A speedster is a character, primarily in superhero comics, whose powers primarily relate to superhuman speed (also known as superspeed). Primary abilities shared by all speedsters include running at speeds far in excess of human capability (to varying degrees) and resistance to the side effects of such velocities (air resistance, inability to breathe, dynamic shock resulting from contact with objects at high speed, etc.). In almost all cases, speedsters can physically attack opponents by striking them at high speed, imparting great kinetic energy without themselves being harmed or at times even affected at all. A variety of other powers have been attributed to speedsters, depending on the story, their power's origin, and their universe's established continuity and rules.
Plausibility and artistic license
The use of speedsters in fiction requires
artistic license due to the laws of
physics that would prohibit such abilities. Moving at the speed of sound, for example, would create
that are usually not heard in such stories, and generate substantial heat. An enormous amount of energy would also be required to achieve such speeds, and speedsters would need to consume massive amounts of calories to sustain their energy.
The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe states that the character Nova maintains speeds which can be considered "modest", especially when carrying a passenger. It also concedes that a solid object moving in the Earth's atmosphere at several times the speed of sound or faster would wreak havoc on the planet, and that moving at such speeds would prohibit Northstar from breathing, while the generated wind/friction would ravage his body. On the other hand, it states that the character Quicksilver was born with adaptations that make high speeds possible, such as enhanced cardiovascular, respiratory, musculature, and Digestion systems, a more efficient metabolism, better lubricated joints, with the tensile strength of spring steel, unidentified bone composition that can withstand the dynamic shock of his touching the ground at speeds over 100 miles an hour, and a brain that can process information fast enough for him to react to his surroundings at high speed.
Writer John Byrne maintained modest abilities for the speedster character Danny Hilltop in his series Next Men. Although Danny can keep pace with a race car, the friction generated by his speed melts any footwear he wears, burning his feet. As a result, Danny runs barefoot, having toughened the soles of his feet through a regimen of pounding increasingly harder materials.
Speed Force
In
DC Comics, the
The Flash family of speedsters derive their abilities from an extradimensional energy source known as the
Speed Force, which grants them superspeed and various other abilities required to use it, such as durability.
The Speed Force is a cosmic force based around velocity and movement and is the in-universe representation of reality in motion, being the very cosmic force that pushes space and time forward. However, the Speed Force is not the source from which all DC characters with superspeed get their powers. For example,
Superman runs and flies quickly owing to his alien physiology, while Captain Marvel/Shazam and
Wonder Woman are empowered by gods. Other writers choose not to offer any scientific explanations for the questions raised by the actual use of such abilities.
Peter David, whose run on the series
Young Justice included the junior speedster
Bart Allen, has opined that speedsters are inherently difficult to write: "Speedsters make me nervous, because if you play them accurately, they're impossible to beat ... I could deal with Impulse because he was easily distracted."
Additionally, there are alternative velocity-based power sources for speedsters: the Negative Speed Force was created by Eobard Thawne to manipulate time as the Reverse-Flash and additionally corrupted Fast Track as the Negative Flash,[ The Flash: Rebirth #4 (September 2009). DC Comics.][ The Flash (vol. 5) #26][ The Flash (vol. 5) #35] and the Forever Force has the power to manipulate time which Hunter Zolomon used to control the flow of time while appearing as the speedster Zoom.[ The Flash (vol. 5) #80-81]
In other media
Speedster characters appear in other media such as
film,
video games,
anime and
manga, the most notable being the video game character Sonic the Hedgehog and supporting characters, and
Looney Tunes characters
Speedy Gonzales and the Road Runner.
Others include:
-
Characters in the My Hero Academia franchise, Izuku Midoriya, All Might, and Tenya Ida have been noted to have super speed thanks to their "quirks" or genetic mutation powers that grant them super human abilities.
-
Characters in the Dragon Ball franchise including Goku and Frieza.
-
Daphne Millbrook from the NBC television superhero drama Heroes.
[The character is referred to as a "speedster" on Page 3 of the August 25, 2008 TV Guide, and refers to herself as such in "The Second Coming".]
-
Characters in the manga One-Punch Man, including Saitama,
-
Dash Parr from the Pixar motion picture The Incredibles.
-
Bree Davenport, the bionic hero from the Disney XD television series Lab Rats.
-
Mr. Quick, a recurring character from the Disney XD television series Mighty Med.
-
Billy "Kid Quick" Thunderman, a main character from the Nickelodeon television series The Thundermans.
-
Characters in the comic book The Boys and its television adaptation, including A-Train,
-
Race Noble from the comic book Noble Causes.
[Sullivan, Michael Patrick. "Faerber Concludes "Noble Causes". Comic Book Resources. August 19, 2008][Arrant, Chris. "The Other Family of Superheroes: Retiring NOBLE CAUSES". Newsarama. August 3, 2010]
-
Josef/Red Rush from the comic book Invincible and its television adaptation.
Speed Force in other media
Two versions of the Speed Force appear in
The Flash (2014).
-
The "positive" version appears as a supporting figure, assuming the likeness of Nora Allen (portrayed by Michelle Harrison) and others.
-
The Negative Speed Force appears as an opposite balance while acting on negative emotions and possessing individuals, such as Nora West-Allen and Cobalt Blue.
