The Official Flash Thread

[Kevin Smith]

The best storyline of Waid's run was "The Return of Barry Allen" which proved once and for all why Barry Allen is the greatest Flash.

LOL. That's funny. I think Waid's "Return of Barry Allen" storyline is one of the WORST things ever done for Barry Allen. It's a GREAT Wally story though, but it sucks for Barry. Mark Waid doesn't really like Barry Allen that much, and when he was writing Flash and especially during that storyarc, whenever he displayed Barry in anything, he would try to write him as "bland" and one dimensional as possible as to keep the focus on Wally, as far as I'm concerned, he was writing "Captain Cardboard" and NOT actual Barry Allen.

Some good Barry Allen stories, IMO, are:

DC: The New Frontier (EXCELLENT!)
JLA: The Nail 1 & 2 (see part 1 where Barry totally schools Amazo, single handedly, something no other leaguer has done)
Alex Ross' "Justice" series and "World's Greatest Heroes" oversized book (altho I personally hate how he draws Barry Allen and the "wings" on The Flash suit, the story material is still a fave of mine)
JLA: Year One (yeah, Mark Waid cowrites it, but it's actually half decent where Barry Allen is concerened (guess DC said something to Waid), and is thus worth picking up)

Looking forward to Rebirth. Johns is gonna do AWESOME!

 

[Lane & Kent]

DC: The New Frontier is one of the best portals of Barry Allen ever.
Barry was badass in it.

 

[Kevin Smith]

I know that Barry has humor but growing up, The Flash (to me) has always been the 'funny' one in the DC Universe, kinda like how Spider-Man is funny. Is Barry like that kind of persona? I think that's only ONE of the reasons why people like Wally so much.

Barry is funny but he is smart. Wally and Bart were funny but they were more "dumb" with their stuff. I wouldn't say any of them are "Spider-Man" funny tho.

An example of Barry Allen's humor or outlook on things:

 

[Kevin Smith]

 

[Kevin Smith]

 

[Kevin Smith]

DC: The New Frontier is one of the best portals of Barry Allen ever.
Barry was badass in it.

Totally.

 

[Eddie Dean]

Kevin Smith, while Barry is a great character, his movie would be boring as hell. We've seen it in every superhero movie from the past few years, with this formula:

1. Introduction to hero's personal life, gains powers
2. Hero experiments with powers, struggles with personal life, introduction to villain
3. Hero gains control of powers, improves personal life, defeats villain

The reason why sequels like Dark Knight and Spider-Man 2 are widely accepted as being better than the originals is that they don't have to deal with a predictable origin story to slow them down and instead go straight into the action. I'd be happy to read a Barry Allen origin story in the comics any day, but for a movie Wally makes a much more compelling story.

 

[The Major]

Kevin Smith, while Barry is a great character, his movie would be boring as hell. We've seen it in every superhero movie from the past few years, with this formula:

1. Introduction to hero's personal life, gains powers
2. Hero experiments with powers, struggles with personal life, introduction to villain
3. Hero gains control of powers, improves personal life, defeats villain

It's a successful formula that has worked in multiple genres. They certainly didn't hurt Iron Man, Hellboy, Spider-man or Nolan's Batman with the public. The origins are very necessary for "newer" franchises since the public don't know who these characters are.

The reason why sequels like Dark Knight and Spider-Man 2 are widely accepted as being better than the originals is that they don't have to deal with a predictable origin story to slow them down and instead go straight into the action.

True, but they still had the origins dealt with before they were made. The origins made the public more interested in the sequels once they understood what they were getting into. The stories in TDK and Spider-man 2 wouldn't have the same impact without the origins to build them up.

I'd be happy to read a Barry Allen origin story in the comics any day, but for a movie Wally makes a much more compelling story.

That's what sequels are for.

 

[Eddie Dean]

The Flash is a guy who can run fast. That's all the public needs to know. We didn't start with Indiana Jones learning to be a archaeologist or John McClane training to be a cop and people had no problem with them. Why go with the same old same old with Barry, when you can have something new with Wally?

 

[The Major]

The Flash is a guy who can run fast. That's all the public needs to know.

That won't be enough to hook them by itself. They need to care about Wally or Barry first. An origin can do that much easier then skipping vital information about why they run fast.

We didn't start with Indiana Jones learning to be a archaeologist or John McClane training to be a cop and people had no problem with them.

You're right about Indiana though he's an exception to the rule, most movies show origins of new characters.

McClane's origin wasn't that he was a cop it was that he was a cop who defies the odds against terrorists, that's why the first Die Hard is an origin film.

Why go with the same old same old with Barry, when you can have something new with Wally?

Because we can have both.

 

[Webhead2006]

well its different with superheroes u want to see how and what brought them to be the heroes they are it would be so silly to start a first film off where he has been a hero for awhile and we dont know how anything was for the character before hand.

 

[Eddie Dean]

My Flash cast would look something like this:

Wally West - Bradley Cooper

Linda Park - Grace Park

Jay Garrick - Bruce Greenwood

Barry Allen - Patrick Wilson

Bart Allen - Anton Yelchin

Captain Cold - Sam Neill

Mirror Master - Henry Ian Cusick

 

[Kevin Smith]

@ The Major:

Thanks for summing that up! That was pretty much what I was going to say.

 

[deathshead2]

Wow Eddie. Thats some great casting there. That Bradly Cooper guy has been slowing going up the Hollywood ladder eversense Alias.

 

[GoblinWhirlwind]

My library has zero Flash titles.. I couldn't believe it. Plenty of Superman, Batman, and JLA but no Flash whatsoever.

 

[Eddie Dean]

Ignoring all the Barry and Wally stuff, how many people would like to see a Jay Garrick movie? It would certainly gave a much needed spot light on a such a strong supporting character.

 

[Kevin Smith]

Flash: Rebirth four page preview! :

Can't wait!!!!

 

[Webhead2006]

looks cool and cool casting choices a few posts above.

 

[GoblinWhirlwind]

Normally I just wait for the collected editions, but this made me wanna read it.

 

[Lane & Kent]

I would, a Crime noir story set in 1939 with Science student Jay Garrick accidentally inhaling fumes from an experimental substance called 'hard water' and finds that he had been given the gift of super-speed as a result. He becomes the Flash.

 

[Kevin Smith]

Ignoring all the Barry and Wally stuff, how many people would like to see a Jay Garrick movie? It would certainly gave a much needed spot light on a such a strong supporting character.

According to the poll, only 2 people really want to see that movie. LOL. Seriously tho, I'm game for ANY DC film, especially any Flash film, I'll go see it no matter who is Flash, just if I have a choice I would pick Barry Allen.

 

[Kevin Smith]

My Flash cast would look something like this:

Wally West - Bradley Cooper

Not bad, all tho I think he'd be a better Guy Gardner or Zoom, possibly a little old for Wally.

Linda Park - Grace Park

Very nice.

Jay Garrick - Bruce Greenwood

Not bad. Better than Richard Gere who was my choice I suppose.

Barry Allen - Patrick Wilson

Hmmm. This is the big one for me. I personally don't care for this one much. I think Wilson is entirely too old for Barry, plus he's losing his hair and has already got Nite Owl. Maybe in some other reality.

Bart Allen - Anton Yelchin

I see him more as Wally West/Kid Flash than I do Bart. Bart needs more of the "punk" thing going on, IMO. Great actor though.

Captain Cold - Sam Neill

Too old and would be perfect as Max Lord.

Mirror Master - Henry Ian Cusick

Decent.

Overall, with the exception of one or two, I'd say that's pretty solid casting, my friend.

 

[The Major]

@ The Major:

Thanks for summing that up! That was pretty much what I was going to say.

No problem, Kevin.

 

[The Major]

Ignoring all the Barry and Wally stuff, how many people would like to see a Jay Garrick movie? It would certainly gave a much needed spot light on a such a strong supporting character.

I'd like to see a prequel about Jay set around WWII.

 

[Kevin Smith]

No problem, Kevin.

I'd like to see a prequel about Jay set around WWII.

That would be cool.