The Flash (TV Version): Barry Allen

Real Name: Barry Patrick Allen
Known Relatives: Henry and Nora (parents), Jay (brother, deceased), Eve (sister-in-law), Shawn (nephew)
Occupation: Police Scientist
Base of Operations: Central City
Played by: John Wesley Shipp
See Also: Barry Allen (comics)

[Picture of Barry Allen] Barry Allen grew up in the shadow of his older brother Jay and their father, a Central City beat cop. Both brothers followed their father onto the police force, though Barry nearly took a detour into archaeology in college. He ended up striking a balance between his interests, and became a forensic scientist.

One night, Barry was working late during a thunderstorm. A bolt of lightning struck the lab, dousing Barry with a mixture of electrified chemicals. After he was released from the hospital, he discovered he could move at super-speed. He contacted a specialist at STAR Labs, Tina McGee, who began studying his metabolism and helping him to learn how to control his power. During the first round of tests, she acquired a suit for him that could withstand super-speed.

At the time of the accident, a motorcycle gang led by ex-cop Nicholas Pike was carrying out a campaign of terror in Central City. When Pike killed Jay, Barry decided he no longer wanted to get rid of his speed—he wanted to use it. He convinced Tina to add a mask to the suit, and an insignia based on an old track medal, and Barry became the crime-fighting avenger, the Flash.

Text by Kelson Vibber. Do not copy without permission.