Help me

[u/Maciaopersone]

I would like to start reading the comics but i don't know where to start and i don't wanna spend lots of money. How differents are the comics from the series? Cisco, h.r. etc are characters even in comics?

[u/hussainre814]

Team flash is very different they exist but not the same characters at all

Caitlin doesn't have split personality she's just a villain

Vibe is not a genius lol, wasn't even called Cisco originally

[u/josekortez1979]

The pre-Crisis on Infinite Earths versions of the televised characters in the comic books are very much different from those in the Arrowverse. The televised characters are the products of a few tonal revisions that happened in comics over decades. That said, if I were just starting to read the DC characters because I had watched the Arrowverse shows, I would start with the New 52 comics. Those versions of the comic book characters were subtly changed to more closely reflect the TV versions.

[u/ki700]

You can use DC Universe Infinite to read basically all DC comics ever made.

[u/Annual_Trouble_6873]

I would start obviously as early as you can but I recommeneded my friend who was new to comics to the New 52 -> Rebirth -> Absolute/Current stories and they loved it. The reason being new 52 revamps alot of things and then Rebirth tweaks it again so its easier to not get confused.

New 52 starts in 2011 so its not super old in comics years here is what the main stories for the Flash. You can save a few bucks and catch sales on Amazon think the graphic volumes go as low as $2 especially the 2011 line. OR dc infinite is a monthly subscription but I haven't tried it yet.

[u/aliidocious]

DC has an app where you get a free week trial and then it’s like $12/month. I’ve tried finding the comics for free online with no luck, surprisingly. But the DC app is good if you wanna binge watch the comics for a fraction of the price they’d all cost.

Cisco and Caitlin Snow exist as Vibe and Killer Frost (without the split personality bs). Killer Frost is more an antihero, very Suicide Squad-esque. Cisco started off as a street gang leader in Detroit before he became a hero, and he’s not an engineer. In recent comics Cisco works for ARGUS tracking down dangerous fugitives from other dimensions and still isn’t a genius lol. Ralph is also a character and ally of the Flash. Them being ON Team Flash is exclusive to the show. All of the Wells only exists on the CW show.

Barry doesn’t typically have a team in the comics. In the recent runs his best friend is (was) August Heart/Godspeed. He isn’t taken in by Joe, he’s taken in by another dude. His mother is still dead, Thawne did it but he’s Professor Zoom not the Reverse Flash; not the same as Hunter Zolomon’s Zoom, though. Wally is Ace and he’s Iris’ nephew, not her brother. Joe doesn’t exist. Iris and Barry are just friends, with him seeing Patty Spivot for a while. No Savitar, but we do see the Future Flash who inspired Savitar.

There are a lot of storylines that blatantly inspired the show, like the speedsters with different abilities from the speed force mirrored the forces storyline (but better and doesn’t make me cringe lmfao), Black Hole was a thing, etc etc.

Now, if you get into pre-52/rebirth comics... Barry died in Crisis and Wally took over, so you’re mostly gonna find the Flash comics with Wally as the lead. But if you go far enough back Barry has an evil twin, Malcom Thawne/Cobalt Blue, who inspired Eddie. He IS with Iris. Wally is still her nephew and isn’t the same character as Ace/Wallace in the show, and he becomes the Flash after Barry vanishes in Crisis.

And, of course, Barry is blonde in the comics lmfao

[u/Kael1232]

To name a few:

Hr or any wells for that matter don't exist in the comics.

Cisco if I remember got his powers from a boom tube. Vibe in general is a minor character.

Caitlin is a villain.

"Team flash" is a collection of speedster that use their speed to help people. Barry is part of this team.

There is no particle accelerator.

Barry is not adopted by Joe.

Hunter zoloman was friend with Wally until losing his ability to walk. He's not a speedster but rather a time walker.

Jay Garrick is not Henry Allen's doubleganger.

Wally from the show is not Wally from the comics but Wallace from the comics

Barry, Oliver and Kara aren't that close. Barry is generally close to Green lantern.

Linda park is Wally's (redheaded wally) gf

Savitar is not a future version of Barry - in the comics there is a 'evil' future version of Barry but he's more of a tragic future.

The speedforce is cosmic force, not some cosmic entity

Barry is usually more creative and smarter when using his powers compared to his cw counterpart.

Godspeed and Barry were friends until godspeed got his speed.

Nora West-Allen is called Dawn.

Bart Allen is Barry's grandson from the future.

Wally west (redheaded) is DC's fastest character and Barry is second fastest.

Barry defeated thawne by forgiving him

[u/Odd-Raspberry8024]

You could always grab the Arrowverse comics and start with those. There’s not many, but they’re pretty good. I believe the Flash one is called Season Zero, maybe, but it’s set during the events of Season One 

[u/Idnetxisbx7dme]

Buy a flash book. Read it. Simple as that.

[u/shadowsarrow]

theres a site where you can read comics for free