Reverse-Flash
It was me, Barry. It was always me.
Abilities
- •Negative Speed Force — generates his own speed force that is the opposite of Barry Allen's
- •Can match or exceed the Flash's speed — capable of running faster than light
- •Time travel — can move freely through the timestream, altering past events at will
- •Has rewritten Barry Allen's entire history by making small, cruel changes throughout his life
- •Can vibrate his molecules to phase through solid objects and become intangible
- •Generates negative speed energy that can destabilize the Speed Force itself
- •From the 25th century — has future technology and knowledge of events that haven't happened yet
- •His hatred of Barry Allen is so absolute that he recreated himself as the Flash's perfect opposite
- •Has been killed and erased from existence multiple times but always returns — his hatred transcends death
Powers & Abilities
Biography
Eobard Thawne was born in the 25th century. He idolized the Flash. He studied Barry Allen's life obsessively, replicated the accident that gave him super-speed, and traveled back in time to meet his hero — only to discover that he was destined to become the Flash's greatest enemy. That knowledge broke him. If the future said he would be the villain, then he would be the greatest villain who ever lived. He would not just fight the Flash — he would destroy everything Barry Allen ever loved.
Created by John Broome and Carmine Infantino in The Flash #139 (1963), Professor Zoom was Barry Allen's dark mirror — a speedster in a reversed yellow costume who matched the Flash in every way. He murdered Iris Allen, Barry's wife, by vibrating his hand through her skull at super-speed. When he tried to kill Barry's second fiancée, Barry snapped Thawne's neck — the moment the Flash became a killer, leading to the Trial of the Flash and ultimately Barry's sacrifice in Crisis on Infinite Earths.
Geoff Johns transformed the Reverse-Flash from a recurring villain into the most personal enemy in all of comics. Johns revealed that Thawne had traveled back in time and murdered Barry's mother Nora when Barry was a child, framing his father Henry for the crime. Every tragedy in Barry's life — his mother's death, his father's imprisonment, his childhood loneliness — was engineered by Thawne. “It was me, Barry. It was always me.”
Flashpoint — Barry's attempt to undo Thawne's murder of his mother — broke reality and created the New 52. Tom Cavanagh's portrayal on the CW's The Flash made Reverse-Flash a television icon. But in the comics, Eobard Thawne remains the purest expression of obsessive hatred in superhero fiction — a man who destroyed an entire timeline, murdered a hero's mother, and rewrote history not for power or conquest but because he was told he couldn't be the hero, and decided that if he couldn't be loved, he would be feared.
First Appearances
The Flash #139
1963First appearance of Reverse-Flash — Professor Zoom, Eobard Thawne, a scientist from the 25th century who duplicated the Flash's powers and became his greatest enemy. John Broome and Carmine Infantino introduce the man in yellow. A top-tier Silver Age key.
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The Flash #140
1963Second Reverse-Flash — Thawne returns with deeper knowledge of the Speed Force. His obsession with Barry Allen is established from the start.
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The Flash #147
1964Professor Zoom returns — his rivalry with Barry intensifies. Infantino draws the yellow blur as a dark mirror of the red. Every appearance escalates.
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The Flash #165
1966Zoom and Barry's wedding — Thawne crashes Barry and Iris Allen's wedding plans. His obsession extends beyond the Flash to every person Barry loves.
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Silver & Bronze Age Zoom
The Flash #175
1967Flash vs. Reverse-Flash race — Superman referees a race between the two speedsters. Broome writes the ultimate speed contest between hero and villain.
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The Flash #186
1969Zoom returns — his attacks become more personal. He doesn't just want to defeat the Flash — he wants to destroy everything Barry Allen cares about.
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The Flash #275
1979Reverse-Flash kills Iris Allen — Thawne murders Barry's wife by vibrating his hand through her skull at super-speed. The most devastating act in Flash history. The crime that changes everything.
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The Flash #283
1980Barry discovers the truth — he learns that Reverse-Flash murdered Iris. The hero becomes consumed by grief and rage. His pursuit of Thawne becomes personal.
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The Trial of the Flash
The Flash #323
1983Barry Allen kills Reverse-Flash — Thawne attempts to murder Barry's new fiancée Fiona Webb. Barry snaps Thawne's neck at super-speed to stop him. The Flash kills. The hero crosses the line. Cary Bates writes.
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The Flash #324-350
1983The Trial of the Flash — Barry is put on trial for the murder of Eobard Thawne. The longest continuous storyline in Flash history. Bates writes a legal drama inside a superhero comic.
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The Flash #350
1985Final Silver Age Flash — the trial concludes. Barry is acquitted. Iris is revealed alive in the 30th century. Barry retires to be with her. The last issue before Crisis on Infinite Earths.
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Flash: Rebirth
The Flash: Rebirth #1
2009Flash: Rebirth — Geoff Johns brings Barry Allen back from the dead and redefines the Reverse-Flash. Ethan Van Sciver draws. Johns reveals that Thawne created the Negative Speed Force and has been manipulating Barry's life from the very beginning.
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The Flash: Rebirth #4
2009Thawne's confession — "It was me, Barry." Johns reveals that Reverse-Flash killed Barry's mother when Barry was a child, framing his father for murder. Every tragedy in Barry's life was Thawne's doing.
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The Flash: Rebirth #6
2010Rebirth concludes — Barry defeats Thawne but the damage is done. The revelation that Reverse-Flash murdered Nora Allen rewrites Barry's entire origin. Johns transforms the Flash mythology.
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Flashpoint
Flashpoint #1
2011Flashpoint begins — Geoff Johns writes the event that destroys the DC Universe and creates the New 52. Barry Allen wakes up in a world where everything is wrong — because he went back in time to save his mother from Reverse-Flash. Andy Kubert draws. The most consequential DC event of the decade.
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Flashpoint #3
2011Reverse-Flash in Flashpoint — Thawne reveals that Barry created the Flashpoint timeline, not him. Barry's attempt to fix Thawne's crime made everything worse. The cruelest irony.
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Flashpoint #5
2011Flashpoint concludes — Barry resets the timeline but the universe is altered. The New 52 begins. Reverse-Flash's murder of Nora Allen caused a chain reaction that reshaped all of DC Comics.
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Hunter Zolomon — The Other Zoom
The Flash: Secret Files & Origins #3
2001First Hunter Zolomon — Geoff Johns introduces a new Reverse-Flash. Zolomon is Wally West's friend, a profiler who becomes Zoom after an accident. He doesn't hate Wally — he wants to make him a better hero through tragedy.
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The Flash vol. 2 #197
2003Zoom attacks — Hunter Zolomon debuts as Zoom and attacks Wally West. He causes Linda Park to miscarry. Johns writes the cruelest act a "friend" has ever committed. Scott Kolins draws.
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The Flash vol. 2 #200
2003Wally vs. Zoom — Johns writes the definitive Wally West/Zoom confrontation. Zolomon manipulates time rather than speed. He is not fast — he slows time around him.
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Reverse-Flash Solo & Spotlight
The Flash vol. 3 #8
2010Reverse-Flash: Rebirth — Johns writes Thawne's origin in full. A lonely man from the 25th century who idolized the Flash, discovered he was destined to be the villain, and chose to embrace it. The most tragic and terrifying origin in DC.
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The Flash vol. 3 #9-12
2011The Road to Flashpoint — Johns writes Thawne systematically destroying Barry's past. He killed his mother. He caused his childhood dog to run away. He made his best friend move away. Every bad day was Thawne.
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The Flash vol. 4 #25
2013Reverse-Flash in the New 52 — Francis Manapul and Brian Buccellato introduce a new take on Reverse-Flash: Daniel West, Iris West's brother. A different man with the same hatred.
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Blackest Night & Events
Blackest Night: The Flash #1
2010Black Lantern Reverse-Flash — Thawne returns as a Black Lantern during Blackest Night. Even death cannot stop his hatred of Barry Allen. Johns and Scott Kolins.
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Blackest Night: The Flash #3
2010Thawne becomes a White Lantern briefly — then returns to his yellow Reverse-Flash form. His connection to the Negative Speed Force makes him unique among the resurrected.
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DC Universe: Rebirth #1
2016Rebirth — Johns writes Wally West returning from the Speed Force. The Reverse-Flash's manipulations are connected to the larger mystery of the lost decade. The issue that launches DC Rebirth.
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Modern Reverse-Flash
The Flash vol. 5 #21-22
2017The Button — Thawne discovers the Comedian's button from Watchmen in the Batcave. He enters the timestream and encounters a power greater than himself. He is disintegrated. Joshua Williamson writes the Doomsday Clock connection.
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Batman #21
2017The Button Part 1 — Tom King writes Batman investigating the Comedian's button. Reverse-Flash arrives and beats Batman nearly to death in the Batcave before Flash arrives.
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The Flash vol. 5 #46-50
2018Flash War — Williamson writes Thawne manipulating Wally and Barry against each other. The Reverse-Flash doesn't need to fight the Flash — he can break the Flash family from within.
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The Flash vol. 5 #750
2020Milestone issue — Williamson writes 750 issues of Flash history. Reverse-Flash looms over the entire legacy. The man in yellow is present in every era.
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Reverse-Flash's Defining Moments
The Flash #139
1963The debut — Professor Zoom arrives from the 25th century. The man in yellow. The Flash's perfect opposite.
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The Flash #275
1979Killing Iris — Thawne murders Barry's wife. The cruelest act in Flash history. The crime that defines them both.
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The Flash #323
1983Barry kills Thawne — the Flash snaps his neck. The hero becomes a killer. The only way to stop Reverse-Flash.
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Flash: Rebirth #4
2009"It was me, Barry" — Thawne killed Barry's mother. Every tragedy. Every bad day. It was always him.
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Flashpoint #1
2011Flashpoint — Thawne's murder of Nora Allen causes Barry to break reality. The event that created the New 52.
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Collector Highlights
The Flash #139
1963The holy grail — first Reverse-Flash. A top-tier Silver Age key. Broome and Infantino. The defining Flash villain.
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The Flash #275
1979Death of Iris Allen — Reverse-Flash murders Barry's wife. A major Bronze Age Flash key.
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The Flash #323
1983Barry kills Reverse-Flash — the most shocking Flash moment. A significant early 80s key.
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Flash: Rebirth #1
2009Johns redefines Reverse-Flash — Negative Speed Force, Nora Allen's murder. A landmark modern DC key.
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Flashpoint #1
2011Flashpoint — the event that created the New 52. Johns and Kubert. One of the most consequential DC keys.
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The Flash #197
2003First Zoom attack — Hunter Zolomon. Johns and Kolins. A significant modern Flash key.
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