The Flash hero's death remains DC's most controversial two years later

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By

Derek Faraci

Published May 10, 2026, 8:00 PM EDT

Derek is the Training Lead for ScreenRant. Before his current position, he spent 20 years working in games, TV, and film while also writing for several entertainment sites.** Derek is also the co-host of three pop culture podcasts: Across the Omniverse, The Bad Batch, and Watch Men.

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If there's a big comic book event, you can be pretty sure a few C and D-list characters will die. They won't be the important death, but they will help show just how serious things are. Usually, these deaths will go by with little fanfare; after all, characters like Baby Wildebeest and Ballistic don't have deep connections to the bigger heroes. Their deaths are really just there to help the reader understand how dire things are for the big heroes. But, sometimes, a D-lister ends up playing a major role in the story, and doesn't just die so we can all see how tough the villain is. Sometimes they die in order to save the day, and no one cares.

That's what happened in Titans: Beast World_, DC's first major crossover after the Justice League disbanded, and the Titans became the premier superhero team of the universe. In the series, written by Tom Taylor with art by Ivan Reis and Danny Miki, Garth Logan, aka Beast Boy, turns himself into Starro, aka Garro, in order to stop an all-destroying being from killing everything on Earth. Amanda Waller ends up being a real jerk and makes Beast Boy forget his true self, trapping him in his Garro form. Garro then sends out little starfish to infect everyone on Earth, turning people into animals.

In order to stop Garro, Amanda Waller brings in Chester P. Runk, aka Chunk, who has the ability to open up a black hole that sucks things into a pocket universe that exists inside of him. Chunk does what he's been sent to do, and pulls Garro into the pocket dimension. Sadly, in saving the world from Garro, Chunk sacrifices himself. Not far away, watching all of this, is Wally West, aka Flash, who has absolutely no reaction. For longtime Flash fans, that was pretty surprising, because Chunk is one of Wally's closest pals**.

Chunk And Flash Were Quick To Fight, But Became Fast Friends

Created by Mike Baron and Jackson Guice, Chunk started off as a new villain for Flash to face off against. Angry at the world and having an endless need to absorb matter or else be sucked into the pocket dimension that resides inside him, Chunk was going around sucking up people who were rude to him as well as diamonds and yachts and anything else he could get his hands on. Soon enough, Chunk even pulled Flash into his pocket universe.

Inside the pocket universe, Flash deals with some monsters and people who have been driven mad by being in there before he finally convinces Chunk to release everyone. From there, Chunk begins to use his powers for good. And for profit. Chunk opens a business where he teleports anything companies want to his pocket dimension. Garbage, toxic waste. As long as it wouldn't be illegal, he's all for it. This, in turn, make Chunk a very rich man - he even buys the mansion Wally West lost when he went bankrupt and hires Wally's mom as his personal assistant.

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Through it all, the friendship between Chunk and Flash grows. And while they stopped hanging out as much once Chunk got married (to Wally's ex), they continued to be pals. In the years between, Chunk even had a kid, Chester Runk the Second. They both died in Titans: Beast World_ #4. And Wally West seems totally fine with it.

Flash Let His Friend's Killers Go Free

While Chunk was killed saving the world from Garro, his son was shot in the head by Peacemaker when Peacemaker was sent to get him. No one has ever truly mourned for either of them. In Titans: Beast World #5, Amanda Waller gives a speech to the world telling them about Chunk and his son. The speech is filled with lies, saying that it was Beast Boy who killed Chunk's son, and that Chunk volunteered to help (he was taken against his will).

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Somehow, Wally West has no reaction to any of this. Not in the issue. Not in the series. Not since. Heck, later in issue #5, Wally is shown smiling and joking around. Nightwing takes down Peacemaker and Amanda Waller's schemes are ended. At the end of the event, Beast Boy returns from the dead. But Chunk and his son? Still very much not alive. Considering how much Chunk was a part of the story of Wally West — and that he was even added to the Arrowverse series — it seems impossible to believe that no one at DC Comics has ever had Wally discuss losing his friend. Chunk was at Wally's wedding, but Wally has never mourned him. He never even confronted Waller and Peacemaker over it.

This isn't something that would have needed a one-shot or a story in Flash's comic. Just a simple mention in Titans: Beast World_ would have done it. Chester P. Runk was a D-list character, but he deserved better than being little more than a plot device.

The Flash

Created By**

Gardner Fox, Harry Lampert, Carmine Infantino

First Appearance

Flash Comics

Alias

Jay Garrick, Barry Allen, Wally West, Bart Allen, Avery Ho

Alliance

Justice Society of America, Justice League, Teen Titans

Race

Human

Franchise

D.C.