Central City (DC Comics)
| Central City | |
|---|---|
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| Type | City |
| Notable locations |
Flash Museum Central City Police Department S.T.A.R. Labs |
| Notable characters |
Barry Allen Wally West Iris West Allen |
| First appearance | Showcase #4 (September–October 1956) |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
Central City is a fictional American city appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. It is the home of the Silver Age version of the Flash (Barry Allen), and first appeared in Showcase #4 in September–October 1956.
Central City's location has been vaguely defined over the years, similar to DC's other fictional cities such as Gotham City and Metropolis. In the 1970s, Central City was stated as being located in Ohio, where the real-world city of Athens, Ohio, would be (as shown in Flash #228 in 1974). Bob Rozakis' Ask the Answer Man column also stated that Central City was located in Ohio in 1987's Flash (volume 2) #2, published just after the reality-altering storyline Crisis on Infinite Earths.
More recently, Central City has most often been located in the state of Missouri. Maps in Young Justice place Central City in Missouri across from Keystone City, Kansas. Additionally, the 2014 television series The Flash also places Central City in Missouri (although opening scenes show Portland, Oregon), most explicitly in a letter sent to S.T.A.R. Labs in the episode "The Man in the Yellow Suit."
In the episode "Bloodlines" of the Young Justice cartoon, (a facsimile of) the St. Louis Gateway Arch can be seen in the background of scenes depicting Central City
Central City's population has been depicted as static over the years. In Flash v2, #2 (1987) it was cited as being 290,000. In 1990, the Atlas of the DC Universe listed it as 750,000. As of Flash Secret Files and Origins 2010, the population stands as 1,395,600. In Flash v.4 # 1, Central City Police Captain Darryl Frye is quoted as describing the population as having "tripled" during Barry Allen's years-long absence.
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