Barry Allen 1986-2009

[CTTT]

I'm curious to see why DC put him on ice for so long, or if their intention was to put Barry on ice permanently. If it was permanent, I'm guessing it was because Wally proved to be a fan favorite once he took the Flash mantle. But if it wasn't why didn't they bring him back sooner?

[Johnny]

I imagine if Wally didn't take off as well as he did, they would've likely brought Barry back sooner. But Wally was and still is the best example of a successful legacy character, and besides the entire reason he became The Flash was to honor Barry's memory. So it was both due to the success of the character, as well as the "sacred" memory of Barry's sacrifice.

[Jim Kelly]

Yet when they did a Flash TV show in 1990, it was Barry Allen that they used for the series--and there was THE FLASH TV SPECIAL (1991) comic book, with two stories about that Barry. I have to wonder if the series had been more successful and gone on for a few years, if that might have pushed DC to bring him back from the dead.

I think a lot of this is people in charge of DC not wanting to blink. They made certain decisions after COIE and they didn't want to appear weak by reversing themselves. It was only once Jenette Kahn and Paul Levitz were both gone that a lot of post-Crisis continuity has been retconned away.

[Jekyll]

Yet when they did a Flash TV show in 1990, it was Barry Allen that they used for the series--and there was THE FLASH TV SPECIAL (1991) comic book, with two stories about that Barry. I have to wonder if the series had been more successful and gone on for a few years, if that might have pushed DC to bring him back from the dead.

I think a lot of this is people in charge of DC not wanting to blink. They made certain decisions after COIE and they didn't want to appear weak by reversing themselves. It was only once Jenette Kahn and Paul Levitz were both gone that a lot of post-Crisis continuity has been retconned away.

I have that comic and it was stated that the creators of the TV show used Barry because they couldn't stand Wally. To be fair at that time it was still fairly early in Wally's run and he had been a jerk in the comic, but he was beginning to grow out of it.

[babyblob]

I Really loved the 90s tv show. I got it on dvd for Christmas a couple of years back. I am really glad they did Barry over Wally as he is my favorite Flash.

I am also glad they didnt bring Barry back for so long. In a world where character deaths are reconned every few issues it was a great change of pace.

[Jim Kelly]

I don't think the FLASH (starring Wally West) was a proven success from the get-go. It was probably the Mark Waid run that established Wally's hold on the title. And he did that by honouring the legacy of Barry and Iris. Even though Barry had died, he was a continuing presence in the comics (and the subject of many flashback tales) and through his sacrifice he became one of DC's greatest heroes.

[Lee Stone]

Plus, DC isn't a thinking entity on its own.

The people in charge in 1986 were worlds apart from the people in charge in 2009.

[Dr. Ellingham]

I'm curious to see why DC put him on ice for so long

Because DC's publisher in the early 1980s, Jeannette Kahn, wanted Barry killed off in their universe-resetting 1985/1986 crossover - Crisis on Infinite Earths. The writer of Crisis - Marv Wolfman, didn't want to do that, but wasn't given a choice.

Their intent was to recreate the Flash as a new, female character with electrical powers instead of speed powers. But that fell through. So having Wally West pick up Barry's uniform and job was a late change to their post-Crisis plans.

And it worked well enough. The early sales weren't great; apparently the book was close to cancellation in the early 1990s. But then writer Mark Waid took over, and his run turned Flash into one of DC's most successful (and best) solo books of the mid/late 90s.

Once Jeannette Kahn left DC in 2002, the people in charge were less adamant about not changing Crisis' various outcomes. Barry came back a few years after that.

[Dred]

I imagine if Wally didn't take off as well as he did, they would've likely brought Barry back sooner. But Wally was and still is the best example of a successful legacy character, and besides the entire reason he became The Flash was to honor Barry's memory. So it was both due to the success of the character, as well as the "sacred" memory of Barry's sacrifice.

Waid has mentioned multiple times there was always the looming threat of Barry coming back to replace Wally if sales ever faltered.

[Frontier]

Some would argue that we haven't really gotten Barry back, or at least the Barry that died in the Crisis.

[Bruce Wayne]

Once Jeannette Kahn left DC in 2002, the people in charge were less adamant about not changing Crisis' various outcomes. Barry came back a few years after that.

To be more exact Dan Didio who had been promoted to executive editor in 10/2004 had made it his life mission at DC to bring back Barry and Hal and restore Barbara as Batgirl. Barry's return in Final Crisis was actually Didio's 3rd attempt, the previous two in Infinite Crisis and Lightning Saga (JSA/JLA crossover) both fell through before he got what he wanted. Some would argue he did it by deliberately undermining the sales on the Flash book to the point that DC editorial and tptb agreed to the Barry option.

[Buried Alien]

Because DC's publisher in the early 1980s, Jeannette Kahn, wanted Barry killed off in their universe-resetting 1985/1986 crossover - Crisis on Infinite Earths. The writer of Crisis - Marv Wolfman, didn't want to do that, but wasn't given a choice.

Once Jeannette Kahn left DC in 2002, the people in charge were less adamant about not changing Crisis' various outcomes. Barry came back a few years after that.

Love Jeannette and all she did for DC during the late 1970s - early 2000s, but her policy on Barry was made of the same stuff as any Didio edict against Wally in present times. Whether you're in the Barry camp or Wally camp...Jeanette or Dan...passing edicts denying fans their favorites is just...dumb.

Buried Alien (The Fastest Post Alive!)

[Bruce Wayne]

Except you know she actually had creative vision and ability and was the architect of the post-Crisis era under which DC had a creative renaissance with stuff like the O'Neil Batman era, the post Crisis Superman and Vertigo (not to mention Perez WW, Wally as Flash, Watchment, etc). Didio has done nothing that's comparable other than undoing her accomplishments and trying to set himself up as the new Jim Shooter only to fail time and time ago at that. Meanwhile DC's sales suffered and people like Morrison, Johns and Snyder were there to pull DC's fat from the fire while stuff like One Year Later, Countdown to Final and New 52 blew up in Didio's face.

[Buried Alien]

Except you know she actually had creative vision and ability and was the architect of the post-Crisis era under which DC had a creative renaissance with stuff like the O'Neil Batman era, the post Crisis Superman and Vertigo (not to mention Perez WW, Wally as Flash, Watchment, etc). Didio has done nothing that's comparable other than undoing her accomplishments and trying to set himself up as the new Jim Shooter only to fail time and time ago at that. Meanwhile DC's sales suffered and people like Morrison, Johns and Snyder were there to pull DC's fat from the fryer while stuff like One Year Later, Countdown and New 52 blew up in Didio face.

O'Neil Batman was the early 1970s, before Jeanette came on to the scene.

But the point isn't to compare her resume with Dan's: it's to point out that both supported edicts against specific versions of the Flash that didn't do any favors for fans of either version.

Buried Alien (The Fastest Post Alive!)

[Bruce Wayne]

O'Neil Batman was the early 1970s, before Jeanette came on to the scene.

O'Neil was editor of the Batbooks under her until sometime in the 00s when Kahn left and he got fired. Under him you had Chuck Dixon, Alan Grant and Doug Moench on the batbooks. The Nightwing and Robin ongoings, LotDK, Cassandra Cain, Oracle, Knightfall, Bane, No Man's Land, etc. So under her, there was absolutely the O'Neil Batman era.

But the point isn't to compare her resume with Dan's: it's to point out that both supported edicts against specific versions of the Flash that didn't do any favors for fans of either version.

My point is that what she did was part of her vision for DC and moving it into a new era. That's not anything comparable to Mr. I-want-to-undo-everything-from-CoiE-to-be-like-the-comics-from-my-childhood. What vision does Didio have other than more Crisises and another reboot that won't matter in five years?