Brother Grimm

In the other-dimensional land of Eastwind, the people’s beloved king was killed by the Tin Reverend, who seized control of the kingdom. His army ravaged the country, stopping only when there was nothing left to conquer. Grimm and Angar, sons of the army’s commander, Brother Nightingale, discovered another world—Earth—and Nightingale prepared to attack through Central City. But Grimm was tired of war, and sent a warning to Central City’s hero, the Flash, who “along with his squire, Kid Flash, and the elder statesman” came to Eastwind and defeated the Reverend and his captain.

The people of Eastwind, freed from tyranny, made Grimm their king. But he was uninterested in ruling, and wished to seek his destiny as an artist. Torn by this dilemma, he took the advice of Kid Flash, who told him to seek his own path. Relieved, he gave the crown to his brother Angar, who eventually became as much a tyrant as his father. To save his people, Grimm waged war on his brother, ultimately slaying Angar and taking back the crown.

Deeply regretting that he had stepped aside, that he had taken Kid Flash’s advice, he was horrified when he found that Kid Flash had simply taken his mentor’s legacy, and not followed his own path. Kid Flash had lied to him, he was certain, and had cost his people dearly, and almost destroyed his kingdom.

With his knowledge of dimensions, he devised a plan to eliminate the Flash and take over a new kingdom. He arranged for Mirror Master and Captain Cold to trap the Flash in a mirror universe where he would be powerless, then brought Keystone City to Eastwind, bewitching its citizens into loyal peasants. Grimm’s mistake was in double-crossing the two rogues, trapping them with the Flash. The three of them escaped their prison, then followed him to Eastwind. The Flash shattered Grimm’s flux machine, freeing Keystone from his control. Seeing he was defeated, Grimm fled...with a threat that he would return when least expected.

He did that, posing as a classmate of Linda’s for weeks to get close to her before “Cliff” revealed himself and attacked Keystone once again, until Flash and Hawkman were able to send him back to Eastwind.

• Primary Sources
• Art Credits
• Appearances

Primary Sources

• “Wonderland Part 5: Brother Grimm” - Flash #168 (January 2001), Geoff Johns

Art

• Royalty - Flash (second series) #168 (January 2001) - Angel Unzueta & Doug Hazlewood
• True Appearance - Flash (second series) #191 (December 2002) - Scott Kolins and Doug Hazlewood

Significant Appearances

• Flash #168–169 (January–February 2001): “Wonderland” parts 5–6, Geoff Johns
• (as Cliff) Flash #179–181, 189 (2001–2002), Geoff Johns
• Flash #191 (December 2002): “The Brave and the Beaten,” Geoff Johns

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