The Flash is a 2010-2011 comic book ongoing published by DC Comics. It was written by Geoff Johns and illustrated by Francis Manapul and Scott Kolins.
It follows Barry Allen after his resurrection in Final Crisis, as he tries to get accustomed to civilian life, working on the CCPD again, and trying to catch up with all the years he lost.
The story sees the grand return of Allen as the lead of The Flash ongoing after his death in Crisis on Infinite Earths in 1986. The series also ties in with the Brightest Day Crisis Crossover, with the first seven issues focusing on one of the 12 characters who came back to life after Blackest Night—in this case Captain Boomerang.
The comic lasted 12 issues, and was followed by Flashpoint and The Flash (2011).
The Flash (2010) provides examples of:
- Alternate Self: Hot Pursuit is the Barry Allen of a parallel Earth.
- Anti-Hero Team: The Renegades are a team of law enforcers from the 25th century. They arrest Barry Allen for a crime he is yet to commit and are responsible for tons of property damage—and refuse to feel guilty about either.
- Arc Villain: From issues #1-6 it's Captain Boomerang, and from issues #7-12 it's the Reverse-Flash.
- Big Bad Ensemble: For the first half of the comic, the main villains are a resurrected Captain Boomerang trying to gain back his rep, and the Top of the 25th century, who is trying to frame an innocent kid for the murders an ancestor of his committed.
- Bitch in Sheep's Clothing: The Top of the 25th century initially appears as the sole member of the Renegades willing to help Barry and clean his name instead of preemptively arrest him for a crime he didn't commit, but is soon revealed to be a manipulative murderer who framed Barry for a crime one of the Top's ancestors committed, so he wouldn't be kicked out of the Renegades.
- Freudian Excuse: The reason why the Top pinned the murders of his ancestors on an innocent kid is that if the Renegades found out he is a descendant of a criminal, even one from 400 years ago, he'd be kicked out.
- Hero Does Public Service: In issue #2, Barry helps rebuild an apartment block accidentally destroyed by the Renegades.
- Not So Stoic: Eobard Thawne is genuinely shocked upon finding out Hot Pursuit is an alternate Barry Allen, which is followed by him being utterly delighted because of the chance of killing Barry, even if it's not his Barry.
- Pretender Diss: Upon meeting Evan McCulloch for the first time, Barry tries to get under his skin by calling him less prepared than Sam Scudder.
- Ret-Gone: The Reverse-Flash, as a Paradox Person, can time travel to alter history without consequences. He retroactively had his brother Robern, his rival Professor Drake, and his own parents killed so his research on the Speed Force and the Flash wouldn't be slowed down by them.
- Sadist: Thawne is practicaly extatic to find out Hot Pursuit is the Barry Allen of another Earth because it allows him to kill his hated nemesis without interfering with the timeline.
- Sequel Hook: The run ends with Barry grieving his dead mother on her birthday, and promising that all will change now, setting up Flashpoint.
- Super-Speed Reading: In issue #2, after saving the occupants of a falling apartment building, Barry reads an entire library's worth of construction books and single-handedly rebuilds the entire building.
- Took a Level in Badass: Prior to his death, Captain Boomerang had gone from a Not-So-Harmless Villain to a small-time crook fallen on hard times. Post-resurrection, he now has the superpower of summoning explosive energy boomerangs and singlehandedly breaks the Reverse-Flash out of Iron Heights.
- Villain Decay: Discussed. Captain Cold refuses to help Digger Harkness break out of Iron Heights because towards the end of Boomerang’s life he got sloppy and ineffective (as seen in Identity Crisis (2004)), which means he’ll have to prove to the Rogues he is worth their time by breaking out of jail alone.
- You Are Not Alone:
- Wham Shot: Issue #1 ends with the Flash being arrested by the Renegades, a group of 25th century government-sanctioned superheroes, because according to them he’ll kill one of their members, Mirror Monarch.