Before Barry Allen had his hands full dealing with Eobard Thawne/Reverse-Flash, Golden Age Flash Jay Garrick had a thorn in his side known as the Rival Flash. Dr. Edward Clariss, also known as Rival, was a professor at the college that Jay Garrick attended. He first appeared 75 years ago in Flash Comics #104 (February 1949) as a creation of John Broome and Joe Kubert.

Coveting the Flash’s abilities, Clariss attempted to recreate the formula that gave the Flash his speed. He was somewhat successful: gaining the speed, but only temporarily. Soon he became embittered by the rejection he felt from the scientific community, and turned to a life of crime as Rival. He gave the formula to other criminals, but since his speed was temporary, the Flash caught him, and Rival went to jail.

Many years later, Rival returned in JSA #16 in a flashback that showed him and Flash in a battle that took Rival into the Speed Force. After 50 years spent there, Johnny Sorrow pulled Rival out of the Speed Force to join the Injustice Society. Free and driven insane from the time spent trapped in the Speed Force, Rival went on a killing spree around the country. The Flash uncovered the pattern Rival took, found him, and absorbed his speed before the villain could kill his last target – Jay’s girlfriend Joan Williams.

He returned again, now as pure speed energy and possessed Max Mercury. In Max’s body, Rival fought Jay and Impulse, then disappeared into the Speed Force once again. Max was able to separate himself from Rival and escape the Speed Force, while the villain became trapped there once again.