Summary
- In a recent DC Comics storyline, Superman achieves an unimaginable speed by flying through yellow suns, surpassing the Flash’s famous Speed Force.
- The Flash’s Speed Force actually hampers him in this situation, as moving too fast can trap him in the dimension that gives him his power.
- Unlike the Flash, Superman does not have a connection to the Speed Force, allowing him to reach incredible speeds without the risk of getting trapped.
While The Flash is frequently called the Fastest Man Alive, one incredible Superman feat seemingly throws that title back into contention. Between the Flash Family and Superman’s fellow Kryptonians, the DC Comics universe features the swiftest characters in fiction. As such, readers have often argued which of the two fan-favorite members of the Justice League is truly faster than the other, with the comics themselves proving time and time again that the Man of Steel can’t keep up with the Scarlet Speedster.
In 2019’s Justice League #25, the conclusion to “The Sixth Dimension” by Scott Snyder, Jorge Jimenez, and Alejandro Sanchez, finds Superman trapped in graver stakes than ever before. Stranded in a pocket galaxy specifically created to keep him contained, he manages to beat the odds and reach the far-away stars planted to keep him alive, but too far away to empower him. Superman flies through the yellow suns, gaining more power than ever before, and with it, more speed.
The Flash himself is no stranger to bending the laws of physics with each footfall, but in this case, his famous Speed Force leaves him at a disadvantage. As Clark soars through the myriad suns, the narration confirms that this is the fastest Clark has ever moved, an achievement impacting not just time and space, but “every dimension.”
The Flash is Fast, But His Speed Has A Weakness Superman Doesn’t
Such an unimaginable speed might feel like a regular Tuesday for Flashes like Barry Allen or even Jay Garrick, but in this instance, their Speed Force would actually hamper the members of the Flash Family instead of helping them. After all, whenever a Flash has moved too fast, they’ve almost immediately found themselves trapped by the Speed Force, time and time again. The Flashes are capable of almost any velocity, but with that speed comes the ultimate risk of becoming one with the dimension that gives them their power.
Superman has no such connection to the Speed Force, and as such never risks being drawn into it like his fleet-footed allies. So while Wally West’s Flash may technically be considered to be the Fastest Man in the Multiverse – having even left Superman in his dust once or twice – he ultimately can only move so fast before he risks losing himself, unlike Clark. Clearly, Superman’s greatest feat of speed isn’t a skill that he pulls out at the drop of a hat, but it does reframe many of his races against his various Flash friends. After all, none of the Scarlet Speedsters can go all out against the Last Son of Krypton without risking a Speed Force sabbatical, while an empowered Superman can defy the laws of physics with ease.
Either way, DC Comics’ Flash may be the Fastest Man Alive, Clark’s top speed proves that being the Fastest Superman Alive is in a whole different ballgame.
