"The Flash Is Not About Tragedy": Wally West Appreciation! (NO NUWALLY BASHING!!!)

[Pharozonk]

Guys, I was thinking about getting Johns' Flash Omnibus. The new TV show has sparked my interest in expanding my Flash readings for Barry and Wally alike. Would you say his run is a necessary read?

It's good until about issue #200, after which the quality really drops off. I also recommend this Messner-Loebs as it is without a doubt the best Wally run.

[new_onslaught]

It's good until about issue #200, after which the quality really drops off. I also recommend this Messner-Loebs as it is without a doubt the best Wally run.

I must be the exception here. I like Johns' run after 200 as much as I liked it before 200.

[andersonh1]

Out of the 200+ issues of Wally's Flash run, I've probably only read 40. Seriously need to start collecting and reading more. I've found a lot of the early Mike Baron issues and now have issues 2 to about 16, with some random single issues after that. And of course I"ve got the Return of Barry Allen storyline as well. There are some huge gaps there. I like early Wally, or rather, I don't like his character a lot, but I do appreciate the approach taken with him. It's interesting to see him stumble a lot and clearly have trouble stepping in Barry's shoes as a high profile hero. It was a brave direction to take the character.

[The_Greatest_Username]

It's good until about issue #200, after which the quality really drops off. I also recommend this Messner-Loebs as it is without a doubt the best Wally run.

Its really, really good. Essential for any Dan of Wally and the Rogues

Thanks, I ordered the first Omnibus, so if it's good, I'll without a doubt get the second.

[The Whovian]

It's good until about issue #200, after which the quality really drops off. I also recommend this Messner-Loebs as it is without a doubt the best Wally run.

I agree with this. I absolutely loved Johns' run, especially the Savitar storyarc and Pelletier's run

[Spider-Ham]

Can't believe what they've done to Wally in The Flash #35 ... I don't think DC remember they've already did it 4 times in 3 years. :/

P.S : Thanks to Bohemia for his awesome manip' of Wally, I love it !

[FlashingSabre]

I must be the exception here. I like Johns' run after 200 as much as I liked it before 200.

Me too. I dont understand all the hate.

[Ilan Preskovsky]

I agree with this. I absolutely loved Johns' run, especially the Savitar storyarc and Pelletier's run

Er, both of those were by Mark Waid.

I do actually rather like Johns' run on the Flash (certainly up to #200) but Waid's and Messner-Loebs' are probably still the best. Still, that is pretty much 200 issues in a row of top-drawer Flash comics - which is why it's so disheartening to see how bad Flash has been since Johns' original departure, with only parts of Waid's second run and Manapul and Buccelattos New 52 run being decent but still not great exceptions.

[Billy Batson]

I agree that the quality drops a bit after #200 but Waid's run was pretty mixed at times.

[Kyer]

I agree that the quality drops a bit after #200 but Waid's run was pretty mixed at times.

Every run was a mixed bag of those Harry Potter bean candies, but the earlier writers seemed to center on Wally and his reactions while Johns was more into the Rogues. At least that is the feeling I got from reading the different runs.

My favorite: Messner-Loeb pretty much neck and neck with Waid. (And I liked Waid's second run well enough. It was the aged kids had a hard time stomaching and recall hearing that was a DC Editorial direction.)

[The Whovian]

Er, both of those were by Mark Waid.

I do actually rather like Johns' run on the Flash (certainly up to #200) but Waid's and Messner-Loebs' are probably still the best. Still, that is pretty much 200 issues in a row of top-drawer Flash comics - which is why it's so disheartening to see how bad Flash has been since Johns' original departure, with only parts of Waid's second run and Manapul and Buccelattos New 52 run being decent but still not great exceptions.

I messed up when typing. I meant that those two storyarcs were my favorite from Flash v2 as a whole. As for my favorites from Johns' runs, I would have to say #182, "Blood Will Run" (170-173) and "The Blitz" (197-200). IMO, Waid's Flash had more original and interesting stories. But Johns was a pretty good Flash writer too.

[stephens2177]

So we have a black future wally who does look pretty cool,BUT it's not really wally,a wally who looks,and acts like Wally,but on a earth that doesn't let him be "Wally the great hero",is there any other presently published versions of Wally by DC right now?

[The Flash]

Thanks, I ordered the first Omnibus, so if it's good, I'll without a doubt get the second.

The second omnibus you'll have to get for sure, Blitz is one of my favorite Flash story arcs. As for issues after Flash #200, I personally enjoyed the Rogue War and the rogue profile issues. But I think people were on a high after Blitz, and IMO the story arc right after Ignition was relatively disappointing.

[The Flash]

I agree that the quality drops a bit after #200 but Waid's run was pretty mixed at times.

This. Waid's run was collectively good though

[Ilan Preskovsky]

I would agree that Waid's run was a bit of a mixed bag at times but pretty much everything between Born to Run and the end of Race Through Time - bar the random issue issue here and there - was consistently very good/ excellent. It was only after that that things got a bit more iffy, with the whole "Barry's evil twin" thing being the obvious and very definite low point.