When did Barry Allen become Wally West?

[Buried Alien]

Pretty much. I still say that JLU Wally was cooking meth on his origin scene, and I will fight whoever says otherwise.

For his own personal use?

Buried Alien (The Fastest Post Alive!)

[BohemiaDrinker]

For his own personal use?

Buried Alien (The Fastest Post Alive!)

Or his own personal finances. There's a sweet van he wanted to buy.

He also shares initials with Walter White, might be a multiverse thing.

[Bored at 3:00AM]

Pretty much. I still say that JLU Wally was cooking meth on his origin scene, and I will fight whoever says otherwise.

Ha! That's my head canon from now on!

[The Darknight Detective]

TV Barry has a lot of Barry in him, specially in the more serious scenes. However, he also:

• Obsesses with being faster
• Has troubles communicating his emotions
• Has green eyes
• Dresses like Wally West (like, seriously, Gustin's wardrobe comes directly from late 2000's Wally-Flash comics)
• Grew up in the West household
• Starts every episode with "My name is X, and I'm the fastest man alive"
• Dated Linda Park
• Fought both Zoom and Savitar (granted, very different versions of both)
• Is pretty impulsive
• Barely fundaments the use his powers on science, yet can do a lot of with them instinctively.

You may not to want to see Wally, but there is a lot of Wally in there. Even if I don't think that the character is "Barry in name only", as many say.

I still see as much Wally in Barry as there is Barry in Wally in the comics. They still seem to be two distinct characters, IMO. As for the "Barry in name only" nonsense, I obviously agree with you, BD.

[kcekada]

Cyborg could carry the comic relief role and still be a credible threat if writers allowed him to overcome his angst. I also suspect that a lot of modern JL writers were influenced by Wally West's portrayal in the JL and JLU cartoons when it comes to Barry role on the current roster.

Without a doubt. My Barry Allen was a no-nonsense guy -- reliable except for being on time to meeting his wife. He's the last member of JLA you'd expect to be a wiseass.

[BohemiaDrinker]

I still see as much Wally in Barry as there is Barry in Wally in the comics. They still seem to be two distinct characters, IMO. As for the "Barry in name only" nonsense, I obviously agree with you, BD.

I disagree. Both characters have a lot of similarities and a lot of differences in the comics. (As is to be expected).

The complaints about the TV show exist due to the fact that TV show Barry absorbs lots of elements that, in the comics, are exactly the elements that separate Wally from Barry.

[Buried Alien]

Without a doubt. My Barry Allen was a no-nonsense guy -- reliable except for being on time to meeting his wife. He's the last member of JLA you'd expect to be a wiseass.

During the Silver and Bronze Age, I felt that among the Justice Leaguers, if the Alpha Trio of Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman were absent, Barry would likely be the next one in line to be the alpha.

Buried Alien (The Fastest Post Alive!)

[Frontier]

The complaints about the TV show exist due to the fact that TV show Barry absorbs lots of elements that, in the comics, are exactly the elements that separate Wally from Barry.

Which is especially glaring when you see how the show ended up dropping the ball with their actual version of Wally.

[Sam]

Which is especially glaring when you see how the show ended up dropping the ball with their actual version of Wally.

At first, certainly, but they finally seem to get Wally right in Season 4, right before he joins the Legends, where he is awesome.

[Robotman]

He didn't.

Barry is currently the product of DC trying to modernize the character. Something he missed out on in the wake of COIE because he was dead. And to do this, DC gave him a bunch of modern traits. Wally does not own being funny or down to earth and even with the modernization, he still has traits associated with Barry Allen.

That’s a good point. Barry skipper a big portion of “The Modern Age” of comics. He was almost a blank slate. Going by what they had to work with I think the nerdy guy with a sense of humor fits him.

Wally himself wasn’t always known as the funny Flash. In fact during his New Teen Titans day’s he was a bit of an *******. I think Mark Waid figured out that giving a speedster a sense of humor was fitting. Being one step ahead of everyone allowed for some great comedic moments. The X Men movies even gave “Wally’s personality” to Quicksilver, who had never shown any signs of being funny in the comics.

I don’t think Barry’s comedic lines/scenes should ever be to the extent of JLU Wally, but I like him with an almost self deprecating sense of humor.

[Frontier]

At first, certainly, but they finally seem to get Wally right in Season 4, right before he joins the Legends, where he is awesome.

He was only in season 4 for, like, three episodes where they even made it a plot point how Team Flash forgot about him.

Then he left to join Legends where, yeah, he was used much better...but still probably not the best take on Wally.

[Sam]

He was only in season 4 for, like, three episodes where they even made it a plot point how Team Flash forgot about him.

Then he left to join Legends where, yeah, he was used much better...but still probably not the best take on Wally.

Disagree. This is awesome, Wally.

[Frontier]

Disagree. This is awesome, Wally.

I was talking on an overall level. Legends definitely had a stronger take on him.

[Sam]

I was talking on an overall level. Legends definitely had a stronger take on him.

Well, did you mean Legends wasn't the best ever take? Or Legends's take was strong, but still lacking? Couldn't quite tell what you mean by "still probably not the best take on Wally."

[Frontier]

Well, did you mean Legends wasn't the best ever take? Or Legends's take was strong, but still lacking? Couldn't quite tell what you mean by "still probably not the best take on Wally."

I guess what I'm getting at is that Legends was a strong showing but, overall, Arrowverse Wally deserved better then he got.

Some of that's on Lonsdale wanting to do new things but a part of it was the writing, especially on The Flash.