The Flash is finally back on the mainstream map thanks to the surprising success of The CW television series, a spin-off of the equally surprisingly successful Arrow. Its managed to stand out from the deafening roar of live-action comic adaptations these days thanks to a light, charismatic tone headed up by star Grant Gustin. It helps, too, that the series benefits from modern-day special effects and costume design in bringing the character and his various adversaries to colourful life. Neither of those were on hand in creating the previous Flash TV show, long-forgotten by most, which aired in the mid-nineties for one season on CBS. The new Flash series has call-backs to its predecessor - John Wesley Shipp starred, where now he plays the young Barry Allens jailed dad; Mark Hamill reprised his role as The Trickster - but the old show was so hokey, so lacking in production values and so underwhelming that it was only recently released on DVD (and without much fanfare, either).
Tom Baker is the Comics Editor at WhatCulture! He's heard all the Doctor Who jokes, but not many about Randall and Hopkirk. He also blogs at http://communibearsilostate.wordpress.com/
