Flash (comic book)

The Flash
Cover of The Flash #105 (Feb-Mar 1959), the first number of the series. Art by Carmine Infantino and Joe Giella
Publication information
Publisher	DC Comics
Schedule	List Bimonthly: #105-113; #217-232 Eight times a year: #114-157; #212-216; #233-256 Nine times a year: #158-211 Monthly: #257-350
Format	Ongoing series
Genre	Superhero
Publication date(s)	List (vol. 1) February–March 1959 - October 1985 (vol. 2) June 1987–March 2006 and October 2007–February 2009 (vol. 3) June 2010–July 2011 (vol. 4) November 2011–July 2016 (vol. 5) August 2016–Present
No. of issues	List (vol. 1) 246 and 1 Annual (vol. 2) 249 (#1-247 plus issues numbered 0 and 1,000,000) and 13 Annuals (vol. 3) 12 (vol. 4) 56 (#1-52 plus issues numbered 0, 23.1 through 23.3) and 4 Annuals (vol. 5) 9 (as of December 2016 cover date
Main character(s)	(vol. 1, 3, 4, and 5) Flash (Barry Allen) (vol. 2) Flash (Wally West)
Creative team
Created by	John Broome Carmine Infantino
Written by	List (vol. 1): John Broome Gardner Fox Frank Robbins Cary Bates Steve Gerber Robert Kanigher Martin Pasko (vol. 2) Mike Baron Geoff Johns William Messner-Loebs Mark Waid (vol. 3) Geoff Johns (vol. 4) Francis Manapul Robert Venditti Brian Buccellato Van Jensen (vol. 5) Joshua Williamson
Penciller(s)	List (vol. 1): Carmine Infantino Gil Kane Irv Novick Dick Dillin Dick Giordano Neal Adams Mike Grell Alex Saviuk (vol. 2): Jackson Guice Greg LaRocque Paul Pelletier Salvador Larroca Howard Porter Mike Wieringo (vol. 3) Francis Manapul Scott Kolins (vol. 4): Francis Manapul Brett Booth Jesus Merino (vol. 5): Carmine Di Giandomenico
Inker(s)	List (vol. 1): Joe Giella Murphy Anderson Vince Colletta Frank McLaughlin (vol. 2): Larry Mahlstedt (vol. 3): (vol. 4): Norm Rapmund

The Flash is an ongoing American comic book series featuring the DC Comics superhero of the same name. The character's first incarnation, Jay Garrick, first appeared in Flash Comics #1. When the Silver Age Flash Barry Allen was introduced, that character took over Flash Comics numbering and the series was retitled as The Flash.

Although the Flash is a mainstay in the DC Comics stable, the series has been canceled and rebooted eight times. The first series featuring Barry Allen was canceled at issue #350 in the event of the character's death in the universe altering event Crisis on Infinite Earths. When Wally West succeeded Allen as the Flash, a new series began with new numbering in June 1987. That series was briefly canceled in 2006 in the wake of the Infinite Crisis event, but was restarted with its original numbering in 2007, only to be canceled again in 2008 in the wake of Barry Allen's return in Final Crisis and The Flash: Rebirth. The series was revived for a third volume by writer Geoff Johns and artist Francis Manapul after the completion of the Blackest Night event in 2010. A fourth volume was launched in 2011 as part of The New 52. A fifth volume was launched in 2016 as part of DC Rebirth.

Volume 1 starred Barry Allen as the Flash and the series assumed the numbering of the original Flash Comics with issue #105 (March 1959) written by John Broome and drawn by Carmine Infantino. Comics historian Les Daniels noted that "The Flash" was a streamlined, modernized version of much that had gone before, but done with such care and flair that the character seemed new to a new generation of fans. The Broome and Infantino collaboration saw the introduction of several supervillains many of whom became part of the Rogues. The Mirror Master first appeared in issue #105 and the following issue saw the debuts of Gorilla Grodd and the Pied Piper.Captain Boomerang first challenged the Flash in issue #117 (December 1960) and the 64th century villain Abra Kadabra was introduced in issue #128 (May 1962). Another villain from the future, Professor Zoom first appeared in issue #139 (September 1963).