[Jump to menu]

See Also: Series, Books and Specials, Storylines 1987–2006

Issue Theme Placement* Year
The Silver Age: Barry Allen
Flash Annual 1 Reprints of older stories 1963
Crisis to Crisis: Wally West
Flash Annual 1 The Death Touch btw. #4 and #5 1987
Flash Annual 2 Backup Theme: Private Lives btw. #18 & #20 1988
Flash Annual 3 Flashing on the Past; Backup Theme: Who’s Who before #29 1989
Flash 50th Anniversary Special 1990
Flash Annual 4 Event: Armageddon 2001 around #55 1991
Flash Annual 5 Event: Eclipso: The Darkness Within after #61 1992
Flash Annual 6 Event: Bloodlines btw. #77 & #78 1993
Flash Annual 7 Theme: Elseworlds N/A 1994
Flash Annual 8 Theme: Year One btw. #106 & #108 1995
Flash Annual 9 Theme: Legends of the Dead Earth N/A 1996
Flash Annual 10 Theme: Pulp Heroes btw. #129 & #130 1997
Flash Annual 11 Theme: Ghosts before #142 1998
Flash Annual 12 Event: JLApe: Gorilla Warfare btw. #152 & #153 1999
Flash Annual 13 Theme: Planet DC btw. #161 & #164 2000
Flash: Our Worlds At War Event: Our Worlds At War btw. #176 & #177 2001
Shooting Star: Bart Allen
Impulse Annual 1 Theme: Legends of the Dead Earth N/A 1996
Impulse Annual 2 Theme: Pulp Heroes around #29 1997

*Placement: I have attempted to identify where each story fits in the main series. Some are more definite than others.

  • Annual 1: Wally is living in the mansion, which places it before issue #14, when he loses his fortune. He is dating Connie, so it’s after Francis left him. That happened at the beginning of #3, which led straight into a 2-parter with no time to break for an international trip until at least #4. Clearly some time has passed by the start of the Speed McGee story in #5, after which Tina moves in and stays until Wally loses the mansion. So the only time this story could take place is between #4 and #5.
  • Annual 2: Issues #12 through 18 form a continuous story dealing with Vandal Savage and Velocity 9. #20 starts in on the Invasion! crossovers.
  • Annual 3: Wally joins Justice League Europe and sets up the teleporter in his apartment. In issue #29, he uses it to have an adventure in Casablanca.
  • Annual 4 (Armageddon 2001): Most of this takes place in the future. There are no real clues to the framing story. Since A2001 and War of the Gods ran concurrently during summer 1991, I’d place it right around #55, the WotG crossover.
  • Annual 5 (Eclipso): Wally and Chunk have a falling out here, and aside from a couple of cameos, Chunk disappears for a decade. This places it sometime after #61.
  • Annual 6 (Bloodlines): Set during “The Return of Barry Allen,” and actually has a note saying, “This story takes place prior to the events of Flash #78.”
  • Annual 8 (Year One): The framing sequence for the lead story provides no clues other than the fact that Wally and Linda’s relationship is going well. They were working through issues up through #106, and then #108 begins the multi-part “Dead Heat.” The flashback sequence appears to take place before issue #1. The backup story clearly takes place shortly after Wally’s debut as Kid Flash, back in vol.1 #110, or during the retelling in “Born to Run”
  • Annual 10 (Pulp Heroes): Takes place after “Hell to Pay.” Since another creative teem takes over in the next issue, it’s simplest to set this between #129 and #130.
  • Annual 11 (Ghosts): 1998 was taken up by several 3-part stories, but it has to take place before #142, in which Wally and Linda nearly get married, but Linda is abducted and vanishes for the next big storyline. It’s not clear whether they are engaged in this story, so it could take place between the proposal and the wedding. Possible placements: between #135 & #136, between #138 & #139, or between #141 & #142.
  • Annual 12 (JLApe): The Dark Flash hasn’t revealed his identity yet, except to Jay, which places it between #152 and #154. Since #154 is the second part of a two-parter, that places it between #152 and #153.
  • Annual 13 (Planet DC): Wally’s back and he and Linda are married (and presumably back from the honeymoon). With the multipart “Wonderland” starting mid-year, that places it sometime between #161 & #164.
  • Flash: Our Worlds At War: Not technically an annual, but may as well have been one. Takes place before #180, the issue in which Cyborg moves to the Central/Keystone area. Since Iron Heights and Flash Secret Files #3 both take place between #176 and #177, it’s simplest to place this one here as well.
  • Impulse Annual 2: There are no clues in the lead story itself (the backup is a flashback to Max Mercury’s youth), but it was written by incoming writer William Messner-Loebs, who took over the book with #29.

The Flash Companion The Flash Companion
Preview at Speed Force
Order at TwoMorrows