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Bart Allen
Comics character From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Bartholomew Henry "Bart" Allen II is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. A speedster, he first appeared under the alias Impulse and later became the second Kid Flash and the fourth Flash. Created by Mark Waid and Mike Wieringo, Bart first made a cameo in The Flash (vol. 2) #91 in 1994 before his full debut in issue #92.[1] He has since been featured as the lead character in Impulse (1995–2002) and The Flash: The Fastest Man Alive (2006–2007). Bart also appears in the series Young Justice and Teen Titans as a member of both superhero teams.[2]
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As first conceived by writers, Bart was born in the 30th century to Meloni Thawne and Don Allen, and is part of a complex family tree of superheroes and supervillains. His father, Don, is one of the Tornado Twins and his paternal grandfather is Barry Allen, the second Flash. His paternal grandmother, Iris West, is also the adoptive aunt of the third Flash, Wally West (Bart's first cousin once removed). Additionally, Bart is the first cousin of XS, a Legionnaire and daughter of Dawn Allen. On his mother's side, he is a descendant of supervillains Professor Zoom and Cobalt Blue as well as the half-brother of Owen Mercer, the second Captain Boomerang. In addition to these relatives, he had a supervillain clone known as Inertia.
For most of his superhero career, Bart was the teenage sidekick to Wally West. After West's apparent death in the Infinite Crisis crossover event in 2006, Allen grew up and became the Flash. His tenure as the Flash was brief and concluded with his death in issue 13 of The Flash: The Fastest Man Alive. Allen was subsequently absent for nearly two years after his apparent death, but resurfaced—young again—as Kid Flash, in 2009's Final Crisis: Legion of 3 Worlds. During DC's The New 52 era, Bart Allen was reintroduced in Teen Titans as the alias of an amnesiac revolutionary from the future named Bar Torr; the character was later written out of comics, and his tenure erased from continuity by the subsequent DC Rebirth initiative. The original Bart Allen was brought back as part of DC Rebirth's Wonder Comics Young Justice series.
Outside of comics, Bart has been portrayed by Kyle Gallner in the live-action television series Smallville. Jason Marsden voiced the character in the animated series Young Justice. Jordan Fisher portrays a variation of the character as the future son of Barry Allen and Iris West-Allen starting in the seventh season of The CW Arrowverse television series The Flash as a recurring character.
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Fictional character biography
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Impulse
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Bart Allen is the son of Don Allen and Meloni Thawne, a descendant of Eobard Thawne. He is additionally the cousin of Jenni Ognats, also known as XS. After Eobard attacks them, Bart and his family are stranded on Earth-247, the possible future of the Legion of Super-Heroes.[3]
Due to his Speed Force abilities, Bart undergoes rapid aging, causing him to appear to be twelve when he is only two years old.[4] He is raised in a virtual reality world and eventually brought to the past, where Wally West cures him.[5] Because he spent most his childhood in a simulated world, Bart has no concept of danger and is prone to reckless behavior. He is placed into the custody of Max Mercury and moves to Manchester, Alabama.[6]
Bart joins the Titans early in his career before becoming a founding member of Young Justice alongside Robin (Tim Drake) and Superboy (Conner Kent).[7] During this time, he develops the ability to generate energy clones.[8]
Following Mercury's disappearance, Bart is adopted by Jay Garrick, the first Flash, and his wife Joan. After Young Justice disbands, Bart joins some of his former teammates in the Teen Titans.[9]
Infinite Crisis
In Infinite Crisis, Superboy-Prime attacks Superboy and the Teen Titans.[10] After Prime escapes prison, Bart follows him, spends four years in an alternate universe, and temporarily gains amnesia. After returning to the main universe, Bart claims to have used all of his speed, leaving him powerless.
The Flash: The Fastest Man Alive (2006–2009)
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Bart retains his powers, but keeps them secret. When his roommate Griffin Grey gains superpowers and becomes Griffin, Bart becomes the Flash, moves to Los Angeles, and begins studying forensics. During this time, he is considered for membership in the Justice League.
Death and return
In The Flash: The Fastest Man Alive #13, Bart is killed in battle with the Rogues.[2][11] In Final Crisis: Legion of 3 Worlds, Brainiac 5 and the Legion of Super-Heroes resurrect Bart and Superboy, who was killed during Infinite Crisis, to help them defeat Superboy-Prime and the Legion of Super-Villains.[3][12]
Flashpoint
During the Flashpoint event, Bart is transported to the 31st century of the alternate Flashpoint timeline, where he is captured by Brainiac and loses his powers. He meets Patty Spivot, Barry Allen's assistant, who helps him regain his powers. However, Bart becomes connected to the Black Flash and is forced to drain energy from other speedsters. Bart sacrifices himself by giving his energy to Barry Allen so that he can restore the timeline and is absorbed into the Speed Force.[13]
DC Rebirth
(March 2019). Art by Derrick Chew.
Following the DC Rebirth relaunch, Bart Allen returns after Wally West and Barry Allen break the barrier of the Speed Force.[14] Shortly afterward, he reunites with Robin, Superboy, and Wonder Girl (Cassie Sandsmark), with the Young Justice team being reformed.[15]
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Powers and abilities
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Bart's primary power is speed, along with abilities that are common to comics speedsters, such as creating whirlwinds, running on water, and vibrating through matter. The latter ability results in "molecular taffy" if Bart does not concentrate; he also possesses an aura, that prevents air friction while running. Bart does possess some abilities that other speedsters do not have. He has the ability to produce "scouts", Speed Force avatars that he can send through the timestream, but has used it infrequently.[16] Bart has also displayed the ability to create powerful radio waves by rotating his arms at high speeds and using the resulting vibrations in conjunction with his teammate Static's electromagnetic abilities.[17]
After Infinite Crisis, Bart's connection to the Speed Force is more difficult to control because he now contains the Speed Force and, in essence, is the Speed Force. When he taps into the Speed Force, Bart appears to have electricity crackling around him, and the Speed Force inside him becomes so lethal that he initially wears the Flash suit while running to prevent it from killing him.[18] After remembering his experiences on an alternate Earth during a fight with Griffin, he began to gain a measure of control over the Speed Force before it was released from his body just prior to his death.
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Other versions
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Numerous versions of Bart have appeared throughout comics.
Bar Torr
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Art by Jorge Jimenez.
Bar Torr, a character based on Bart Allen, appears in The New 52 continuity reboot. He is a reactionary from the planet Altros Prime in the far future who was sent to the 21st century as part of a witness protection program and sustained amnesia.[19]
Dark Tomorrow
Following the death of Max Mercury and Helen Claiborne, Bart returns to the future to be with his mother, while his girlfriend Carol Bucklen came along. Carol begins studying the Speed Force to use it for the benefit of humanity. The corrupt President Thawne, Bart's grandfather, takes their research and forms the Hyperguard, a group of soldiers with superhuman speed. The adult Carol managed to pull her younger self and Bart into the future. Bart ended up preventing Max's and Helen's death, thus preventing this reality from happening. This reality appeared in Impulse #73–75.
Titans Tomorrow
In an alternate timeline depicted in Titans Tomorrow, Bart assumes the mantle of the Flash after the current Flash is killed.[20][21]
Time and Tempest
Another alternate future is showcased in The Ray (vol. 2) #25–26. In this version, Bart, Ray Terrill, and Triumph are "three rich guys with superpowers". Bart was in love with Ray's girlfriend, whom Ray treated like dirt. However, Bart realized that he did not have a chance with her either and ended up knocking Ray out and leaving him, not knowing that hitmen were on their way.
In other media
Television
Animation
- Bart Allen as Impulse appears in Kids' WB's original pitch for Justice League as a junior member of the eponymous team. While Impulse, among other characters, were cut to avoid making the series feel like Super Friends, the pitch was released as a bonus on the series' first season DVD.[22]
- Bart Allen as Kid Flash appears in the Mad segment "That's What Super Friends Are For", voiced by Jason Marsden.
- Bart Allen appears in Young Justice, voiced again by Jason Marsden.[23] This version is from a Reach-controlled future in the year 2056. Introduced in the second season, Invasion, as Impulse, he and Neutron build a time machine so the former can travel back in time to save his grandfather, Barry Allen, prevent Neutron from becoming a supervillain, and avert the Reach-controlled future despite knowing it will be a one-way trip. Over the course of his mission, Bart joins the Team, becomes Jaime Reyes' best friend, is adopted by Jay and Joan Garrick, and reluctantly becomes the new Kid Flash after Wally West is killed while helping the Team and Justice League thwart a Reach invasion. In the third and fourth seasons, Outsiders and Phantoms, Bart joins the Outsiders and is implied to be dating El Dorado.[24][25]
Live-action
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- Bart Allen appears in Smallville, portrayed by Kyle Gallner. This version is a self-centered thief who initially uses his powers for personal gain. After helping Clark Kent save his father Jonathan Kent, Bart considers reforming and leaves to travel the world and find others like himself and Clark. As of the episode "Justice", he has assumed the codename "Impulse" despite not choosing it himself and joins forces with Green Arrow, among other heroes, to thwart Lex Luthor and LuthorCorp's plans. From the eighth season onwards, Bart makes minor appearances as a member of the Justice League.
- Bart Allen / Impulse appears in The Flash, portrayed by Jordan Fisher. This version is Barry Allen and Iris West-Allen's future son, younger brother of Nora West-Allen, and, according to showrunner Eric Wallace, is much older, funnier, charming than other incarnations, but with an edge.[26][27][28]
Video games
- Bart Allen as Kid Flash appears as a character summon in Scribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure.[29]
- Bart Allen as Kid Flash appears as a playable character in Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham.[30]
- The Young Justice incarnation of Bart Allen / Impulse appears as a non-playable character in Lego DC Super-Villains.
Miscellaneous
- Bart Allen as Impulse appears in Adventures in the DC Universe #13.[31]
- Bart Allen as Impulse appears in Legion of Super Heroes in the 31st Century #15.[32]
- Bart Allen as Kid Flash appears in Injustice: Gods Among Us: Year Three #7 as a member of the Teen Titans who was killed by the Joker's nuclear bomb.[33]
- The Smallville incarnation of Bart Allen / Impulse appears in Smallville Season 11. In the "Haunted" arc, Bart and Clark Kent seek Jay Garrick in defeating the Black Flash before Bart sacrifices himself to send the Black Flash into the Speed Force. Additionally, a young Bart appears in the "Legion" arc.[34]
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Collected editions
Stories featuring Bart Allen from The Flash, Impulse and The Flash: The Fastest Man Alive have been collected into trade paperbacks:
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References
External links
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