The fastest speedster in DC's continuity, and the countless battles he's fought throughout space and time cement his status among legends like Superman and Wonder Woman. However, most fans only know him for his super-speed, despite his massive range of powers.

The Flash's speed is certainly a valuable skill, and it's his most iconic without question, but it's far from the only remarkable ability at his disposal. From turning invisible to bending the fabric of reality itself, the Flash has proven himself to be a powerhouse of otherworldly proportions who can rival Kryptonians and gods alike. It's about time that the world paid the Scarlet Speedster the respect he deserves for the numerous feats he's accomplished during his tenure as a hero, including for some of the Flash's greatest powers in all of DC lore.

10 The Flash Is Immune to Mind Control and Telepathy

Super-speed may be the Flash's most fittingly "flashy" ability, but even his more subtle powers grant him critical advantages. One of these is demonstrated in Titans: Beast World #6 by Tom Taylor, Ivan Reis, and Lucas Meyer, when the Helmet of Hate attempts to manipulate Wally West. The Flash reveals that, with his speed, he can think so fast that he is effectively immune to mind control.

The Flash is already known for his capacity to outpace attackers, and now he's shown that he can also out-think more cerebral threats. Of course, this power ranks lower than the rest because it has one major flaw: if the Flash is distracted, he becomes vulnerable to manipulation, as seen when he lets the anti-speedster Gallery alter his mind.

9 The Flash Can Read (and Learn) at Super-Speed

The Flash deserves far more recognition as one of DC's smartest characters due to his ability to speed-read - and, moreover, speed-learn. When he's in a bind, the Flash can read books in a matter of seconds and apply that knowledge to the situation at hand. This superpower comes in handy when he quickly educates himself on architecture to rebuild an entire apartment building by himself in The Flash #2 by Geoff Johns and Francis Manapul.

The catch is that this knowledge doesn't last long. Barry Allen may be able to construct an apartment building in the short-term, but before long his brain will lose that knowledge. In fact, Impulse is the only speedster whose photographic memory enables him to retain the knowledge he picks up during these super-speed cram sessions.

8 The Flash's Accelerated Healing Keeps Him Moving

The Flash's impressive healing factor is a key reason that he can fight so long and hard without needing to slow down. Thanks to his speedster metabolism, the Flash is capable of healing from even the most major injuries within a short timeframe. The rate at which he actually heals depends on the injury. He's been shown healing broken fingers in seconds, while healing broken legs can take up to a week. Still, compared to how long it takes most to recover, the Flash is leaps and bounds ahead.

As seen in Titans: Beast World #4 by Tom Taylor and Lucas Meyer, this accelerated healing factor doesn't merely apply to physical wounds. The Flash can process emotional trauma in microseconds instead of grappling with it for an extended period, allowing this superpower to heal him in more ways than one.

7 The Flash Can Steal Speed (or Lend His Own)

Many of the Flash's villains are speedsters like him, and it would be dangerous for the DC Universe to be overrun with evil speedsters. That's where the Flash's ability to steal speed from others comes in handy. He can use the Speed Force to take the energy from another speedster so they can no longer access it. This ability is used in The Flash #160 by Brian Augustyn and Scott Kolins, as the Flash steals Lady Flash's speed after she tries to attack Linda Park-West.

Not only can the Flash steal speed from enemies, but he can also offer it to others if he so chooses. This trick comes into play when the Flash Family needs to siphon their power to one member to beat a particularly challenging foe, permitting the Flash and his fellow speedsters to share their energy with each other.

6 The Flash Channels the Speed Force to Create Constructs

Green Lanterns may be known for their innovative constructs, but they aren't the only heroes in DC lore who can pull them off. The Flash can harness energy from the Speed Force in order to make constructs of his own. Though he doesn't have the unlimited scope of a Green Lantern's power ring, he can generate his trademark Flash costume and repair damage to it at will.

This handy technique makes its debut in The Flash #131 by Grant Morrison, Mark Millar, and Paul Ryan. The Flash creates a new costume using the Speed Force in order to hold himself upright despite his broken legs. Since then, all variations of Wally West's suit have been constructed similarly by the Speed Force. Barry Allen previously used his Flash ring to store his costume for easy access, but the Speed Force makes wardrobe changes less time-consuming. After all, every second counts for the Fastest Man Alive.

5 The Flash's Speed Force Aura Is His Greatest Defense - and a Powerful Weapon

Flash's Speed Force aura power is criminally underrated, yet it just so happens to be the one that saves him every time he activates his powers. When running as fast as he does, he runs the risk of getting squashed like a bug unless he protects himself in some way. Luckily, the Flash has a Speed Force aura that lets him breathe, hear, and avoid tearing himself - or others - apart as he's in motion.

The Speed Force aura has multiple uses beyond being a safety precaution to keep his speed in check. The Flash #2 by Simon Spurrier and Mike Deodato Jr. features an example of this, as Wally West reconstructs his aura into a tangible "windshield" and charges headfirst at an enemy with it to deal major damage. The Flash's protective power isn't just a defensive measure; his aura can also be a formidable weapon.

4 The Flash Can Vibrate to the Point of Intangibility

By vibrating his molecules at super-speed, the Flash is able to phase through solid objects. This Flash power has evolved significantly over the years, espcially as Wally West particularly struggled to master it. Upon first learning to vibrate, he would make objects explode when moving through them. Nowadays, Wally has no trouble vibrating to the point of intangibility.

In The Flash #229 by Cary Bates, Irv Novick, and Frank McLaughlin, Barry Allen's Flash takes this superpower to the next level by vibrating so rapidly that he becomes invisible to the eye, helping him avoid detection and preserve his secret identity. With these and other applications, the Flash's vibrational intangibility is undoubtedly one of the coolest techniques in his arsenal.

3 The Flash Side-Stepping Reality Is His Most Mind-Bending Feat

The Flash's newest superpower is his strangest, giving him access to new angles of reality. In The Flash #2 by Spurrier and Deodato Jr., following his collision with an atomic mirror, Wally West discovers that he can side-step out of reality and into alternate planes of existence. This new power bewilders him at first, until he realizes that he can also step back into his own reality.

By combining this fascinating ability with his speed, the Flash can gain the upper hand against opponents and eviscerate them without a chance of being countered. During his fight with Gorilla Grodd in The Flash #2, for example, he deals relentless blows to his opponent before he can so much as react by stepping in and out of the world. The Flash officially earns a place in DC's cosmic hierarchy as a result of his side-stepping.

2 The Flash's Infinite Mass Punch Makes Him Stronger Than Superman

There have long been debates about whether the Flash is faster than Superman, but his Infinite Mass Punch proves he's stronger than Superman as well. In JLA #2 by Grant Morrison and Howard Porter, Wally West uses his speed to amplify his strength and perform a mighty attack. By getting a running start, the Flash's mass reaches an infinite level as he slams his fist in the White Martian's face and sends him flying.

What solidifies this technique as beyond anything Superman could manage is that it can deal serious damage to a White Martian. It's been confirmed before that Superman is afraid to fight Martian Manhunter because of his abilities, so the Flash having a move that can easily take down a Martian elevates him to a league above the Man of Steel.

1 The Flash Can Time Travel at Super-Speed, Altering DC's Timeline

The Flash's best superpower is also his most treacherous, seeing as it's put the entire DC Universe in jeopardy before. At high speeds, the Flash can travel through time, whether it's to the future or the past. In earlier stories, he required the Cosmic Treill to achieve this feat, but his time travel abilities have now evolved to the point where he simply needs to be fueled by the Speed Force.

In Flashpoint by Geoff Johns and Andy Kubert, the Flash's time traveling endangers the universe when he attempts to prevent the death of his mother. By altering history, he inadvertently causes an event known as Flashpoint in which the universe is reset, resulting in the rebooted New 52 continuity. The DC Universe has since recovered from Barry Allen's meddling, and though the Flash still possesses the power to time travel, he's learned his lesson about how to utilize it properly alongside his other epic abilities.