The Fastest Man Alive
Who is faster: Superman or the Flash? Not since the famous Chicken or the Egg debate have we seen such a thought provoking, yet equally unanswerable, question as this. Living in an age where we can hit our favorite search engine and pull up any answer within the tree of knowledge, it just seems unfair that we cannot get a definitive answer to this burning question.
For me personally, I would love to say Superman is faster than the Flash. I've been reading Kal-El's stories for nearly twenty years and I've become a little biased. I know their races have been portrayed numerous times since the comic book days of yore, but we still do not have a concrete resolution. We've seen many times where Superman would come close to a win, only to ultimately tie with the Flash. In cases where we've had a fair and square champion, though, it's been the Scarlet Speedster for the win. This has even been the case when Superman should have the home book advantage, such as with Adventures of Superman #463.
In a fictional world, where so many heroes share a vastly overlapping pool of powers, the need arises for a set of rules. In all fairness, and despite my affinity for the Man of Steel, the Flash is known for his speed, after all. Whether it's Jay Garrick, Barry Allen, Wally West or Bart Allen, speed is the Flash's thing. I mean, these are guys who tap into the Speed Force, the behind-the-scenes source of all speed within the DC universe. How can Superman compete with that?
Moderation in Moderation
So, fans should be cool with that answer. Emphasis on the word "should." As with religion and politics, fans will come to war over these issues. Flame wars have the tendency to burn quick and bright. One such conflict brought The Source, DC Comics' own blog, to a standstill this week, with inappropriate comments that definitely do not bear repeating here. The result was an indefinite closing of comments on the site and deletion of some current comments. Here's what's left of the Superman/Flash debate: .
Flame wars are undoubtedly petty, petty things. Disputes are fine and often healthy. Attacks on a fan or a writer because of his or her beliefs are most definitely not. It is, in fact, just another form of schoolyard bullying. Despite the lack of violence, they hurt just as much, and cut as deeply. Why are they able to flame so hot? Because of cowardice. The distance allowed by posting to a forum, such as The Source, offers a disgruntled fan the unintended opening to act like a jerk in defense of his or her own agenda.
Without a doubt, something needed to be done to stem the tide of nastiness flooding the site. I would argue that DC went in the wrong direction, though. When our children do something disruptive or counterproductive, it is up to us as parents to moderate them into a desired action. In this case, that action is simply being polite to others. Plenty of other comic book forums follow a strict cause/effect banning system for those who think it's acceptable for name-calling and such. Perhaps DC should as well.
The bottom line is to just lighten up, people. Seriously, I know you're passionate about this stuff. I am, too. But, c'mon. Remember the love we feel not just for the medium of comics, but for the community that connects us fans as well.
The Next Generation
My son says that Flash wins. When asked why, he says matter-of-factly, "Flash is fast." He nailed it there. I thought that would be that, but after serious consideration, he comes back to me and says he's changed his mind. "They both win. Then, they have another race."
Sounds about right, doesn't it?
Jeff Lemire's Superboy #5 poses the question: Who will win the first-ever Kid Flash/Superboy race? The issue was released on March 9. Though I haven't yet read it to see if there is a clear winner, I cannot help but wonder if my son, years down the road, will be penning a similar commentary. Just how well will these arguments age?
Speaking of running, I've got to run myself. The kiddo is bringing out his action figures. Before I go, though, let me turn it around on you. Who do you think would win? Voice your opinions here. Have fun, but please, remember they are only opinions. Also, I invite you to quiz your little ones. Let us know who they think would win in a race. Why? Are you in agreement?
Think fast.
