What do you think should be done with Wallace West?

[skyvolt2000]

I don't get people's preoccupation with the name. Do people get bothered by 'Barry' and 'Bart' being similar names?

It's not an issue with his name... it's an issue of what he can represent-competition or replacement or a compromise. It just depends on what DC wants.

Some fear Wallace becomes the Wally that is constantly seen in outside media. We already got a tv show with him.

If he was to win the Round Robin and that trade (not the single issues) does what Beast Boy & Raven's OGNs are doing on Amazon. That is an issue.

THe diversity issue-an issue DC caused on it's own than anything else. He fills a spot that Wally does not.

Now what is best to fix this?

Killing him off? If this company was MORE than willing to kill off John Stewart-everyone is fair game.

Send to limbo? Anyone seen Jason Rusch lately?? 6 years and counting... And he had 2 books and been on 7 media shows.

Or you take what Marvel is doing with Spider-Man mainly Miles & Peter. Nobody is having to make a choice. Miles got them a hit video game, New York Times Best seller, Oscar winning movie and the 3rd black character sniffing 100 solo issues at Marvel? Marvel has Peter, Miguel & Miles with solos named Spider-Man. They are making it work. So why can't work here?

The only thing holding Wallace back is DC. A new name for someone stuck in crappy Teen Titan books or an after thought in Flash is NOT going to solve anything.

Want to solve-a solo series with SUPPORT from DC. He needs a body of work that separates him from Wally.

We saw it work for Steel and Conner in the 90s. Heck we saw it work with Matrix Supergirl and how many of them did we have?

[Dred]

Spider-man comparisons aren't practical because Flash is nowhere near as popular as Spider-man. There isn't room for 15 Flash spinoffs like there are Spider-man ones. Everything would be nice and simple if the answer was "just give everyone everything" but that is not happening.

I also hate that apparently the only kind of racial representation that matters anymore is black. The Flash was on a proper path for years, introducing tons of diverse characters into the cast only for it to be sidelined by Barry Allen screwing everything up -- including turning Wally into Wallace. Heaven forbid we just actually kept the characters who positively represented something instead of making new ones who negatively represented it and digging heels in because it's racist to get rid of a black character but okay to get rid of 3 Korean ones...and a black one. Christ we already had a black woman speedster in XS but fuck if DC will ever remember her outside of annihilating her and Bart in the awful show like they did Wally/Wallace. She wasn't one of Bendis' pet Legionnaires so I guess that's all that counts. Easier to make someone else black rather than use black characters. QED, Wally and Wallace, I suppose. Get ready for more of that if we ever see "Wally" again outside of comics.

Looking at Wallace and going "representation!" is so stupid to me, there were already great characters with one tenth the stupidity in the Flash franchise who could represent stuff. Hell, Pied Piper was a radical left, queer, differently abled person conceived and executed well in the 90s. Yet he only existed since Barry came around to go "look, a gay person in our comic!" as they dismantled everything that made him stand out to fit the bland New 52.

The Flash was never hurting for diversity until the New 52. Wallace wasn't the cure to that, he was a bandaid someone put on upside down. Though I'm sure Wallace fans might end up feeling the same way very soon when they introduce another speedster...right into Wallace's slot.

[Lightning Rider]

Spider-man comparisons aren't practical because Flash is nowhere near as popular as Spider-man. There isn't room for 15 Flash spinoffs like there are Spider-man ones. Everything would be nice and simple if the answer was "just give everyone everything" but that is farcical.

I also hate that apparently the only kind of racial representation that matters anymore is black. The Flash was on a proper path for years, introducing tons of diverse characters into the cast only for it to be sidelined by Barry Allen screwing everything up -- including turning Wally into Wallace. Heaven forbid we just actually kept the characters who positively represented something instead of making new ones who negatively represented it and digging heels in because it's racist to get rid of a black character but okay to get rid of 3 Korean ones...and a black one. Christ we already had a black woman speedster in XS but fuck if DC will ever remember her outside of annihilating her and Bart in the awful show like they did Wally/Wallace. She wasn't one of Bendis' pet Legionnaires so I guess that's all that counts. Easier to make someone else black rather than use black characters. QED, Wally and Wallace, I suppose. Get ready for more of that if we ever see "Wally" again outside of comics.

Looking at Wallace and going "representation!" is so stupid to me, there were already great characters with one tenth the stupidity in the Flash franchise who could represent stuff. Hell, Pied Piper was a radical left, queer, differently abled person conceived and executed well in the 90s. Yet he only existed since Barry came around to go "look, a gay person in our comic!" as they dismantled everything that made him stand out to fit the bland New 52.

The Flash was never hurting for diversity until the New 52. Wallace wasn't the cure to that, he was a bandaid someone put on upside down. Though I'm sure Wallace fans might end up feeling the same way very soon when they introduce another speedster...right into Wallace's slot.

Damn. You went in but it's all basically true.

[Dred]

I don't like hypocrisy. Wallace gets treated as the representation savior in the comics when he was the worst representation Flash had since freaking Chunk's debut (Chunk did get better tho) compared to two decades of good representation because Waid and William Messner Loebs were actually forward thinking individuals. Opining that Wallace brings something special -- representation! -- compared to Wally is farcical. Is the first major interracial family in comics not good enough for you? Was a female, Korean Kid Flash/Impulse not good enough? Black, female speedster? No? Just Wallace being Kid Flash to Barry's Flash?

No, no, Wallace needs the comic. Wallace needs a solo more than anyone, despite Wallace having more screentime and focus than the rest of the Flash family combined, sans the obvious Barry and Wally, since he debuted. Character was in like 4 comics at the same time but that wasn't enough. God I would've killed for Iris II to get half the freaking love DC gives Wallace. This past year has admittedly been a blessing for that. Imagine being a good diversity character with a reasonable origin instead of a giant headache squished in who steps on everyone's toes at the same time.

Frankly I don't know what to do with Wallace that isn't unfair to every other character he has pushed out that isn't just the ridiculous "Give The Flash 5 comics" idea which, yeah, that'd freaking fix it I guess but I'm not holding my breath. I'd love for him not to step on the combined toes of XS, Bart, and Iris II while supporters pretend he's the only character who isn't white in the family.

But maybe this is all moot. They're already priming Jess to kick everyone out eventually. They're the future Flash, not any of these schlubs.

[Jabare]

now that Ezra is out time to bring him into the DCEU

[Digifiend]

Spider-man comparisons aren't practical because Flash is nowhere near as popular as Spider-man. There isn't room for 15 Flash spinoffs like there are Spider-man ones. Everything would be nice and simple if the answer was "just give everyone everything" but that is not happening.

I also hate that apparently the only kind of racial representation that matters anymore is black. The Flash was on a proper path for years, introducing tons of diverse characters into the cast only for it to be sidelined by Barry Allen screwing everything up -- including turning Wally into Wallace. Heaven forbid we just actually kept the characters who positively represented something instead of making new ones who negatively represented it and digging heels in because it's racist to get rid of a black character but okay to get rid of 3 Korean ones...and a black one. Christ we already had a black woman speedster in XS but fuck if DC will ever remember her outside of annihilating her and Bart in the awful show like they did Wally/Wallace. She wasn't one of Bendis' pet Legionnaires so I guess that's all that counts. Easier to make someone else black rather than use black characters. QED, Wally and Wallace, I suppose. Get ready for more of that if we ever see "Wally" again outside of comics.

Don't forget that Bendis was also writing Young Justice, and therefore Impulse, so it makes sense he didn't use XS, rebooting her would've created a continuity problem for Bart, who has NOT been rebooted (New 52's Bar Torr is a separate character). The Legion has rebooted, but Williamson's last Flash arc Finish Line had a scene where Irey brought in speedsters from other times and universes. Including XS. The version from the 1990s Legion is still around, she must be immune to reboots. And doesn't Bendis's Legion take place 100 years after previous versions (31st century instead of 30th), which means Jenni is no longer from their time period? It's likely that Jenni remembers being a Legionnaire, but the Legion no longer know her.

[Lightning Rider]

now that Ezra is out time to bring him into the DCEU

Not at the expense of OG Wally.

This is EXACTLY why his existence is continuously problematic and divisive. Narratively he was designed to occupy the place of Wally, and they haven't done anything to escape that shadow. Given how Hollywood works, we know he could very easily jump ahead of a fan-favorite cornerstone of the DCU for no good reason.

The more I think on it, the less I even want him around. The guy has 0 memorable stories and no standout qualities. Look at all the work it's taking this thread to practically reinvent him from the ground-up just because it's a little bit mean to kill him.

Bad concept, bad origin, a bad-faith diversity shoehorn, and his main personality trait is being angry at Barry.

If they don't reinvent him, he needs to just go to the future and disappear until someone has a good idea for him.

[BohemiaDrinker]

I don't like hypocrisy. Wallace gets treated as the representation savior in the comics when he was the worst representation Flash had since freaking Chunk's debut (Chunk did get better tho) compared to two decades of good representation because Waid and William Messner Loebs were actually forward thinking individuals. Opining that Wallace brings something special -- representation! -- compared to Wally is farcical. Is the first major interracial family in comics not good enough for you? Was a female, Korean Kid Flash/Impulse not good enough? Black, female speedster? No? Just Wallace being Kid Flash to Barry's Flash?

No, no, Wallace needs the comic. Wallace needs a solo more than anyone, despite Wallace having more screentime and focus than the rest of the Flash family combined, sans the obvious Barry and Wally, since he debuted. Character was in like 4 comics at the same time but that wasn't enough. God I would've killed for Iris II to get half the freaking love DC gives Wallace. This past year has admittedly been a blessing for that. Imagine being a good diversity character with a reasonable origin instead of a giant headache squished in who steps on everyone's toes at the same time.

Dred, although I agree with all of this, I also believe a lot of the focus on Wallace is due to DC trying o save face on the mess they made with his origin. Having his future white-savior-cop arm lock him as 12 year old the first time they met during some BLM period is, well.... less than ideal.

Frankly I don't know what to do with Wallace that isn't unfair to every other character he has pushed out that isn't just the ridiculous "Give The Flash 5 comics" idea which, yeah, that'd freaking fix it I guess but I'm not holding my breath. I'd love for him not to step on the combined toes of XS, Bart, and Iris II while supporters pretend he's the only character who isn't white in the family..

I said it way before: have Jay adopt him. Hell, let him be Jay's Kid Flash as well. Problem solved, added bonus of the Garrick name being able to perpetuate itself in Future Flashes.

[The_Sneezing_Stormtrooper]

Not at the expense of OG Wally.

This is EXACTLY why his existence is continuously problematic and divisive. Narratively he was designed to occupy the place of Wally, and they haven't done anything to escape that shadow. Given how Hollywood works, we know he could very easily jump ahead of a fan-favorite cornerstone of the DCU for no good reason.

The more I think on it, the less I even want him around. The guy has 0 memorable stories and no standout qualities. Look at all the work it's taking this thread to practically reinvent him from the ground-up just because it's a little bit mean to kill him.

Bad concept, bad origin, a bad-faith diversity shoehorn, and his main personality trait is being angry at Barry.

If they don't reinvent him, he needs to just go to the future and disappear until someone has a good idea for him.

This is exactly how I feel about it as well. Wallace takes away far more than he adds. Give him a heroic death in a Crisis and lets move on.

[Hol]

Bad concept, bad origin, a bad-faith diversity shoehorn, and his main personality trait is being angry at Barry.

Everything Dred said...AND this. This sums it up.

[Frontier]

Bad concept, bad origin, a bad-faith diversity shoehorn, and his main personality trait is being angry at Barry.

I think there's more to him than that, especially when you read him in the Titans books, even if Williamson leaned a little too much on his anger issues.

[Lightning Rider]

I think there's more to him than that, especially when you read him in the Titans books, even if Williamson leaned a little too much on his anger issues.

I read him in Defiance. What would you say are his best moments in TT?

[Frontier]

I read him in Defiance. What would you say are his best moments in TT?

His relationship with Emiko. When he stands up to Damian and tries to be the moral center of the team. His youthful spirit and zest for heroism despite his circumstances.

[BohemiaDrinker]

Well, he's here, despite his origin, despite his original intention.

Defending killing, sidelining or erasing him because he may or may not get in the way of "our guy" at some point is not a good look.

That's what Dan Didio used to do. He's gone. The bs he put the DCU trough is mostly gone with him.

There has to be a better way to look at things than his, or then there's no point.

[Lightning Rider]

His relationship with Emiko. When he stands up to Damian and tries to be the moral center of the team. His youthful spirit and zest for heroism despite his circumstances.

I guess I was asking for an arc you could point to, though thanks for the description.