Death Metal: Speed Metal #1 Discussion/Spoilers

[manwhohaseverything]

Unfortunately a lot of Wally fans like him being utterly boring, in his 30s and vanilla for some reason. I was hopeful that Rebirth would give him a "trendy" reboot but now we are back to circa 2009 Wally, who is spiritually 50 years old.

Yes the slate is clean for Flash family but Wally's greatest modern problem remains: What's his personality? He's clearly not the "fun loving", quippy Wally his fans make him out to be. He's just Barry but with a terrible temperament now.

Were'nt you advocating for retiring him in another thread? No pernicious motive behind having wally look like a kid flash at all.

[SanityOrMadness]

Plus, blue light travels faster than red light!

Not quite true - blue light is more energetic than red or yellow light (hence why a blue star is hotter than a red or yellow one), but all light travels at the same speed!

[Waterfall]

Were'nt you advocating for retiring him in another thread? No pernicious motive behind having wally look like a kid flash at all.

I want him to retire because of this.

[Pohzee]

Not quite true - blue light is more energetic than red or yellow light (hence why a blue star is hotter than a red or yellow one), but all light travels at the same speed!

Oh yeah thats right the speed on of light is constant, I was thinking of frequency! I'm gonna drop out now regardless

[Frontier]

This is the problem you get trying to keep around two characters who were not designed to co-exist after one of them succeeded the other .

Unfortunately a lot of Wally fans like him being utterly boring, in his 30s and vanilla for some reason. I was hopeful that Rebirth would give him a "trendy" reboot but now we are back to circa 2009 Wally, who is spiritually 50 years old.

Yes the slate is clean for Flash family but Wally's greatest modern problem remains: What's his personality? He's clearly not the "fun loving", quippy Wally his fans make him out to be. He's just Barry but with a terrible temperament now.

"Trendy" reboot sounds too much like the New 52. He's still way more fun than Barry is, unless it's JL writers just writing him like Wally.

[Robanker]

Damn you’re right, that didn’t even register. Good, I always hated that retcon from Johns.

As did all of us with taste. I hope the door hit it on the ass on it's way out.

[Hol]

This is the problem you get trying to keep around two characters who were not designed to co-exist after one of them succeeded the other .

"Trendy" reboot sounds too much like the New 52. He's still way more fun than Barry is, unless it's JL writers just writing him like Wally.

Agreed. His personality is just more interesting, his back story more unique than the average hero and historically better written. He has plenty to still add to the Flash mythos.

[Hol]

One thing I just remembered that I loved about this issue is how it quietly erased the notion that Barry generates the Speed Force. It's now every speedster generating it, not just one person

This is much better BUT I still prefer that none of them generate or created the speedforce. The idea has always been silly to me.

[Frontier]

Agreed. His personality is just more interesting, his back story more unique than the average hero and historically better written. He has plenty to still add to the Flash mythos.

I mean, I relate more to Barry than I do Wally, but when written well they can both be distinct characters who bring something to the Flash identity.

[Restingvoice]

Unfortunately a lot of Wally fans like him being utterly boring, in his 30s and vanilla for some reason. I was hopeful that Rebirth would give him a "trendy" reboot but now we are back to circa 2009 Wally, who is spiritually 50 years old.

Yes the slate is clean for Flash family but Wally's greatest modern problem remains: What's his personality? He's clearly not the "fun loving", quippy Wally his fans make him out to be. He's just Barry but with a terrible temperament now.

He's not that quippy but the little I read of Wally he's been more fun and interesting (well, the story of him trying to find his family is more engaging) than the little I've read of Barry, who I only find fun when he's with Hal (note that I read Barry while he's obsessing over his mother's murderer so he's understandably darker)

[Hol]

I mean, I relate more to Barry than I do Wally, but when written well they can both be distinct characters who bring something to the Flash identity.

Yeah I am a firm believer that there are no bad characters and that anyone is a great writer away from a great run. I love Barry...I just love Wally more. He is my favorite character. All the Flashes are cool and have a place IMO.

[Waterfall]

This is the problem you get trying to keep around two characters who were not designed to co-exist after one of them succeeded the other .

"Trendy" reboot sounds too much like the New 52. He's still way more fun than Barry is, unless it's JL writers just writing him like Wally.

Can you give an example about how more fun he is? (From 2016 onwards).

Agreed. His personality is just more interesting, his back story more unique than the average hero and historically better written. He has plenty to still add to the Flash mythos.

What’s his personality? What makes him distinct?

[Frontier]

Can you give an example about how more fun he is? (From 2016 onwards).

He smiles and cracks jokes more than Barry does whenever he popped up in Willaimson's run and had a much more upbeat attitude before the topic of his kids came up, and that's part of why he and Wallace got along well.

What’s his personality? What makes him distinct?

Does this even need to be said?

[Bored at 3:00AM]

Well John Fox's claim to fame is being a shitty Flash so not the best choice. He also doesn't have lead potential or visibility.

I don't get the point of paying homage to yourself. Regardless, when DC's actual character designers say it looks that way to make him look more like Kid Flash and less like The Flash I'm not sure what else to say. That is the literal design intent. It's the same reason he DID show up in the Kid Flash outfit on return. I'd rather leave the anti Wally agenda in the past given the progress we finally made. And your philosophy lines up with that defunct view.

So, if I'm understanding you right. You're saying that Wally West couldn't headline a Flash comic if his costume shows his hair because it would indicate to readers that he's still Kid Flash even though the title would be Flash and he'd be called The Flash in the stories? And the only way for Wally to be view as a legitimate Flash is to wear a costume that looks similar to Barry Allen's?

I think Wally wearing a costume that honored Barry made perfect sense while Barry was dead, but it doesn't seem necessary now. If he does, that's fine with me, but I think giving him something more visually distinctive is the smarter move. I know virtually all of my students think Wally's Rebirth costume looks much cooler than the bald cap. Take that as you will.

[Vordan]

I mean, I relate more to Barry than I do Wally, but when written well they can both be distinct characters who bring something to the Flash identity.

Interesting what about Barry really appeals to you? I like Wally more but I’ve quite enjoyed Williamson’s Flash run and I don’t hold any intense ill will towards Barry.