HBO Max just teamed up with DC to bring The Flash back to TV in a brand new costume. Fans are still eagerly waiting to see The Flash super-speed his way into James Gunn's DCU, as the Scarlet Speedster remains one of several crucial Justice League heroes with no confirmed project or appearance. Just before the DCU truly got underway, audiences enjoyed The Flash Season 9 on The CW and the DCEU's long-awaited The Flash movie in theaters, starring Grant Gustin and Ezra Miller, respectively, as the Barry Allen incarnation of the speedster.
DC Studios may be failing The Flash after abandoning Miller and Gustin's takes on the character, but the legendary speedster just returned on HBO Max, a spin-off to hit sitcom The Big Bang Theory with a sci-fi twist. Comic book store owner Stuart Bloom is thrust into a mission to save everyone and everything, hopping between universes with a device created by Sheldon Cooper and Leonard Hofstadter.
In Stuart Fails to Save the Universe Episode 9, "Spoiler: We Couldn't Get Green Lantern," the HBO Max sitcom enters the pages of a DC comics (as both are Warner Bros. properties) and seek out some superhero help. That assitance comes from Jay Garrick, aka the Golden Age Flash, who wears a stunning costume that has been praised by audiences for its classic comic accuracy.
The one-off superhero role fell to Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt actor Andy Ridings, who called his DC experience "surreal" and a "dream come true." The speedster is the only DC superhero to truly appear in the comedy episode after the team was refused use of Green Lantern to avoid clashing with Lanterns.
Garrick never got the chance to fight an actual Flash villain in Stuart Fails to Save the Universe, as he instead tangled with Batman villain Mr. Freeze. The frosty foe was sent by The Big Bang Theory spin-off's Multiversal villain, The Adversary, to prevent Stuart and his allies from escaping the pages of DC Comics.
Hilariously, the battle happens largely off screen and is described by Stuart, likely in an effort to preserve the sitcom's budget. They end up seeking Garrick's help at home, where it is revealed that this Flash is married to Mayim Bialik's Amy Farrah Fowler (Sheldon's wife from The Big Bang Theory) before he suits up in his hidden closet and helps them escape the comic aboard the Cosmic Treadmill.
As Stuart and his Multiverse-saving gang landed specifically in the DC Comics universe in The Big Bang Theory spin-off, it should come as no surprise that his outfit is incredibly page-accurate. Between the blue trousers, skin-tight red top with a lightning symbol, winged helmet, and vibrant red boots, Ridings' Flash suit was ripped straight from the pages of Golden Age comics and onto HBO Max.
Usually, DC adaptations focus on either Barry Allen or Wally West, so Jay Garrick has mostly only gotten the chance to shine as a supporting character. The character showed up from Earth-2 in The CW's The Flash Season 2 with a leather costume and much of the color stripped away, although he still had the helmet.
CW viewers would learn that Sears' superhero was actually the villainous Hunter Zolomon, aka Zoom, who had Earth-2's real Jay Garrick imprisoned. The real elder Flash was ultimately played by John Wesley Shipp, the man behind Barry Allen in the 1990s speedster TV show and Henry, father to Grant Gustin's hero, on the CW.
Garrick's CW costume maintained the comic book essence and color scheme, albeit with a more tactical, grounded flare that many criticized for resembling a biker more than a spandex-wearing speedster superhero.
Ezra Miller's two Barry Allens weren't the only speedsters in 2023's The Flash, as there was also a colorless peak across the Multiverse at Jay Garrick as universes clashed into each other, recognizable due to his helmet. The scene was packed with cameos from DC history and ultimately faced backlash for being empty fan service, presenting poor CGI, and the ethical dilemma of including late actors.
Interestingly, at the time of The Flash's divisive release, many thought that the Golden Age Flash in the Chronobowl was Sears from the CW show. The actor was quick to confirm that, while "that looks like [his] likeness," it actually wasn't him, with later reports that co-editor Jason Ballantine was the real face model.
All 10 episodes of Stuart Fails to Save the Universe Season 1 are streaming now on HBO Max, with Season 2 already in the works to continue the storyline. After the Lanterns finale premieres on Sunday, October 4, the DCU's next release is coming to theaters on Friday, October 23 with the Batman villain spin-off Clayface.
Why Hasn't DC Studios Announced the DCU's Flash Yet
James Gunn's DCU has taken big strides in the last two years, but there is still no sign of Batman, Wonder Woman, and The Flash coming into the fold. While DC Studios is developing reboot movies for the Dark Knight and the Amazing Amazon, the only love for the Scarlet Speedster has been in kids Elseworlds animation.
The DCU already has its perfect Flash set-up project in HBO Max's The People v Gorilla Grodd, a true-crime-inspired mockumentary starring Skyler Gisondo's Jimmy Olsen and Jimmy Tatro's Gorilla Grodd. The upcoming Daily Planet show is expected to feature multiple Flash villains beyond Grodd, and yet there is still no sign that DC Studios will introduce its first speedster anytime soon.
Gunn himself just recently shut down rumors that Matthew Lillard is playing the DCU's Barry Allen in Man of Tomorrow, in which he is playing a mystery role. Yes, Lillard is on the older side at 56 years old, but many are expecting the DCU's Barry Allen to be a veteran, experienced hero akin to Kyle Chandler's Hal Jordan (his comic book bestie) to set up the younger Wally West carrying the mantle.
Creature Commandos offered a glimpse at a potentially destructive future for the DCU that revealed the first look at the Flash's costume (albeit on a corpse). There is always a chance a fleeting red streak in The People v Gorilla Grodd to hint at the speedster's past with the super-intelligent ape, but no actor is likely to be cast anytime soon, as there is no room for a Flash project on the slate anytime soon.
The studio will be hesitant to greenlight a new Flash movie after the last became one of Hollywood's biggest flops ever, while the nine-season CW series may be too fresh in audiences' minds for an HBO show. Arugably the best chance for the speedster to appear in the near-future is in a team-up project, whether that be with the Teen Titans or the inevitable Justice League reboot movie.
