Tom King's Thoughts On Wally West

[Denirac]

Then eventually someone else will take Didio’s spot and Wally will become a good person again. These are comics they go in cycles. Look at Hydra Cap. That is all forgotten now.

So because she trying to do good we will forget her previous crimes, same thing will happen to Wally eventually.

Hydra Cap is still a Thing- He’s in the Current Cap run where he bribed a Presidential Pardon from the President

[Restingvoice]

And then he comes back and they’re like “hey, you’re hope, you’re rebirth, this is wonderful for you,” and he’s like “yeah, and where’s my family?”
They’re like “no, no, don’t think about that. Just ignore that, you’re rebirth now, you’re hope.”
I feel like it’s that moment that people come back from being overseas, and they get off and they’re home and they’re like “oh, that’s great, you’re a soldier, thank you for your service, you’re a hero now.”
And how am I going to live life as a symbol for America when all I can feel inside is like I’ve lost something, you know?

I have a big issue on this take.

Yes, it makes sense for Wally to be stressed out knowing what he knows and unable to do anything about it, but this whole thing is caused by DC delaying the conclusion of Rebirth.

So it's like King taking a flaw from DC's publication and make it a story about how Wally reacting negatively to that, in a story, which makes DC earn a lot of money from that.

Instead of fixing the story, they make the characters went through the effect of them not able to finish their story and make money from it.

That. That's my big problem. Not only they promised something in Rebirth and failed to keep that promise, but they're also making money off the story about that failure and sacrifice the character that's supposed to be written positively around that promise.

I don't know if King is aware of that, but Heroes in Crisis could be a really heartfelt story, an objectively good story, I don't read it, I don't know, I don't care, because this is how they handle things at DC. It's disgusting.

They have a choice to fill that delay with something positive to Wally. They didn't.

[cranger]

but this whole thing is caused by DC delaying the conclusion of Rebirth.

It was a one-shot. There was never anything that was going to bring back his kids, at least not anytime soon. Maybe someone down the road will decide to do that. But as it was, Wally was just back. They never promised anything other than to tell stories that mattered. I think this mattered.

[Potanical Pardon]

DC Comics been in a Great Dark Age since the moment Sue Dibney was murdered. There been good stuff but in terms of style and overall direction its been way to dark. I think been one the reasons dc been in trouble. In ways trying to be to much like Marvel and coming off like Marvel lite. I got nothing against darker or edgier stuff but there has to be right balance.

Completely agree.

[Restingvoice]

It was a one-shot. There was never anything that was going to bring back his kids, at least not anytime soon. Maybe someone down the road will decide to do that. But as it was, Wally was just back. They never promised anything other than to tell stories that mattered. I think this mattered.

The premise is bringing back the things that were missing from New 52. It's vague enough to make people come back and hoping for any specific things and the one-shot story is written as if to set up a great return to form, otherwise they don't even have to mention his family. It's dishonest.

But let's say his family doesn't come back.

They can just, say, make him completely forgot about his family, and move on in continuity with new stories, and I'll accept that as long as it's positive, but instead, they bring it back, stress him out, and this happened.

There are so many paths they can choose. They can choose to bring the family back right now, they can choose to write a regular superhero story without the family, they can build up a new continuity, they can make Wally slowly romance Linda again, leading up to the future where he can make a family again, but they choose this.

Superman Reborn has Mr. Mxy return the old Superman continuity (for the most part) and a brand new family in just 4 issues... was it? They can do something like that with the Speed Force.

It doesn't have to be this way is my point.

[cranger]

It doesn't have to be this way is my point.

I do not disagree, but at some point they had to do something to distinguish him from Barry and I doubt family man was anything anyone wanted to write.

Spoilers in the following link, but it is pretty close to my take on this book, especially the ending, but I say this as someone who only really was introduced to Wally properly in Rebirth, but that story made me excited about DC again, but basically the way Wally was the perfect character for Rebirth, he is the perfect character here

https://screenrant.com/heroes-crisis...lers-dc-comic/

It might not make you like where they are taking Wally afterwards, but HiC #9 shows King sees Wally as someone that does represent everything Rebirth was meant to bring back.

[Hol]

It was a one-shot. There was never anything that was going to bring back his kids, at least not anytime soon. Maybe someone down the road will decide to do that. But as it was, Wally was just back. They never promised anything other than to tell stories that mattered. I think this mattered.

THIS mattered? HIC? I guess to each their own but that just baffles me.

[Frontier]

It was a one-shot. There was never anything that was going to bring back his kids, at least not anytime soon. Maybe someone down the road will decide to do that. But as it was, Wally was just back. They never promised anything other than to tell stories that mattered. I think this mattered.

Mattered in probably the worst way possible for Wally...

[Restingvoice]

I do not disagree, but at some point they had to do something to distinguish him from Barry and I doubt family man was anything anyone wanted to write.

Spoilers in the following link, but it is pretty close to my take on this book, especially the ending, but I say this as someone who only really was introduced to Wally properly in Rebirth, but that story made me excited about DC again, but basically the way Wally was the perfect character for Rebirth, he is the perfect character here

https://screenrant.com/heroes-crisis...lers-dc-comic/

It might not make you like where they are taking Wally afterward, but HiC #9 shows King sees Wally as someone that does represent everything Rebirth was meant to bring back.

I can sorta see it... that the whole story is one huge metaphor of a healing journey, that the manslaughter is a metaphor of when people mental health problem can lash out negatively on people they care about when they're at their worst, and I can see how Wally helping himself can be taken as an inspiring thing to help yourself, taking responsibility and all that...

...I just don't think this is the right story in continuity. I think this is a story that works way better if it's standalone because the in-continuity story will relate to the DCU at large. Especially with the news of Sanctuary out I find it hard to believe Amanda Waller doesn't just swoop in and call everything off.

Outside the story, Readers will view in-continuity stories first as a literal thing than the metaphorical. In fact, all the symbolism can fly right above people's head, especially when the marketing was WHO WILL DIE? WHO IS THE KILLER? Not King's responsibility, but that's also a thing. This story never stands alone. When the marketing yell WHO IS THE KILLER, what people remember is WALLY IS THE KILLER, regardless of what the story actually is.

Then for me personally, I already said it in my first post that this could be the most heartfelt story and I still won't be able to support it because of everything that leads to this point. I don't want to send the message that their marketing work. One day maybe, years later, I can pick up the trade to see the story as King envision it, but not now. Not in this situation.

As for DC direction, if family men are not what they want to do to the point that the fans are skeptical, then this whole thing isn't for me. I mean I already know at this point DC main continuity isn't for me, but I've seen what they can do, so I still have one ear up for any sign that they might do something that makes me happy.

[cranger]

Mattered in probably the worst way possible for Wally...

I'm a Cyclops fan, to me this feels like AvX. Lots of OOC and other face palm moments, and I did not like where they were going with Cyclops but I felt the conclusion of the story, especially when interpreted by Gillen, was an important moment. If people want to see a bad fate for a character they can read IvX, no one looked good as a result of that. While this might not be the ending Wally fans wanted, it was a message that I don't think there was a better choice of character to use.

...I just don't think this is the right story in continuity. I think this is a story that works way better if it's standalone because the in-continuity story will relate to the DCU at large. Especially with the news of Sanctuary out I find it hard to believe Amanda Waller doesn't just swoop in and call everything off.

For sure, this story did not have to happen, and I often found myself squirming at the amount of meta/deconstructionism going on.

[BohemiaDrinker]

While this might not be the ending Wally fans wanted, it was a message that I don't think there was a better choice of character to use..

I'm sorry, but I have to ask: have you read anything else with Wally?

There couldn't be a worst pick for this mess. Literally every single character would fit this story better. (*Not that it needed to be told. It didn't).

[cranger]

I'm sorry, but I have to ask: have you read anything else with Wally?

There couldn't be a worst pick for this mess. Literally every single character would fit this story better. (*Not that it needed to be told. It didn't).

My experience is limited to DC Rebirth and a the first arc of Titans (Rebirth.)

Question: what about Wally makes him a bad choice? I am going to guess that we just have different takeaways from this story because I think the way Wally manages to find the strength reveal to the world the pain and makes it easier for others to find hope in dealing with it fits very much with the spirit of what Wally was bring back to DC.

[Frontier]

My experience is limited to DC Rebirth and a the first arc of Titans (Rebirth.)

Question: what about Wally makes him a bad choice? I am going to guess that we just have different takeaways from this story because I think the way Wally manages to find the strength reveal to the world the pain and makes it easier for others to find hope in dealing with it fits very much with the spirit of what Wally was bring back to DC.

Just that how he was written and handled in this story seems to fly in the face of everything Wally represents within the DCU and as a character.

But nothing genuinely "hopeful" comes across to me in Heroes in Crisis. Otherwise Wally wouldn't be where he is.

[king81992]

I'm a Cyclops fan, to me this feels like AvX. Lots of OOC and other face palm moments, and I did not like where they were going with Cyclops but I felt the conclusion of the story, especially when interpreted by Gillen, was an important moment. If people want to see a bad fate for a character they can read IvX, no one looked good as a result of that. While this might not be the ending Wally fans wanted, it was a message that I don't think there was a better choice of character to use.

For sure, this story did not have to happen, and I often found myself squirming at the amount of meta/deconstructionism going on.

There are plenty of other characters who could have worked for this story instead of Wally. As things are now, they basically character assassinated Wally just to give him a redemption arc in the future. Why put Wally in a situation where he needs a redemption arc when you could use a character who is already traumatized and give them a redemption arc?

[Talon1load]

My experience is limited to DC Rebirth and a the first arc of Titans (Rebirth.)

Question: what about Wally makes him a bad choice? I am going to guess that we just have different takeaways from this story because I think the way Wally manages to find the strength reveal to the world the pain and makes it easier for others to find hope in dealing with it fits very much with the spirit of what Wally was bring back to DC.

He strength to reveal his pain? You mean his confession to murder after he gets caught trying to kill himself? Or another of the Sanctuary recordings that’s never supposed to be saved in the first place. Nothing in this series showed strength. Just weakness and selfishness.