Despite Superman standing at the pinnacle of my "favorite heroes list", I was, for quite a few years, in the camp of people who believed Flash was far faster than him. Especially given my frequent viewing of that small-screen re-imagining of Superman: Smallville some time ago. But then, based on my observations of several comic panels and even the old DCAU shows, I started to wonder. Everyone knows that Superman and Flash had a race at one point. But if we're talking about the same one, they were both on foot, right? If that's the case, there's no question that Flash is definitely faster. But what if Superman used his natural element in a race: flight. The ground is Flash's domain, but the air and skies are Superman's. That being said, if Superman flew alongside the running Flash, I think they may actually be equals. Just like Superman, to avoid causing damage (or at least minimizing the possibility of it), Flash has to hold back, too. Now, I agree that Superman can't vibrate through walls and stuff like that, but I heard and seen via panels that he is capable of doing some speed-related feats just as impressive as Flash. It seems the man of steel can think and react just as quickly as he can move (even though the writers sometimes lazily forget that), he was able to catch a glimpse of Barry Allen while he was moving, and while I had a difficult time tracking this one down, apparently Superman can enter the speed force as well. In the New 52, Superman dealt with opposition from Barry/Flash (and GL, but he's not important in this case) and despite the latter's claims that Supes' cannot touch him, he managed to do just that and knock him down; and we all know Barry's Flash moves so fast that he can't be predicted or averted by certain means.

I wish I could share these panels with you, but I am still kinda a rookie at this site, so I don't know how to do all of that, yet. Either way, please tell me if you agree or disagree about Superman and Flash being speed equals and why.

Flash is faster. Speed is his thing. Superman is insanely fast but i've always believed that his powers have limits based on conventional physics, so in theory he tops out at the speed of light. Flash however has the whole draws his powers from an extra dimensional energy called the speed force which enables him to go beyond.

Flash is faster than Superman. DC would look like fools if Superman was faster than Flash, and Flash would pretty much have no reason for existing if Superman was faster.

Flash is simply faster than Superman because Flash is meant to be the fastest character on Justice League. For every super fast feat Superman has in a story by a writer, if Flash was in the comic with him, by standard Flash would exceed that feat.

To me in terms of Speed and its limits, Superman beats the Flash without a sweat. Superman speed has been shown to be multiple times the speed of light. And we all know what breaking the speed of light barrier means to all speedsters.

Sure I'll give credit to the Flash where credit is due. He can acelerate to almost the speed of light in an instant, and stop basicaly has fast. He can be fast without having to worry about causing impact waves that would kill everyone and destroy everything in his path. He can even neutralize the recoil effect. Looking at all this the Speed Force does has its percs, even tough some of them are almost too good to believe, but its ok with me.

Now Superman has to worry about all the things the Flash doesn't. And that's a fact, not an opinion. He can't simply go hypersonic or faster than light within Earth's atmosphere because, you know... Mass destruction!

And yes. The Flash can use the Speed Force to travel through time, universes, and even dimensions. Superman on the other hand can only go really really fast. Like, travel from one side of the galaxy to the other in a manner of hours, days or weeks (depends on the writer). Something the Flash can't do. Also Superman has already shown on rare occasions that he too can do some of the things the Flash can do. Like making himself invisible, vibrate through solid matter (not has easily has the Flash tough, but like you yourself said, speed is Flash's thing) and can even move through dimensions by vibrating his atoms at a certain frequency, although again this skill depends on the writer. Sometimes he can only travel to dimensions close to ours, other times he can achieve any dimension has long has he knows where to go.

So here's the race I'd want to see. Superman and the Flash on Mars, where there's no cities, no people, nothing to make them hold back, and then make them race each other. I'd like to see the result of that race.

They're not speed equals but each one of them, has something to add. Each has his own set of skills.

There was a tie in JL/JLU, Superman had trouble keeping up with Flash while he was flying, Superman was having trouble to talk while Flash didn't even break a sweat.

The Flash stomps in a race whether Supes is on foot or flying. Speed Force FTW.

@rustyroy:

I find that hard to believe, "Superman having trouble". He isn't using much solar energy while racing and unless it's the Byrne version or if he's fighting Doomsday, he NEVER tires.

@kryptonian24 It was from JL/JLU spinoff comics and he was flying and yeah he was having trouble keeping up with the Flash.

Justice league beyond "the older" superman who isn't as powerful as he was when he was younger is not as fast as a young flash who has the ability to tap into the speedforce like no others have.not really the equal footing match that should be considered for this.

Speedforce versus Supermans infinite absorption of infinite solar energy

Flash is faster for sure

Long answer? No.

I'm going to leave this here.

Flash is meant to be faster than Superman.

Flash