His obsession for the hero drove him to not only study his biography, but transmute his facial features to resemble him. Refusing to let the cruel fate befall him again, The Flash stops Professor Zoom by snapping his neck, killing him instantaneously.Įobard Thawne's origin story was later revisited in the Wally West Flash era, where the professor was revealed to be a Flash fanatic in the 25th century. He makes his dashing return on the day of Barry Allen's second wedding, and attempts to kill his new fiancé. Years later the two would be fated to meet again when Professor Zoom finally makes his way out of the hellish “realm-of-no-return” and seeks to have Barry join his late wife. When The Flash discovers the one responsible for the death of his wife, he sends Professor Zoom into a timeless void through means of his time machine, believing himself to be rid of the villain forever. Zoom becomes enraged and kills her by vibrating his hand through her skull. For some unknown reason, Iris decides to refuses this ‘generous’ offer. He offers her an ultimatum to leave her husband and to spend the rest of her life with him. Through his many escapades with his rival, Professor Zoom's hate for the scarlet speedster soon transformed into envy, when he falls for Flash's wife, Iris West. When a time capsule from Barry Allen, AKA The Flash's 20th century finds its way to his city, he acquires one of the speedster's super suits.ĭiscovering that the suit still held some super speed wave patterns, Professor Zoom dyes the suit in reverse colors to represent his aversion for the superhero, and uses its power to become The Flash's most diabolical villain through means of time travel. In Professor Zoom's debut comic appearance, he was introduced as a brilliant scientist from the 25th century, dissatisfied with the mundane utopia of time period. We have chosen to primarily follow the storyline, which unfolded in 1963’s “The Flash” issue #139 and was expanded on in 1993's “The Flash Vol. Welcome to and today we will explore the comic book origin of Eobard Thawne, aka Professor Zoom, aka, The Reverse Flash.Īs with most comic book characters, there are often re-imaginations and different versions to a character’s past. He doesn’t run backwards, but the Reverse Flash is every bit the antithesis of The Flash himself. Special Thanks to our users aldqbigsquare, ibriers 1, Sean Idland, Luis Abreu, Bølmëpëï Exvã, Thijmen van Hoorn, Gambit14, AnglerProductions, StarDustDragonLoL, Jaime Enrique Gutierrez Pérez, Fionn Conroy, Ace14Demon, g-origin769, Ramses Mosley-Wise, Sleeperagent3056, Zachary Forest, Josh Ng, for suggesting this Origins idea on our Suggestion Tool at Join as we explore the comic book origins of Professor Zoom. Unable to kill The Flash without erasing himself from existence as well, Professor Zoom devoted his life to making The Flash's life a living hell. There is no arguing Thawne's obsession with the Scarlet Speedster, as Thawne was so obsessed with The Flash that he even recreated the accident that gave The Flash his powers, calling himself Professor Zoom. Thawne is from the future, and goes back in time with the express purpose of tormenting Barry Allen. Eobard Thawne is considered by many, himself included, to be The Flash's arch rival.