DC's Jeff Lemire Admits Absolute Flash Almost Made Barry Allen a Villain

Barry Allen’s Flash is one of the most iconic heroes in the DC Universe, making it nearly impossible to imagine him as anything close to a villain. However, one DC talent recently revealed just how close they came to turning the beloved speedster into a villain within the Darkseid-created Absolute Universe.

Jeff Lemire, writer of the ongoing and must-read Absolute Flash series, recently participated in an Ask Me Anything with League of Comic Geeks, where fans submitted their burning questions for Lemire to answer.

For those unfamiliar, the Absolute Universe (the setting of this Flash title) is a hardcore reimagining of DC’s most iconic heroes, exploring darker origins and interpretations. This creative freedom has allowed writers to make bold, often extreme changes to fan-favorite characters, and during the AMA, Lemire revealed he nearly turned Barry Allen into a full-fledged villain.

Barry Allen Was Nearly a “Straight-Up Villain” in DC’s Absolute Universe

Cover B Clayton Crain Variant for Absolute Flash #1 (2025)

During League of Comic Geeks’ Ask Me Anything, one fan asked Jeff Lemire an intriguing question: “If you can, will you tell us what things you did want to change but decided against?” In response, the Absolute Flash writer admitted that he originally planned to make Barry Allen a “straight-up villain.”

Lemire’s exact words were: “It’s hard to answer this one without spoiling what’s coming, but I will say that originally I was going to make Barry Allen a straight-up villain, and as I worked on the series, that felt like the wrong move, and he became a more conflicted character instead.”

Turning Barry into a hardcore villain would have been a bold move, especially since it would have pitted him directly against Wally West, the series’s protagonist and Scarlet Speedster. Such a twist would have marked a huge deviation from DC’s traditional storytelling, as Barry has famously served as a mentor and moral compass to Wally.

What Is Barry Allen’s Role in Absolute Flash: Is He Hero, Villain, or Something In Between?

Cover C Dan Panosian Variant for Absolute Flash #1 (2025)

While Barry Allen isn’t a straight-up villain in Absolute Flash, he’s far from a saint and is portrayed as a deeply conflicted character. Readers know that Barry seemingly dies early in the series after one of his experiments (the same one that grants Wally his powers) goes horribly wrong.

Flashbacks later reveal that Barry isn’t as morally pure as his Earth-0 counterpart. His obsession with science drives him to make questionable choices, including working with Dr. Elenore Thawne. As Absolute Flash continues, it becomes clear that while Barry may not be a villain, he firmly resides in a morally gray area.

Created By

Gardner Fox, Harry Lampert, Carmine Infantino

First Appearance

Flash Comics