Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Fast Talk: Speedster Slipstream

Speedster Slipstream: The Flash has become so accustomed to throwing around scientific fast talk that it's beginning to corrupt his use of cliches! As he dodges deadly chunks of concrete falling from a collapsing city block, the fastest man alive rescues a helpless tyke just in time for a narrow escape. Just how narrow is this escape? "Whew! Made it! But if my hide were one molecule thicker--" One molecule?! I'd expect that sort of infinitesimal exaggeration from the likes of the Atom, but honestly, Barry. The fastest man alive follows this molecular hyperbole with one of his regular super-speed stunts. Though his hands are full protecting the rescued child, the fleet-footed hero is able to deliver a bevy of nearby citizens to safety simply using the fast-moving currents that whip about in his wake. "Guess they'll have to settle for traveling via air mail!" It's the selectivity that the Flash is capable of enforcing over the air currents in his super-speed backwash that has always puzzled me. Though they'll likely end up airsick, those citizens are lucky there aren't any bricks or steel beams being snatched up by the speedster's slipstream!

Issue: The Flash #217 (August-September 1972)

3 comments:

Frank Zieglar said...

It's not a puzzle at all.

Barry was 'lending speed' subconsciously without even being aware of it.

1st he lent it to the air to drag items in his wake.
2nd he lent it to the people he was saving.
3rd he 'stole speed' from any other items like bricks and such.

At least that's MY theory.

Dixon said...

Sounds good to me, Frank! That's a lot to keep track of, though, even subconsciously. I suppose once you accept that the Flash is capable of both lending and stealing speed from various objects, sometimes simultaneously, you can explain just about anything he accomplishes!

Frank Zieglar said...

I think it's someting they've always done, but Savitar was the first to figure out how to do it on pupose.