If you’re looking for some specific examples of Flash reacting quickly, there’s a fairly recent issue you can find fairly easily that shows both Wally West and Jay Garrick in action, it’s Flash Vol. 2 Issue #198. It’s also included in the trade paperback Flash: Blitz.

As for the personalities of the Flashes they are quite different. In a nut shell, Jay Garrick is the wise mentor, a role presented quite strongly in he Justice Societ of America series. Barry Allen was an all aroun nice guy, one of the first married superheroes and really just a strong moral compass. Wally was, for the first part of his run (no pun intended), a young man trying to fill Barry’s shoes. Over the course of his series he grew into a responsible, yet wise cracking, hero. Bart, the newest Flash, is a bit different, he started his carrier as Impulse and that really says a lot about his personality. Bart has never been one to really look at the results of his actions until recently.

Those are pretty general descriptions but give you a pretty good idea of where all the characters fall.

On another note, if you’re really interested in learning more about comics I’ve recently started doing a podcast specifically focused on providing background information for people who are new to comics or coming back to comics. Check it out at http://www.maximumgeek.org/comiccast . At the beginning of each episode (starting with episode 3) I’ll be answering listener questions before I dive into history and comic reviews. So if you have more specific questions I’ll be more than happy to answer the here, or there.

I have never read a comic book in my life but have been investigating the superheroes lately. Though there is a lot of general information on him, there seems to be so much less than on other superheroes.

Thanks for your help.

Patricia