Spoilers ahead for Justice League #68!
The Hall of Justice was recently leveled, and when the Justice League needed someone versed in Kryptonian metals to help in the rebuild, the Flash stepped up to the plate. In Justice League #68, on sale now in print and digital, the Scarlet Speedster takes advantage of his super-speed and learns Kryptonian metallurgy super quick.
Fans know that the Flash’s super-speed allows him to run at speeds faster than light; it also allows him to vibrate his molecules to different frequencies, granting him the ability to travel the multiverse. The Flash’s super-speed powers extend beyond merely running fast—his brain also works faster than the average human’s. For example, the Flash could read a set of encyclopedias in a few seconds, and still retain all the knowledge he gained. This ability does not get showcased often, but in Justice League #68, he puts it to good use, helping the Justice League rebuild the Hall of Justice in the wake of an alien attack, which nearly destroyed the facility. The issue is written by Brian Michael Bendis, with art by Scott Godlewski, colors by Gabe Eltaeb, and letters by Josh Reed.
The Justice League is surveying the ruins of the Hall of Justice, deciding on their next move. Previous headquarters, such as the Watchtower are mentioned, but it is clear the League is thinking of moving on, of choosing a new base for a new era. No sooner can they decide on anything than the Hall is rebuilt, exactly the way it was before. Readers learn that both the Flash and Superman used their super-speed powers to reconstruct the Hall, in seconds, before the rest of the League even knew what was happening. The Flash reveals that while they were rebuilding the Hall, he read texts on Kryptonian metallurgy…in the original Kryptonian.
In a matter of seconds, the Flash managed to accomplish a lot. Before he could help Superman reconstruct the Hall, he had to learn about its Kryptonian metals and technology. Understanding that meaning and nuance can be lost in a translation, the Flash then learns the Kryptonian language so he can read the texts as they were meant to be read. Once those tasks were accomplished, he was ready to help Superman in the reconstruction efforts. Keep in mind readers only saw him mention learning Kryptonian metallurgy, but it stands to reason he could have learned other beneficial skills in that time as well.
The Flash’s ability to learn new skills and concepts fast is perhaps the novel use of his powers, proving that not only is his body fast, but his mind is as well. The Flash was able to put this power to good use in helping his comrades in the Justice League rebuild their headquarters.