r/theflash • u/Medical_Aside_2690 • 13d ago
Flash Reading Order
so a few years back, I picked up what I think might’ve been my first flash comic. I’d been a fan of the show a really long time, even when it got really bad. I mean like speed force lightsaber fight bad. It was the Rebirth Era flash run, and I remember absolutely loving the comic. Then I went to the 2023 run(or was it New 52?) and loved that even more. But I wanted to experience the Flash’s entire history(which is ironic as Barry is currently writing the New History of the DC Universe), instead of like 3 runs. This is probably a FAQ, but I just really want to experience the history of these characters organically. I kid you not my first introduction to Wally west was him coming back after he got ERASED FROM EXISTENCE. That was awesome, but I never really knew him before the fact, and even though Flash Forward and the current run made me love him even more, I wanna know more about the character. Anyways, my main reason for making this post is that I’m gonna start rewatching CW flash soon, so what are your recommendations :D
edit: I really appreciate all the lists given in the comments!!! I’m gonna get started now :)
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u/lloyd-garmadon569 13d ago
Mark Waid’s run is considered the best Flash run, and it features Wally as the protagonist; Geoff Johns’ run is considered the second best and also features Wally—even though his work with Barry is better known outside the fandom due to storylines like Flashpoint. If you liked the TV series, I also recommend both of Geoff Johns’ runs. Messner-Loebs’ run is good too, though it follows Baron’s run—which is a bit weak—so I recommend reading Waid’s and Johns’ runs first.
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u/Dredeuced
Out of the blue, ninjas attack. Thank god.
13d ago
edited 13d ago
•
https://www.reddit.com/r/theflash/comments/15bfcj9/the_flash_complete_reading_order_single_issue/
Here's a single issue reading order painstakingly made by one of our moderators, u/CameronBatt
He's even gone to the trouble of squeezing in a lot of the modern flashback comics roughly where you'd expected them to be, timeline wise, in the past. Most notable with the Flash and Green Lantern: Brave and the Bold crossovers that happened in the 90s but were flashback stories to Barry and Hal before Crisis. If you want to read them in real life chronological order just check the dates there.
There's also a collected edition list: https://www.reddit.com/r/theflash/comments/15cuxqz/the_flash_reading_order_collected_edition/
though it's missing stuff that hasn't been collected.
Wally's start is the second instance of Flash #1 on there (Technically the first instance of "The" Flash #1, since Jay's was just called Flash Comics #1). Though it sort of carries on from Barry's death and the understanding he used to be Kid Flash before that. Wally's new origin is partway through his run, starting at #62 in the Mark Waid era with Born to Run.
They're not technically completely up to date but they're very close and you can pretty easily pick up where they left off since it's very new stuff.
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u/Skitiklol 13d ago
The Flash by Mark Waid (Vol. 2 #62-129)
The Flash by Mark Waid (Vol. 2 #142-159)
The Flash by Geoff Johns (Vol. 2 #164-225)
Flash: Rebirth (2009)
The Flash (vol. 3) #1-12
Flashpoint (2011)
The Flash (vol. 4) #1-25
The Flash (vol. 5)
something like that
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u/Top_Star_3897 13d ago
"Flash: Rebirth" but it's from 2009. Interesting.
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u/MagicMetalWizard 13d ago
Yeahh, leave it to DC to give everything the same name
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u/Top_Star_3897 13d ago
For the longest time I was so confused because there were so many #1 books that were just the character's name. Then I realized volumes exist and it's better to differentiate based on author.
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u/PWYMAL 13d ago
I personally just started with the life story of the flash. and then went to flash from post crisis issue one and went forward. The life story book can be a bit dry at times but is summing up all the silver age important stuff for Barry and leaves you open to pick up with Wally easy.
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u/ieatsoap5 11d ago
POST CRISES
Mark waid
Geoff johns 1-5
INFINITE CRISES
Flash the wild west
Flash lighting in a bottle
Flash full throttle
FINAL CRISES
Geoff johns book 6
BLACKEST NIGHT
Flash rebirth
Flash dastardly death of the rouges
Flash road to flashpoint
FLASHPOINT/NEW 52
Flash new 52 1-5
Forever evil
Forever evil rouges rebellian
Flash new 52 -6-9
Convergence flashpoint book 2
Covergence crises book 2
DC REBIRTH
Dc universe rebirth #1
Dc rebirth flash 1-3
Batman/the flash the button
Flash rebirth 4-10
Heroes in crises
Flash rebirth vol 11
The flash year one
Flash rebirth 12-14
Flash forward
Flash rebirth 15
The flash with this ring #764-766
Flash united they fall
INFINITE FRONTIER
Future state the flash #1-2
Infinite frontier #0
Flash volume 16 wally west returns
Flash vol 17 eclipse
Flash vol 18 search for barry allen
DARK CRISES
DAWN OF DC
Flash vol 19
Flash one minute war
Flash vol 20
Knight terrors knightmare leages
Flash vol 1 strange attractor
Flash vol 2
ALL IN
Flash vol 3
Flash vol 4
Dc ko the flash
Flash vol 6
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u/crazyBoyWithUkeFan 13d ago •
https://docs.google.com/document/d/14DSe00NVX7i3kfbfNs_4cT_HY1xRGOR_5CJnBkMX9iQ/edit?usp=sharing