WARNING: Contains Spoilers for ABSOLUTE FLASH #1!AbsoluteFlashhas finally arrived, and the highly anticipated comic more than delivered, offering an epic reimagining of Wally West’s Flash that has left fans desperate for issue #2. Yet, amidst the thrilling debut, one jaw-dropping twist is guaranteed to send Barry Allen fans into an uproar once they learn his shocking fate in DC’s Absolute Universe.
Jeff Lemire, Nick Robles, Adriano Lucas, and Tom Napolitano’sAbsolute Flash#1presents a wildly epic reimagining of Flash lore, with a standout element being the complex and redefined relationship between Wally West and Barry Allen in this darker, grittier, Darkseid-created world.
The issue reveals that Wally is the son of an Army colonel, with their latest home stationed at another military base. Barry Allen, a scientist also living on the base, decides to take the lonely Wally under his wing, offering him a chance to help in the lab.What seems like the beginning of a heart-warming mentor-mentee relationship soon takes a dark and unexpected turn.
Barry Allen Makes His Debut in the Absolute Universe (Spoiler: He Dies)
Cover F Nick Robles Foil Virgin Variant forAbsolute Flash#1 (2025)
Despite Barry offering to take Wally under his wing, Colonel West firmly forbids his son from getting involved in the lab’s activities. However, after a fight with his father at home, Wally sneaks into the lab to find Barry.What he discovers is Barry caught in the midst of what seems like an electrical storm, clad in a strange suit.It’s clear that Barry is in the middle of a dangerous experiment, especially when he shouts,“Wally?! Get away, son! Go! Run!”The scene abruptly cuts off, and the next page reveals a time jump—24 hours later.
The implications of the past 24 hours are chilling. Wally is now running across a desert, being hunted by Captain Cold, Captain Boomerang, and other villains, with no explanation as to why provided. He eventually stumbles into what appears to be a desolate cave. But the dark reality of his situation becomes horrifyingly clear as the art showsWally curled up near the skeletal remains of Barry Allen.The hero’s body, still wearing the red spandex suit with a lightning bolt-esque symbol, lies next to his ID, confirming the grim truth: this is indeed Barry’s corpse, andhis fate in the Absolute Universeis sealed in tragedy.
Did Wally West Really Kill Barry Allen?!
Cover C Dan Panosian Variant forAbsolute Flash#1 (2024)
Adding to the shock of the moment is Wally’s narration:“You did this, Wally… You killed him.”It’s clear that Wally either played a part in Barry’s death or believes he did. The last time Wally and Barry were together was during Barry’s experiment, where he urgently told Wally to run. It’s likely that Wally’s interruption distracted Barry, causing the experiment to go horribly wrong. However, since the full details of what happened remain unclear, there are other possible ways Wally could be responsible for Barry’s death. Fans will likely have to wait until the next issue ofAbsoluteFlashto uncover more about the tragic fate of Barry Allen.
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