Comic Book Influences on The Flash (2023) *SPOILERS*

Started by eledoremassis02, Sat, 18 Feb 2023, 17:32

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Sat, 18 Feb 2023, 17:32 Last Edit: Sat, 17 Jun 2023, 16:19 by eledoremassis02
Figure I'd jumpstart this   ;D

The Trailer states that when the Flash went back in time to prevent his Mothers death, he created a Universe with no Meta-Humans.

This is similar to Detective Comics #500's "To Kill a Legend"

Batman is given a chance to go to an alternate reality in order to prevent that time lines Waynes murders. It's stated this Universe has no mythological heroes or Super Heroes, not even Super-man. The comic ends with this universes Bruce Wayne inspiring to become Batman. Creating a Universe where Batman is the only Super Hero. 

Also noted: Batmans intervention stops Joe Chill from killing the Waynes, but another criminal is sent in his place, in the Waynes would be murders.


Flashpoint seems pretty obvious too. Superman's role appears to have been replaced with "Supergirl". There are some other differences too. The lack of a war between Atlantis and Themyscira, for example. But the basic pitch seems basically the same.

100% its one reason  that I tried to avoid that lol.

Sat, 17 Jun 2023, 16:32 #3 Last Edit: Sat, 17 Jun 2023, 18:55 by eledoremassis02

We see the Batsuit thrown around covered in blood. Bruce in tending to his wounds and looks in the mirror in a moment of self relfection. Suddenly, the look in his eyes change and he smirks. You can almost tell what he is thinking.

This is played out similar to the same scene in Dark Knight Returns


Supergirl is held in a chamber that is very similar to one that housed another super-powerful meta-human. Akira


I've got quite a few comic references noted for this film, and it's going to take some time for me to get them all sorted. The Flashpoint influence in particular is extensive. But for now, here are some more parallels with The Dark Knight Returns.

Both TDKR and The Flash depict an aging Bruce Wayne who has retired as Batman and is now a recluse drinking himself to death in stately Wayne Manor.

Bruce sports facial hair until he resumes his crime fighting career, after which he's clean shaven.


As eledoremassis02 has already noted, the movie and the comic feature similar scenes where Batman returns from one of his battles and leaves his bloody costume on the floor.


He then smiles, signifying that he's back in his element.

In both stories Bruce mentors and leads younger characters: Carrie Kelley and the Sons of Batman in the comic, the two Flashes and Supergirl in the movie.

Batman's final battle in both stories is a fight against a Kryptonian: Superman in the comic, Nam-Ek in the movie. In both stories he initially attacks the Kryptonian using a vehicle (the Batmobile in the comic, the Batwing in the movie), but the vehicle's weapons prove ineffective. The Kryptonian then attacks the vehicle and tears it apart. In the comic Batman wasn't actually inside the Batmobile, while in the movie he is inside the Batwing but ejects after losing control of it. The battle then continues on foot, with Batman using various gadgets to subdue his Kryptonian foe. Batman gains the upper hand in both fight scenes before collapsing and seemingly dying. His death in the comic is faked, but in the movie it's genuine.

Batman fought in a battle against a Kryptonian invasion force led by General Zod in Superman: Last Son (2008) by Geoff Johns and Richard Donner. This influenced the Kryptonian invasion in Man of Steel (2013), and in the original comic Batman and various other members of the JLA are shown fighting the alien invaders while Superman is trapped in the Phantom Zone. In one panel Batman is shown being thrown through the Bat-Signal by a Kryptonian. Superman is also absent during the invasion in the movie, owing to the fact Zod killed him as a baby.


Later in the comic Batman is shown to have been taken prisoner by the Kryptonians along with various other superheroes.


Obviously the Keaton Batman puts up a more impressive fight in the movie.

Similar to Barry Allen, in Detective Comics #500's "To Kill a Legend", when Bruce see's his parents he becomes overprotective of their lives and the pain it caused him. At the same time, Robin realized how much a brat this Universes Bruce is.




In the end Batman inspired young Bruce to become a hero in the same manner older Barry inspired younger Barry




As a more generalized reference, Keaton's Batcave has many souvenirs from the past. From a gallery of old batsuits to the Joker's laughing bag, I think it's fair to say there are many more trophies from his Batman career that we never saw in the cave.

Obviously, this is something that Batman comics too numerous to mention have shown over the decades. But it's sort of a new element for Keaton's Batman based on B89 and BR.