Wednesday, August 13, 2025

Backwards Science-Magic

 I am willing to confess that TODAY is the day I learned:


that Johnny Quick could turn OFF his speed by reciting his speed formula BACKWARDS.

And that's justcomic book logic!

4 comments:

Bryan L said...

I ... didn't realize that either. I just assumed he operated at superspeed until it "timed out" on him, probably when he loses concentration. I actually like the thought that he has to use a mantra and focus to activate and maintain his speed -- it's a sensible limiting factor that keeps him from entering the way-overpowered speedster group.

Scipio said...

It does "time out" automatically; its efficacy lasts for exactly six hours. But he can turn it off prematurely.

Anonymous said...

I am very fond of the Mark Waid retcon (1993 or so) that the Speed Formula describes a four-dimensional construct, and when Johnny builds that construct in his mind, it opens a channel to the Speed Force. So Johnny might be the slowest of DC's speedsters, but he gets there through sheer mental activity, which is pretty cool.

Anyway, I suppose that doing the formula backwards would be about dismantling the mental construct in some orderly fashion.

- HJF1

Scipio said...

"the Mark Waid retcon (1993 or so) that the Speed Formula describes a four-dimensional construct". Yes, I always thought that was the only thing that would make sense even remotely.