Should Black Wally West Get His Name Changed?

[Güicho]

The Flash TV show could not have two speedsters with green eyes and reddish hair, hence the casting choice for TV Wally.

Actually you are wrong, he was introduced in the comics New 52 reboot first.
The TV show cast Wally to match him as he already existed in the comics.

[KC]

No. I can't think of a good way for DC to do it that would not make the original Wally look awful for making this kid (who has been called Wally all his life) change his name.

[Badou]

Then again, DC could just go ahead and kill off white red-headed Wally West and eliminate any confusion . . .

As to "black Wally West", in this continuity he did appear first; why should he have to change instead of "Johnny-come-lately-from-the-Speed-Force" red-headed Wally?

Umm... they basically did that. Real Wally was erased from continuity and I don't think DC editorial planned to bring him back as Black Wally was supposed to replace the real Wally and be the Wally West going forward. In the New 52 Flash book Buccellato and Manapul tried to bring the real Wally back in their run but DC wouldn't let them do it.

[MajorHoy]

Umm... they basically did that. Real Wally was erased from continuity and I don't think DC editorial planned to bring him back as Black Wally was supposed to replace the real Wally and be the Wally West going forward. In the New 52 Flash book Buccellato and Manapul tried to bring the real Wally back in their run but DC wouldn't let them do it.

But Geoff Johns (the man responsible for that awful and useless retcon of killing Barry's mother off when he was younger) went and brought back red-headed Wally, but what has DC done with red-headed Wally since then?

[Assam]

Umm... they basically did that. Real Wally was erased from continuity and I don't think DC editorial planned to bring him back as Black Wally was supposed to replace the real Wally and be the Wally West going forward. In the New 52 Flash book Buccellato and Manapul tried to bring the real Wally back in their run but DC wouldn't let them do it.

1. NuWally was DEFINITELY intended to be a full on replacement.
2. Others may be serious about Wally being the one to change his name, but MajorHoy is joking. It's what he does.

[sakuyamons]

But Geoff Johns (the man responsible for that awful and useless retcon of killing Barry's mother off when he was younger) went and brought back red-headed Wally, but what has DC done with red-headed Wally since then?

He got a pacemaker, that's a bold, new direction

[Badou]

Actually you are wrong, he was introduced in the comics New 52 reboot first.
The TV show cast Wally to match him as he already existed in the comics.

Black Wally was meant to align with the Flash TV show. He appeared a few month before Wally appeared in the TV show I believe, but we know that DC/WB already knew that Wally would be black in the TV as soon as they cast Iris and planned out Wally probably around then too. So the TV show dictated the comic version and not the other way around.

[Badou]

But Geoff Johns (the man responsible for that awful and useless retcon of killing Barry's mother off when he was younger) went and brought back red-headed Wally, but what has DC done with red-headed Wally since then?

They've put him in a Titans book that is basically a containment book for characters DC doesn't know what to do with. It is all very exciting and by exciting I mean horribly dull and boring, lol.

[Güicho]

I seriously doubt most people associate Wally West with the TV show version,

I hope you don't gauge "most people" by what you see on these boards. LOL!

Also keeping the character named the same because of the TV show you run into problems once the show ends. 5 or 10 years after the Flash TV show ends are we sill going to have two different Wally Wests running around? The show has a very finite life and keeping a character based off a show like that will end badly for the character in the long run. To avoid that they need to make this black Wally character independent so he isn't just a memory from some CW TV show years down the road that DC doesn't know what to do with.

TV shows can leave pretty long lasting impression on the general public, more than the comics.
Probably another factor will be Flash movie franchise if/when it ever launches, and how they tackle Wally West there, will have a major impact well beyond the comic on the public perception of what Wally West looks like.

[Jackalope89]

I hope you don't gauge "most people" by what you see on these boards. LOL!


TV shows can leave pretty long lasting impression on the general public, more than the comics.
Probably another factor will be Flash movie franchise if/when it ever launches, and how they tackle Wally West there, will have a major impact on the public perception of what Wally West looks like.

Can't forget Young Justice. That series had quite the impact, and season 3 is in the works right now.

[SiegePerilous02]

God yes, change it to anything else. Having two Kid Flashes, with the same exact name, the same exact relationship with Iris (both by blood and interpersonal), same exact costume, idolize the Flash and are kinda iffy on Barry before learning the secret, and no discernible difference in personality beyond generic teenage sidekick is too much. Honestly, if having a Kid Flash named Wally was something needed, Rebirth (or even earlier in the New 52) should have just de-aged ginger Wally and have him fulfill the role again. It would actually be a role with purpose, unlike what he as now.

[Assam]

Honestly, if having a Kid Flash named Wally was something needed, Rebirth (or even earlier in the New 52) should have just de-aged ginger Wally and have him fulfill the role again. It would actually be a role with purpose, unlike what he as now.

1. Again, NuWally was meant to be the one and only Wally when he was created.
2. Do you honestly the majority of Wally fans would be happy with him being Kid Flash again? I know you still call him Kid Flash now, but you're the only one.

[SiegePerilous02]

1. Again, NuWally was meant to be the one and only Wally when he was created.
2. Do you honestly the majority of Wally fans would be happy with him being Kid Flash again? I know you still call him Kid Flash now, but you're the only one.

1. And it was an experiment that failed, so it probably shouldn't have happened. And I don't think many tears would be shed for losing New 52 Wally, such as he was at the time. At least he's more likeable now.
2. No they would not, but ideally a full reboot (if it had to happen) would have been a clean slate, and Wally being de-aged with a fresh start (along with the others of his generation) would have been better than just vanishing into limbo for five years. Or honestly better than the "he can't be THE Flash or Kid Flash, so he's just sort of there" thing that's going on now until they think outside the box and do something new with him, which hopefully they will do soon.

Um...when have I ever called him, as he is now, Kid Flash? Because he isn't.

[Güicho]

Black Wally was meant to align with the Flash TV show. He appeared a few month before Wally appeared in the TV show I believe, but we know that DC/WB already knew that Wally would be black in the TV as soon as they cast Iris and planned out Wally probably around then too. So the TV show dictated the comic version and not the other way around.

Fair enough.
Although then it's probably more the casting of Iris which dictated the shift in look for TV and then comic Wally
Not TV Barry's green eyes and brown hair as was claimed, LOL!

[Lightning Rider]

God yes, change it to anything else. Having two Kid Flashes, with the same exact name, the same exact relationship with Iris (both by blood and interpersonal), same exact costume, idolize the Flash and are kinda iffy on Barry before learning the secret, and no discernible difference in personality beyond generic teenage sidekick is too much. Honestly, if having a Kid Flash named Wally was something needed, Rebirth (or even earlier in the New 52) should have just de-aged ginger Wally and have him fulfill the role again. It would actually be a role with purpose, unlike what he as now.

Yes, it's awfully redundant.