The Flash has evolved again and again throughout DC Comics. Whether it's the traditional Barry Allen that audiences are familiar with thanks to the CW TV show or a multiverse variant that's barely been seen, there are some truly odd variations on the character. The moniker of the Flash has been changed, corrupted, and heightened.
The heroes and villains who have stepped into the shoes of the Flash each bring something unique to the role. However, the way they have changed what it means to be a speedster has ultimately impacted how weird they are as a Flash. There are sure to be many more variants of the DC Comics character in years to come as DC further opens its doors to the multiverse.
10 Black Flash
The Black Flash is the representation of Death in the world of the speedsters. It's an ominous warning sign for any Flash variant that sees it. While this entity is an integral part in balancing the cosmos, Barry Allen has strangely suited up as Black Flash for a short period of time.
Due to the manipulations of Professor Zoom, Barry Allen transformed into Black Flash after supposedly discovering the remains of a previous one. It was odd to see the Justice League member become the embodiment of the afterlife. However, Allen reverted to the status quo as is the trope in the comic book landscape.
9 Blue Lantern Flash
Both Green Lantern and Flash are two of DC's most popular and intelligent heroes. However, no reader could have expected elements of these characters to combine. That's weirdly exactly what happened when Barry Allen channeled the power of the Blue Lantern Corps.
During the Blackest Night narrative, Barry Allen was one of the few heroes entrusted with a blue power ring. The Flash has always been able to inspire hope in his allies. That's the kind of quality that the Blue Lantern Corps needs to tap into its immense energy. It was a short-time Flash variant that truly took advantage of DC's rich lore.
8 Elseworlds Oliver Queen
The Arrowverse has impacted DC's comic releases, with spinoff books set within the same universe having been published by the company. The narratives of the small screen are inspired by DC's main continuity though, which is why the franchise pulled from an Elseworlds narrative.
During an Elseworlds crossover event, Barry Allen became the Green Arrow and Oliver Queen became the Flash. The two heroes felt very out of place in their roles. For fans who have followed the shows for years, it was utterly bizarre to see Queen suited up as the Scarlet Speedster, but memorable.
7 Kingdom Come Flash
DC has investigated alternate dimensions in popular narratives such as Kingdom Come. That particular comic run is set within a different future, where Earth's heroes have significantly changed. The Flash that fans meet here is a truly odd escalation of the character.
The Kingdom Come Flash, who has been depicted as hailing from Earth-22, is actually Wallace West. But this iteration of the speedster seemed to never stop. He was a constant blur, moving at all times and thus ceasing to be the West that readers thought they knew. This Flash was seemingly a godlike being who was completely omnipresent.
6 Red Death
The multiverse can be a twisted place and the Dark Multiverse revealed a few horrifying hero variants. Red Death was one version of the Flash that hailed from Earth -52. But, this member of the Dark Knights was not a Barry Allen beneath the mask. He was a Bruce Wayne.
Not only is Red Death a Flash variant, but he is surprisingly also an alternate Batman. In his universe, Batman fused himself and Flash together so that he could rapidly kill off his enemies. With Barry Allen creepily still in his head, Wayne becomes the fastest man alive which feels like a corruption of the cosmic balance.
5 Mobius Chair Flash
The Mobius Chair is a powerful piece of kit that can give its user deity-like powers. The new god Metron is most associated with the device, but other characters are able to sit in the Mobius Chair and become elevated by its immensity. Wally West is a hero who has done just that.
Sitting in the Mobius Chair can be extremely dangerous, but Wally West took on its might and gained new knowledge. He came to understand the events of Flashpoint in far more detail and took full advantage of the cosmic awareness it delivered. The idea that Flash could become a god has been depicted a handful of times and this is one of the oddest examples. No man should really be placed in such a position by a piece of furniture.
4 Bizarro Flash
It's literally in the name; Bizarro Flash is just as bizarre as the Superman doppelganger readers will be familiar with. The traditional representation of Bizarro revolves around reversing the powers of the hero that has been replicated. Bizarro Flash teamed up with a Bizarro Justice League to take on a Bizarro Doomsday.
While the whole narrative surrounding Bizarro Flash is completely weird, his power set is weirder. This version of the Flash runs incredibly slowly. But he can fly really fast! This change of powers definitely sets this iteration of the speedster apart from the rest, but he is astoundingly serious and without humor.
3 God Of Death Flash
The Black Flash and Black Racer's links to one another are incredibly complex. They are both aspects of Death, but there is evidence to suggest that they are different characters despite their similarities. Regardless, Barry Allen was oddly bonded to the Black Racer which parallels his Black Flash transformation.
The Flash suddenly became a God of Death thanks to the infusion of Black Racer's powers. The two entities merged in a battle against Darkseid due to the Anti-Monitor's meddling. Flash uses this new godly form to destroy Darkseid, but that much power is certainly corrupting. There's probably a world where Barry Allen could have become the full-time host of the Black Racer and thus a permanent deity.
2 Buried Alien
Barry Allen leads one of the greatest superhero legacies in comic book history. One of the strangest aspects of his legacy is his crossover with Marvel Comics. There's long been a theory that the character Buried Alien was actually an iteration of Barry Allen.
Buried Alien was introduced in Marvel Comics as a speedster from another universe who had lost his memory. The character wore the Flash's color scheme and was even named the "fastest man alive." This is a really weird version of the Flash considering he has unofficially traveled between comic book companies.
1 Crash
Animal variants are a common trope in the comic book industry. It's fun to see what DC's heroes would be like if they weren't human. The Flash has been depicted in this form, but the character took on the name Crash. Ironically, Crash was a turtle, an animal famous for being slow.
Crash still boasted super speed and donned the same costume as Flash, albeit with a few modifications. This speedster was a member of the JLA, although that stood for Just'a Lotta Animals rather than the Justice League of America. This is a wacky comic continuity, and it's fair to say that the traditional Barry Allen wouldn't know what to make of this truly weird character.