BvS The Barry Allen/Flash Casting Thread

[Kevin Smith]

Yep. People these days are obsessed with protecting superheroes as if they are made of eggshells. What's it all about? Are people just more sheltered and afraid of the world than they used to be?

The wussification of america, plus the ever present conscious or unconscious desire to make everything what is trending or in "vogue" - which is what armor currently is.

Because policemen can run faster than the speed of sound and vibrate their corporeal forms through solid matter.

Because a being who could do that would want to be slowed down by redundant armour offering needless "protection".

It's the opposite of logical.

Exactly.

Perhaps...he could use a banana skin!!??

Better put Flash in a tank.

Baha! I lol'd. That is so true, I agree... I cannot express how much I hate that "every superhero must wear armor whether he needs it or not!" , it's all over the New 52, even Green Lantern wears armor, come on now... if that ring goes the armor goes and if he is fighting a threat that he needs the ring for you can guarantee that if the ring goes that whatever armor he has on his suit is not going to protect him from whatever threat he was facing. Gimme a break.

You do realize you're dealing with heavy force? Armor mitigating that kind of force would be like Batman taking a punch from Superman. It's so minuscule that Flash wouldn't even be protected.

Right on.

Yeah, but even if it couldn't help entirely, armor at very least could mitigate the damage of such an impact. It's a highly practical and logical approach.

Yeah but that gets to the improbability of the character as a whole. The slightest mistake at that speed could cut him in two in the real world.for the movie, If you're trying to portray flash as a super fast being who is just as vulnerable as any other human, then it makes sense that he'd want added protection in case of an impact. For movie watchers, just a little extra gear would go a long way in accepting the illusion that he could walk away from such an incident.

No it's not and there's nothing logical about it - you really just want armor because it's the new hip thing to tack onto superheroes right now. The Flash is protected by his aura and the Speed Force, it allows him to do things like increase/decrease his mass/momentum and have complete control over it as he moves, protects his body from breaking or burning up as he runs, and is also why he is only super fast and not also super strong as an actual person able to run the speeds that he does would also have super strength - the Speed Force and how his powers are take care of all of this, armor would be stupid and unnecessary...not to mention a ***** to put on.

General rule as far as superheroes and armor go: UNLESS YOU ARE IRON MAN OR STEEL, I DO NOT WANT TO SEE "ARMOR" ON YOU.

 

[Kevin Smith]

I'm not supporting the armor (I'm impartial really), but I don't want the Flash to look like this:

I'm sure that he won't and it's not one extreme or the other.

Get some cool materials to make the suit out of (NOT ARMOR!!!), make it crimson, and make the "yellow" areas gold/metallic looking in color, etc, make the ear pieces look especially "sharp"/pointy (the way Ethan Van Sciver draws them) and shiney and you have a sweet Flash costume that works perfectly and is exactly what The Flash is.

(That being said that is not a bad cosplay, whoever did it did a nice job )

 

[regwec]

I'm trying to think of a character to which armour is less appropriate. The best I could come up with is The Spectre. I bet some people would at least like his underpants to be Kevlar, though.

I should say that the fan made suit is a very nice piece of work, but it should be resprayed silver and used for Cyborg.

 

[Airwings]

Yeah yeah. He needs armor just because the writers will create a scene where the hero slips on ice or a banana peel. LOL
Maybe the hero needs protection from the writers rather than physical injuries.

 

[Young Superman]

They should just use Grant Gustin.

 

[Llama_Shepherd]

General rule as far as superheroes and armor go: UNLESS YOU ARE IRON MAN OR STEEL, I DO NOT WANT TO SEE "ARMOR" ON YOU.

Did you not like Superman's suit in Man of Steel?

 

[MaceB]

No it's not and there's nothing logical about it - you really just want armor because it's the new hip thing to tack onto superheroes right now.

Thanks for ignoring my points, and just replacing them with the argument that you think is more common. It has nothing to do with fashion, and everything to do with practicality.

The Flash is protected by his aura and the Speed Force, it allows him to do things like increase/decrease his mass/momentum and have complete control over it as he moves, protects his body from breaking or burning up as he runs, and is also why he is only super fast and not also super strong as an actual person able to run the speeds that he does would also have super strength - the Speed Force and how his powers are take care of all of this, armor would be stupid and unnecessary...

Okay, so now we're getting to it. I'm going to full scale admit it, I don't like the idea that the Speed Force protects his body for a whole bunch of reasons:
1) if the speed force does protect his body from damage, then it DOES make him super-strong as well. And how far does that go? If Flash were going at breakneck speed and put his weight into a steel wall... would he go splat, or would be protected by the speed force? If he's protected... that means Flash is hella strong and can do some real damage, even possibly more than superman.
2) It's just overly complicated from a film perspective. For the speed force to make Barry super fast is one thing.. but to say it means he won't ever trip, and it provides this extra layer of physical protection seems tagged on and overly convenient. I believe film viewers not so intricately aware of the character will feel the same way.
3) It takes away from the character a whole lot more than armor would. The Flash is supposed to be a man... just as vulnerable as the rest of us... but quick. We don't need another superman.

General rule as far as superheroes and armor go: UNLESS YOU ARE IRON MAN OR STEEL, I DO NOT WANT TO SEE "ARMOR" ON YOU.

Oh I see... so you're just a comic book canonist who is afraid of change because these are the characters you loved as a baby. Of course that above sentence isn't true, but it's not fun to see your rational, intelligent points reduced to a falsity, is it? Just wanted you to keep that in mind.

I'm sure that he won't and it's not one extreme or the other.

Great! I agree. Let's go with a fabric, plated hybrid then. Maybe metal plated material around the knees, elbows, and head?

I'm trying to think of a character to which armour is less appropriate.

I can't think of a character who is more appropriate.
Superman - doesn't need it cause he's as hard as steel
Batman - traditionally has it in some form in the comics. Needs it.
Wonder Woman - traditional battle wear. Doesn't need it, but it's representative of her culture.
Martian Man Hunter - doesn't need it. Can go through walls.
Green Lantern - doesn't need it. The ring is his armor.
Cyborg - doesn't need it. Already built in.
Flash - totally vulnerable to damage. Needs.

You're just sort of mocking the idea instead actually addressing anyone's points.

And lastly... I will buy in here, and say that Flash's costume... just in general could use some redesign work. I'm not a fan of the lightening ears for film, and I think a glossed plated exterior like that of a race car is a good approach for this one character in particular, and I'm totally down to see a change. It has nothing to do with trends. Just seems to make sense for this character.

 

[LEVITIKUZ]

I'm just saying, I wouldn't mind Flash wearing some headwear. That's all. Rest of the suit could be Spidey influenced.

 

[MaceB]

Definitely. I don't know about anyone else, but if I was traversing a populated city at Moch 20 or whatever, I'd probably at least want a helmet too.

 

[LEVITIKUZ]

I mean, when Nascar racers race they are going at 200 miles per hour wearing helmets. Bikers wear helmets. Indy car series people wear helmets going fast. Formula 1 drivers.

It just plain makes sense for Flash's mask to be his helmet too in a way.

 

[Nathan]

At the speed he travels, a helmet would do nothing. It would probably pulverize on impact. Is entire body would get wrecked if we are being realistic. But thankfully nothing of this is realistic, and they came up with the speed force to explain all the crazy feats he's able to pull off.

Can't we just embrace the character and all of his ridiculousness and not try to put a realistic spin on him?

 

[MaceB]

At the speed he travels, a helmet would do nothing. It would probably pulverize on impact. Is entire body would get wrecked if we are being realistic. But thankfully nothing of this is realistic, and they came up with the speed force to explain all the crazy feats he's able to pull off.

Can't we just embrace the character and all of his ridiculousness and not try to put a realistic spin on him?

Realism is a powerful weapon of cinema that should be utilized more not discarded. You're right that a helmet wouldn't honestly do anything at those speeds, but it'd go a long way in helping the audience relate with the character. And again... a helmet or plated exterior would at least help to mitigate minor damage. Wouldn't you want added protection if you were zipping around at superfast speeds... even if it wasn't 100% secure? Wouldn't a helmet at least be a practical approach?
By wishing all the problems away with speed force, you're attaching a nonreal, almost cartoon like element to the character.. You're essentially making him impervious, and I'm telling you right now, that'll make it harder for viewers to connect seriously with the character. Realism helps to aid the drama, which is what you really want in cinema.

 

[LEVITIKUZ]

I'm just saying I think the helmet would look cool with something like this.

And here's are the current Flash comic writers wearing the mask:

 

[roach]

Spider-man seemed to make do without armor.

 

[LEVITIKUZ]

I don't want Flash with body armor. I just think Flash's suit should be like a mix of Captain America and Spidey's suit. Have the full body be like Spidey's suit and have a mask like how Cap has in Avengers. That would work fine.

 

[Nathan]

Realism is a powerful weapon of cinema that should be utilized more not discarded. You're right that a helmet wouldn't honestly do anything at those speeds, but it'd go a long way in helping the audience relate with the character. And again... a helmet or plated exterior would at least help to mitigate minor damage. Wouldn't you want added protection if you were zipping around at superfast speeds... even if it wasn't 100% secure? Wouldn't a helmet at least be a practical approach?
By wishing all the problems away with speed force, you're attaching a nonreal, almost cartoon like element to the character.. You're essentially making him impervious, and I'm telling you right now, that'll make it harder for viewers to connect seriously with the character. Realism helps to aid the drama, which is what you really want in cinema.

You have already practically a god in Superman, people don't seem to have an issue that they can't connect to him. You try to add realism to the Flash, the whole concept of the character just falls apart. Either he has the Speed Force, or you make him indeed super human, in order to explain how he can even survive at the speeds he travels.

You add a helmet, you might as well dress him up in armor from head to toe. Because if he falls, a helmet alone is going to do squat. Oh, great, his head is protected, but he probably broke every single bone in his body from the fall. But at least he doesn't have a concussion. Go Flash.

I'm just saying I think the helmet would look cool with something like this.

And here's are the current Flash comic writers wearing the mask:

That thing is truly atrocious.

 

[roach]

armor is not going to save Flash...I remember seeing a vide of a someone in a wing suit hit the side of a bridge...all there was was a cloud of red. Armor would not have saved him.

 

[InJustice]

Realism is a powerful weapon of cinema that should be utilized more not discarded. You're right that a helmet wouldn't honestly do anything at those speeds, but it'd go a long way in helping the audience relate with the character. And again... a helmet or plated exterior would at least help to mitigate minor damage. Wouldn't you want added protection if you were zipping around at superfast speeds... even if it wasn't 100% secure? Wouldn't a helmet at least be a practical approach?
By wishing all the problems away with speed force, you're attaching a nonreal, almost cartoon like element to the character.. You're essentially making him impervious, and I'm telling you right now, that'll make it harder for viewers to connect seriously with the character. Realism helps to aid the drama, which is what you really want in cinema.

Again, armor isn't mitigating anything. If he's going at high speeds, then Flash isn't going to be protected by anything, it'll be destroyed to the point where his body will still be affected by the force. Having said that, he'd experience catastrophic damage with or without armor anyways. I think you're overestimating how the audience is going to relate to the Flash. When the audience sees the Flash, they're not going to think "Jesus Christ, this guy's vulnerable," they're likely going to think "Holy ****, this guy is badass."

Realism is a tricky technique though, because if you choose to be realistic, then you're going to have to think about how consistent the details are. For instance, if Flash is going fast, then you'll have to explain how his body is fast (losing weight because of high metabolism etc). It's tricky because some forget the basic tenets of realism and go in a totally different direction then what was intended, which is jarring for the audience. Having said that, realism doesn't really allow the audience to connect to the character, it's the way that character is written. At its most basic level, the Flash doesn't have emotional issues like other characters, so you can write him in such a way that he's one instance of where superpowers actually benefits him. Furthermore, I think the Flash can be relatable because he's essentially DC's version of Marvel Studios' Tony Stark (in terms of comedy). As for the speed force, I disagree that it's cartoony. I think it lends itself well to a physics-based interpretation in the real world.

 

[Rorschach2012]

I don't really think they need to do armor on Flash's suit, something in between the textures of the Winter Soldier Cap Suit and the Raimi Spidey suit would work.

The Flash doesn't need armor all the time. But maybe for the final battle of a Justice League movie, Flash could wear some armor like in the DCU online trailer.

Spoiler

 

[king666]

And lastly... I will buy in here, and say that Flash's costume... just in general could use some redesign work. I'm not a fan of the lightening ears for film, and I think a glossed plated exterior like that of a race car is a good approach for this one character in particular, and I'm totally down to see a change. It has nothing to do with trends. Just seems to make sense for this character.

nope

 

[regwec]

1) if the speed force does protect his body from damage, then it DOES make him super-strong as well. And how far does that go? If Flash were going at breakneck speed and put his weight into a steel wall... would he go splat, or would be protected by the speed force? If he's protected... that means Flash is hella strong and can do some real damage, even possibly more than superman.
2) It's just overly complicated from a film perspective. For the speed force to make Barry super fast is one thing.. but to say it means he won't ever trip, and it provides this extra layer of physical protection seems tagged on and overly convenient. I believe film viewers not so intricately aware of the character will feel the same way.
3) It takes away from the character a whole lot more than armor would. The Flash is supposed to be a man... just as vulnerable as the rest of us... but quick. We don't need another superman.

It's becoming abundantly clear that you don't really understand much about the character.

I can't think of a character who is more appropriate.
Superman - doesn't need it cause he's as hard as steel
Batman - traditionally has it in some form in the comics. Needs it.
Wonder Woman - traditional battle wear. Doesn't need it, but it's representative of her culture.
Martian Man Hunter - doesn't need it. Can go through walls.
Green Lantern - doesn't need it. The ring is his armor.
Cyborg - doesn't need it. Already built in.
Flash - totally vulnerable to damage. Needs.

You're just sort of mocking the idea instead actually addressing anyone's points.

I have rebutted your "points" ad nauseum. They were feeble, and were dealt with quickly and concisely.

Edit: Correction, I have rebutted the same arguments where made by others. I find it difficult to believe that more than one person shares such a deeply defective view.

Realism is a powerful weapon of cinema that should be utilized more not discarded. You're right that a helmet wouldn't honestly do anything at those speeds, but it'd go a long way in helping the audience relate with the character. And again... a helmet or plated exterior would at least help to mitigate minor damage. Wouldn't you want added protection if you were zipping around at superfast speeds... even if it wasn't 100% secure? Wouldn't a helmet at least be a practical approach?
By wishing all the problems away with speed force, you're attaching a nonreal, almost cartoon like element to the character.. You're essentially making him impervious, and I'm telling you right now, that'll make it harder for viewers to connect seriously with the character. Realism helps to aid the drama, which is what you really want in cinema.

This could be paraphrased as "I admit that armour wouldn't make the slightest bit of difference, but "realistic".

Armour is unrealistic in this unrealistic situation, because it is superfluous and potentially counterproductive. By analogy, it would not be more "realistic" for Aquaman to wear a diving mask and flippers. Both alterations would verge on satire.

 

[Gee]

Do you guys want the "ear wings" to protrude or painted like in Captain America: TFA (or engraved like in Avengers)?

 

[Airwings]

I don't really think they need to do armor on Flash's suit, something in between the textures of the Winter Soldier Cap Suit and the Raimi Spidey suit would work.

The Flash doesn't need armor all the time. But maybe for the final battle of a Justice League movie, Flash could wear some armor like in the DCU online trailer.

Yes. Or a cross between Cap's Avengers suit and the ASM tights?

 

[regwec]

I wouldn't object to them being pure energy, as with the lightning strikes on his body.

 

[JDonaldD]

Yep. People these days are obsessed with protecting superheroes as if they are made of eggshells. What's it all about? Are people just more sheltered and afraid of the world than they used to be?

Grant Morrison made a good point about how adults feel the need to bring their fantasy characters into the real world whereas children can accept the fantasy of it it. A less armored Flash is the same thing as a less armored Batman. What if they get shot? Well, simple. Write them so they don't because they're superheroes and know what they're doing.