This is a topic I have pondered a
lot, through the years. Why did I
gravitate to the Flash as my favorite superhero when, despite the longevity of
the character, he seems to be off the radar of most superhero fans? Even today, my son has a pair of Justice
League pajamas, but the only heroes on his pjs are Superman, Batman, and Green
Lantern, all of whom, it could be argued, have cooler powers (though your
arguments would be baseless). So why did
I latch onto this hero whose only power is superspeed?
I was introduced to DC’s
superheroes through the classic Super Friends cartoons of the 1970s and 80s. Watching some of these now, the animation is
crude and the stories…juvenile. But
they’re still enjoyable through my nostalgic rose-tinted lenses, and these
cartoons were some of, if not the, first pieces superheroic entertainment I had
at my disposal. At that point, I had no
idea about comic books. They weren’t
even a thing for me. (I believe my
parents, both of whom were teachers, didn’t want me reading such trashy,
throw-away fare). Those would come
later.
I watched the Super Friends, in its
myriad iterations, whenever the opportunity arose. And I loved it. In particular, I loved the Flash. I think it might have been the super-bright
colors of his costume – scarlet and gold – and the accompanying orange streak
that revealed itself in his bursts of speed across the glass teat. Comparatively, to my mind, Superman was too
powerful, Batman wasn’t that cool, not in this cartoon anyway, Green Lantern
had potential (odd that I gravitated to him, as well, since they became fast
friends in the comic books), especially the crazy things he would craft with
his power ring. All cool superheroes, but
the guy for me was definitely Barry Allen, the Flash.
I think I also personally related
to the character. I was that kid who
could outrun most of the others at school.
It was an identity, at a young age, which I latched onto with vigor, something
at which I excelled. And that made me
feel good. In my mind, I was the Flash!
Next: the comics and a better
understanding of the character and his alter-ego. Maybe.
-chris
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