The Lost Days of Barry Allen

See Also: Where’s Barry?

Over the years, this has been one of the most frequently tinkered with bits of DC history. Even now that he’s back for good, they still can’t leave it alone, and it’s not just DC - on two occasions even some Marvel comics have got into the act. For the time being, it seems to have stabilized although you never know when The Powers That Be will see fit to mess with it again.

This chronology tells the story from Barry’s perspective, in the order he experienced these events. Anyway, here goes:

Flash #350 (October 1985) “Flash Flees” —

After a lengthy trial, Barry is acquitted of the murder of the Reverse-Flash.

Flash #215 (December 2004) “The Secret of Barry Allen, part two” —

Barry writes a letter to Wally, telling him of how Zatanna modified the Top’s mind at Barry’s request.

Flash #350 (October 1985) “Flash Flees” —

Barry deals out a spot of justice to Abra Kadabra (with the unlikely assistance of the Rogues Gallery), Barry and Iris depart for the thirtieth century, Iris’ true home time.

Legionnaires Annual #3 (1996) “The Long Road Home” —

Becoming separated from Iris and slightly lost on his trip home, Barry encounters his granddaughter, XS of the Legion of Super Heroes, likewise time travelling to the thirtieth century. This story also reveals that Barry had returned to his original face and hair color (he changed them to protect his loved ones during the trial).

The Flash #148 (May 1999) “Chain Lightning, Chapter Four: Undertow” —

In the thirtieth century, Barry rescues Wally from an army of speedsters led by the Cobalt Blue-possessed Jay Garrick.

The Flash #149 (June 1999) “Chain Lightning, Chapter Five: Whirlpool” —

Barry and Wally free Jay from Cobalt Blue’s control. The three combine their efforts to send the other speedsters back to their home times. After a brief reunion, Jay too returns to his proper place in time. Barry and Wally encounter Pariah briefly before he disappears again. A revived Cobalt Blue strikes down Barry, killing him, and creating an alternate timeline where the Anti-Monitor won the Crisis on Infinite Earths.

The Flash #150 (July 1999) “Chain Lightning, Finale: Finish Line” —

After visiting several horrific alternate timelines where the good guys died during the Crisis, Wally manages to travel back to a point just before Cobalt Blue struck Barry down, restoring time and saving Barry, but at the cost of his own apparent death.

Impulse #86 (July 2002) “Crisis on Impulse’s Earth, part one” —

Barry is pulled from the thirtieth century back the twenty-first when Impulse is briefly gifted with incredible magical powers.

Impulse #87 (August 2002) “Crisis on Impulse’s Earth, part two” —

Barry learns of his death, and asks Impulse to restore him to his correct place in time. Max Mercury and the Phantom Stranger persuade Impulse to abandon his new powers, and he agrees to do so. Before he discharges the magical energy into the Speed Force, Impulse undoes everything he has down with the power, returning Barry to the thirtieth century.

The Flash #200 (September 2003) “Blitz: The Conclusion—The Final Race” —

A few days before he is destined to die, Barry travels back in time to visit the despondent Wally West, and convince him to remain the Flash. Together with Hal Jordan, the Flashes decide to erase the world’s memory of their identities. Barry tells Wally how proud he is of him, one last time, before he returns to the future and Hal performs the erasure.

Convergence: The Flash #1 (June 2015) “Out of the Running—The Final Race” —

While visiting the present day, Barry is caught in Gotham City when it is abducted by Brainiac. Trapped and powerless, he lives in the domed city for a year before his powers are restored and he is told by Telos that he must fight for his city’s existence against other cities. His first opponent is to be the Superman of the Tangent Universe.

Convergence: The Flash #2 (July 2015) “Race to the Finish—The Final Race” —

Learning of Barry’s destiny to die in the Crisis but save all reality in doing so, Superman surrenders to Barry after a brief fight, allowing his own city to die so that the rest of the multiverse can live.

Crisis on Infinite Earths #3 (June 1985) “Oblivion Upon Us” —

After living in the 30th century for a month, Barry encounters the Anti-Matter Wall, and travels back to the twentieth century to escape it and warn the other heroes about the Crisis.

Legends of the DC Universe: Crisis on Infinite Earths #1 (February 1999) “The Untold Story” —

Somehow getting lost between dimensions, Barry briefly discovers Earth-D, and, with the assistance of heroes from Earth-D and Earth-One, succeeds in saving many of that world’s inhabitants from the Anti-Monitor.

Crisis on Infinite Earths #3 (June 1985) “Oblivion Upon Us” —

Now back in the present, Barry is mysteriously abducted.

Crisis on Infinite Earths #5 (August 1985) “Worlds in Limbo” —

The Anti-Monitor reveals that it was he who captured Barry, as his ability to easily cross dimensions threatens the Anti-Monitor’s plans. Barry, kept in check by the power of the Psycho Pirate, is forced to watch helplessly as the Anti-Monitor’s program of destruction continues apace and the Red Tornado is transformed into an elemental force. The Psycho Pirate amuses himself by torturing Barry with various extremes of emotion.

Crisis on Infinite Earths #6 (September 1985) “3 Earths! 3 Deaths!” —

Barry recovers somewhat from the treatment given him by the Psycho-Pirate, but conceals this fact from his captors, awaiting his chance to make a move.

Convergence #6 (July 2015) “Teamwork” —

Barry is returned to the world of Telos, where he and other heroes help the Justice Society of the New 52 Earth-2 defeat the Extremists, and swiftly ally with them in the larger battle against the forces of Deimos.

Convergence #7 (July 2015) “Showdown” —

Barry continues to fight alongside his allies until Deimos is defeated by Parallax. Unfortunately, this releases the stored temporal energy Deimos had been hoarding, threatening to destroy the multiverse.

Convergence #8 (July 2015) “Last Stand” —

Barry and Supergirl return to the era of the Crisis to meet their fates, accompanied by Parallax. Parallax is unable to save their lives, but is able to change the outcome of the Crisis so that the multiverse is not destroyed.

Crisis on Infinite Earths #8 (June 1985) “A Flash of the Lightning” —

After freeing himself from the Anti-Monitor’s prison, Barry kidnaps the Psycho-Pirate and forces him to use his powers on the minions of the Anti-Monitor, causing them to rebel against him. Using his super-speed to destroy the anti-matter cannon that was the Anti-Monitor’s weapon, Barry gives his life in his process. In doing so, he transcends time briefly, and appears both in flashbacks and flashforwards. The chronological sequence for these is as follows:

• Crisis on Infinite Earths #12 (October 1985)
• The Flash #199 (August 2003)
• Deadman: Dead Again #1 (October 2001)
• Crisis on Infinite Earths #2 (May 1985)

JLA: Incarnations #5 (November 2001) “Changes” —

Barry’s last thoughts as he runs to his death around the anti-matter cannon, and a brief view of his ecstatic union with the Speed Force, as he experiences a one-ness with it, sees much of the future, and reaches out to touch Iris one last time—possibly creating the mutation that passed his speed along to the Tornado Twins in doing so.

Note that this story takes place during Crisis on Infinite Earths #8, and includes Barry’s relevant appearances in both “The Life Story of the Flash” graphic novel and Secret Origins Annual #2 (1988)—“Mystery of the Human Thunderbolt.”.

Deadman: Dead Again #1 (October 2001) “The Quick and the Dead” —

Deadman witnesses Barry’s final sacrifice, and meets him after he dies. Before Barry can be escorted to his final fate, the pair are attacked by Darius Caldera. Caldera captures Barry, imprisoning him in a Soul Cage.

Deadman: Dead Again #2 (October 2001) “Dead Loss” —

Darius Caldera boasts to the imprisoned Barry that he will soon have company as he arranges Barry’s Soul Cage at one point of a pentagram. Caldera then claims the soul of Jason Todd.

Deadman: Dead Again #3 (October 2001) “Dead End” —

Deadman manages to prevents Darius Caldera from capturing Superman’s soul, but is himself imprisoned alongside Barry and Jason Todd. The trio are surprised by the revelation that Neron is the secret power backing Caldera.

Deadman: Dead Again #4 (October 2001) “Deadlock” —

Deadman escapes from his Soul Cage, leaving Barry and Jason so that he can save Superman and Hal Jordan from Neron.

Deadman: Dead Again #5 (October 2001) “Deadline” —

The intervention of the Spectre (Hal Jordan) enables Deadman to travel back in time and prevent Caldera from ever summoning Neron, thus undoing the capture of various heroes’ souls, including Barry’s. Possibly this temporal confusion explains Barry’s next few appearances.

The Sandman Presents: The Thessaliad #3 (May 2002) “Necromancer, or What Ever Made You Think Ghosts Carry Money?” —

An amnesiac Barry visits the Living Dead Legends cafe.

Quasar #17 (June 1990, Marvel Comics) “Reborn to Run” —

Barry, still partially bereft of memory, and believing that his name might be “Buried Alien, or something like that,” briefly races against the speedsters of Earth in the Marvel Universe in a competition organized by the Elder of the (Marvel) Universe named the Runner, easily out-pacing them all, even the Eternal Makkari. He wins, and is thus permitted to join the next level, the Milky Way Galaxy race.

Quasar #58 (May 1994, Marvel Comics) “Distant Running” —

Barry, wearing a variation of his Flash costume and calling himself “Fastforward,” is still unable to remember his real name or identity. He runs in the Galactic Race, but turns aside from the lead to stop another racer from cheating. He loses the race, but Makkari wins it. The two of them decline to compete in the next level, but instead run off together simply for the joy of doing so. At some point thereafter, presumably after returning to the DC Universe, Barry is absorbed into the Speed Force.

The Flash Annual #11 (1998) “Haunts” —

Johnny Quick reaches out to Wally from the Speed Force, wanting a chance to say goodbye to his daughter, Jesse Quick. Wally drags Jesse into the Speed Force so that they can talk. Johnny confirms that Barry is also in the Speed Force.

The Flash #150 (July 1999) “Chain Lightning, Finale: Finish Line” —

After Wally’s apparent death, we get a brief view of the Speed Force that has absorbed him. He is pictured endlessly and joyously running with the lightning alongside many other speedsters, including Barry.

Green Arrow #7 (October 2001) “Quiver Chapter 7: Hard Travelling Heroes” —

The resurrected Green Arrow returns to Heaven with Hal Jordan, and encounters Barry Allen there.

Impulse #82 (March 2002) “Double Visions” —

While meditating, Max Mercury contacts Barry Allen and Johnny Quick in the Speed Force.

Infinite Crisis #4 (February 2006) “Haunts” —

Barry, along with Johnny and Max, help Wally and Bart to imprison the Superboy of Earth-Prime in the Speed Force.

The Flash: Fastest Man Alive #6 (January 2007) “Lightning in a Bottle, Part six: Burning Bridges” —

Barry gives Bart his costume when Bart returns to Earth to warn of Superboy’s escape from the Speed Force.

DC Universe #0 (June 2008) “Let There Be Lightning”—

Barry slowly falls to Earth through the Speed Force, his passage sensed only by the second Reverse-Flash, regaining his lost memories of who he is and getting a birds-eye view of current events in the DC Universe as he does so.

Final Crisis #2 (August 2008) “Ticket to Bludhaven” —

Barry escapes the Speed Force and returns to Earth in front of a startled Jay and Wally.

Note: This page was originally called “The Last Days of Barry Allen.” Now that he’s back, the title no longer seemed accurate.

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