Absolute Flash Confirms Major DC Hero Death, Reveals New Speed Force

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The core of the Absolute Flash series has always been its intriguing mysteries, particularly what happened to scientist Barry Allen and where Wally West gets his incredible speed. The newest issue of the Absolute Universe comic provides some explanations, but dedicated Flash fans in the DC Universe might find that these answers create even more puzzles.

In Absolute Flash #11, written by Jeff Lemire and illustrated by Nick Robles, Wally West finds himself lost in a strange dimension. There, he’s met by Barry Allen, who briefly tried to guide him when they first met. Barry appears as a ghostly, red figure and confirms he’s passed away, but his mind lives on with other beings in this same otherworldly place.

Barry describes their current location as The Still Point, a place brimming with a powerful energy he calls the ‘pure red stuff of life.’ He explains that he and other alien scientists connected with this energy after their physical bodies were destroyed. Wally is special because he’s the first being to connect with it without being killed or changed. Unfortunately, Eobard Thawne wasn’t so lucky – the energy transformed him into a demonic creature.

How Absolute Flash’s “Red Life” differs from Speed Force

As a huge movie fan, especially of the Flash, I’ve always been fascinated by the different ways speed is explained. It seems like both the Red Life and Still Point of Absolute Flash are a lot like the Speed Force we all know – this energy field that basically gives all speedsters their powers, no matter where or when they are. But when I look at how Wally West and Barry Allen connect to their speed, it feels less like the classic Speed Force and more like something else entirely… something like The Red. It’s a really interesting distinction, and makes me think about the deeper mystical side of speed powers.

Within the DC Universe, The Red is a mysterious force connecting all animal life and granting powers to heroes like Beast Boy, Vixen, and Animal Man. While these heroes can gain bursts of super-speed, it doesn’t reach the incredible, light-speed velocities achieved by those connected to the Speed Force. This leads to speculation about why, in an alternate reality called the Absolute Universe, heroes like Barry Allen and Wally West appear to be drawing power from The Red instead of the Speed Force.

I’ve been reading the latest Flash comics, and it’s really struck me how it might connect to everything. It seems Darkseid once tried to completely ruin the source of the Flash’s power – the Speed Force – and replace it with something twisted and evil, born from his own darkness. But here’s the fascinating part: he wouldn’t need to do that in the Absolute Universe, because that whole reality was built to reflect his desires from the very beginning. It’s a really clever idea, and I think it could be key to understanding his ultimate plan.

Darkseid might have twisted The Red – a source of energy similar to the Speed Force – in his world, making it serve his purposes instead. This idea fits with the fact that The Red originated from the same endless war that gives Darkseid his power. It could also explain why Absolute Flash’s speed abilities are unpredictable and come in short bursts, mirroring how those who draw power directly from The Red behave in the DC Universe.

Absolute Flash #11 is now available at comic shops everywhere.

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2026-01-30 23:37