Blue Valley (comics)
Encyclopedia
Blue Valley is a fictional city in the DC Comics
universe. It was created by John Broome
and Carmine Infantino
as the home town of the original Kid Flash
. It was first mentioned in The Flash #110 (December 1959).
story arc Year One: Born to Run, writer Mark Waid
placed Blue Valley in Nebraska
. According to Mayfair Games’ The Atlas of the DC Universe (1990) Blue Valley is "situated on the northeastern edge of Nebraska, twenty-five miles southwest of Sioux Falls, South Dakota
."
In the late 1990s, Blue Valley was used by writer Geoff Johns
as a backdrop for the adventures of Courtney Whitmore at the start of her career as the second Star-Spangled Kid
and her adoptive father, Pat "Stripesy" Dugan in the pages of Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E.
Johns narrowed down the location of Blue Valley to specify Douglas
, Saunders
and Lancaster
Counties in JSA
# 81 in 2006.
. In terms of the story, it is presented as the first time the JLA encounters Starro, though it takes place after the "current" JLA team is asked to leave their spaceship base.
The current JLA team, minus the Flash, who had been captured after Blue Valley asks him for help, plans to enter the town. A message from Starro shows property damage to Blue Valley, burning cars in the street and random small fires. The Spectre
shows up to prevent the team from entering. The Spectre shows a vision of the future; if the super-powered JLA enter, Starro will take them, the first step in a plan that results in the conquering of known space and time. The JLA have the Spectre remove their powers and manage, with only the destruction of an office building, to destroy Starro's machinery.
drive it away this time.
Two other superheroes, Pat Dugan and Courtney Whitmore, have lived in Blue Valley. It is unclear whether they are free from potential Starro brainwashing.
In Day of Judgement #1, Blue Valley suffers an invasion of "dead guys" as Captain Marvel
puts it. Marvel, Pat, and Dugan assist in protecting the town.
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
universe. It was created by John Broome
John Broome (writer)
John Broome , who additionally used the pseudonyms John Osgood and Edgar Ray Meritt, was an American comic book writer for DC Comics.-Early life and career:...
and Carmine Infantino
Carmine Infantino
Carmine Infantino Carmine Infantino Carmine Infantino (born May 24, 1925, in Brooklyn, New York is an American comic book artist and editor who was a major force in the Silver Age of Comic Books...
as the home town of the original Kid Flash
Kid Flash
Kid Flash is the name of several fictional characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics, originally created by John Broome and Carmine Infantino, as a junior counterpart to DC Comics superhero The Flash. The first incarnation of the character, Wally West, debuted in The Flash #110...
. It was first mentioned in The Flash #110 (December 1959).
Location
Like many fictional cities, the "real world" location has not been specified. In the FlashFlash (comics)
The Flash is a name shared by several fictional comic book superheroes from the DC Comics universe. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Harry Lampert, the original Flash first appeared in Flash Comics #1 ....
story arc Year One: Born to Run, writer Mark Waid
Mark Waid
Mark Waid is an American comic book writer. He is well known for his eight-year run as writer of the DC Comics' title The Flash, as well as his scripting of the limited series Kingdom Come and Superman: Birthright, and his work on Marvel Comics' Captain America...
placed Blue Valley in Nebraska
Nebraska
Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
. According to Mayfair Games’ The Atlas of the DC Universe (1990) Blue Valley is "situated on the northeastern edge of Nebraska, twenty-five miles southwest of Sioux Falls, South Dakota
South Dakota
South Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...
."
In the late 1990s, Blue Valley was used by writer Geoff Johns
Geoff Johns
Geoff Johns is an American comic book writer, best known for his work for DC Comics, where he has been Chief Creative Officer since February 2010, in particular for characters such as Green Lantern, The Flash and Superman...
as a backdrop for the adventures of Courtney Whitmore at the start of her career as the second Star-Spangled Kid
Star-Spangled Kid
Star-Spangled Kid is the name of several fictional superheroes in the DC Comics' main shared universe.-Sylvester Pemberton:The original Star-Spangled Kid was Sylvester Pemberton, a Golden Age character. He became the Star-Spangled Kid in order to battle Nazism during World War II. He was unique...
and her adoptive father, Pat "Stripesy" Dugan in the pages of Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E.
Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E.
Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E. was an American comic book published by DC Comics, featuring the second Star-Spangled Kid and her stepfather, the original version's sidekick Stripesy. It was first published in July 1999 and ran for fourteen issues...
Johns narrowed down the location of Blue Valley to specify Douglas
Douglas County, Nebraska
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 463,585 people, 182,194 households, and 115,146 families residing in the county. The population density was 1,401 people per square mile . There were 192,672 housing units at an average density of 582 per square mile...
, Saunders
Saunders County, Nebraska
-History:Saunders County was established by an 1856 act of the Nebraska Territorial Legislature; its boundaries were redefined in 1858. The county was originally named after John C...
and Lancaster
Lancaster County, Nebraska
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 250,291 people, 99,187 households, and 60,702 families residing in the county. The population density was 298 people per square mile . There were 104,217 housing units at an average density of 124 per square mile...
Counties in JSA
Justice Society of America
The Justice Society of America, or JSA, is a DC Comics superhero group, the first team of superheroes in comic book history. Conceived by editor Sheldon Mayer and writer Gardner Fox, the JSA first appeared in All Star Comics #3 ....
# 81 in 2006.
Fictional history and background
Blue Valley has a chapter of the official Flash Fan Club, with Wally West as its President. It also has its own college, which Wally West attends after resigning from the Teen Titans.Nexus of Space and Time
In JLA Secret Files #1 (September 1997), Blue Valley is the starting point for one of the many invasion attempts of StarroStarro
Starro is a fictional supervillain that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Brave and the Bold #28 , and was created by Gardner Fox and Mike Sekowsky....
. In terms of the story, it is presented as the first time the JLA encounters Starro, though it takes place after the "current" JLA team is asked to leave their spaceship base.
The current JLA team, minus the Flash, who had been captured after Blue Valley asks him for help, plans to enter the town. A message from Starro shows property damage to Blue Valley, burning cars in the street and random small fires. The Spectre
Spectre (comics)
The Spectre is a fictional character and superhero who has appeared in numerous comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in a next issue ad in More Fun Comics #51 and received his first story the following month, #52...
shows up to prevent the team from entering. The Spectre shows a vision of the future; if the super-powered JLA enter, Starro will take them, the first step in a plan that results in the conquering of known space and time. The JLA have the Spectre remove their powers and manage, with only the destruction of an office building, to destroy Starro's machinery.
Starro again
Starro returns to Blue Valley in JLA #22 (September 1998), this time putting the entire American continent to sleep, except for those it had affected in its previous visit, namely the JLA and the residents of Blue Valley. The combined forces of the heroes, the dreams of a homeless Blue Valley man and Daniel of the DreamingDaniel Hall
Daniel Hall is a fictional character in the Sandman comic book series written by Neil Gaiman and published by DC Comics. An infant for the majority of the Sandman series, he is the son of Hippolyta 'Lyta' Hall and Hector Hall, borne for two years in the Dreaming Daniel Hall is a fictional character...
drive it away this time.
Two other superheroes, Pat Dugan and Courtney Whitmore, have lived in Blue Valley. It is unclear whether they are free from potential Starro brainwashing.
In Day of Judgement #1, Blue Valley suffers an invasion of "dead guys" as Captain Marvel
Captain Marvel (DC Comics)
Captain Marvel is a fictional comic book superhero, originally published by Fawcett Comics and later by DC Comics. Created in 1939 by artist C. C. Beck and writer Bill Parker, the character first appeared in Whiz Comics #2...
puts it. Marvel, Pat, and Dugan assist in protecting the town.