Wally West: The Flash Appreciation 2022

[John Venus]

I think it's because most fans know the kind of man Wally would eventually become and he had good will from the JLU show so they are willing to overlook his flaws during the early part of the run.

That's been the case for me and several other fans who got into the character during the early 00's. We got into the character thanks to JLU and thanks to the comics being published at the time we knew he becomes a better person eventually.

You also have to factor in his abusive father, his overly dotting mother and the fact that his largely cut off from the people who could bring out the best in him; his mentor was recently deceased, his aunt was missing and the Titans have their own interpersonal drama. Not to mention the mind fucking by Raven probably warped his view on women. He was a jerk but there were reasons why he was that way and he eventually out grew it.

[Frontier]

I always look at it as Wally had a strong growing period before he became the real Flash we know and love, but that made his character development more palpable and meaningful.

[Rend20]

So I suppose my question is should I give this early portion of the book a chance, since I believe even a big Wally fan like Joshua Williamson said before this run didn't really take off until around Waid started writing, which was about 60 issues in.

The thing bout Wally's early characterization is they wanted to make him the anti-Barry in a lot of ways.

Baron certainly accomplished that, but it was the following Messner-Loebs run where the balance was really found. Messner-Loebs's didn't want to ignore Baron's take so it starts out rough, but Wally begins to become the likable character we know while still flawed under him. A lot of what Waid did was built off of the work Messner-Loebs did with the character.

So I think the Baron stuff works well as part of the whole because you're allowed to appreciate his growth as a character. But in isolation, it's a tough read in terms of likability as he is quite flawed as most 20 year-olds in his position probably would be.

[Buried Alien]

Early Post-COIE Wally during his first years as the new Flash reminds me of Johnny Lawrence of COBRA KAI in some ways.

Buried Alien (The Fastest Post Alive!)

[Refrax5]

I think it's because most fans know the kind of man Wally would eventually become and he had good will from the JLU show so they are willing to overlook his flaws during the early part of the run.

That's been the case for me and several other fans who got into the character during the early 00's. We got into the character thanks to JLU and thanks to the comics being published at the time we knew he becomes a better person eventually.

You also have to factor in his abusive father, his overly dotting mother and the fact that his largely cut off from the people who could bring out the best in him; his mentor was recently deceased, his aunt was missing and the Titans have their own interpersonal drama. Not to mention the mind fucking by Raven probably warped his view on women. He was a jerk but there were reasons why he was that way and he eventually out grew it.

I remember liking Wally in the cartoons but finding him largely to be a stuck up jerk in the comics, even during the Waid and Johns eras. So I'm glad the current era has Wally acting much more like the cartoon version.

[Hol]

Early Post-COIE Wally during his first years as the new Flash reminds me of Johnny Lawrence of COBRA KAI in some ways.

Buried Alien (The Fastest Post Alive!)

Ha! That is funny.

[Hol]

I remember liking Wally in the cartoons but finding him largely to be a stuck up jerk in the comics, even during the Waid and Johns eras. So I'm glad the current era has Wally acting much more like the cartoon version.

I actually liked that version best. Where he is a good man and great hero but is a jerk to Impulse often and Kyle in the begining of their relationship. Wally isn't perfect...like most of us and I enjoy that about him.

[Frontier]

I actually liked that version best. Where he is a good man and great hero but is a jerk to Impulse often and Kyle in the begining of their relationship. Wally isn't perfect...like most of us and I enjoy that about him.

It made their growing relationships all the more rewarding .

[Hol]

It made their growing relationships all the more rewarding .

Yeah especially his with Kyle. I wish they would team up soon. Even a scene or two together in Dark Crisis.

[Frontier]

Yeah especially his with Kyle. I wish they would team up soon. Even a scene or two together in Dark Crisis.

I miss their dynamic...Barry gets all the GL's and nobody remembers Wally's GL buddies .

[Buried Alien]

I miss their dynamic...Barry gets all the GL's and nobody remembers Wally's GL buddies .

I've been waiting since 2009 for a Barry/Hal/Wally/Kyle team-up.

Buried Alien (The Fastest Post Alive!)

[John Venus]

I remember liking Wally in the cartoons but finding him largely to be a stuck up jerk in the comics, even during the Waid and Johns eras. So I'm glad the current era has Wally acting much more like the cartoon version.

I don't mind being a jerk so long as Max, Jay, Linda, Donna or Iris are around to humble him.

If he has too many moments of being obnoxious then yeah, that's a problem. As with all things, balance is the key.

[Refrax5]

I actually liked that version best. Where he is a good man and great hero but is a jerk to Impulse often and Kyle in the begining of their relationship. Wally isn't perfect...like most of us and I enjoy that about him.

He just came off as a snob and a bully in a lot of those interactions with me. I liked that the animated version was flawed, but didn't treat people like they were beneath him. Even in the Johns run, he just seemed like he had no tolerance for anybody that wasn't Linda or Iris.

[married guy]

Baron wrote a thoroughly unlikeable Wally West. A rude, abrasive chauvanist dick.
Then Messner-Loebs took over and sanded the edges off making Wally still brash, but no longer an arsehole.
Waid wrote him as a very confident and competent hero but with NO patience at all.

[LAWtoyoto 432]

The only problem of Waid run is that he basically keep making Linda as a "damsel in distress" or "Plot device". It's quite tiresome to keep seeing her like that in almost every arc. Abra, Kobra, Neron and even freaking Black Flash (though that was written by Grant Morrison) but still consider under Waid era.

I am just glad Jeremy doesn't use her again in the same manner. She deserve to have a break.