11 Justice League Fates Worse Than Death

At face value on a first read, Crisis on Infinite Earths culminates with the death of Barry Allen; the Scarlet Speedster sacrificing himself to take down the Anti-Monitor's anti-matter cannon and save what remained of the multiverse.

Years later - 23, to be precise - Barry would make his official return to the pages of DC Comics in the aftermath of Grant Morrison's Final Crisis.

For Allen, his 'death' at the end of Crisis on Infinite Earths saw him become trapped in the Speed Force for the entirety of those 23 years. Sure, there were teases of Barry's existence, and his spirit would lend a helping hand on a few occasions, but this iteration of the Flash spent over two decades stuck, unable to connect with his loved ones, unable to be with his non-speedster friends, and unable to simply die.

While this was a rough fate for Barry Allen, the lengthy absence of the character made for some great moments for comic book fans when Barry finally did return in The Flash: Rebirth and beyond - with it fascinating to see him connect with the modern world and reconnect with his nearest and dearest.