was one of the worst decisions DC made. However, Wally is back now, and he has continued to hold the role as the fastest Flash of all time. Wally is the first Flash to master the Speed Force, which gave him speed that no other Flash ever possessed.
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