Is DC still treating Wally West badly?

[Atlanta96]

Well, Wally also already played a very important role in the first two seasons of Young Justice. Again, he was a founding member of the team and even when he wasn't even on the team, he still was part of the whole "Artemis and Aqualad are secret double agents for the good guys" conspiracy and we got to see things from his viewpoint multiple times throughout the second season.

Barry never had much of a role on the show, save for maybe the Bloodlines episode, which featured the introduction of Bart, his grandson.

Also, Barry's only really had an important role in two DCAU movies: Justice League: Doom and the Flashpoint Paradox. The current Flash TV show is about Barry, but then again, so was the last one from the 90s when Barry wasn't even alive in the comics. That's not so much because nobody at DC cares about Wally but more so because Barry is just the first of the modern Flashes. Wally started out as Barry's sidekick, so you kind of have to go through Barry before you get to Wally.

Well we already got Wally on the Flash show. I don't know what you think of the adaptation but I'm not happy with it. I'm not sure if it's because of the actor or the writers, but he has a serious lack of charisma, especially for Wally West and especially compared to Gustin's Barry Allen. Live action appearances are more valuable than animation so between the show and the upcoming films, Barry is light years in the lead. He's also got Justice League Action, the animated films, Injustice 2, and almost all Flash merchandise. Its safe to say Wally is left with Barry's scraps.

[BohemiaDrinker]

Funny thing is Barry was gone for decades, if he stayed gone for another handful of years, we might live in a world where we have a Wally West tv show on the air and a movies on the way. Y'know because synergy. But Barry came back at just the right time for him to explode into other media and get solidified as the main Flash in pop culture despite being superdead for decades.

Make no mistake, Barry came back because of these things. This wasn't a coincidence.

The people who own these properties don't really know what they are. We're talking about the geniuses who ok'ed the Schumacher Batman movies and thought Ryan Reynolds was going to be gay on the GL movie because of the Alan Scot annoucement.

If you're Didio, or Johns or Diane Nelson and has to go upstairs and pitch a project like a Flash tv series to your boss, "so, well have this show about the third guy in a dynasty" just will not go well. And the DC higher ups know thios, and have to justify their jobs as the head of the ip-farm DC is right now. So, Barry "simple origin" Allen it is.

[Assam]

If, back in the day, Batman could have both 'Batman' and 'Batman: Shadow of the Bat' without anyone getting confused, I don't see why something similar couldn't be done.

Let Barry keep the main book to appeal to main stream audiences, give Wally his own solo book in the form of 'Flash: Fastest Man Alive' which, for you youngsters on this site, was WALLY'S SLOGAN, that Barry stole, and because I'm me, throw in a 'Speed Force' book too, starring Max, Bart, Iris II, and Jesse, and Jay.

[DevilBat66]

Wally needs to have an identity all his own. I loved when Wally was THE Flash but that time is over and Barry is gonna be the guy for a long time to come. NuWally is Kid Flash for the foreseeable future as well.

Wallace West: Thunderbolt.

It gives Wally a unique superhero id just like Dick has as Nightwing and Roy has as Arsenal and Garth has as Tempest and gives the sense that he "graduated" into his own identity like his peers. ( Donna needs a good codename too honestly )

Too many heroes with the same secret identity is kinda dumb. Sorry.Just the way I see it. On altenate Earths it's nota big deal but when they are all in the same setting, I can't stand it. This will be even worse when they bring back Jay Garrick as The Flash too.

[Atlanta96]

Funny thing is Barry was gone for decades, if he stayed gone for another handful of years, we might live in a world where we have a Wally West tv show on the air and a movies on the way. Y'know because synergy. But Barry came back at just the right time for him to explode into other media and get solidified as the main Flash in pop culture despite being superdead for decades. It's a pretty impressive comeback story, if nothing else. It's just a shame Wally drew the short end after carrying the book through some of it's best years. Though if Barry could make it big after all those years, who say's Wally can't someday? Won't happen anytime soon, since Barrymania is still going strong and theres not much incentive for them to change course.

I know right, that's why I have a massive grudge against Barry Allen and the Flash franchise in general. Just a couple more years and maybe, there would be some semblance of balance between him and Wally. And even if, someday, Wally takes the lead again, it will probably be at Barry's expense to compensate. They screwed everything up, and it was so easy to avoid.

[BohemiaDrinker]

give Wally his own solo book in the form of 'Flash: Fastest Man Alive' which, for you youngsters on this site, was WALLY'S SLOGAN, that Barry stole.

Not really. Although the narration at the beginning of the comic "My name is Wally West, and I'm the Flash, the Fastest Man Alive" got cemented in Waid's run, the "fastest man alive slogan" was already associated with Barry way back in the sixties. It may have actually started with Jay, but I'd have to check *been a while since I read those comics).

[Assam]

Not really. Although the narration at the beginning of the comic "My name is Wally West, and I'm the Flash, the Fastest Man Alive" got cemented in Waid's run, the "fastest man alive slogan" was already associated with Barry way back in the sixties. It may have actually started with Jay, but I'd have to check *been a while since I read those comics).

Really? I grew up with Barry's Silver Age adventures, and just off the top of my head, I don't remember the phrase ever being used as anything more than a throwaway line a handful of times.

[Lee Stone]

I think Ted Kord and Wally West are being treated much better than they have been.

At least they didn't bring Wally back just to kill him off to start a major event or something...

[KoriandrJean]

I think Ted Kord and Wally West are being treated much better than they have been.

At least they didn't bring Wally back just to kill him off to start a major event or something...

AMEN!! (10 char)

[Assam]

I think Ted Kord and Wally West are being treated much better than they have been.

At least they didn't bring Wally back just to kill him off to start a major event or something...

Oh god, now I'm thinking that Rebirth is gonna end will Wally dying...

Also, not sure what Ted Kord has to do with anything, but I'm not satisfied. Yes, I'm petty because he's one of my top 10 favorite superheores, but while I like idea of him mentoring Jaime, there are 3 problems I have.

1) The current Blue Beetle book isn't very good.

2) He isn't best friends with Booster Gold. (Speaking of, where the Hell IS he?)

3) I want him back in the suit. I don't care if they give his classic suit a bit of a mondernization, but I want him in the spandex, fighting by Jaime's side.

[GlennSimpson]

They don't need that many Green Lanterns either, but hey we have six of them. Or a crowded Bat family but they keep growing.

Wally is doing fine with the Titans, with time i guess he can have his own solo book. He certainly can sustent one.

The Lanterns are a Corps, and Batman is their most popular character so spinoffs are understandable.

[upgrayedd]

Wally needs to have an identity all his own. I loved when Wally was THE Flash but that time is over and Barry is gonna be the guy for a long time to come. NuWally is Kid Flash for the foreseeable future as well.

Wallace West: Thunderbolt.

It gives Wally a unique superhero id just like Dick has as Nightwing and Roy has as Arsenal and Garth has as Tempest and gives the sense that he "graduated" into his own identity like his peers. ( Donna needs a good codename too honestly )

Too many heroes with the same secret identity is kinda dumb. Sorry.Just the way I see it. On altenate Earths it's nota big deal but when they are all in the same setting, I can't stand it. This will be even worse when they bring back Jay Garrick as The Flash too.

This would just confuse Johnny Thunder even more than he is now. BohemiaDrinker knows what I'm talking about

[Lightning Rider]

I'm fine with Wally existing in his own bubble for a little bit. I look forward to seeing him involved in the broader Rebirth mystery and I don't see how he wouldn't be. I like Barry too and his book is finally getting good IMO so I don't NEED Wally to be the main Flash by any means, as long as I can read him being who he is and doing stuff.

In fact I find Wally's journey, though interrupted and mixed in with the adventures of his teammates, to be more compelling. He's already had a life with Iris and has to deal with trying to recapture that life in a new world that doesn't recognize it. Plus just seeing him pop in from time to time is very rewarding. Having him sit on the couch in an issue of Nightwing was such a pleasant surprise, I'm happy to come across moments like that.

[FishyZombie]

Really? I grew up with Barry's Silver Age adventures, and just off the top of my head, I don't remember the phrase ever being used as anything more than a throwaway line a handful of times.

Fastest man alive.jpg

Actually "Fastest Man Alive" goes all the way back to Jay. Hell just look at the cover of his debut.
"Introducing Flash! Fastest Man Alive!"

[GlennSimpson]

You need to define "they" better here. They "the editors and above", basically the ones that call the shots, or "they" the creative personnel?

If it's the former, sure. But then again, their view was mostly alienating to consumers short to mid-term; something that was said by consumers, ad nauseaum, since pretty much day one. Now, if it's the latter, that's just not accurate; Booth has been fighting to bring Wally back since forever, Manapul tried to sneak him in and pitched a direction for him, Morrison made everything possible to keep most of DC's lore concerning the bat-family intact (and left because of it, it seems), Snyder brought back Cass and Steph as soon as they could, etc, etc, etc. There's a reason Rebirth was more of a writers led initiative than anything DC had done in more than a decade: writers get it. And any writer worth keeping will mostly know what should be kept and what should be thrown away, but they mostly have toi fight for these things, while the "that's the madate? SURE!" guys just don't bother. That's why DC lost the Ruckas and the Waids but kept the Lobdells trough most of the last ten years.

So, if your point is something like "Dan Didio believes in non redundancy and I agree with him", ok. However, this plan didn't really work out.

Sure, we can say it's editorial. They are the ones whose jobs depend on sales. Not that a few random examples of creatives wanting things makes up any sort of strong desire on the part of creatives as a group to bring back those characters. Creatives want to tell a great story but I don't believe high sales are their highest priority and something like splitting the audience isn't really their concern. Sure, they might want to use some character in their story, but it's because they like that particular character, not because of some greater meaning.

And I believe the New52 was only alienating to a small segment of the audience. An audience who was loud enough to give DC an idea of how they could do something to get some attention. I think a big part of Rebirth's success isn't what they specifically did, but the fact that they did something attention-getting at a time when it was needed, not to mention Marvel's quality being so bad.

So all in all, I don't believe the sales are a result of bringing back some huge audience that was out there waiting. Outside of these boards, I've never encountered a comics fan who was so invested - they usually have no idea what is going on, and are just buying something a friend told them was good, or whatever the big new thing is. Things advertised on posters in the comics shops actually sway their decision-making. That's the bulk of the audience. And they couldn't care less whether the Flash is Barry Allen or Wally West (although they do get confused if Wally isn't black like on the TV show).