What costume should Wally West wear now?

[Konja7]

If I can prefer Wally to Barry, yet think the Rebirth suit looks cooler, is it not possible that other fans of Wally could feel the same thing? Why does this need to be yet another Barry vs. Wally thing?

I've got no bones in this either way. I just want good Flash stories.

Hell, I think it's pretty unlikely that Wally's going to be the lead of an ongoing solo Flash book given the corporate bean counters' decision to trim the line and that sucks, frankly, but the current market can't sustain chasing the same aging hobbyist market anymore.

I think for Wally West to be a going concern, he's got to have an immediately identifiable visual hook that distinguishes him from his uncle. Wearing Barry's suit as a way of honoring his late mentor made perfect sense when he was dead, but Barry's not dead anymore and I think it's highly unlikely that he's going to be dead again in the foreseeable future. I have no idea what role Wally West will play in the downsized DCU moving forward, but I don't think pretending it's the 1990s is the way to go. I respect that you and others feel differently, though.

Of course, I could be completely wrong and DC is indeed planning on a big push for OG Wally West as the primary Flash wearing his old 90s duds. However, I think the chances of that are pretty slim, even without Dan Didio around anymore.

Extremely slim.

Barry is the current Flash in outside comics media, which makes him a lot more marketeable with general audience.

Even if the popularity between Barry and Wally is similar between comics fans (although I really doubt it is so similar), DC will choose Barry.

[Konja7]

Fine, have barry vacate the flash title to jay garrick. He should get a new title. How about mr. Late for everything?

This isn't a case about who is the first. It is about the most recognizable in that identity.

Barry is the most recognizable for general audience (due to DC's treatment). So, it is likely DC will focus on him.

Wally could use a "traditional" Flash suit, but DC will likely focus on Barry.

[manwhohaseverything]

This isn't a case about who is the first. It is about the most recognizable in that identity.

Barry is the most recognizable for general audience (due to DC's treatment). So, it is likely DC will focus on him.

Wally could use a "traditional" Flash suit, but DC will likely focus on Barry.

Recognition is a fickle thing. Tarzan was once upon a time the most bankable thing out there.whomever they push and is able to attract fans becomes recognised. Jay garrick is the original concept and idea. Everything else is a cheap knock offs and remakes. It is similar to Zorro being the original concept that spawned the dual identity.

[BlueRuggo]

I am glad to see that the majority of people prefer Wally's rebirth suit.

To the legions of pre52 pretenders saying that Wally needs to wear his 1987 costume again on a regular basis: no. You can call it his "old costume," but it was really just a near-clone of Barry Allen's costume with VERY slight differences. For Wally who has been trying to re-establish his own identity since coming back from the speed force to go back to that look is totally antithetical. Wally's red and silver rebirth costume was absolutely perfect and is the gold standard to which we should compare every one of his future costumes. It was his best look to date, and I'm far from being the only one who feels that way. It was the best of the old and the new: both classic and chic. I even like his sleek "Wallyhattan" costume.

I do know that the WORST thing they could do is have Wally go back to looking exactly like his current, unretired predecessor Barry Allen on a permanent basis. Not only would that be a cosmetic disaster, it also limits artists when they have to include them on the same page. As well, new readers to the Flash already struggle to understand why there are two Wallys and two Barts. They deserve to be spared an extra layer of confusion wherein the world's two primary speedsters are wearing nearly indistinguishable costumes.

[Potanical Pardon]

This synergy crap isn't necessary. They can and should be able to do whatever they want in the comics with not a single thought towards outside-comics mediums. It worked fine for decades. Nightwing in comics, Jason Todd, Tim Drake for how long before probably Batman Animated Series Season whatever. I remember when I first got into comic books coming from pretty much all I knew was Super Friends, 68 Batman from Nick at Nite, and Superman movies. I looked at Disco Nightwing and actually thought that was Batman at first but how he is in the comics. Just random leafing through comic rack books or in the public library...I had no clue about Crisis at the time, nor that Wally became the Flash after Barry which chronologically happened almost 7 years before I actually became a regular comic book reader. Not a clue and for years even as a comic book reader of this until I guess around Zero Hour, which made me backtrack and then read Crisis, and then back issues of the Flash. I was never confused, it just made me curious. By extension, this led to pretty much all DC/Marvel back-issue and history all the way to the beginnings and Image, Vertigo, etc. basically my "wow I guess I know a lot about all comics now" education phase.

My main point is I see no real argument for differentiating their costumes (in-comics) other than the silhouette argument from a design/marketing perspective...which who really cares since it's "just" the comics. The Flash is no matter who's behind the mask, the red fast guy with his full head covered - inside and outside of comics.

Personal preference - Either the Walter West costume or the darker-red shiny costume with eyes showing (It's the same as the 90s white eyes costume except it got changed after he figured out he could make his costume out of the Speed Force and broke his leg). I can't stand anything Brett Booth draws or designs now, although oddly enough I REALLY liked his stuff in the 90s like Gen13 when he was like a serviceable hybrid of Jim Lee/J. Scott Campbell Lite. Now, all his art looks like if I open his old stuff up in Photoshop and free transform it to make things squished vertically.

Or this, which I think is both appropriate for his stature and distinguishable:

[Robanker]

Rebirth. Let that ginger mane free!

[SuperX]

Rebirth. Let that ginger mane free!

Can we get the hair flowing free WITH the eyes being white out like his classic flash suit?

[Flash Gordon]

The current blue one is visually striking.

[Hi-Max]

Fine, have barry vacate the flash title to jay garrick. He should get a new title. How about mr. Late for everything?

*shrug*

I don't know what that has to do with Wally West or the current discussion, but okay. Though, I wouldn't call Barry Allen mr. Late for everything.

[lemonpeace]

I voted Rebirth but I favor the current Manhattan design. I hate the circumstances by which the power entered the DC universe but I like the way the red hair contrasts the blue suit and I kinda dig the idea of Wally having the Mobius Chair and operating as a Flash throughout the multiverse. I doubt DC could ever find a way to make that angle work for stories with his family being back and all but regardless the aesthetic is very striking.

anyway, on topic, it would have to be the rebirth suit or something new realistically. you'd have to be trippin' to think it's plausible for Wally to go back to anything like his 90s era suit and operate in the current landscape in any meaningful way. it's simply unrealistic with Barry around. if you put a full cowl on his rebirth suit it's basically just a typical Flash suit for this stylistic era anyway, so I don't see where or why people are making the reach that just because his hair out people are gonna be confused or overwhelmingly distracted by the idea of Wally as Kid Flash. do y'all really think people are that dumb that they can't comprehend maturation? it's a stretch to think him referencing his past as Kid Flash is so egregious when the argument is against him wearing a costume that belongs to a separate character as a homage, especially when it's a character that's right over there and flagshiping the brand. that's not to minimize his tenure as The Flash, they pushed the Flash concept above and beyond at the time, but that was a different DC landscape. and what people are asking for is something where they can pretend Wally is still the exact same character from 1990-something when they read him, but none of these characters are the same character they were in that era. the landscape is different, Wally isn't The singular Flash or the flagship of the Flash franchise right now. if they are going to give him a suit that makes him stick out, why is it more acceptable to steal from over characters and not just take from what's already there? he gotta have a Dark Flash suit now? if we going that route, just give him Ezra Miller's Flash suit and call it a day. stop the cap.

[SanityOrMadness]

I am glad to see that the majority of people prefer Wally's rebirth suit.

To the legions of pre52 pretenders saying that Wally needs to wear his 1987 costume again on a regular basis: no. You can call it his "old costume," but it was really just a near-clone of Barry Allen's costume with VERY slight differences.

I agree with your main points, but one little note - the 1987 costume *was* Barry's costume. Straight up, no changes. It was a few years later they started tweaking it, then they ultimately tweaked everything except the belt back to Barry-standard. (Oh, and then Barry took the belt).

It's actually a thing - there weren't that many replacement arcs in the 1980s, but where there were they kept the long-standing costume (John Walker Cap, Jim Rhodes Iron Man, Wally Flash, etc.) rather than distinguishing them. It wasn't until the 90s that it became standard for replacements (e.g., AzBats, Kyle Rayner GL, Ben Reilly Spider-Man, Connor Hawke Green Arrow*, hell, even Walter West Flash) to get their own costumes (or at least looks - Artemis Wonder Woman pretty much used Diana's costume, but the huge plume of red hair made her distinctive anyway).

*Yes, technically Connor wore the same costume Oliver Queen was wearing when he died, but it wasn't a classic GA suit, and he kept it after Ollie came back and went back to a classic-style suit.

[9th.]

The current blue one is visually striking.

That's exactly why I like it, and it doesn't look like a near copy of Barry's suit. If Barry is alive and active then I'd prefer they have different suits.

[Blue22]

Definitely his Rebirth suit. Either the red or blue versions. Both are fine with me.

[manwhohaseverything]

To the legions of pre52 pretenders saying that Wally needs to wear his 1987 costume again on a regular basis: no.

Those who are actually worried this is just an attempt to box character and regress him to "kids" table are the pretenders? Please, i haven't many of these so called concerned fans of wally west in the actual wally west appreciation thread regularly other than the pretenders. Those that are worried aren't the pretenders. Those that want wally out of the way for the "main" flash are.I don't believe the new costume is bad. But, it definitely lacks the qualities of his flash costume . The white eyes and cowl is signature wally west costume.His lighting pattern was different as well. Wally west is the flash. Those that are advocating for him to go back to being kid flash aren't really for the character. Would never be for the character.

*shrug*

I don't know what that has to do with Wally West or the current discussion, but okay. Though, I wouldn't call Barry Allen mr. Late for everything.

All i am saying is if we are in the business of vacating things. Barry should give back the title to the true flash. The entire jl would erased and replaced by the jsa, original superman, batman and wonder woman. Do you really want that? Me, i would totally on board.

[Hi-Max]

All i am saying is if we are in the business of vacating things. Barry should give back the title to the true flash. The entire jl would erased and replaced by the jsa, original superman, batman and wonder woman. Do you really want that? Me, i would totally on board.

Me? Don't care one way or the other, personally.

Though, I confess to never caring all that much for the Golden Age characters. That isn't to say they couldn't be written to be cool, though, perhaps even better than the JLA characters. Anything's possible with good writing.