What if Wallace West/new 52 Kid Flash/ Black Wally West was from another earth ?

[Badou]

He’s different enough from Wally to me and Wallace and Wally are different enough names that I’m not really seeing the problem.

But it is the same name. It is like if DC created another Richard Grayson to be Robin, but called him Richard while the original one is called Dick. They still have the same name. I guess my whole issue with his name is that as long as he is called Wallace/Wally that name will forever be a thread tying him to why he was originally created, which was to replace the original Wally for the New 52. His name will be a constant reminder of that and it isn't something I can personally move past.

In the comics there isn't a reason anymore why he needs to be called Wallace/Wally other than wanting to keep him tied to the Flash TV show, but in a handful of years when the show ends and everyone has moved on from it he will still have this name attached to that show and from a time when DC tried to replace the original Wally with him. I'd rather see DC just change his name and completely cut off that thread tying him to that time so he is completely separated from it.

[Ascended]

>shrug< that's why I suggested he start going by Rudy. He hasn't been around that long that the change is going to really impact him too much. I dont see readers getting confused either; the black kid in the Kid Flash costume that went by Wally a few years back, the black kid in the Kid Flash costume that went by Wallace a little bit later, and then the black kid in a Kid Flash costume who decided to go by Rudy. It ain't rocket science; no one is gonna wonder why a totally different kid is in the costume, they'll just be like "why'd he change his name?" and after a quick Google will be all "Oh. That makes sense." And any time there's a caption box with characters' names (you know, like in the big team up pages) it can read "Wallace 'Rudy' West."

Doesn't seem like such a deal breaker to me. Kid's only been around a few years, there's not much about him that's set in stone yet. But it seems like this is the minority opinion. I'm cool either way, myself, but I really don't see much harm in it, and greater gains to be made.

[Badou]

Also a practical problem with the name is about future adaptations. Like in the future lets say they want to do more live action Flash content and they want to use Wally West in them. Which version do they use? Do they use the original Wally that is white and has red hair? Do they use the original Wally but just swap him to being black? Do they use this new Wallace West character that is already black and is already based off a live action show? But the new Wallace character isn't the original Wally and has a different backstory. So if they use the new Wallace version that will push the original to the side if they want the new Wallace version to be "the live action Wally" going forward. So this Wallace version has replaced Wally like they tried to do in the New 52 in that case, which was why the character was created in the first place.

So in the comics these characters can sort of coexist awkwardly with the same name, but in other adaptations that becomes a lot more difficult. So the name of the character can be a legitimate problem and brings the two into conflict with which version they would want to use.

[Lightning Rider]

I feel like his uncle/father being an unforgettable villain is another shackle that has to be dealt with. It's a huge part of his backstory, one of his only defining traits, and it's a terrible one. Nobody remembers or cares about that frankly disrespectful "version" of a classic villain. In the grand scheme of things it's not a meaningful chapter in the Flash mythos. Yet it's part Wallace's foundation.

Which I guess is my point; he's not involved in the mythology of the Flashes at all. Part of that has to do with his malformed origin, but part of it also has to do with the fact that he doesn't have a real theme of his own. Jay was the first, Barry started a new age of sci-fi adventures in the Silver Age, Johnny Quick was a friend and scientific advisor to Jay and Max in the Golden Age, and later Wally during Waid's run, Max was the speed guru and mentor to Bart, Bart was the zaney product of time travel tied to the legacy of Barry Allen, and Wally was among the first titans and became the quintissential legacy hero over several celebrated runs. All occupied a particular space and added something different to the concept of Flash comics, even if they were only supporting characters.

Could that moment, that celebrated run, be yet to come for Wallace? Maybe. But as of now, most of what's there to work with ain't great. We live in an age where sidekicks are a dime a dozen, and being a "serviceable" supporting character puts him squarely at the bottom of the flash family totem pole. I'm never excited to see him and I doubt many fans are either. He's just kind of there, an uninteresting Kid Flash. Does he have hobbies? Interests outside of Kid Flashing? Particular talents or strengths? Or is he just a kid?

[Lightning Rider]

Also a practical problem with the name is about future adaptations. Like in the future lets say they want to do more live action Flash content and they want to use Wally West in them. Which version do they use? Do they use the original Wally that is white and has red hair? Do they use the original Wally but just swap him to being black? Do they use this new Wallace West character that is already black and is already based off a live action show? But the new Wallace character isn't the original Wally and has a different backstory. So if they use the new Wallace version that will push the original to the side if they want the new Wallace version to be "the live action Wally" going forward. So this Wallace version has replaced Wally like they tried to do in the New 52 in that case, which was why the character was created in the first place.

So in the comics these characters can sort of coexist awkwardly with the same name, but in other adaptations that becomes a lot more difficult. So the name of the character can be a legitimate problem and brings the two into conflict with which version they would want to use.

Right, try fitting Red-Haired Wally into the Flash TV show as is. He'd have to be some alternate Earth Wally just there for a visit.

(Which I'd still watch...)

[lemonpeace]

how will people ever cope with the idea of two people with the same first names!? oh lord, is Bartholomew Allen the nerd who was struck by lightning or the time-traveler from the 30th century!? I can't tell anymore /s

we ARE talking about people who regularly break the sound barrier on foot, right? the idea the minute Wallace was referred to as Wallace, not Wally anymore, that same name "problem" lost all power. I reject the premise entirely, the idea that it's a legitimate problem is insane to me in a world where Barry and Bart Allen exists; or Don and Dawn, or Iris West and Iris West-Allen, and so on and so forth.

[Badou]

how will people ever cope with the idea of two people with the same first names!? oh lord, is Bartholomew Allen the nerd who was struck by lightning or the time-traveler from the 30th century!? I can't tell anymore /s

we ARE talking about people who regularly break the sound barrier on foot, right? the idea the minute Wallace was referred to as Wallace, not Wally anymore, that same name "problem" lost all power. I reject the premise entirely, the idea that it a legitimate problem is insane to me in the world where Bart Allen exists.

What does having to break the sound barrier have to do with a studio deciding what Wally West version to use in their new live action adaptation? His name is a legitimate problem when it comes to things like this because Wallace was originally created to replace the the real Wally West and that issue can still be there when they are looking to adapt these character into another medium.

[Lee]

To outsiders, it's more confusing having multiple characters called The Flash simultaneously than it is one character called Wally and another called Wallace. But try suggesting Wally should have a unique super-hero name...

Right now, it's baked into Flash: Year One that Iris has a nephew called Wally and a nephew called Wallace. That book is going to be new fans' introduction to Flash comics for years and years to come. It's counter-productive to suddenly go against that.

We're at a point now where we know which character people are talking about when they say "Wallace", which character they're talking about when they say "Wally". That's good enough.

[manwhohaseverything]

how will people ever cope with the idea of two people with the same first names!? oh lord, is Bartholomew Allen the nerd who was struck by lightning or the time-traveler from the 30th century!? I can't tell anymore /s

we ARE talking about people who regularly break the sound barrier on foot, right? the idea the minute Wallace was referred to as Wallace, not Wally anymore, that same name "problem" lost all power. I reject the premise entirely, the idea that it's a legitimate problem is insane to me in a world where Barry and Bart Allen exists; or Don and Dawn, or Iris West and Iris West-Allen, and so on and so forth.

They do have a point. If live action guys use wallace as wally in every adaptation. Then that is a problem. Wally deserves his own adaptations as any guy in flash family and more so. It is better to change the name or atleast shorten it.Iris west-allen doesn't get panel time, promotion or importance that often to cause any confusion . It isn't just his first name that's the same. It is also his last name.

[manwhohaseverything]

To outsiders, it's more confusing having multiple characters called The Flash simultaneously than it is one character called Wally and another called Wallace. But try suggesting Wally should have a unique super-hero name...

Right now, it's baked into Flash: Year One that Iris has a nephew called Wally and a nephew called Wallace. That book is going to be new fans' introduction to Flash comics for years and years to come. It's counter-productive to suddenly go against that.

We're at a point now where we know which character people are talking about when they say "Wallace", which character they're talking about when they say "Wally". That's good enough.

Because flash is a mantle with legacy theme. Wally west is the a name. It isn't counterproductive, just wallace decided to go by different name or shorten his name or something. Adaptation issue is a major problem.

[Badou]

To outsiders, it's more confusing having multiple characters called The Flash simultaneously than it is one character called Wally and another called Wallace. But try suggesting Wally should have a unique super-hero name...

Right now, it's baked into Flash: Year One that Iris has a nephew called Wally and a nephew called Wallace. That book is going to be new fans' introduction to Flash comics for years and years to come. It's counter-productive to suddenly go against that.

We're at a point now where we know which character people are talking about when they say "Wallace", which character they're talking about when they say "Wally". That's good enough.

Origins are changed all the time in comics. I don't think it would be much of a challenge to change Wallace's name with what has been changed before. Let him be his own character and not tied to being a Wally replacement at all. I mean Wally's real name is also Wallace. I feel like people forget that. So Wally can't be referred to his real name without causing confusion.

But I think overall the conversation is going in circles I guess. Everyone's laid out their arguments and probably no one is going to jump sides. I feel like a studio adapting Wally West for a live action show or movie would have to stop at all and think about which version they are going to go with is a problem and shouldn't have to be one, but oh well.

[Rend20]

To outsiders, it's more confusing having multiple characters called The Flash simultaneously than it is one character called Wally and another called Wallace.

In my experience, most outsiders are more confused by two characters being named Wally West than there being multiple Flashes. Most "outsiders" don't even know 'Wallace' is a thing.

We're at a point now where we know which character people are talking about when they say "Wallace", which character they're talking about when they say "Wally".

Except they still refer to Wallace as Wally in other books such as DCeased which leads to potential confusion. I agree it's too late to change anything and the Wally/Wallace dynamic can work in the comics, but it's still confusing for outsiders.

[Lee]

It isn't counterproductive, just wallace decided to go by different name or shorten his name or something.

Shorten it? The short version is Wally. That was the problem in the first place.

Wally and Wallace is like Barry and Bart, Iris and Irey. It's not ideal that they have the same root names, but the names they actually go by in-story are both pronounced and spelled differently.

Jai is a bigger problem. In print it's fine, but it's pronounced the same as Jay, so that's going to be an issue in other media.

[Lee]

Except they still refer to Wallace as Wally in other books such as DCeased which leads to potential confusion.

Then they've fucked up and need to stop doing that.

[manwhohaseverything]

Shorten it? The short version is Wally. That was the problem in the first place.

Wally and Wallace is like Barry and Bart, Iris and Irey. It's not ideal that they have the same root names, but the names they actually go by in-story are both pronounced and spelled differently.

Jai is a bigger problem. In print it's fine, but it's pronounced the same as Jay, so that's going to be an issue in other media.

You can also get ace west-fastest kid alive. No, they aren't. Bart is from the future. irey is wally west's daughter.but Wallace is seen as the wally west. They are both nephews of iris. That creates problem for original wally west.