Black Flash

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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 #141 (September 1998).

Video Black Flash

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, having had several near-death experiences, has also seen the Black Flash.

It is not clear whether the Black Flash exists because speedsters are simply too fast for traditional Death to capture, or as some sort of bizarre side-effect to their Speed Force connection.

It 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 dark aspect of the Speed Force, 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.

Barry Allen

Later when discovering the body, Barry Allen is transformed into the next Black Flash, but the state is reversed. It's revealed that Professor Zoom has altered the Speed Force which results in Barry's Black Flash transformation.

Eobard Thawne

The broken-necked corpse of Eobard Thawne is reanimated as a member of the Black Lantern Corps. Equipped with a black power ring, Thawne declared himself as the Black Flash, until Thawne's corpse is brought back to life.

Maps Black Flash

In other media

Television

A different depiction of Black Flash appears on The Flash. In season two, the Time Wraiths transform Hunter Zolomon (Teddy Sears) into a Grim Reaper-like enforcer and is dragged into the Speed Force. In season three, the Black Flash is sent after Savitar but Killer Frost freezes and shatters him before he can erase the time-remnant from existence.
The Black Flash also appears in season two of Legends of Tomorrow. Able to sense the location of those who actively use the Speed Force, he pursues a time-remnant/aberration of Eobard Thawne / Reverse-Flash, and eventually manages to erase his target from existence.

Video Games

The Black Flash appears in Justice League Heroes: The Flash for the Game Boy Advance. When the Flash dies, the Flash is chased by the Black Flash. If the player avoids being caught, they are rewarded with a chance at continuing the game, coming back with low health and without losing the current life. After each death, escape from the Black Flash becomes increasingly difficult.
Eobard Thawne's Black Flash design is featured in Injustice: Gods Among Us as a playable alternate skin for the Flash as part of a limited exclusive challenge.
The Black Flash (identified as the Black Racer) is mentioned in Injustice 2 in fight dialogue by the Reverse-Flash. The Black Flash's mention can be triggered in dialogue if the Reverse-Flash faces his own doppelganger, Deadshot and Doctor Fate in battle, in which the Reverse-Flash points out evading the Black Flash.