Origin

Barry Allen was a police scientist, with a well known habit for lateness. He lived in Central City and had a steady girlfriend named Iris West (later Iris Allen West). He had a love of comic books, his favorite being the Flash (Jay Garrick). Working late one night, lightning struck the chemicals in the metal rack next to where he was working. They exploded over Barry who was knocked over. As he stood up he realized that he was unharmed. After clearing up, Barry went about his business, but it is not long before he discovered the world around seemed to have slowed. More accurately he had become much faster!

Flash's Costume Ring

Realizing he had become like his hero, Barry decided to follow in his foot steps and become a hero. He discovers that not only is he fast, but he can also vibrate his molecules, rendering him almost invisible and allowing him to phase through solid objects. He also created a costume and treated it with a special chemical that shrank it so that it can fit inside a ring, allowing him to have it with him ready so that he can change in a moment.

Barry's adventures would not just be confined to Central City. Using his scientific knowledge, he constructed the Cosmic Treadmill. Using his super speed, Barry could use it to travel in time by altering his vibrations (something he would later do to cross into alternate dimensions).

For most of his career, life was good to Barry. He was widely respected and well liked as both the Flash and himself. His abilities and scientific acumen kept him ahead of his enemies. Unlike many of his contemporaries, he "got the girl" and married his long time girlfriend Iris.

Rogues

Barry, like every Flash before and after, had a long list of colorful rogues. These include: Trickster, Captain Cold, Mirror Master, Weather Wizard, Captain Boomerang, Abra Kadabra, Rainbow Raider and Gorilla Grodd. Some of them had been enemies of Jay and would continue to be a problem for Barry's sidekick and successor, Wally West

Wally West

Kid Flash

Iris's nephew, Wally West, would one day visit her and Barry. Wally was bored by the experience and was really hoping to meet the Flash. Barry, trying to impress, said that he was friends with him and was waiting in his laboratory. As Wally went into the room, Barry sped past, vibrating through the wall and changing into costume. Wally was suprised to see his hero standing in the laboratory waiting for him.

As the pair talked and storm clouds gathered, Wally asked him how he got his powers. As he explained, Barry set up the chemical rack as it had been that fateful night. Just as he was finishing, lightning struck the rack as before and now Wally too was changed.

Barry decided to train his nephew and created a costume for him. Originally it was identical to Barry's, though later his costume would gain a distinctive look of it's own. The pair would become a crime fighting team for some time until Wally joined the Teen Titans.

Justice League of America

Barry was one one of the founding members of the Justice League Of America. The team was founded when Barry, along with Hal Jordan, the Martian Manhunter, Aquaman and Black Canary united to fight the Appelaxian invasion of Earth. He would remain a key member up until the Crisis on Infinite Earths.

Earth 2

While demonstrating his abilities at a charity event, Barry accidentally vibrated his body into another reality. Barry discovered a villainous plot to hypnotize and steal from the inhabitants of "Keystone City". He recognised both the city and the villains from his comic books. He deduced that his hero, Jay Garrick, must also be real. After finding and talking with Jay, Barry surmised that the comic book creator, Gardner Fox, had been unconsiously tapping into this dimension. This had wider implications for the DC Universe as it bought the golden age comics into silver age continuity. Jay and Barry went on to foil the villains schemes.

This was not the last time they met as both they and the Justice League and the Justice Society Of America would team up again.

Crisis On Infinite Earths

As one of the only people who could travel between dimensions unassisted, Barry was captured by theAnti-Monitor and tortured by Psycho-Pirate. He would eventually escape and became instrumental in destroying the Anti-Monitor's weapon and saving the remaining realities. His success came at great personal cost as Barry's body was consumed by the anti-matter weapon leaving behind just his costume and ring.

Post Crisis Appearances

Justice

Alex Ross's books featuring the Justice League, Justice and the tabloid sized Justice League one shot, both feature Barry as the Flash.

Countdown

An alternate version of Barry has been seen in the pages of Countdown (issues 18 and 17, they are numbered backwards). He lives a peaceful life on Earth 51 where most of the superheroes have retired. He is killed in battle with The Monitor named "Bob".

At the very end of Final Crisis 2, he is seen running from the Black Racer out of some time machine of sorts, into New Earth. So he is back!

Other Media

The Flash TV Series

The Flash TV series was a live action show which ran on CBS between 1990-1991. It starred John Wesley Shipp as the hero and co starred Amanda Pays as the lead roles. The show was created by the writing team of Danny Bilson and Paul De Meo Danny Elfman also composed the main title theme. The show ran along with some of the story lines of the silver age comics, but several other aspects were taken from the Wally West Flash comics including the limitations of his powers and high metabolism.

The pilot episode includes an accident in which Barry Allen’s (John Wesley Shipp), a Central City police forensic scientist, laboratory is struck by lightning bathing Allen in electrified chemicals. With the help of S.T.A.R Labs scientist Tina McGee Allen soon discovers that he has a super charged metabolism giving him super human speed given to him as a result of the accident. Tina modifies a red S.T.A.R Labs deep sea diving suit which can withstand massive amounts of pressure. Barry Allen’s first act as the Flash is to avenge the murder of his brother Jay, a Central city Motor cycle officer, who is also named after the Golden Age Flash Jay Garrick.

The series continued with The Flash taking on manly human foes like mob bosses, gangsters and corrupt officials. Until several of The Flash’s more colourful super villains were brought into play a part in the show. The most well know being The Trickster, played by Mark Hamill, (who also played a part as the Joker in Batman: The Animated Series and would later go on to play The Trickster again in Justice League Unlimited) and his sidekick Prank, played by Corinne Bohrer, Captain Cold, played by Michael Champion and Mirror Master, played by David Cassidy all of whom also appear in their own episode.

Unfortunately all these special appearances were too little too late and due to too much competition from other networks and the shows falling ratings because of basketball games and bad breaking coverage as a result of the Persian Gulf War the show was cancelled after a season of shooting.

Justice League of America (TV movie)

Barry Allen was the Flash in unsuccessful pilot for a Justice League series. Many of the characters were barely recognizable next to their comic books and Barry was no different. Instead of a police scientist, Barry was unemployed and seemed to be the slowest witted of all the characters. He is portrayed by Kenny Johnston.