In DC K.O., the heroes and villains of the DCU are in the middle of a real slobber-knocker, with the winner being able to rewrite all of reality to their whim. And while the Flash Family is represented by Jay Garrick, the first Flash, is he really the best choice for this contest of champions?

The Flash Family is big, with thousands of years of history and heroes making up what may well be DC’s most explored legacy, but when it comes down to it, it’s the core members of the clan that really capture the lightning. These members act as the inside circle, the ones who show up to all the bar-b-ques. And, if they were all forced to fight it out in the center of the Earth, only one would stand tall at the end.

10

Jai West (Surge)

At first glance, Jai West, son of Wally West and Linda Park, may seem like the strongest — after all, enhanced strength that is even greater than the other speedsters is one of his many powers — but he lacks the one thing that gives a person true strength: passion.

Unlike the rest of his family, Jai doesn’t want to be a superhero. He doesn’t want to have powers at all. If he had it his way, Jai would be a regular kid dealing with regular kid problems. Instead, his family is constantly getting him mixed up in cosmic adventures. The rest of the time, his heart just isn’t in the game. Also, it doesn’t help that Jai doesn’t have super speed.

9

Irey West (Thunderheart)

Unlike her twin brother Jai, Irey West loves being a superhero. And while she may be the most emotionally grounded member on the West branch of the Flash Family Tree, she just doesn’t have the experience or training to really make the cut.

Irey may well end up being the strongest member of the Flash Family when she grows up — she has more powers than just about all of them — but until she has more time in the field, she wouldn’t be able to hold her own against the other speedsters.

8

Avery Ho (Flash Of China)

The Flash of China, Avery Ho has proven herself on more than one occasion. She’s faster than a lot of heroes with super speed, including Superman, which means she’s more than earned the title “Flash.” Plus, she has And her ability to telepathically connect with other speedsters is a bonus, but there’s one thing Avery doesn’t have that other speedsters do.

Being faster than Superman is par for the course when it comes to speedsters. And most of the Flash Family has dealt with telepaths in the past, so they know how to deal with that problem. What keeps Avery back is that she hasn’t spent as much time with the other members of the family. She doesn’t know their tricks, and that will cost her.

7

Max Mercury

The Zen Master of Speed, Max Mercury understands the Speed Force better than any other member of the family. And while he’s been running through time for almost two hundred years, he’s also learned a whole lot about fighting. He may be the oldest member of the Flash Family, but he’s more than capable of fighting Savitar’s Speed Ninjas.

But for Max, the Speed Force is more spiritual than physical. His interests aren’t in using his ability to fight or get stronger in the body, but stronger in the mind. At the end of the day, Max wants to teach the inner peace that the Speed Force can bring, not use it to bust heads.

6

Wallace West (Kid Flash)

The other nephew of Iris West, Wallace West has been Kid Flash for a while now, but he has yet to truly find his place in the family. Lately, Wallace has been used as a babysitter and had a great heart-to-heart with his older cousin Wally, but he has yet to have the chance to really prove himself.

But what Wallace does have is a simmering rage that comes from a terrible childhood. This isn’t a rage that could lead him down a dark path, but one that makes him a formidable fighter, even when he’s outmatched. Wallace could hold his own against a lot of the Flash Family, but he wouldn’t make it all the way.

5

Jay Garrick (Flash I)

The first Flash, Jay Garrick has seen more action than just about any superhero in the DCU. The legacy of the Flahes starts with him, and even at his age, he’s still one of the toughest members of the family. But there’s one thing that keeps Jay from making it to the final round.

Jay is fast, but when it comes to the Flash Family, he’s never been the quickest on his feet. What he has in experience is counterbalanced by being one of the slowest members of the group. While he would put up a heck of a fight, he just doesn’t have the power he would need to go all nine rounds.

4

Bart Allen (Impulse)

Coming from the 31st Century and raised in a virtual reality specifically built to keep up with him, Bart Allen, better known as Impulse, has more power than his slim frame would suggest. He’s also has highly superior autobiographical memory, meaning that he remembers everything, even past versions of reality that have been wiped out due to one crisis event or another.

And while Bart would surely be hard to take down, everyone knows his greatest weakness: he has ADHD. While it isn’t a big problem when he’s facing off against the likes of Mirror Master or Rainbow Raider, Bart’s inability to stay focused would cost him dearly if he faced off against other speedsters.

3

Jesse Chambers (Jesse Quick)

The daughter of Johnny Quick and Liberty Belle, Jesse Quick, who goes by Jesse Quick, is a legacy hero with a chip on her shoulder and something to prove. Jesse is a powerful speedster, but the Flash Family tends to treat her differently than the rest of the crew.

Wally once used her, promising that she would be the next Flash, as a way to try to get Bart to take things seriously. This hurt Jesse to her core, and she hasn’t forgotten it. Jesse, like many legacy heroes, is dealing with impostor syndrome, and while she could more than likely take down most of the family, there are some members she wouldn’t be able to handle.

2

Barry Allen (Flash II)

The second man to be known as Flash, Barry Allen is fast, powerful, and nearly unstoppable. Somehow, Barry’s powers, especially in his early adventures, allowed him to do things that no other speedster could even dream of. He opened the door to the multiverse, traveled through time, and gave his life to save all of reality.

Barry is tough. In some ways, he’s the toughest Flash. But he’s missing the thing that would make him the strongest, toughest speedster around: the need to prove himself. And, these days, he’s powerless, which would be a real problem for the Scarlet Speedster.

1

Wally West (Flash III)

The first speedster to ever enter the Speed Force and come back out, Wally West has more control over his powers than any other member of the Flash Family. He’s faster than them and can cut them off from the Speed Force. He can also split himself into multiple versions — while fighting Eclipso on the moon, Wally created hundreds of versions of himself, giving him a real advantage.

And there’s that impostor syndrome aspect that comes with legacy heroes. Wally, no matter what he does or how many lives he saves, always feels like he needs to do more to prove that he deserves to be Flash. This can push him over the edge, but it also fuels his passion. And, of course, Wally is the only member of the Flash Family train under the Wizened Sage and learn the Dim Mak, or “death touch.”

When it comes to the Flash Family, none of them can keep up with Wally West.

Created By

Gardner Fox, Harry Lampert, Carmine Infantino

First Appearance

Flash Comics

Alias

Jay Garrick, Barry Allen, Wally West, Bart Allen, Avery Ho

Alliance

Justice Society of America, Justice League, Teen Titans

Race

Human

Franchise

D.C.