FLASH's new Rebirth: Hopes and predictions

[Factor]

So what do you guys hope is Flash's new status quo post-Rebirth? What do you think will happen? What should be done? By which creators?
Share your ideas of what would make Flash awesome again

[Elmo]

I believe red-headed Wally will return and be on the Titans or Teen Titans. Barry will remain as the Flash.

[Factor]

For me, Flash needs to feel relevant within the DCU again.
He's got a very succesful TV show and an upcoming movie, but the comic book is failing miserably to live up to the potential. I don't think the latest creative team know how to make comic book Flash its own identity without trying to bring in elements from the show that don't quite work in the comics medium. With that in mind, I think they should try incorporating some key elements from the Flash's comic book history.

The biggest change needed is, without doubt, Wally West. He was the main Flash for decades and got completely scrapped after the last Rebirth and even more so in the new 52.
I get the need to have Barry Allen in a central role again, but just pushing Wally to the side only worked to create animosity towards Barry.
I think DC need to realize one thing: Flash doesn't have only one city to protect. He has two: Central City AND Keystone. Central City is more associated with Barry while Keystone is more associated with Wally (and Jay, but he already has his own niche).
Marvel has two Spider-Men and that seems to work just fine, so why not have two Flashes?

I think this could work really well, provided they're distinctive enough. Giving each of them their city to protect is already a step towards that. Barry would be Flash East and Wally Flash West (they wouldn't actually call themselves that, but it would be kind of a nickname readers could use).
To make each of them more distinct from each other, I'd give them:
- a slight age difference (Barry being in his late 20s and Wally in his early 20s)
- different levels of experience: I'd set Rebirth at the start of Wally's promotion from Kid Flash to being Barry's equal:
- different looks: Barry would keep the classic Flash costume, Wally would get an update version of his Kid Flash costume (it's a great look and makes him instantly distincive from Barry)
- different sidekicks/allies: I'd fix Bart and have him as Impulse again so he could be Barry's new sidekick. Jesse Quick would be Wally's ally in Keystone City.
- memberships in different teams: Barry would be Justice League's Flash while Wally would be Titans's (I have some ideas to make them relevant beyond "grownup former sidekicks", but that's for another thread)

I'd take advantage of the new biweekly format to introduce the new status quo as kind of a "Speed Force" ongoing, but ideally each of Flashes would get their own monthlies once everything was established.

[Güicho]

Bring it.......!

[AlexanderLuthor]

Flash is one property that I wish would conform to the show after Rebirth. The supporting cast and mythology the show has built up is just fantastic. I'm usually not in favor of doing that, but I think this is an exception. I also agree that we will get a red headed Wally on the Titans

[Deniz Camp]

My go-to 'dream writer' for the Flash is Warren Ellis, because I think his particular skill set is well suited to the character, the powers, the whole 'semi-grounded scifi' (at least when put against the cosmic space opera for Green Lantern or Martian Manhunter), his percussive sense of pacing, etc.

But Ellis, I think, is all but done with comics in 2 years, and he's all full up with creator owned things in that time. Of realistic choices, I think Rob Williams did that grounded sci-fi well with Martian Manhunter and I think he'd do a nice job. And Morrison promises to do something very fun with the Flash for this multiverse project., and I'd have liked to have seen Fraction or Aaron give it a shot. Azzarello might do something interesting, too.

But I think it's most likely to be Rob Williams, and I'm good with that. I generally think the character does best when, as I mentioned above, he's a little more grounded in his science fiction; not so much facing the anti-monitor as facing people with temporal benders, hidden secret societies using alien technology, future tech, etc. Of course the big stuff is cool and can be built up to, but it's not necessarily the central conceit of the character.

I have some thoughts on theme and some specific thoughts on what I'd do, but I'll save 'em, just in case.

[Atlanta96]

Considering how likely it is that redhead Wally West will be brought back, I'm more interested in whether his kids will return as well. They were in the Convergence Speed Force issues, so at least some people at DC care about them. But I'm not sure Jai and Iris will be a major focus of any post-Rebirth Flash stories, if they even return at all.

I wouldn't be surprised if Wally is reintroduced without his kids, or even without his marriage. Because it's clear at this point that superheroes with spouses/families are increasingly unwelcome in comics. But getting West back at all would be satisfying enough, so I won't complain.

[BohemiaDrinker]

My realistic hope is just a good creative team.

My logical side tells me that if DC is serious about what they say they're doing, will have at least a proper, non 12 year old Wally West. You don't say "we're restoring legacy" and do nothing with Wally; no matter what else you decide to do, it will look phony.

My hopeful hope is that they fix the Flash family overall, Bart included. But that's asking a little too much.

[dan12456]

I mostly just don't want it to be a rehash of pre-flashpoint continuity. I've read that, I can reread it, do something new with the characters. Unfortunately Rebirth seems to be about putting characters back in the roles/lives they've always had. Wally as kid flash being trained by Barry is so boring. Bring back old Wally with the kids, bring back that future's end Wally and give him normal Wally's personality. Just do something different.

[JBatmanFan05]

My hopes are a big return to more classic, or I'm not reading anymore Flash.

They need a lot of pre-FP or pre-FP-like elements back, big time.

Flash is one property that I wish would conform to the show after Rebirth. The supporting cast and mythology the show has built up is just fantastic. I'm usually not in favor of doing that, but I think this is an exception. I also agree that we will get a red headed Wally on the Titans

I could be fine with a lot that influence. Not 100% conform, but many things, like the supporting cast.

[batalia]

I think they should keep Wally black. That is a decision they made and he is even black in the TV show meaning millions of people will get to know the character that way. They should have the guts to stick with it. I thought they were problems in how he was introduced in the comic in a such a stereotype way and being age 12 which were stupid moves. They just need to fix him a bit and age him up to late teens. I like the West family in the Show. It would be great if they brought Joe West in and just make Iris black too. I don't see a need to bring star lab guys into the comic. Barry needing to be told what to do about bad guys and needing motivation is annoying formalic aspect of the show.

Caitlin seems deadweight character especially if they aren't going to bother making her KF in E1. Cisco is fun but not really needed in Flash comic although he should have his own comic.

[AlexanderLuthor]

I think they should keep Wally black. That is a decision they made and he is even black in the TV show meaning millions of people will get to know the character that way. They should have the guts to stick with it. I thought they were problems in how he was introduced in the comic in a such a stereotype way and being age 12 which were stupid moves. They just need to fix him a bit and age him up to late teens. I like the West family in the Show. It would be great if they brought Joe West in and just make Iris black too. I don't see a need to bring star lab guys into the comic. Barry needing to be told what to do about bad guys and needing motivation is annoying formalic aspect of the show.

Caitlin seems deadweight character especially if they aren't going to bother making her KF in E1. Cisco is fun but not really needed in Flash comic although he should have his own comic.

Agreed on Caitlin. However, I think the Cisco/Vibe from the show would be an awesome addition to the DCU

[Güicho]

This is a Johns driven event so Wally fans need to prepare for the best and potentially brase for the worst - It may all be Flash Wally centered, but what if the whole event hinges on Wally breaching the dimension to save and re-merge the Pre and Post-New52 timelines.
Although they pull the ultimate - everyone sees him as villain - yet he's really the real hero sacrificing himself to save and merge everything else - twist!

He can argue - hey Wally is now the ultimate hero of the DCuniverse.

[Lightning Rider]

Bring back the Flash family, go back and save Nora.

We'll probably get half of that first part with Wally and maybe Bart.

[Elmo]

Bring it.......!

Well, this is a complication...