Flash Museum

Infobox comics location


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publisher=DC Comics
debut="Flash" vol. 1 #154 (August 1965)
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sortkey=PAGENAME|The Flash Museum is a fictional museum that appears in stories published by DC Comics. The museum is dedicated to the superheroes sharing the alias of the Flash, with its primary focus on Barry Allen. It first appears in "Flash" vol. 1 #154 (August 1965).

History

The museum was originally located in Central City, but has been relocated to Keystone City after the original was destroyed by Hunter Zolomon. ["Flash" vol. 2 #197 (2003)] The museum features various exhibits on the Flash, including his battles and his rogue's gallery of foes. The museum also contains a working cosmic treadmill, the device that allows Flash to travel to other dimensions and across time.

In addition to the exhibits, the Flash Museum houses a vast storage of various artifacts and weaponry that the Flash has encountered. Depending on the story, some of these weapons are actually part of public exhibits, and are occasionally used during a fight.

The museum's curator since its founding is Dexter Myles, a former Shakespearean actor given the job by the Flash after his assistance in foiling a robbery. ["Gangsters Masquerade!", "Flash" vol. 1 #154 (August 1965)]

The museum has been destroyed and subsequently rebuilt several times during the careers of both Barry Allen and Wally West.

The museum was last destroyed in "Flash" vol. 2 #196 (May 2003), and a rebuilt museum is shown in "Flash" vol. 2 #208 (May 2004). After the death of the fourth Flash (Bart Allen), a statue of him is constructed with a candlelight vigil in his memory being held shortly thereafter. ["Countdown" #43 (July 4, 2007)] Bart's statue is vandalized and later destroyed by Superman-Prime, who holds a grudge against Bart for his initial defeat during the events of Infinite Crisis.

Also the museum was despicted in JLA/Avengers #1, (September 2003), and was used as a place for a battle between The Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver, against Black Cannary, Blue Beetle and Hawkman.

Future versions

In the Teen Titans story arc, "Titans Tomorrow", set ten years in the future, the whole of Keystone City is converted into a huge Flash Museum. The adult Impulse uses the museum as a hideout. [“Titans Tomorrow Part 2: Tales of the Titans,” "Teen Titans" vol. 3 #18 (January 2005)]

In the "Cobalt Blue" storyline, the Flash Museum is shown to exist in the 25th and 30th century. By the later era, the museum contains exhibits on the many Flashes of the previous 1000 years. The new curators are a pair of robots named Dexter and Myles. ["A Guided Tour of the Flash Museum", "Flash Secret Files" #1 (November 1997)]

Appearances in other media

Animated series

The Flash Museum appears in the "Justice League Unlimited" episode "Flash and Substance." True to form, it is destroyed in the fight between the Flash, Batman, Orion and several members of the Flash's rogues gallery.

A huge statue of the Flash is built in front of the museum. Among the exhibits are Jay Garrick's helmet, the Kid Flash costume, and a globe with miniature Flash and Superman racing around it to commemorate their race in the "" episode "Speed Demons."

Live action series

The Flash Museum is referenced in the live-action CBS television series. In the episode "Fast Forward", Barry Allen is thrown 10 years into the future where Central City is ruled by a brutal dictator Nicholas Pike. Allen is taken to the headquarters of the resistance, where they keep a room full of Flash artifacts that they refer to as "the Flash museum." Among the artifacts are The Trickster's costume, Nightshade's costume (from the episode "Ghost in the Machine") and a replica Flash costume.

Footnotes

External links

* [http://www.hyperborea.org/flash/museum.html Flash Museum in Those Who Ride the Lightning website]
* [http://www.fourthhorsemanpress.com/Flash/ Crimson Lightning] - An online index to the comic book adventures of the Flash.