FLASH
Real Name: Jay Garrick
Class: Human magic-user
Occupation: Superhero
Group Affiliation: None
Known Relatives: Garrick (mother)
Aliases: None
Base of Operations: Lansing, Michigan, Earth 2
First Appearance: Earth 2 #1 (July, 2012)
Powers: Flash had the power of Olympian God Mercury, granting him superhuman speed.
History: (Earth 2 #1-3) - Jay Garrick dated a woman named Joan during college, but when they graduated she dumped him. She had a lucrative job offer from Tyler-Chem on the west coast, and said their time together was fun, but she was destined for big things and he was aimless, a screw-up and without a future. Jay felt wounded, but admitted to himself that she was right. That night he was drinking beers in a field when the Roman god Mercury crashed to earth nearby and told Jay that the world was in great peril and needed a hero. Mercury had aided the Wonders of the World during the Darkseid War, but was later captured by the new threat to Earth 2, and it took most of his power and lifeforce to escape. Mercury got annoyed that Jay kept peppering him questions and asking if he needed to be taken to the hospital. Mercury curtly told him that he was dying and the world would need new Wonders to rise up and save the planet. Jay tried to persuade him that he was a loser and a nobody, and he should pick someone else to be a hero, but Mercury was having none of it. Mercury passed off the last of his power to Jay before dying, transforming him into the Flash. The World Police flew overhead in a helicopter and demanded Flash surrender to them, so the new hero ran, making himself into a wanted man. He wandered around Michigan testing his new powers, saving a couple from Apokorats left behind after the Darkseid War. Afterwards Flash ran so fast, that after he brought himself to a halt he found himself in Poland. World Army metahuman Hawkgirl was waiting for him there and leveled a a hybrid crossbow / firearm at him. Flash asked Hawkgirl if she was an angel because she had wings, and she thought him quite naive. She was impressed with his power, but wanted to see if he could fight as well, and tested him in combat. Flash was still unfamiliar with his powers, and had no combat training, so she easily defeated him. She promised that she didn’t mean him harm, she just needed to test him, but Flash was skeptical. Hawkgirl was taken aback when the forest around them started withering and dying.
(Earth 2 #4-6) - The Green chose Alan Scott as its’ champion Green Lantern to defend the world from a coming threat, and the Grey responded by waking its’ champion Solomon Grundy. Grundy’s revival was the cause of plant life around the world dying, and he attacked the White House to draw Green Lantern’s attention. Grundy went on a murderous rampage, saying the world had its’ chance and it was time for life on the planet to end. Hawkgirl and the Flash raced to Washington and engaged him in battle. Hawkgirl told Flash to focus on rescuing survivors because he was far too inexperienced to deal with Grundy. Green Lantern sensed Grundy’s presence and joined Hawkgirl in combating him, but every time they wounded Grundy he instantly regenerated. The World Army dispatched Atom to the scene to make his public debut, and after growing to giant size Atom stepped on Grundy, crushing him. Hawkgirl panicked when she saw Atom, saying she wasn’t going back to the World Army, but he said he had his orders and grabbed her. Hawkgirl had gone AWOL from the World Army, and Atom had his orders to bring her back into the fold. The World Army also ordered him to detain Flash and Green Lantern, but they all fought back. Grundy revived, wrapped Atom in fungus, and began absorbing his lifeforce. Flash freed Atom and was overly pleased with himself, liking the idea of being a superhero and eager to prove himself. Green Lantern fought Grundy to a standstill, and knew he’d have to enter the Grey to have a chance of beating him. His spirit traveled into the Grey, and Atom Hawkgirl and Flash protected hi prone body from Grundy. The Grey tried to convince Green Lantern that it was time for life on Earth to end so new life could arise and evolve, even offering him a place by their side as a servant, showing him an image of Sam Zhao and saying they could reunite Lantern with his love. The World Army called in Terry Sloan to advise them on the situation because Grundy’s presence would mean the end of life on Earth within the day. Sloan said the only solution was a tactical nuclear strike, and over World Army commander Amar Khan’s objections nuclear missiles were launched at the White House. Green Lantern embraced “Sam,” but soon enough realized he was merely an illusion and lashed out at the Grey. He realized most of the Grey’s power was tied up in Grundy, and the Grey could not take that power back, having fully invested in Grundy’s ability to end life on Earth. Green Lantern flew Grundy into space and launched him at the moon where there was no life for him to corrupt and draw power from. He also managed to divert the missile strike, sending the nuclear missiles into space. Khan was relieved that lives had been spare, but Terry Sloan merely found the unfolding events interesting. GL, Flash and Hawkgirl slipped away from Atom, who still had orders to capture them. Green Lantern tapped into the Green to repair what damage he could from the Grey’s assault on the planet. Flash was excited that they were new wonders, and suggested they form a new superhero team. He told GL they’d both been given powers to combat a coming threat to Earth, so it only made sense for them to work together. GL said he appreciated Flash and Hawkgirl’s help, but he would be fine protecting the planet all by himself. He flew off and Hawkgirl commented that he was an arrogant and stubborn man.
(Earth 2 #9) - Hawkgirl asked Khalid Ben-Hassin to visit her, and thanked him for helping her locate Flash, but said it was time for him to join her in Flash in combating the coming evil that would threaten Earth. Khalid had been the one to predict the danger, but told Hawkgirl it was really Nabu speaking through him. Khalid said he couldn’t help because wearing the helmet of fate was driving him mad, so he sent it to another dimension, but worried that Nabu would keep trying to exert his influence over him. She asked Khalid to at least check in on the Flash, who was visiting his mother, for her and he agreed. Flash was happy to reassure his mother that he was fine, even though he was now a Wonder. Mrs. Garrick told him Sandman of the World Army had come around looking for him, and the next thing they knew Atom ripped the roof off their home. Atom was accompanied by Major Sonia Sato and a group of World Army soldiers, who warned Flash to stand down. Flash fought them until Sandman teleported behind Mrs. Garrick and grabbed her by the neck. Flash was distracted enough for Sato to hit him with a sidekick, and Sandman said that if he didn’t surrender the world Army would charge Mrs. Garrick with aiding and abetting him. Khalid smashed a board over Sandman’s head, allowing Mrs. Garrick to get free. Khalid introduced himself and fled with Flash and Garrick with the World Army in pursuit, but they were whisked away to another dimension, the realm of Nabu. Mrs. Garrick was upset that her normal life had been shattered and her house was destroyed. They were confronted by Wotan, who said they worked for an organization that wanted Nabu’s magic power for their own.
(Earth 2 #10-12) - Khalid had banished the Helmet of Nabu to the Tower of God, which contained chaotic magic, and Wotan informed him that they were keeping Mrs. Garrick hostage until Khalid and Flash retrieved it. Flash tried to attack Wotan, but they hit him with a painful hex and made it clear that although they were attempting to be good natured they had a dark side and were not to be trifled with. Wotan said they’d think nothing of killing Mrs. Garrick if they were not obeyed, and teleported Khalid and Flash into the tower. Nabu’s magic had completely taken over the tower, altering it’s structure and turning it into the Tower of Fate. They wandered the twisting spiraling halls of magic until they were confronted by the tower’s guardian, the Great Beast. Flash scooped up Khalid, and raced away to safety. He said he’d go up against the Great Beast alone to give Khalid time to find the Helmet of Nabu. Flash admitted he wasn’t sure if he’d survive, and Khalid said he was unbelievably brave. Flash demurred, saying he had to make sure his mother staid safe, and he’d promised a dying god he’d try his best to be a hero. Flash drew out the Great Beast, but it made short work of him. Nabu spoke to Khalid, asking if he was finally ready to accept Nabu’s power. He knew Khalid’s great fear was the mystery surrounding his guardian Kent Nelson’s death, and Nabu said he could show him the truth. Khalid located the helmet and Nabu again asked if he’d be his agent of order and chaos. Khalid could well be driven mad if he wasn’t strong enough, but if he survived wonderful things would follow. Khalid was so inspired by Flash’s heroism that he accepted his fate, putting the helmet on his head and declaring himself Dr. Fate. Nabu said he’d continue to guide him, but eventually his presence would fade away. Dr. Fate subdued the Great Beast, saving Flash’s life. Dr. Fate confronted Wotan, saying Nabu’s power would never belong to them. Wotan was confident even though Nabu had beat them in the past, because Fate had all of Nabu’s powers but none of his heart or experience. They engaged in a sorcerer’s duel, and Fate, who refused to listen to the advice Nabu was giving him, was faring poorly. He accepted that he could only win with Nabu’s help, and Nabu knew Wotan was drawing massive amounts of power from Nabu’s realm, so he had Fate open a portal to Earth and they moved their duel there. The World Army tried to interfered in the magicians’ battle, but Flash hekld them off, and was soon joined by Green Lantern, who’d been ordered to defend Fate by the Green. Fate called upon the Egyptian deities MNenhit and Horus to hit Wotan with a massively powerful blast of magic, and Wotan disappeared. Dr. Fate was unsure if he’d killed Wotan or sent them to the underworld or another dimension. The World Army turned their attention to the Wonders, so Dr. Fate teleported them away. Green Lantern revealed his identity to Dr. Fate, Flash and his mother. He brought them to Global Broadcasting Company hq, and said his plan was to use his media empire to make people think favorably of the New Wonders, hoping that would make the World Army back off. Dr. Fate suddenly had a premonition and told Green Lantern to turn on the television. Ever since Steppenwolf took over the country of Dherain and installed himself as leader he began a massive buildup of the military. The World Army could no longer ignore Steppenwolf’s aggressive intentions and declared war on Dherain.
Comments: Created by James Robinson & Nicola Scott.
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