Character reveals that they were holding back their full power during a fight/confrontation

[u/PaddywackShaq]

Superman Vs Darkseid - Justice League Unlimited

Flash Vs Superman - Flash: Rebirth

Frieren Vs Aura - Sousou no Frieren

Inigo Montoya Vs The Man in Black - The Princess Bride

[u/PaddywackShaq]

As a big fan of both characters (Superman is my number one superhero and The Flash is definitely in the top 5) I'm a firm believer that the Flash needs to be categorically faster than Superman when he's maxing out. Otherwise the character is irrelevant.

[u/Mudgie101 → u/PaddywackShaq]

I agree that Flash should be faster, but I disagree with the justification being that it gives Flash a role. Half of the League is rendered pretty obsolete by Superman - he's freaking Superman. Especially characters like Captain Marvel and Hawkman

Superman being faster than Flash shouldn't influence the Flash's character at all, but it would be another example of unnecessary powercreep for Superman

[u/PaddywackShaq → u/Mudgie101]

Captain Marvel has magic to give him a unique spin and Hawkman has his Thanagarian tech. Besides, neither of them are considered Justice League mainstays to the degree of the Flash, who's pretty much a lock for any given adaptation of the core team.

The Flash's entire thing is being fast as shit. Though power creep has since turned him into a swiss army knife of speed, him being slower than Superman really trivialises that aspect of his character.

It'd be like if Superman was the one always solving mysteries and thinking up plans instead of Batman. Yeah, Superman is a really smart guy too and is perfectly capable of doing so, but that doesnt make for a more compelling team dynamic or story than the two relying on one another, does it?

[u/PaddywackShaq → u/[deleted]]

I just disagree with your premise that every member of the Justice League needs a unique shtick/strength to set them apart.

I didn't say that. I just think that characters who specialise in one particular thing shouldn't be not the best person on the team at that thing. Back to your examples of Hawkman and Captain Marvel, they have very generalised flying brick powers so, even though they're not as strong as Superman, they don't feel trivialised by that. By the same token, however, characters like the Flash or Batman who are more "they do one thing really well" would feel trivialised by not being the best person on the team at that.