Warning! Spoilers for Tales from Earth-6: A Celebration of Stan Lee by DC Comics
In new DC Comics art from Christian Ward, Stan Lee's version of The Flash from his Justice League comes to life ahead of the character's return in an upcoming special. In a new variant cover for Tales from Earth-6: A Celebration of Stan Lee #1, Mary Maxwell, The Flash of the Just Imagine universe, gets the spotlight in colorful art that shows off the speedster's incredible powers.
While Stan Lee's best known for his iconic work at Marvel Comics, creating many A-list heroes and villains in some of the most important and genre-defining stories in comic book history, the writer once went to DC Comics in the early 2000s to create his own version of the Justice League. Lee's Justice League in the Just Imagine universe features all-new takes on Batman, Wonder Woman, Superman, Green Lantern, and more characters, as they all got new looks, secret identities (with Lee's trademark alliteration), and powers. Stan Lee's Justice League will return in a new one-shot special, with new DC cover art showcasing The Flash from the universe.
DC Comics revealed that a new one-shot featuring the Justice League Stan Lee created would come out for the anniversary of his 100th birthday. While showcasing the return of the many heroes that Lee helped reinvent in his Just Imagine universe, who recently cameoed in The Flash, DC shared a new look at Lee's version of the Flash. In the variant cover from artist Christian Ward (Aquaman: Andromeda), The Flash, aka Mary Maxwell, runs with an incredible range of colors behind her. The piece is a fantastic tribute to Lee's version of The Flash.
In Stan Lee's Just Imagine universe, the legendary writer created Mary Maxwell's Flash alongside Kevin Maguire. In the Just Imagine universe, Mary, like the most iconic Flash, Barry Allen, was a big comic book fan who was, sadly, slowly dying. However, after being injected with the DNA of a hummingbird, she gained her speedster powers, becoming The Flash. The character's white costume juxtaposed against the colorful ribbons in her hair made the character create a rainbow-like effect when using her powers. Ward's variant cover takes that idea and ramps it up with his colorful image.
The artwork from Christian Ward captures the pure energy of Stan Lee's version of The Flash. The version of the Justice League speedster has such a unique look that seeing her in action more than 20 years after Mary Maxwell initially debuted is incredibly exciting. Lee made some bold decisions with his Justice League, including his vision for The Flash. Readers can pick up the DC Comics art when Tales from Earth-6: A Celebration of Stan Lee by DC Comics arrives in comic book stores in December.