Reverse-Flash
Reverse Flash is a title that has been taken by three supervillains in
DC Comics. All of them have super-speed, and are enemies of the
Flash dynasty.
The three Reverse Flashes, corresponding to the three Flashes, are
The Rival,
Professor Zoom and
Zoom.
The Rival (Golden Age Reverse Flash)
The Rival Flash first appeared in Flash Comics #104 (February 1949) as Dr Edward Clariss, a professor at the university attended by the Golden Age Flash, Jay Garrick. He believed he had recreated the formula that gave Garrick his speed.
Bitter at his the rejection of his claims by the scientific community, he became a criminal, wearing a darker version of the Flash's outfit. His version of the formula, however, proved to be temporary, and he was defeated when it ran out.
He reappeared a few months later, and in battling the Flash, reached lightspeed and vanished.
Following the reformation of the Justice Society of America in 1999, Clariss was retrieved from the "Speed Force" (which had been revealed as the Valhalla of fallen speedsters (good or evil), as well as their source of power) by Johnny Sorrow, who invited him to join the new Injustice Society. Now pure speed energy, he has possessed Garrick's fellow Golden Age speedster Max Mercury.
Professor Zoom (Silver Age Reverse Flash)
Eobard Thawne, Professor Zoom, first appeared in The Flash (vol 1) #139 (September 1963). Originally, he was a criminal from the 25th century, who found a time capsule containing the Silver Age Flash's costume. He was able to use a machine to amplify the suit's speed energy, giving himself the abilities of the Flash as long as he wore it. In the process the colours of the costume reversed, the suit becoming yellow and the boots and lightning bolt highlights red. He used his speed powers to comit crimes, but was stopped by the Flash, who had travelled forwards in time to witness the time capsule being opened because it also contained an atomic clock that threatened to explode like an atomic bomb. The Flash, assuming his counterpart may know where the clock was, pursued him. This was finally done when Zoom boasted on how he used a chemical coating to protect himself from air friction. Betting that the invisible aura around his body is superior protection, The Flash seized Zoom and began to push him forward so fast that the intense air friction overwhelmed the coating and the resulting burns force Zoom to surrender. However, it all proved a waste of time as Zoom knew nothing about the clock and The Flash was just barely able to find and remove it to an isolated area before it exploded.
Blaming the Flash for his defeat, Thawne began travelling back in time to gain revenge, using his knowledge of "history" to his advantage. He also became obsessed with "replacing" Barry Allen, not only as the Flash, but as the husband of Iris West. After Iris finally made it clear that this would not happen, Zoom (apparently) killed her.
It took a long time for Flash to get his life back together after this. Shortly after he had found love again, Zoom reappeared. Terrified that history would repeat itself, Allen instinctively and inadvertantly killed his enemy.
Being a time traveller, Eobard Thawne has managed to appear since then. The Return of Barry Allen storyline in The Flash (vol 3), revealed that he started out as a fan of the Flash. After gaining superspeed from the suit (which remained in its original colours), he travelled forward in time to meet his hero. Overshooting, and arriving in the period after Barry Allen's death, he was horrified to learn he was destined to become Allen's greatest enemy. His unstable mind therefore created a scenario in which he was Barry Allen, returned from the dead.
After uncovering the truth, Wally West (the third Flash) sent him back to his own time. Although his mind blanked out these events they apparently lead to his later obsession.
Later still, it was revealed that the Thawnes and Allens had a longstanding feud by the time of the 25th century. Eobard was descended from Malcom Thawne, aka Cobalt Blue, Barry Allen's long lost twin brother. The Thawne/Allen feud was apparently ended by Meloni Thawne's marriage to Don Allen, and the birth of their son, Bart (later Impulse and the second Kid Flash). However, Meloni's father created a "Reverse Impulse"; a clone of Bart called Thaddeus Thawne, who took the name Inertia. Inertia made several attempts to replace Impulse before rejecting his role as an instrument of vengence.
Zoom (Modern Age Reverse Flash)
Hunter Zolomon first appeared in The Flash: Secret Files #3, as a profiler for the Keystone City Police Department. It was later revealed that his wife and father-in-law had also been profilers. A mistake on his part (he thought the villain they were after wouldn't use a gun) resulted in his father-in-law's death, and his wife left him shortly afterwards.
Shortly after arrival in Keystone he was severely injured in an attack by Gorilla Grodd. He asked Wally West to use the time-travelling cosmic treadmill in the Flash Museum to prevent this from occuring. West refused, saying that he couldn't risk damaging the timestream.
Zolomon then broke into the museum, and attempted to use the treadmill himself. The resulting explosion destroyed the museum and shifted Hunter's connection to time. He could now alter his personal timeframe, giving the effect of superspeed.
Zolomon decided that West wouldn't help because, unlike Barry Allen, he had never suffered personal tragedy. He decided that if he became the new Zoom and killed West's wife (Linda Park) this would help the Flash become a better hero.
Flash succeeded in defeating him before he could kill Linda, but not their unborn children. Zolomon is now frozen in time, watching the death of his father-in-law over and over. His ex-wife, Ashley Zolomon, has replaced him as profiler and has spent a lot of time attempting to communicate with him.
Recently Ashley was killed in an accident that appeared to be Wally West's fault. It remains to be seen what effect this will have on Zoom.
Category:DC Comics charactersCategory:Supervillains
