DC is full of speedsters like the famous Flash Family. But what sets them apart from other speed heroes in comic history is their connection to the Speed Force, a mysterious gravitational field they can use whenever they want. This lore suggests that the racing game simply has fleet legs, and thus DC's roster of speedsters is always changing depending on who accesses the mysterious Speed Force.
Being a speedster is an entire genre of superhero lore that owes much to The Flash and his opening of the Multiverse in the first place. However, there are some speed superheroes who are not part of the Flash Family. Featuring both of these types, here The 10 fastest DC comic characters right now in modern continuity, the Scarlet Speedsters and otherwise – but they're all top-notch runners. And several world records.
10 Avery Ho is one of the Newest Flashes
Avery Ho is a Chinese resident Flash and current member of the Flash Family, who derives his powers from Central City's Speed Force Storm. One of the only speedsters to survive both Godspeed's serial killing attack and Reverse-Flash's massacre, he assumed the role of Flash and joined the Justice League Incarnate. Barry Allen, the Chord Flash, replacing Avery Ho on the team suggests that he trusts him like more experienced speedsters.
Unlike other superhero families that have one patriarchal superhero and dozens of sidekicks, the Flash Family is full of heroes who share the same title. Barry Allen runs side-by-side with Wally West, who was once his manager, and Avery Ho now runs with them. Characters like Ho unlock the Speed Force in more ways than one, rrepresenting not only female speedsters, but also Asian superheroes.
9 Jay Garrick Paved The Way For Every Speedster
Flash icon Jay Garrick has been there since the beginning of DC Comics. As the original Flash with a WW1 design, Jay Garrick paved the way for every speedster who followed him. Although he can't always keep up with some of the younger whippersnappers, this veteran speedster has shown that he has what it takes to win a race now and again.
Two worlds collided when Barry Allen's Flash crossed the barrier into another world and met Jay Garrick for the first time.
The Flash of Two Worlds (1961)
By Gardner Fox and Carmine Infantino!
It's not the Flash Family without Jay Garrick, and when the list is called, Jay has never been missing from that list. Serving as a mentor to every Flash after him, he is also a founding member of the Justice Society of America and a hero in the final title, along with his speedster daughter. Aging slower than other humans due to his connection to the Speed Force, perhaps this speedster can finally retire soon. Again, that is. He tried several times to retire, but the world always needs Jay Garrick.
8 Max Mercury is the Speed Force Mentor of the Flash Family
Along with the mentor sages of the Flash Family, Max Mercury is the Flash Family's resident Speed Force Guru. As time went on in his attempt to master the Speed Force, he brought his knowledge to Wally West's Flash by applying the Speed Force to DC's continuity.
The Speed Force appeared for the first time
Flash #91
(1994), created by writer Mark Waid.
Preferring to mentor and meditate rather than fight, Max Mercury is the soul of the Flash Family. Often seen as a grandfatherly figure to Bart Allen's Impulse, he has been a guiding voice and presence for many speedsters trapped in the nebulous Speed Force. Like Gay Garrick, Max will always be called upon when trouble calls. Virtually ageless and timeless (and mysterious), Max's true speed is as unknown as any esoteric master. Its fantastic speed is shown by the feats of the men it performs.
7 Shazam's Speed Is His Name
Another mercurial speedster, Shazam's name is a testament to the power of the six gods that make up the acronym, giving him supernatural power. Shazam's “M” stands for Mercury, the fleet-footed messenger god of the Roman Pantheon. When Shazam borrows the speed needed to win a battle, he uses one of his six powers and assumes divine speed.
While fans often argue between Flash's speed and Superman's, Shazam acts as an underrated opposition. Recently, during absolute power, Shazam could fly from France to Washington in a heartbeat, making DC's speedsters look slow. Due to Mercury's power, Shazam becomes a god-like force rather than a Speed Force. Combined with his wisdom and power, among other powers, Shazam is one of DC Comics' most powerful forces—just one of its fastest alters.
6 Bart Allen Speeded Through Every Iteration of The Flash
Constantly aging and ageless, Bart Allen, grandson of the iconic Barry Allen, had a whirlwind run as the Flash. He became the fourth speedster from Impulse to Kid Flash to hold the Flash's mantle, and became one of the youngest (and, as the name suggests, most brazen) Scarlet Speedsters along the pipeline: Impulse.
As one of DC's Future Flashes, Bart Allen has shown just how fast he is from the start as he races back to meet his grandfather and help him protect Central City. While time travel is a tough challenge for any Flash (usually with great consequences), Bart Allen doesn't make it look easy.. Since his arrival, he's been a long-time member of the Flash Family, and as long as he's in the past, he can slow down his future as an impulsive hero a bit more.
5 Irey West promises to leave his father behind
Less experienced than Impulse, Irey West is Jai West's twin sister and Wally West's daughter. With his natural connection to the Speed Force, which caused quite a bit of trouble for his mother while in the womb, Irey is not only a Scarlet Speedster in his own right, but is prophesied to attain god-level speed.
In Flash #4By Si Spurrier, Wally West meets a being outside of time called the Rest, who informs the Flash of what his daughter's future holds and how fantastic it will be. Wally even got a chance to meet his future daughter and she far exceeded his expectations. Comic book fans have yet to see Irey West at top speed, but it's been hinted at quite a bit. In the future, he may become the fastest Flash, surpassing even his father.
4 Lightray demonstrates Divine Speed
A forgotten member of DC Comics, Lightray is a member of the New Gods of New Creation. Filling the role of Mercury of the Roman pantheon, Lightray is the herald and speedster of the Fourth World gods, and his speed renders the Boom Tube, a teleportation device, practically useless. Space-time is known to travel at speeds well in excess of the speed of light, it can encompass the universe at once.
Along with news of DC's All-In Initiative, the New Gods are getting their own series, Lightray will appear alongside the entire pantheon of New Creation. With multiple character updates happening all over DC, speed fans can expect to see Lightray's powers pushed to the limit and him breaking the speed barrier in new battles against his old enemy Darkseid.
3 Superman Is Faster Than A Speeding Bullet
Superman and the Flash: a race as old as time. There have been a dozen close matches between the Man of Steel and the Scarlet Speedsters, with both winning a few and almost half of them ending in draws. Superman is not only one of DC's strongest heroes, but also one of the fastest. There's not much the Man of Tomorrow can't do.
In
The Flash: Rebirth
(2005) by Geoff Johns, Barry Allen finally stops these races and informs Superman that these races are only for charity and not the real thing.
Like Shazam, he has no Speed Force to use, but unlike Shazam, he does not borrow the power of a god. His speed is all his own, and he proved himself to be one of the fastest when he defeated the Flash Superman: In the sky #4 by Tom King and Andy Kubert – by a hair too. What fueled him to win was the knowledge that Lex Luthor's multi-million dollar charity donation was on the line. It's not just that he's fast, his heart powers his speed.
2 Barry Allen changed the game for the Scarlet Speedsters
Arguably the most iconic Scarlet Speedster, Barry Allen carried the Flash Family for over three decades until he passed the torch and sacrificed his life to save the world. Crisis on Infinite Earths. Even before his resurrection, how he revealed his ultimate speed he was superior to the Black Racer, the god version of death on skis, the whole time he was “dead”.
Barry Allen is the heart of the Flash Family and a symbol of the swiftness of hope for the DC Universe.
He was the first hero to travel across multiple universes as well as time. Although his exploits have not always been as good as they used to be cheat point, As he resets DC's timeline, Barry Allen's optimistic nature and willingness to learn from his mistakes make him one of the best Flashes out there. Donning the iconic costume passed down to progeny and progeny, Barry Allen is the heart of the Flash Family and a symbol of the swiftness of hope for the DC Universe.
1 Wally West Can't Stop Breaking World Records
Nobody's faster than Wally West. This third Flash not only followed in the footsteps of his hero, Barry Allen, but surpassed him in every way – and he never catastrophically altered the timeline. He was the first Flash to truly master the Speed Force, even manipulating the Speed Force to make him a suit made entirely of pure energy.
He also overcame death, as it were Flash By Mark Waid, when in Black Flash form. Wally West ran so fast that he traveled through time to the end of existence, beyond any life in the universe where death became meaningless and ceased to exist. This is the fastest feat recorded by any speedster in the DC universe. With Wally West at the helm and together with the Flash Family and Flash Friends, nothing can stop them from winning the race and saving the day.