Iris West
Iris West-Allen | |
---|---|
Galaxy Broadcasting System Central City Picture News | |
Supporting character of | The Flash |
Iris West-Allen is a fictional character, a
On television, she has appeared in various adaptations in other media; the character has been portrayed by Paula Marshall in the 1990 CBS television series and by Candice Patton in the 2014 The CW television series along with appearances in other Arrowverse shows. In the DC Extended Universe feature films, she was portrayed by Kiersey Clemons in Zack Snyder's Justice League (2021) and The Flash (2023).
Publication history
Created by Robert Kanigher and Carmine Infantino,[2] the character made her first appearance in Showcase #4 (October 1956).
Fictional character biography
Iris West works as a reporter for Picture News, based in
After years as a prominent presence in the Flash's life and in Central City, She was killed by
During their time in the future, they conceive the Tornado Twins, Don and Dawn. Don marries the descendant of Professor Zoom,
Iris takes Bart to the past to enlist the aid of her nephew (by then, Wally had taken the mantle of the Flash) in saving her grandson. After Bart's accelerated aging slows down, he takes the name of Impulse. Iris disappears for a while, feeling out of place in the 20th century. She contacted
Iris again disappeared. This time she is kidnapped by Polaris and
After this incident, Iris went someplace where no one would find her so that she could concentrate on writing the book The Life Story of the Flash, which was published by Keystone Press in 1997.[15]
Some time later, Iris returns to adopt the child of Wally's ex-girlfriend, officer Julie Jackman, upon her death, having befriended the girl during her time in the present. While in the future, Iris learnt that the child, Josh Jackman, was destined to become a great hero and was believed to be Wally's illegitimate child; however, it turns out that in reality, the child is Mark Mardon's, who had a one-night-stand with Julie after Wally dumped her. Realizing that what was told in the future was wrong, Iris decided to come out of hiding and reconnect with her grandson and nephew.[16]
One Year Later
A mysterious hooded figure enlists the help of Zoom
In
After the return of her husband, Iris is shown fully returning to her life alongside the rest of the Flash family. Still overjoyed by the return of Barry, she does not get much time to spend with him, as Barry is still mentally scarred from his deathly ordeal and staunchly refuses to stop and enjoy even a moment of "normal" life.[22] She is also shown to be much younger than she previously had appeared (she was depicted as a middle-age woman after the events of Crisis), about the same age as when Barry first met her. It is later implied by the resurrected Professor Zoom that Iris's rejuvenation is a side effect of close contact to her husband's Speed Force since Final Crisis. She resumes her career as a crime reporter at Central City.[23]
The New 52
In September 2011,
DC Rebirth
During the
Since the Flash Family defeated Grodd and stop the Negative Speed Force from spreading Central City, both she and Barry have rekindled their romances with each other. She is subsequently re-introduced to the pre-Flashpoint Wally West, swiftly regaining her memories of him when she sees him, simultaneously inspiring Wally's own memories of those he has forgotten.[28] She is later brought to trial in the 25th century for Eobard Thawne's murder. She and Barry later have Wally to be taken care of in the rehabilitation center called the Sanctuary, in which she is so happy about Wally being a better hero today. During her romance with Barry, she begins to remember their marriage, and beginning to put pieces together about the new forces that appear in Central City.[29]
Other versions
The New Frontier
In The New Frontier universe, Iris West is a reporter and engaged to crime forensic Barry Allen. During the Cold War and the rise of McCarthyism, Iris wrote her article "Washington Declares War On Mystery Men" on the current events following the death of Hourman and the social bias against masked vigilantes. In 1957, Iris was interviewing Ted "Wildcat" Grant in Las Vegas. While on a phone call with Barry Allen, Captain Cold appeared and froze Iris's hand that was on the phone. Barry heard everything that happened and traveled to Las Vegas as The Flash. In the process he freed an unconscious Iris and stopped Captain Cold. A year later in 1958, after Barry had retired from crime fighting and the subsequent appearance of the Centre, Iris had known for some time that her husband was the Flash and did not reveal this until she convinced him to become a hero once again.
Amalgam Comics
In the
Flashpoint
In the
Injustice: Gods Amongst Us
In the Injustice: Gods Among Us prequel series, Barry met with Iris sometime after Superman killed the Joker where she expressed her disapproval of Superman's actions. She's convinced that Flash would not do the same if he was in Superman's scenario (where Iris would be murdered instead of Lois), and tells Barry to not condone Superman's actions and to promise her that he will stand up to Superman if he goes down the wrong path. Five years later, Barry goes to see Iris after Superman lashes out at him for letting Batman get away, where it's shown that they've broken up as Iris is upset with Barry for breaking his promise and supporting Superman. Later, Flash sees Iris being arrested by Girder and King Shark for treason against the Regime from joining a Central City Insurgent group.[37] Flash tries to defend them from the two villains and ends up killing King Shark in the process. Iris is disgusted by Barry's actions and offers to arrest herself just to not deal with Barry. Barry talks with her, and she tells him that her faith in him was shattered five years ago when she was undercover in Australia where she witnessed Superman and Wonder Woman brutally beat and cripple a rebellious hero named Galaxor while Flash did nothing to help the young man (who committed suicide shortly afterwards though that later turns out to be a myth). Iris ultimately rejects Barry and tells him that he's not the man she thought he was. Iris and the rest of her group afterwards are arrested by Flash and Girder, and was set to stand trial for her actions.[38]
In other media
Television
- Iris West appears in The Flash (1990), portrayed by Paula Marshall. This version is a computer graphic artist.
- Iris West appears in Young Justice, voiced by Nicole Dubuc. This version is a reporter for the Galaxy Broadcasting System (GBS).
- Iris West appears in The Flash (2014), portrayed by Candice Patton. This version is African-American, a trait which other portrayals of the character would adopt. Her Earth-2 counterpart, who is a detective, appears as well.
Film
- Iris West appears in Justice League: The New Frontier, voiced by Vicki Lewis. This version is aware of Barry Allen's secret identity, having deduced it herself.
- Iris West appears in Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox, voiced by Jennifer Hale. In the alternate Flashpoint timeline, she is uninvolved with Barry Allen, and married and had a child with someone else.
- Iris West appears in films set in the Tomorrowverse, voiced by Ashleigh LaThrop:
- Introduced in Justice Society: World War II, this version is African-American and Barry Allen's girlfriend who he proposes to by the end of the film.
- West appears in Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths – Part One.[39]
- Justice League: Mortal but the project was cancelled.[40]
DC Extended Universe
- Kiersey Clemons was cast as Iris West in Justice League, though her scenes were cut. Her scenes were later restored in the director's cut Zack Snyder's Justice League, in which Barry Allen uses his speed to save her from a traffic accident.[41]
- Clemons reprised her role in The Flash (2023), which is a part of the DC Extended Universe.[42]
Novels
Iris Allen is featured in the Justice League novel Flash: Stop Motion written by Mark Shultz.[43]
References
- ISBN 978-1-4654-5357-0.
- ISBN 978-0-7566-4119-1
- ^ The Flash, no. 165 (November 1966).
- ISBN 978-1605490557.
- ^ Flash#174
- ISBN 978-1-4654-8578-6.
- ^ The Flash #275 (July 1979), The Flash #283 (March 1980), The Flash #323 (July 1983).
- OCLC 213309017
- ^ The Flash #324 (August 1983).
- ^ The Flash #350 (October 1985)
- ^ As depicted in Crisis in Infinite Earths #8 (November 1985)
- ^ Legion of Super-Heroes (vol. 4) #17 (April 1991)
- ^ The Flash (vol. 2) #111 (March 1996)
- ^ The Flash (vol. 2) #115 (July 1996)
- ISBN 978-1563893896
- ^ The Flash (vol. 2) #180
- ^ The Flash: The Fastest Man Alive #10
- ^ The Flash: The Fastest Man Alive #13
- ^ DC Universe #0 (June 2008)
- ^ Final Crisis #2 (August 2008)
- ^ Final Crisis #4 (November 2008)
- ^ The Flash: Rebirth #1 (April 2009)
- ^ The Flash (vol. 3) #1 (April 2010)
- ^ The Flash #1
- ^ The Flash (vol. 4) #7
- ^ Justice League: Darkseid War – The Flash #1
- ^ The Flash (vol. 5) #24 (August 2017)
- ^ The Flash (vol. 5) #45
- ^ The Flash (vol. 5) #52
- ^ Speed Demon #1 (1996)
- ^ Flashpoint #5 (August 2011)
- ^ Flashpoint #1 (June 2011)
- ^ Flashpoint: Citizen Cold #1 (June 2011)
- ^ Flashpoint: Citizen Cold #2 (July 2011)
- ^ Flashpoint: Citizen Cold #3 (August 2011)
- ^ Flashpoint: Kid Flash Lost #3 (August 2011)
- ^ Injustice: Gods Among Us Year Five #27 (June 2016)
- ^ Injustice: Gods Among Us Year Five #28 (June 2016)
- ^ Harvey, James (2023-12-05). ""Justice League: Crisis On Infinite Earths, Part One" Release Date". The World's Finest. Retrieved 2023-12-05.
- ^ Laman, Lisa (6 May 2022). "Why George Miller's Justice League Never Happened". Collider.
- ^ "Justin Krol". Twitter.
- Variety.
- ISBN 0-7434-1713-5