10 Deadliest Enemies The Flash Ever Faced
2. The Shade
This Golden Age Flash foe is one of the most powerful and most terrifying, but he isn't always on the side of evil.
First appearing in Flash Comics #33 in 1942, this immortal conduit for dark energy was a formidable enemy for Jay Garrick and often caused problems the speedster with his weaponised shadows.
Initially depicted as a common criminal for the Flash to stop from robbing banks and menacing Keystone City in the 40s, the Shade was eventually reimagined as something more sinister. Originally possessing a magic cane allowing him to control darkness, the revamped 90s Shade was given the real identity of 'Richard Swift' and an endless supply of supernatural abilities.
Returning to menace the hero Starman and eventually become his ally, the Shade used his powers of shadow manipulation, time travel, teleportation, and intangibility for both good or evil. The Shade also had his own dimension - the Shadowlands - where unwitting enemies could become trapped.
Wearing a trademark top hat and tails, and utilising a devilish power-set, the Shade is a memorable but hugely underrated supervillain.
A member of the Injustice Society and often regarded as one of the most powerful supernatural threats to appear in DC Comics, the Shade has also clashed with Doctor Fate, Hawkman, and Barry Allen.