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Who Is Faster: Superman Or The Flash?

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TiggersAreGreat Since: Mar, 2011
#1: Mar 16th 2012 at 9:32:45 AM

I think this is a good question to ask. I mean, think about it.

  • Superman moves at a fast speed, and can cross lightyears pretty quick.
  • Flash moves at a fast speed, and can enter the Speed Force, which grants him all sorts of protection from Real Life physics.

If I went by Infinite Crisis, I would say that Flash is faster, because Superman was told by Superboy Prime that he can't enter the Speed Force, due to not being fast enough!

Oh, Equestria, we stand on guard for thee!
NULLcHiLD27 Since: Oct, 2010
#2: Mar 16th 2012 at 9:41:30 AM

I just assume Flash is faster because he's been shown to be fast enough to phase through walls, which Superman has never done to my knowledge.

betraylawl S. is my middle name from Little China Since: Dec, 2010 Relationship Status: Wishing you were here
S. is my middle name
#3: Mar 16th 2012 at 9:50:34 AM

The Flash makes "Fast" seem slow

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Jhimmibhob Since: Dec, 2010
#4: Mar 16th 2012 at 12:23:47 PM

That's a pretty old argument. I think that for a while now, the general consensus is that Flash is much faster, but that over long distances Superman's stamina would tilt the scales.

TiggersAreGreat Since: Mar, 2011
#5: Mar 16th 2012 at 3:03:37 PM

[up] True. There's also the fact that Flash can't fly, nor can he breathe in space. Yep, if Superman and Flash were hopping from one planet to another, Superman would be faster, because he can do stuff that Flash can't.

Oh, Equestria, we stand on guard for thee!
Gray64 Since: Dec, 1969
#6: Mar 16th 2012 at 9:49:17 PM

They've done this story a couple of times, over the years (the first was in the 60's, the last in the 90's); it was even an episode of Superman:The Animated Series. Usually they cop out and make it a tie or ambiguous in some other way. The last time they did this story, with Superman and Wally West in the 90's, Wally won (both were somewhat depowered in that era, whereas in previous iterations both could move fast enough to travel through time). When Wally was powered by the Speed Force, I don't think there was any question as to who was faster. I'm not sure just how fast they're saying either is since the "New 52" reboot, but my guess would be that the Flash is supposed to be faster.

One of the things I liked about Frank Miller's portrayal of Superman in the Dark Knight Returns (and I had problems with lots of it) was the "unrelenting speed plus overwhelming force" that constituted most of his presence in the early part of the series. The only way you knew he was there was by the mighty wind that announced his presence and the destruction left in his wake. It really gave you an impression of just how dangerous he was, that he was THAT strong and could move THAT fast.

Leaper Since: May, 2009
#7: Mar 18th 2012 at 2:58:57 AM

If Superman were faster, the Flash would be meaningless (and not just story-wise).

purplefish Since: Jan, 2010
#8: Mar 18th 2012 at 3:19:52 AM

[up]This. Flash's entire schtick is being the fastest man alive. Being bested by Superman would make him redundant next to Supes.

TiggersAreGreat Since: Mar, 2011
#9: Mar 18th 2012 at 5:53:35 AM

[up] Well, see, that's the problem when you have an assembly of characters like Superman and Flash. You run the risk at making a character redundant because of another character's abilities. If there is one thing that a Comic Book company hates more than anything else, it's redundancy. Just ask Dan Didio about why he took out Captain Marvel.

Oh, Equestria, we stand on guard for thee!
AtomJames I need a drink Since: Apr, 2010
I need a drink
#10: Mar 18th 2012 at 6:24:32 AM

See the thing about Superman is he shouldn't be the strongest or the fastest man on Earth. It makes the existence of the other heroes meaningless and redundant if Superman could do their jobs. No, Superman should essentially be The Mario of the DC universe. He may not be the strongest, the fastest or the even the most pragmatic of superheroes, but thats not the point of the character. Superman's greatest power is his sense of Empathy. Thats what should inspire and lead the others to follow his example.

Theres sex and death and human grime in monochrome for one thin dime and at least the trains all run on time but they dont go anywhere.
zam Since: Jun, 2009
#11: Mar 18th 2012 at 4:29:43 PM

Flash is the fastest with the Speed Force not even the laws of physics slow him down.

Gray64 Since: Dec, 1969
#12: Mar 18th 2012 at 4:39:01 PM

Never quite understood that whole "redundancy" issue. Realistically speaking, it's not really a disadvantage to have more than one fast character, or more than one strong character, etc. You might as well ask what's the point of having a whole Green Lantern Corps, all with the same ring that can do the same thing. The same reason a whole corps of ring-slingers works is the reason that it works just fine to have more than one person on a team with the same power. If you're a writer and you can't figure out how to make it work, then, quite frankly, you're not a very creative writer.

Tanrage Since: Jul, 2010
#13: Mar 18th 2012 at 10:12:58 PM

I thought Flash:Rebirth has settled the issue once and for all, at least with regards to Barry; "Those were for charity Clark". Said just before Barry shifts gears and leaves Superman eating his dust.

edited 18th Mar '12 10:15:26 PM by Tanrage

TeChameleon Since: Jan, 2001
#14: Mar 18th 2012 at 10:32:08 PM

-*shrug*

I recall one Flash storyline where Wally managed to (admittedly with a power boost) outrun instantaneous teleportation. He arrived before he left. I'm thinking that settles things pretty decisively tongue

FallenLegend Trickster. from Navel Of The Moon. Since: Oct, 2010
Trickster.
#15: Mar 20th 2012 at 9:21:31 PM

Depending on the Writer.

edited 20th Mar '12 9:21:38 PM by FallenLegend

Make your hearth shine through the darkest night; let it transform hate into kindness, evil into justice, and loneliness into love.
Gray64 Since: Dec, 1969
FallenLegend Trickster. from Navel Of The Moon. Since: Oct, 2010
Trickster.
#17: Mar 20th 2012 at 10:29:44 PM

exactly if the writter wants a trutle to be faster than both it will be

Make your hearth shine through the darkest night; let it transform hate into kindness, evil into justice, and loneliness into love.
harkko Since: Apr, 2010
#18: Mar 21st 2012 at 3:09:07 AM

Issues like this is why I sometimes think a shared comic book universe isn't always such a great idea.

VampireBuddha Calendar enthusiast from Ireland (Wise, aged troper) Relationship Status: Complex: I'm real, they are imaginary
Calendar enthusiast
#19: Mar 21st 2012 at 9:11:25 AM

*Reads post 14.*

*Head explodes.*

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TeChameleon Since: Jan, 2001
#20: Mar 25th 2012 at 12:31:54 AM

I'm fairly sure the storyline in question was called "The Human Race"- was yet another of those 'the Flash is forced into a race by super-aliens' stories. It was when Wally had his whole 'absorb momentum' schtick- nearly the entire population of Earth were doing wind sprints simultaneously for him to leech off them, given that the world was going to blow up if he lost.

Don't remember much beyond that, but yup, it stated pretty clearly that he outran instantaneous teleportation. Then again, time travel really isn't much of anything new for any of the Flashes...

Gray64 Since: Dec, 1969
#21: Mar 25th 2012 at 9:22:26 PM

It's pretty much a given that these characters, within certain limits, are going to be as powerful or as limited as whatever plot they find themselves in requires.

Tanrage Since: Jul, 2010
#22: Mar 25th 2012 at 10:57:33 PM

The Human Race feat was impressive but that was a massive powerup for wally beforehand/during. The scene in Rebirth was in a lot more ways definitive, Barry implies he wasn't giving his all during their previous races and then accelerates to a speed Supes can't math. Right there that's DC making it pretty clear that in terms of ground speed it's Barry all day.

Nizbel Since: Apr, 2012
#23: Mar 26th 2012 at 1:01:33 AM

Off-topic: Wait, can Superman still breathe in space post-Flashpoint?

I don't have any post-Flashpoint Superman titles, sorry.

Wackd Since: May, 2009
#24: Mar 26th 2012 at 8:01:32 AM

[up]Why not? Action Comics is awesome now.

Honestly, I think there's enough evidence that The Flash is faster. Superman, to the best of my knowledge, has never vibrated through walls or arrived somewhere before he left or traveled through time on a treadmill.

Maybe you'd be less disappointed if you stopped expecting things to be Carmen Sandiego movies.
Nizbel Since: Apr, 2012
#25: Mar 29th 2012 at 7:13:14 AM

No, I'm not biased against them: it's just that I've never gotten around to getting any.

edited 29th Mar '12 7:13:40 AM by Nizbel


Total posts: 27
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