Is DC still treating Wally West badly?

[Kyer]

That idea is supposed to end with Secret Empire ends.

What about the two Thors? Wasn't there more than one Spiderman? I think I heard about a different Iron Man but that was about when I got fed up with Marvel destroying my favorites over there. (Not even going to think about what they've done to Cyclops over the decades. Hank...omg...took away Ultron and then made him Ultron! Yeergh.)

[Atlanta96]

But it isn't Barry! If Wally had maintained his sales throughout this century and had never been replaced by Bart, there is no Barry. The latter would still be the martyr of COIE.

You're well aware of how editorial mismanaged Wally's solo since Johns left, and how they intended to bring Barry back as the main Flash since Infinite Crisis. Don't try and blame Wally for his own decline. This fixation on Barry Allen is what ruined Wally in the first place.

[The Darknight Detective]

It would make for an interesting memoirs book.

Of course, they didn't even get 'Barry' right back then: brunette, brown eyes. Seriously. DC Entertainment is color blind and not in a good way.

I can understand doing it once if you have the best available actor, but three times now? Can't figure that one out, either.

[The Darknight Detective]

You're well aware of how editorial mismanaged Wally's solo since Johns left, and how they intended to bring Barry back as the main Flash since Infinite Crisis. Don't try and blame Wally for his own decline. This fixation on Barry Allen is what ruined Wally in the first place.

I'm not blaming any fictional character, since I find that kind of absurd. My point was if enough fans had bought his comic back then, he would still be the Flash. That's just a given. In fact, if Barry's numbers had been stronger back in the '80s, he would have never died. It's a numbers game, pure and simple.

[Atlanta96]

I'm not blaming any fictional character, since I find that kind of absurd. My point was if enough fans had bought his comic back then, he would still be the Flash. That's just a given. In fact, if Barry's numbers had been stronger back in the '80s, he would have never died. It's a numbers game, pure and simple.

Oh so it's the fans fault for not buying the crappy, badly written Wally comics after Johns left. The ones that only served as placeholders until Barry came back, and were never intended by the company to be good or successful. Clearly the problem was the fans all along.

DC intended for Wally to fail no matter what and that's a fact. They wanted Barry as the main Flash and that's a fact. They could've turned either Flash into a top superhero if they played their cards right, and they chose Barry. Am I wrong?

[The Darknight Detective]

Oh so it's the fans fault for not buying the crappy, badly written Wally comics after Johns left.

It's not anybody's fault, at least it wasn't some diabolical plot to unseat Wally. It sure as hell not non-corporeal Barry or Bart's fault.

DC intended for Wally to fail no matter what and that's a fact. They wanted Barry as the main Flash and that's a fact. They could've turned either Flash into a top superhero if they played their cards right, and they chose Barry. Am I wrong?

Yes.

[Lee]

Probably the best thing to do, since DC won't utilize both Barry and Wally equally, is to give Wally a completely non-speed (but still super) role.

Maybe a different kind of speedster, similar to Hot Pursuit? http://dc.wikia.com/wiki/Bartholomew..._(Hot_Pursuit)

Obviously without the cop themed design/name. It's a shame "Red Racer" has been used already (even though he was killed off).

The current heart condition thing is a good setup. He can't risk using his speed directly, so he channels his Speed Force into the Cosmic Motorcycle. Wally has a history of being a mechanic and using the Speed Force in alternate ways. In fact, Hot Pursuit said that he and his Earth's Wally West created the Cosmic Motorcycle together, so there's a precedent. He looked good in biker gear in Young Justice too!

I don't think DC really has any biker themed characters, so it would be a unique angle.

You'd have a Wally West who is still a super-hero, is still all about speed, is using his powers in inventive ways, is using his engineering skills to overcome adversity and has a unique name and visual.

[Atlanta96]

It's not anybody's fault, at least it wasn't some diabolical plot to unseat Wally. It sure as hell not non-corporeal Barry or Bart's fault.



Yes.

You literally just said that if more fans bought Wally's book he wouldn't have been replaced. Now it's "nobody's fault". Which is it?

[Atlanta96]

The problem is not the powers or the name, they've sustained multiple Green Lanterns and Bat-themed characters for as long as I can remember. The problem is company bias against Wally, and a new name and powerset wont change that.

[BohemiaDrinker]

If Wally had maintained his sales throughout this century and had never been replaced by Bart

You know, we danced this dance before. Wally did maintain his sales (and I've posted the numbers here countless times) and the people who're in charge of this decisions have come clear more than once in thw hole "yeah, we want Barry because we want Barry and that's it".

The numbers are there to look, as are the interviews and essays and such. The "Wally didn't sell" thing, in this case, is just not true.

[BohemiaDrinker]

Back in '90, no Flash was iconic outside of the comics world. I never understood why Wally wasn't the star of the John Wesley Shipp show (can't blame current DC management! )

The book wasn't a hit back then. It was kind of in it's last legs when they offered it to Waid.

[Atlanta96]

You know, we danced this dance before. Wally did maintain his sales (and I've posted the numbers here countless times) and the people who're in charge of this decisions have come clear more than once in thw hole "yeah, we want Barry because we want Barry and that's it".

The numbers are there to look, as are the interviews and essays and such. The "Wally didn't sell" thing, in this case, is just not true.

And look how much more promotion Barry has gotten as the Flash. He was a big part of Final Crisis, a somewhat important part of Blackest Night, the star of Flashpoint, he's starred in 2 TV shows, and he's constantly hyped up as an iconic and important hero.

Wally NEVER had important roles in events. The closest I can think of is Identity Crisis, and we all know what a masterpiece that was. He got a couple cartoon appearances, but he never got a TV show or even a live action supporting role. The moment Barry took back the mantle, THEN DC started treating the Flash like hot sh*t and putting him in everything. The company bias towards Barry is undeniable, and no real Wally West fan would deny it.

[The Darknight Detective]

Maybe a different kind of speedster, similar to Hot Pursuit? http://dc.wikia.com/wiki/Bartholomew..._(Hot_Pursuit)

Obviously without the cop themed design/name. It's a shame "Red Racer" has been used already (even though he was killed off).

The current heart condition thing is a good setup. He can't risk using his speed directly, so he channels his Speed Force into the Cosmic Motorcycle. Wally has a history of being a mechanic and using the Speed Force in alternate ways. In fact, Hot Pursuit said that he and his Earth's Wally West created the Cosmic Motorcycle together, so there's a precedent. He looked good in biker gear in Young Justice too!

I don't think DC really has any biker themed characters, so it would be a unique angle.

You'd have a Wally West who is still a super-hero, is still all about speed, is using his powers in inventive ways, is using his engineering skills to overcome adversity and has a unique name and visual.

That would certainly work for me, Lee.

[The Darknight Detective]

The book wasn't a hit back then. It was kind of in it's last legs when they offered it to Waid.

True. Does anybody know if anybody was talking about resurrecting Barry at that point?

[The Darknight Detective]

You know, we danced this dance before. Wally did maintain his sales (and I've posted the numbers here countless times) and the people who're in charge of this decisions have come clear more than once in thw hole "yeah, we want Barry because we want Barry and that's it".

The numbers are there to look, as are the interviews and essays and such. The "Wally didn't sell" thing, in this case, is just not true.

Sales were not good at the time Bart took over, but I do agree they were fine when Wally came back (though I believe that was too little, too late by then).