Red Rush (Earth-7419)

"Olga, please! You can't see things as fast as I can! My perception is just as fast as I am! The briefest conversation with anyone seems like hours to me! It's agony!"

- Red Rush explaining to his wife why he can't sit still

Early Life&Getting His Powers (1989-2006)
When Josef was a boy, his parents' relationship wasn't going well, and while he prepared to participate in a spelling bee at school, his mother Nora was struggling to encourage him despite working double shifts and trying to get a divorce from his father Henry. He received the divorce papers on the day of the spelling bee, and because Nora had to work, he seethed and took Josef to school. When Nora returned from work, she was happy to see that her son had won the competition, but she was obligated to speak to Henry about their relationship, and so Josef was sent to the bookstore in the meantime. By the time Josef returned, however, his mother had been murdered, and his father had been placed under arrest, though he professed his innocence. Fortunately, Darryl Frye, who had secretly been involved romantically with Nora, pulled some strings and was able to take Josef in. For years, Josef visited his father in prison, promising to look over all of the evidence of his mother's murder case until he found a way to prove his innocence. As an adult, Josef's life of searching for answers about his mother lead him to becoming a forensic scientist for the Central City Police Department. Because the years in prison had worn on him, Henry gave up hope, broke down in tears, and admitted to his son that he had committed the crime. The shock of realizing that all of his efforts had been for nothing depressed Josef. On the night of a storm, Josef angrily tore his lab apart. Suddenly, a bolt of lightning crashed through his lab's window and struck him in the chest, causing him to drop the chemical vials he was carrying and douse himself. After a 4 month long months in a coma after the accident, Josef woke with super-speed abilities. Inspired by Darryl's example, Josef decided to take on a symbol for himself and fight for good. He designed a red costume with two "R"'s on the chest facing away from each other, and became the hero Red Rush, the fastest man alive.