50 Greatest Super Villains In Comic Book History

32. Reverse-Flash

(Write-up by Nick Tylwalk, Bam Smack Pow Editor)

There’s holding a grudge, and then there’s traveling back in time to actually mess with a super hero’s origin to make it more tragic.

The original Reverse-Flash, also known as Professor Zoom, actually did that. He’s mucked around with the timestream on other occasions too, all because of his jealousy of the Fastest Man Alive, but few things could top his central role in Flashpoint. Even after Barry Allen managed to get reality back on the right track, he still had to deal with the fact that his best friend no longer existed and his mother was dead, with his father framed as the killer.

That part of Flash’s backstory has followed him to the TV series, so Reverse-Flash gets bonus points for that. Other men besides Eobard Thawne would also take up the Zoom mantle, like Hunter Zolomon, whose strange desire to make Wally West a “better hero” led to some heinous deeds of his own — like attempting to kill Linda Park, causing her twin babies with West to miscarry (later fixed through time travel, but still).

Then there’s that costume. As iconic as the Flash suit, and even gaudier to boot, it’s as instantly recognizable as any outfit around. Even on television, where the tendency is to go for costumes that are more realistic and subdued, Reverse-Flash is known as the “man in yellow.”

Even in the New 52 continuity, where we’ve seen no signs of Thawne or Zolomon yet, there’s another Reverse-Flash. Flash is simply stuck with his evil double, and while that’s truly unfortunate for him, it’s great for us.

Next: No. 31: Great story, great costume