The Flash: Clothes Makeup Gift

**Clothes Makeup Gift** is a Jess Chambers story written by Danny Lore and illustrated by Lisa Sterle for DC COmics' DC Pride #1 anthology.

## Locations

* Central City
	+ The Flash Museum

## Production

After having written Wonder Woman Agent of Peace #15 and Truth & Justice #3, Danny Lore was asked by editor Michael McCalister if they would be interested in writing a story for Jess Chambers. Having been a vocal fan of the character ever since news had initially broken about the non-binary speedster, Danny had a couple ideas that they wanted to execute. "Clothes Makeup Gift" set out to play with what Jess has in common with the Flash legacy before them and where their personality contrasted with one major point being informed by how Danny was able to relate with Wally West due to their own ADHD. "a lot of his experience of trying to interact with people while being at warp speed - which is kind of my lived experience. That, for me, is an iconic part of the Flashes. But I wanted to play with how that looks different with Jess."

Danny's lived experiences informed the story in other ways as well, as the author and Jess Chambers are both non-binary.The fashion thing is really fun and cute, but it was also very intentional about being non-binary. [...] it was really important for me that, if Jess is non-binary, we see that doesn't necessarily mean presenting in a particular definition of androgynous." Serving as a mini-tribute to Mad Love, the scene allowed for Danny the opportunity to be the first genderqueer author to dive into that aspect of the character. "I feel like a lot of times - in part because we have not yet reached an equilibrium of genderqueer writers writing those big name, newer genderqueer characters - there is a concern about what that presentation looks like that kind of prevents that presentation from being a spectrum." The author also noted "It is a very different choice for me to decide to write a scene in which I say, 'cool. Here, Jess is gonna wear a skirt. And in this other page, they're not going to wear a skirt.' It is different contextually if a non-binary person is putting their experience into that story than if the decisions for non-binary characters are being made by people who don't live that experience. A non-binary writer deciding whether or not a non-binary character has dysphoria is a different thing."

When coming up with the story's antagonist, Danny messaged Michael McCalister to tell him they would prefer to give Jess their own villain to fight rather than have them go up against random thugs. As a result, the new villain Reflek came to be. Inspired by 70's fashion revival, Danny asked artist Lisa Sterle if it was possible to do a disco outfit without being tacky. Lisa, going through a disco phase at the time herself, shot back outfit designs within days with a Disco Ball motif serving as a tie to Flash rogue Mirror Master.

### Production Art

Pg. 1 line art.Pg. 2 line art.Pg. 3 line art.Pg. 4 line art.Pg. 5 line art.Pg. 6 line art.Pg. 7 line art.Pg. 8 line art.
1. ↑ McGuire, L. (2021b). DC's Non-Binary Flash Story Continues In New Preview. *ScreenRant*. https://screenrant.com/dc-new-flash-jess-chambers-non-binary-pride-interview-dc/