 The Flash is not one, but three characters from DC Comics, and all  three of them managed to make it into the series in some way. Jay  Garrick, who was the first Flash and whose adventures inspired Barry  Allen (the second) lives on in the name of Barrys brother, whos  death inspires our hero. Barry Allen was a police scientist, but was  also married to Iris West, the aunt of Wally West (the third Flash)  who briefly dated Tina McGee some time after Barry died. The Flash  of the television series is a combination of Barry Allens name and  day job with Wally Wests social life, and a personality falling  somewhere between the two.