The Flash

Name: Wallace Rudolph (Wally) West

Other Aliases: Kid Flash, the Scarlet Speedster, the Fastest Man Alive

Marital Status: Married

Base of Operations: Blue Valley, Nebraska

Group Affiliations: Justice Leauge (current), Teen Titans (former)

First Appearance: As Kid Flash, The Flash #110 (December 1959); as Flash, Crisis on Infinite Earths #12 (March 1986)

Powers: Falsh can move at a top velocity of just under the speed of light, anything faster causes him to merges with the Speed Force. However, Wally is the only speedster known to have come back from the Speed Force. Three times actually. Falsh can vibrate through solid objects, but when doing so he causes them to explode. Though Flash can't affect people or objects at rest he can lend or steel speed to people in motion. Finally, inside Flash's earpieces are radios tunned to police band and emergency frequencies.

History: Unlike his predecessors, Wally West gained his powers at an early age. While visiting the lab of his uncle Barry Allen (the second Flash), Wally's life changed what apeared to be a freak accident: a seemingly random bolt of lightning duplicated the event that gave Allen his powers, granting Wally the same amazing powers.

Barry took Wally under his wings and made him his sidekick, the Kid Flash. During this early period of Wally's life as a superhero he was not only the Flash partner but one of the founders of the Teen Titans.

During the Crisis Barry sacrificed himself trying to save his friends. Wally then, in honor of his mentor, adopted the identity and costume of the Flash. He became the third person to take the identity of Flash, the Fastest Man Alive (previous ones to have adopted the Flash identity is Jay Garrick and Barry Allen).

In early stages of his career as Flash, Wally used his speed powers irresponsably and also gained a reputation as a womanizer. However, he finally sought psychiatric help for his problems. He matured, mainly because his longstanding relationship with reporter Linda Park. Wally slowly developed confidence and regained his earlier speed.

Finally breaking through his mental block of replacing Barry Allen, Wally achived full speed. During a battle in Keystone, Wally sacrificed his life to Linda. He broke through the Speed Barrier and became the only person known to have returned from the other side of the Speed Barrier. Wally now has a direct connection to the Speed Force, and knowleage of new ways to use his powers, including the ability to lend speed to other objects and persons.

Since then Wally has mastered Speed tricks beyond those of that Jay Garrick and Barry Allen (First and Second Flash) knew. Wally has also learned that the accident that gave him his powers may not have been an accident at all: the Speed Force, the mysterious power from which all speedsters draw their powers, may have chosen Wally for a reason yet to be revealed.