The Flash: How Jesse Quick Ran Back Into the DC Universe - Twice - CBR - Comic Book Resources

With events such as DC Rebirth and Infinite Frontier, the DC Universe has seen many characters come back into main continuity after a long absence. Whether they are from the Legion of Superheroes, the Justice Society of America or The Flash Family, the majority of fan favorites forgotten by Flashpoint have returned in one way or another. However, one character managed to return twice.

Speedster Jesse Quick, who has gained popularity during her comics absence thanks to The Flash TV series, somehow managed to return to main continuity in two completely different stories. First in Geoff Johns and Gary Frank's Doomsday Clock in 2019 and again almost one year later in the conclusion to Joshua Williamson's run on The Flash. But how exactly did this happen?

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The first return of Jesse Quick in Doomsday Clock #12 was alongside her fellow Justice Society comrades. When Dr. Manhattan undid the meddling he did in the DC Universe, the Justice Society and Legion of Superheroes were restored. The two teams came to Superman's aid against Black Adam's faction of metahumans in a large ensemble shot. This shot shows a variety of characters but in the bottom right, Jesse Quick is visible in her Liberty Bell costume. It's understandable that she would appear in Doomsday Clock as JSA hero Liberty Bell rather than the Flash Family's Jesse Quick, considering the focus on the Justice Society in the overall story.

Her next return however had nothing to do with the JSA and was entirely focused on her role in the Flash Family. In The Flash #758 by Williamson along with Christian Duce and Scott Kolins. After Barry Allen's body is taken over by Reverse-Flash Eobard Thawne, Barry sees Jesse along with fellow speedster Max Mercury in the Speed Force. They first appear as zombified versions of themselves that chase Barry down, visually representing to Barry what the Flashpoint did to them. When Jesse and Max tell Barry that he's already been punished enough for Flashpoint, they appear as their old (and very much alive) selves.

Max explains that where they are is the "Starting Line," the big bang of the Speed Force, and that he and Jesse have been stuck there for years. When Barry asks about Jesse's father, Johnny Quick, Jesse demonstrates that she remembers life before Flashpoint, as she recalls her father died before the event. Together, Jesse and Max help Barry figure out how to retake control of his own body by focusing on his memories and breaking out of the Speed Force. Although Jesse and Max are content to let Barry escape on his own, Barry manages to rescue them as well. As Barry lines up with the Flash Family to fight Thawne, Jesse and Max can be seen as part of the line-up, cementing their return to DC Universe (or second return in Jesse's case).

However, the question remains: Why did Jesse Quick return twice? The answer lies in Doomsday Clock's place in canon. At the time, DC's publishing schedule meant that other titles released before Doomsday Clock's finale in December 2019. This meant that the return of other characters, such as the Justice Society took place in other titles first. Justice League #39 by Scott Snyder, Jorge Jiménez and Daniel Sampere explained that Doomsday Clock's events were "disconnected" from DC's main reality, but no less important.

In The Flash #750, everything is put right in this mismatched continuity when Wally West is imbued with the powers of Dr. Manhattan by the Mobius Chair. Wally sees that the JSA and Legion have returned, but their return doesn't line up with the current history of the DC Universe. Wally sets about putting these misplaced fragments together to form a reality that is whole again. This acted as a soft universal reset. The JSA was back, but not how it was in Doomsday Clock, so there was no Liberty Bell. This allowed the hero to reemerge from the Speed Force as Jesse Quick in The Flash.

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Andrew Herbison (37 Articles Published)

Andrew is a writer, artist and all-round nerd based in Northern Ireland. With an MA in Creative Writing, they hope to combine these passions to one day form a creative endeavor that is not only enjoyable but publishable too. Andrew can usually be found with a cup of Earl Grey in hand and an episode of Doctor Who on.