Edward Clariss Edward Clariss (also known as
the Rival and
the Rival Flash) first appeared in
Flash Comics #104 (February 1949), and was created by
John Broome and
Joe Kubert.
Publication history Edward Clariss first appeared in
Jay Garrick's final appearance in
Flash Comics #104 (February 1949), and was created by
John Broome and
Joe Kubert as an
evil counterpart of Garrick during the
Golden Age of Comic Books. He would be revived by
Geoff Johns and
David Goyer in a story called "Injustice Be Done" from the
Justice Society of America comic books through the
Modern Age of Comic Books.
JSA #16 (November 2000) contains a flashback to a battle between the Rival and the Flash several months after the former's first appearance. Now that he has inexplicably regained super-speed, Clariss reaches light speed during the fight and vanishes into the
Speed Force. After the
Justice Society of America's reformation 50 years later,
Johnny Sorrow retrieves Clariss from the Speed Force and invites him to join the
Injustice Society. Driven insane in the Speed Force, the Rival races across the country on a killing spree. The Flash realizes that the Rival's path across the country spells out Clariss's name and the final murder victim will be Joan; Jay absorbs the Rival's speed before he can kill Joan. The Rival returns in
Impulse #88 (September 2002), posing as Joan's doctor. Now pure speed energy, he possesses fellow Golden Age speedster
Max Mercury. After battling Jay and Impulse, Max time-travels to an unknown destination. In
The Flash: Rebirth #4, Max escapes from the Speed Force and is rejuvenated by
Wally West's energy, which allows Max to return to Earth in a new body.
Return After the events of
Doomsday Clock, Clariss returns to continuity, having faced Garrick in the 1940s.
Eobard Thawne Professor Eobard Thawne (commonly known as Professor Zoom) is the
archenemy of
Barry Allen, as he is the first supervillain to be called the Reverse-Flash. While other speedsters cannot change the past without dramatic consequences, his ability to travel and manipulate time is able to drastically alter history and completely erase people from existence is due to having corrupted the Speed Force which created a negative version.
Wally West Wally West briefly impersonated Professor Zoom aka the Reverse-Flash.
Hunter Zolomon Hunter Zolomon (also known as Zoom) is the archenemy of
Wally West and the second Reverse-Flash. Unlike all other speedsters, he gained his powers from an accident with the Cosmic Treadmill rather than the Speed Force. Zolomon can control the rate at which he moves in time via the Forever Force.
Thaddeus Thawne Thaddeus Thawne (a.k.a.
Inertia and later
Kid Zoom) first appeared in
Impulse #51 (August 1999), and was created by
Todd Dezago and
Mike Wieringo. Another character called the Reverse-Flash, he is a
clone of
Bart Allen. When asked who created Inertia,
Ethan Van Sciver wrote that he could only accept five percent of the credit; the remaining credit belonged to Mike Wieringo (20 percent),
Grant Morrison (25 percent), and Todd Dezago (50 percent). According to Van Sciver, Inertia's appearance is an inverted depiction of Impulse. Inertia appears in
Teen Titans (vol. 3) as part of
Titans East. The storyline concluded with issue #46 (April 2007). When Bart aged five years after
Infinite Crisis and became the Flash, Inertia battles Bart again, ultimately killing him alongside the
Rogues. Wally West takes revenge by draining Inertia's powers, paralyzing him. Inertia remains disconnected from the Speed Force after
Infinite Crisis and uses the drug Velocity 9 to regain his powers. In ''
Final Crisis: Rogues' Revenge'',
Libra and Zoom use Inertia in an attempt to get the Rogues to join the
Secret Society. Inertia steals Zoom's powers and calls himself Kid Zoom, only to be killed by the Rogues, who blame him for making them kill Bart. Inertia is later resurrected, but is trapped in the Speed Force. Inertia tries to stop Barry Allen, Max Mercury, and
Jesse Quick from escaping the Speed Force, revealing that Eobard Thawne promised to release him and let him take over Bart's body once the former succeeded in his plans. After Barry tries to appeal and talk sense into him, Inertia stops his attacks and runs off.
Daniel West Daniel "Danny" West first appeared in
The Flash (vol. 4) #0 (November 2012). The most recent individual to be called the Reverse-Flash, he is the younger brother of
Iris West, the father of
Ace West, and an enemy of Barry Allen. ==Other versions==