Who is your favourite Flash and Why?

[MajorHoy]

WARNING: BUMPING UP ANOTHER OLD THREAD w/POLL (this one from 2015):

At last check, the poll showed:

* Wally West = 49 votes
* Barry Allen = 24 votes
* Jay Garrick = 6 votes
* Bart Allen = 2 votes

Even though I grew up reading and enjoying Barry's adventures (even had a subscription to it through DC when I was in college!), Jay slightly edges out Barry for my "favorite".

(So in a moment he'll soon be at 7 votes.)

[Jim Kelly]

I enjoyed the comics collected in THE GOLDEN AGE FLASH ARCHVES and the few stories that have been reprinted outside of those, but I'll have to hunt down more comics from the 1940s to really get to know the original Flash.

I'd have to say the John Broome and Carmine Infantino comics for Barry Allen are my favourites--despite the fact that I didn't become a dedicated reader of THE FLASH until it was Cary Bates and Irv Novick doing all the stories.

[married guy]

Wally West.

Jay was the first speedster I was exposed to.
Barry was the one I first started reading about,
But Wally was the one I got hooked on from #1.

He wasn't grim & gritty (the DC norm from about 1989 onwards). He enjoyed his powers. His relationships were interesting. How he handled himself after Barry died was a joy to read as you saw the character grow into the role with every issue.
I think that's why the Return of Barry Allen storyline resonated with readers so well. It's because readers could see that Wally had earned it.

Wally West is my Flash. No matter how hard DC try to screw the character over.

[Raijin]

Barry Allen and Jay Garrick. The ONLY Flashes I'll ever acknowledge. I find Barry to be the most relatable. I see myself in Barry. He's a man of science. I also consider myself to be a man of science. To me, science trumps everything. And the way he uses his scientific expertise to better his powers is simply amazing. I love Jay because he's the original. There's no Barry and there is definitely not a Wally without him.

I will NEVER apologize for my love for Barry. No matter how 'boring' people claim him to be or how many times people want him dead.

[Kyer]

Wally West the Geniune Red-Head Edition:

I was attracted to Flash even over Superman (which surprised me!) in JLU. Even cringing at the character's immaturity in JL didn't dissuade me because by the time I got to watch those episodes I'd already been introduced to fanfic and through a fanfic author to the existence of Flash trades. Her recommendations were Terminal Velocity first (and if I could actually find a copy that wasn't outrageously priced) The Return of Barry Allen. Terminal Velocity took my animated series interest in Wally and turned it into full-blown infatuation. Grabbed as many of the trades as I could find in Amazon and then later Borders and Target. Loved every one. Even found things to enjoy in The Wild Wests.

Wally is just so much fun. His humor, loyalty, his recklessness, ingenuity (even though not a scientific genius like Barry), tenaciousness, even his faults just drew me in. (And the red hair and green eyes helped--lol)

Wish he had a better history with Bart, but Waid did a decent job of explaining that particular fault. His relationship with Jay was just golden. The adulation of deceased Barry made me want to go find his stories as well.

Thing is: I want all the Flashes interacting. Even though Wally is my favorite, to me the best stories were team up. Why Didio thinks everyone must like the same flavor as he does just boggles my mind. Freedom of choice, man. Freedom of choice. Variety is the spice of Life!

[Bored at 3:00AM]

I've always been partial to Wally West mostly because I got to see him grow into the hero he would eventually become, primarily thanks to Mark Waid, who was able to finally get him out of Barry's shadow, and Geoff Johns, who really fleshed out the Rogues in a big way.

That said, I honestly don't know what creative direction is left for the character to go next. Waid had reached a creative rut by the end of his run, as had Johns. Waid's subsequent return to the character as a family man was not particularly compelling. I thought his new role at the end of Flash: Rebirth as the patriarch of the Speed Force team of speedsters was a potentially interesting one, but the New 52 reboot squandered that. Wally subsequent return during DC Universe: Rebirth was beautifully handled, but Dan Abnett proceeded to do absolutely nothing interesting with him in Titans.

I have no idea what will happen to him next in Heroes in Crisis (aside from the death fake-out), but I'm curious to see if Tom King can find a new direction to take him.

[Restingvoice]

I need to read more but right now it's a toss-up between Wally and Bart

[FlashEarthOne]

The animated universe Flash was Wally West in name and general appearance, Barry Allen in professional orientation (though it was so briefly and infrequently alluded to that it hardly counts), and Impulse-era Bart Allen in characterization.

Buried Alien (The Fastest Post Alive!)

That was always my take... that he was a hybrid of all three but primarily Bart.

[greatmetropolitan]

Wally West, for me, for reasons many have already stated. A fully rounded character who had an actual arc, kid sidekick to surpassing his mentor, having a family. Between Waid, Morrison and Johns' work on the character I think we got something really, really special.

Sidenote, I always put Wally's edge over Barry in terms of power down to him not being a man of science. Barry knew the rules of the physical universe, and so one way or another used his powers within that parameter. Wally, while no dummy, hadn't the same scientific knowledge. You're more likely to do the impossible (like break the light barrier) if you don't know it's impossible.

It should be said, Wally is indicative of my taste in a lot of DC characters - favourite GL is Kyle, favourite GA is Connor Hawke, favourite Bat character is Nightwing. Don't get me wrong, Superman will always be my favourite DC character, but damn if the legacy characters aren't fantastic. The weight of history behind them gives them so much depth, so much to work with, compared to the more broadly drawn origins of the silver age guys.

[Jekyll]

To no one’s surprise: Jay Garrick! I grew up with Wally and I love him, but Jay is always the one that stood out to me from those 90s stories and later on in the JSA. When I was younger I thought his costume was just plain cool, and I also loved how he would just get things done.
Now that I am grown, and married and teaching, Jay resonates with me. Because of his love and faithfulness to Joan and how he is a mentor to so many younger heroes in the Flash and JSA universe is why I admire the character even more now that I am grown.

[caj]

I grew up with Barry being the Flash. I enjoyed him as well as learning about Jay as the Golden Age Flash. Bart was a nice addition to the Flash family and I enjoyed him as a Teen Titan.

But come on... it's Wally all the way. He was and is the best Flash ever.

[MajorHoy]

To no one’s surprise: Jay Garrick!

That makes eight votes for Jay now!

[Spider-Ham]

Wally West.

I know we're talking about a fictional character, but he inspires me and after all these years, his stories are still wonderful.

[KC]

Barry Allen.

[MajorHoy]

In less than twenty-fours, we've made it to:

* Wally West = 66 votes (+ 17)
* Barry Allen = 29 votes (+ 5)
* Jay Garrick = 8 votes (+ 2; mine and Jekyll's)
* Bart Allen = 2 votes (no change)