Jay Garrick

College student Jay Garrick accidentally inhaled radioactive hard-water vapors in a laboratory mishap, gaining extraordinary superhuman speed. Donning a winged helmet inspired by the god Mercury, he became the Flash — one of the earliest costumed heroes and a founding member of the Justice Society of America.

Few characters can claim to have literally launched a legacy — Jay Garrick debuted in Flash Comics #1 in 1940, making him one of DC's true Golden Age originals, born in an era when superhero comics were still inventing their own rules. Across an astonishing 86-year publishing history and 333 catalogued appearances, Jay has proven himself one of the most enduring figures the medium has ever produced, turning up in Flash, Justice League of America, and beyond, sharing pages with the absolute titans of the DC universe — Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Hawkman. With 30 key-issue appearances to his name, collectors have long recognized that Jay Garrick isn't just a historical footnote; he's a living cornerstone, the original Flash whose presence still resonates whenever the scarlet lightning runs.