The Official Flash Thread

[Jordacar]

I used to think Wally should be in the film, but I've had a change of heart. And now that Barry is coming back in the comics, it's time for general audiences to get schooled.

 

[Sub-Zero]

in the green lantern script[BLACKOUT]the 1st gl alan scott is kinda the narrator[/BLACKOUT] they could use jay garrick in the beginning and have him telling a story about the origin of this new flash(barry), and in a sequel introduce wally west as barry's fiance's nephew, and he gets in the same accident at the end.barry "dies" in the 3rd one and wally takes over to continue the legacy. wouldn't that please everyone?

 

[MadVillainy]

Ha! Good post, my man.

My reasons are similar to that:

1. Barry Allen is the DEFINITIVE Flash. 20 years ago. Wally is the Flash of the current generation

2. Barry Allen is the only MAJOR DC characters to have powers because of an accident. That doesn't mean anything to why he is better, but it is true


3. Barry Allen is the only MAJOR DC character to have his powers because of his FLAWS. Hal Jordan


4. Barry Allen isn't bogged down by years of continuity and a legacy to scare new readers. He is his own person. ??? Batman was held down by continuity but Nolan didn't care


5. Barry Allen is the only Flash who has a PERSONAL LIFE. What are you talking about. Wally West gets married and has kids how is Barry the only one with a personal life?


6. FORENSICS are COOL. So? Aot of the other superhero movies don't have forensics and they have been doing well so far

7. Barry Allen is the GREATEST Flash. Not in most fan's opinions


8. Barry Allen is the FASTEST Flash. People think otherwise

9. Barry Allen is INTELLIGENT. OK

10. Barry Allen is witty and serious. SO is Wally. In fact Wally is funnier

11. Great supporting cast. Wally has one or even Bart for that matter


12. Great Rogues Gallery AS I said the other time, they are both so similar that it's wahtever

13. Barry's blue eyes just look better in the red and gold suit than green or yellow eyes. I'm serious. It goes perfect. ???

14. Barry Allen is the current/lead Flash. But the reception of him returning as the Flash has been mixed and he just returned

15. Barry Allen has been The Flash LONGEST. And he also was dead the longest.


16. Barry Allen is in the same league (pardon the pun) as Superman, Batman, and Hal Jordan. No sidekicks here. OK

17. Barry Allen is the most compatible for movies and the way DC is doing things. It can go either way it depends on writer/director

18. HE IS AWESOME So Is Wally...or Jay or Bart

19. Barry Allen is The Flash who has been used most in alternate media in terms of story and character Ya but alot of those times he's just been Barry Allen by name, he has Wally personality

20. He's the BEST. People think otherwise

.....

 

[protocida]

1: That doesn't mean anything. Bucky is the Captain America of the current generation, but who's getting a movie? Steve Rogers.

2: It does. Good eye for noticing that, Kevin!

3: Hal Jordan? The one who was chosen to become a Green Lantern because of his great willpower, bravery and imagination?

4: He meant Barry is easier. Wally and Bart are heavily based on the Flash legacy, which might scare the newcomers.

5: Wally only got a personal life in the last four years, thanks to Johns. Barry had one since his creation.

6: Because they didn't had a forensic background. Barry does.

7: 50%. If not more.

8: People also think Earth is flat, and that the man never went to the moon.

9: OK.

10: Wally's not witty. He's Spiderman level wisecracking. And that's a matter of perspective.

11: Barry's one is better. t:

12: Actually, they're not.

13: He has a point.

14: But he returned nevertheless. And returns are normally mixed.

15: Point being?

16: OK.

17: But Barry is easier to write and to develop.

18: Barry is the most. t:

19: It's quite the other way arround.

20: No, they don't.

 

[Flash Facts]

If those reasons aren't a joke then both (protocida and Kevin) of your perspectives are way too clouded by fanboyism to discuss the subject.

Not meant to be a flame.

 

[Flash Facts]

If those reasons aren't a joke then both (protocida and Kevin) of your perspectives are way too clouded by fanboyism to discuss the subject.

Not meant to be a flame.

 

[Flash Facts]

If those reasons aren't a joke then both (protocida and Kevin) of your perspectives are way too clouded by fanboyism to discuss the subject.

Not meant to be a flame.

 

[Sub-Zero]

do people really think they will START a franchise with the "current" flash (wally)? it's obviously going to be barry, then in sequels they'll probably bring in the others. plus outside of fanboys people don't give a sh** about who is under the mask, as long as it's a cool movie.

 

[MadVillainy]

1: That doesn't mean anything. Bucky is the Captain America of the current generation, but who's getting a movie? Steve Rogers. Well Bucky has been Cap for less than 5 years so...

2: It does. Good eye for noticing that, Kevin! That doesn't mean anything

3: Hal Jordan? The one who was chosen to become a Green Lantern because of his great willpower, bravery and imagination? He got chosen because of his courage and because of his courage was overly cocky which was a flaw

4: He meant Barry is easier. Wally and Bart are heavily based on the Flash legacy, which might scare the newcomers.

5: Wally only got a personal life in the last four years, thanks to Johns. Barry had one since his creation. Linda actually first appeared in 1989

6: Because they didn't had a forensic background. Barry does. ???

7: 50%. If not more. Scoreboard in this thead, check the Flash Comic thread check yahoo answers

8: People also think Earth is flat, and that the man never went to the moon. ???The same arguement can be used against people thinking Barry is the fastest

9: OK.

10: Wally's not witty. He's Spiderman level wisecracking. And that's a matter of perspective. He's funny, he's hilarious with one liners and such

11: Barry's one is better. t: Matter of perspective

12: Actually, they're not. They have alot of the same villains its just that some of them are different people.

13: He has a point.

14: But he returned nevertheless. And returns are normally mixed. He died nevertheless.

15: Point being? He was dead for a reason

16: OK.

17: But Barry is easier to write and to develop. Says who?

18: Barry is the most. t: ...

19: It's quite the other way arround. JLA pilot called Barry acted like Wally, The Flash tv show Barry by name, had Barry's job and Iris otherwise his story resembled. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flash_in_other_media

20: No, they don't.

..........

 

[Changeling]

 

[Webhead2006]

More likely then not its going to be barry for film if it does happen any time soon. Really it should be we are getting hal for gl so why shouldnt it not be barry who gets the first big budget flash film. They can always include wally/bart down the road in sequels.

 

[Kevin Smith]

10 reasons for Wally
1. The Flash of this generation (Been the Flash for about the last 20 years)

That's nothing. Barry was Flash for over thirty years and is adding to it. Wally's worn his costume for the last 20, so what?

2. Just to reply to your job thing, his job is more relatable to people. One of the first heroes not to have a "cool" job (mechanic)

DC doesn't know what to do with Wally. Wally has been everything. A millionaire, poor, an occasional mechanic, and now he's jobless and has a family to support. DC tried hard to turn him into Barry with the reporter girlfriend and wife, a secret identity and police job, a Kid Flash of his own, his own Zoom, even brought back the original suit sans the belt and Iris, but it didn't work. Enter present situation.

3. Hes has the weight of a legacy on his shoulder built by two other heroes

He has Barry's legacy, not Jay's. Barry doesn't even have Jay's. The legacy Wally is talking about is clearly Barry's, he's dressed up like Barry, was trained by Barry, is related to Barry, etc. Barry was inspired by Jay. Inspiration and legacy aren't even synonyms.

4. Is the fastest Flash according to dc database and flash wiki

That's bullcrap. Wally has never surpassed Barry in speed. Wally has never ran over what Barry ran in COIE. And wiki can be edited to say anything you want.

5. He's funnier and clearly more interesting since most Flash media (tv shows, etc.) have only been Barry Allen by name but have used the mannerisms and personality of Wally

"most Flash media"? Seriously? The REAL Wally West doesn't have a single alternate media appearence that he can call his own. When have they ever delved into the "legacy" and Wally's origin and his history as Kid Flash that makes him so "specia"l?

Let's go through this again:

JL/JLU: Barry Allen in story with Wally West's name and appearance and Bart Allen's personality. They used Barry's story because it's the simplest to "get", i. e., not bogged down by legacy continuity and grew up with Barry/were most familiar with him, they used Wally's name and likenes at the end of season two because he was The Flash in the current comics which were very popular at the time because of Geoff Johns, and they used Bart's impulsive personality because they were originally going to use Impulse in the JLA instead of Flash because they were pitching the series to WB and WB likes mostly kid/teen characters in their shows. When they sold the show to Cartoon Network with a phone call they decided to use The Flash because he's such of a staple in the JLA and because they were doing CN and they don't mind cartoons with more adult protagonists, but they kept the personality so young kids would have someone to identify with.

The Batman: Barry Allen

That's an obvious one. He came from Central City, fought the silver age version of the Mirror Master, the silver age versions of GL, GA, and Hawkman and just about everyone else were used on the show, and Alan Burnett, who produces the show and wrote the episode, is a huge Barry Allen fan. Besides, how could it have been Wally or Bart when Robin who is clearly a child is Dick Grayson, and Grayson is the same age as Wally West/Wally's best friend?

The Flash TV show: Barry Allen with Wally West story elements

Read The Flash Companion. The writers/producers went with Barry for a number of reasons; his origin/job, he was the one they grew up with, and he seemed to have more humor than most of the other DC heroes. That's a direct quote. If you read it you'll see. The Wally elements that were used were Tina McGee and STAR labs because they needed someone for Flash to discuss his powers with and they needed another "pool" for stories. They had the forensics job as a story pool and the STAR labs thing as a story pool. In tv they need as many "story pools" as possible because they have so many episodes, so it's understandable that they did this. The writers put their own spin on a lot of things.

Justice League: The New Frontier: Barry Allen

DC Super Hero Cartoons from the 60s-80s: Barry Allen (Superfriends, the DC Filmation shows, etc)

1970s Legends of the Superpowers tv movie: Barry Allen

Crappy JLA tv show movie: A ****** version of Barry Allen a la "Friends"

So after looking back at that, guess who the creators of these shows find more interesting and accessible to audiences? That's right, Barry Allen.

That said, even if Wally's "mannerisms and personality" were used, what else would you expect? Barry was gone before it became custom to flesh out characters with "personalities" in comics, and has had runs by two of the greatest writers in comics. You're being unfair because Barry never had any of that at the time of any of these shows, yet the creators still used him and/or his story, so what does that say about how great a character he is? They need a great stand alone character and that is Barry Allen.

6. Their Rogue galleries would be a tie

The Rogues you're talking about are all Barry's Rogues or are derived from them in the same way the suit Wally's wearing is Barry's. How many of Wally's "Rogues", enemies that he didn't "inherit" from Barry or enemies that aren't derived from Barry's Rogues do you know of that are "great" and "iconic" and would be great for a movie? Magenta? Cicada? Tar Pit? Murmur? Girder? Double Down? Peek-a-Boo? Fallout? Brother Grimm? Do any of these guys even compare to Barry's classic Rogues Gallery?

Wally wasn't even allowed to fight any of Barry's Rogues for the longest time because of the stupid DC editorial mandate that "everything old isn't cool". It wasn't until Johns got on the book, Johns, who had read all of the silver age Flash stories and new what great potential the Rogues had that they really got interesting. He brought them all back, even if there were some new faces under the garb like Captain Boomerang and Mirror Master. He really wanted to use Zoom but DC said he couldn't, so he asked if he could create a new Zoom, and so he did. Now Johns has complete access to ALL the characters he wanted to write originally but couldn't and he no longer has to write characters derived from them.

except Wally's reverse flash (Zoom) isnt some time traveling guy who made it so that when he wears the suit it gives him superspeed.

Neither is Barry's Zoom. He has super speed powers of his own.

Wally's Zoom is a former friend of Wally and a mentally sick guy who doesnt want to kill Wally, but make him a better hero by giving him a tragedy; he's like a crazed fanboy

Have you ever read any Eobard Thawne Reverse Flash stories? The guy wanted to be Barry Allen. This is very evident especially in Mark Waid's Return of Barry Allen story, which is a great Wally story, and even better Flash story, but a dissappointment if you think the real Barry Allen is back in it lol.

7. He is more liked by fans. Check the scoreboard here and most other sights (yahoo answers, etc.) and he is more of a fan favorite

Actually, I'm quite impressed by the score boards. I've been watching them since the start, and Barry usually has an average of about 20 or so votes behind Wally. This is very impressive considering half my generation has never read a Barry Allen story and half the people who voted are only familiar with the JL/JLU cartoon (evident especially in the very first post). Barry has been gone for 23 years and we've had 22 years of Wally stories with runs by two great writers with a little Bart, it's amazing that Barry still has this kind of fandom despite being out of public knowledge for so long and Wally being the "better" (sarcasm) and (then)current Flash. I think it speaks volumes about how great the character is, and am proud of the score boards when everthing is considered.

especially since the mediocre reviews of Flash: Rebirth

"mediocre"? They've been anything but. How about this; Wally's last few issues have been so "mediocre" that no one has reviewed them save a few die hard fans.

Here's some thoughts from major sites that reviewed the book:

IGN has two reviews, one by a Flash fan (7/10 stars) and one by a new reader (9/10). “it has been a while since I’ve read a comic which drew me into the characters and presented the DCU as a living, breathing entity as well as Rebirth #1″

The Absorbascon - “the most important superhero comic book in the last 20 years.”

Comic Book Resources - “it has definitely set up a more interesting character dynamic than Green Lantern ever did. Each Flash is directly vested in the others’ lives, so jealousy and admiration aren’t just convenient personality traits, they’re clearly paving the way for some intense stuff down the road.”

iFanboy Pick of the Week - “The opening pages read like a checklist, addressing everything that needed to be addressed with an efficiency and skill so sleek that I was honestly a little awestruck.”

iFanboy’s kwisdumb - while I might not agree with the return of characters like these, it’s obvious to me that a masterful story is being told here”

Newsarama’s Best Shots Extra - “this is a series that I think is just coming out of first gear, and is going to be revving its way through the next few issues.”

Weekly Comic Book Review - “Geoff Johns creates a strong, compelling narrative of life, post-Crisis for Barry Allen.”

Giant Size Man-Thing: New Comics - “This issue did what it needed to do, which was to help me finally remember which one is Barry and which one is Wally”

Rokk’s Comic Book Revolution - “Johns pulls off plenty of nice character work. It is obvious that Johns loves and understands the various members of the Flash family.”

Pendragon’s Post - “For all the new readers who want to get into The Flash series, and those who love a good detective story, this book is for you.”

Digital College - “Johns is the perfect person to write this book ( and just about every other DC book for the most part). He introduces readers who might be foreign to Barry Allen and gives a brief update on his origin.”

The Source Wall - “My favorite moments come when Barry and Hal meet at the Flash Museum.”

Tpull’s Weekly DC Comics Review - “I could go on, but I won’t. I’ll just say the obvious: best read of the week.”
Bureau 42 - “High Point… ‘The world’s finally catching up.’”

Alternate Reality - “Van Sciver’s art is terrific, and Johns is a master story teller. I think Johns could make the three little pigs into a top ten comic; the guy’s just good at his craft.”

Ain’t It Cool News - “It’s often said that the devil is in the details, but Johns and Van Sciver have proven yet again sometimes the details are the most delectable part of the story.”

And I'll post my review of it sometime as well. "mediocre" deez nuts. This is Geoff Johns, man.

8. Wally is different. Barry just seems like hes from the average superhero cookie cutter

Yawn. Hear this one all the time. Wally is different because he has great modern age writing. Everyone was cookie cutter once, even Wally and Batman. That said, Wally's origin story is still hokey. So is the Kid Flash stuff. It's not A-List in the same sense as Superman or Batman or GL.

9. "Wally's personality matches his power. He is youthful even as a father. He works on fast cars, likes to run, he's a racer.

Read what I said about what makes Barry the definitive Flash. He is all about speed. Geoff Johns even said that with Barry at the forefront again, The Flash book will finally be about speed again. Wally is about trying to fill a dead guy's boots. Barry fits The Flash more than anyone.

Barry Allen is a detective like Elongated Man." I read this on another site and I would have to agree

Barry is a completely different type of detective. He's a forensic scientist, and he's this in his civillain identity. He isn't a "superhero slueth". Remarks like this make me think people have never read a Barry Allen story. The Barry Allen Flash stories were always very science based. The mystery clashed with the science when Barry would be at his day job.

10. His "origin" story is so different from the average superheroes[/quote]

>snicker< Yeah, in the worst way. It's s complete rip off of Barry Allen's. It's a "mini me" version of Barry Allen and that sucks.

 

[The Guard]

I'm with Kevin Smith on this one. Most of the reasons to use Wally over Barry sound incredibly biased and uninformed.

 

[Flash Facts]

You could say the same exact thing about Kevin's reasons.

 

[MadVillainy]

both our opinions are biased...most opinions are. Its all fun protocida and I argue in more than 1 thread buts its always respectful and fun.

 

[protocida]

both our opinions are biased...most opinions are. Its all fun protocida and I argue in more than 1 thread buts its always respectful and fun.

Exactly.

 

[Flash Facts]

.

@ The Guard You got a link to your script?

 

[The Guard]

Hell no. I only wrote about 40 pages of it. I'll post some crappy half-finished excerpts...

 

[The Guard]

The intro and first scene. See how many "speed puns" you can spot. Looking back, I probably would use a Rogue of some kind if I rewrote it. But I liked the idea of showing how pointless regular crime was in Keystone. Forgive the cheesy placeholder dialogue.

LIGHTNING FLARES across the screen. Again. And SUDDENLY, we find ourselves SUCKED INSIDE one of the lightning bolts, and RACING through a brilliant void of PURE ENERGY. So this is what it's like to ride the lightning. We SPEED onward through the void.

MALE VOICE (V.O.)
There are those who ride the lightning...the speedsters, gifted individuals throughout time, a chain of neverending motion. Their legacy, one of speed and vigilance.

GHOSTLY FORMS coalesce in the void; former SPEEDSTERS. A blonde woman. A Native American. A cowboy. Persons from the past and the future. Dozens of cultures represented. Each MERGES back into the lightning storm as a new forms. Spectral forms of powerful energies.

(V.O.)
They live in the moments between each second. And for these speedsters, time itself...is relative. Every moment...an eternity.

We are moving faster now through the void, if that's even possible. And then, even FASTER. ENERGY BLURS around us as the end of the void swirls into a VORTEX, a tornado of electrical impulses and lightning. There's chaos here, but also a strange calm, like the center of a hurricane.
SUPER TITLE:

THE FLASH

More lightning, and we:

SMASH TO BLACK

The sounds of commotion. Panicking and angry voices. A weapon being cocked. Screams of terror.

ANGRY MALE VOICE (V.O.)
Make it quick!

INT. FIRST KEYSTONE NATIONAL BANK -- DAY

Sunlight streams in one a strange scene. Two skimasked BANK ROBBERS have taken several of the bank's customers HOSTAGE. Frightened TELLERS are held at gunpoint by the FIRST BANK ROBBER. Across the room, a frantic YOUNG FEMALE TELLER watches as other tellers load bundles of cash into First Robber's duffle bag.

FIRST ROBBER
Faster!

YOUNG TELLER
We're going as fast as we can!

SECOND ROBBER
Not fast enough, sweet thing. Your time's runnin' out.

A Second Robber gestures with a gun. The teller reaches down, her hands moving...SLOWLY, toward a silent alarm button. She presses the button with a slight jerk of her arm. The Robber sees the motion and moves toward her, angrily.

SECOND ROBBER
What did you just do?

TELLER
Nothing!

FIRST ROBBER
What the hell did she do?

SECOND ROBBER
I think she tripped the alarm!

INT. POLICE CRUISER

Two KEYSTONE COPS, driving down the street, waiting for their next call. The police radio crackles to life.

KEYSTONE DISPATCHER (Radio)
All units...robbery in progress at First Keystone National Bank. CODES for hostages and armed robbers, etc...

The cruiser PEELS OUT, lights blazing. It ROCKETS down the street, toward the bank. It's Fall. The leaves have turned, making for a beautiful moment.

INT. FIRST KEYSTONE NATIONAL BANK

Second robber moves to the Young Female Teller.

SECOND ROBBER
You think we're stupid?

YOUNG FEMALE TELLER
No! No, I didn't-

She backs away, behind the counter, terrified.

SECOND ROBBER
What do we do?

FIRST ROBBER
Shoot her.

The Young Female Teller looks horrified. Second Robber levels his weapon.

SECOND ROBBER
I guess time's up.

Off the teller's horrified eyes.

EXT. KEYSTONE CITY -- STREETS

The Keystone Cruiser ROCKETS along.

INT. POLICE CRUISER

The cops are FLOORING it. Cars flash past on either side of the windows.

FIRST COP
Dispatch, this is Car whatever it is. We are en route.

COP
Come on, come on, come on...

Something else FLASHES PAST THE WINDOW. A CRIMSON BLUR. The cops strain to follow the blur, which seems to be trailing...LIGHTNING? The blur clears traffic, tears up the asphalt as it disappears from view, leaving leaves scattered in it's wake.

INT. POLICE CRUISER

The first cop smiles.

FIRST COP
Dispatch, this is Car-61. Someone just bought us some time.

DISPATCH
Say again, Car 61?

INT. KEYSTONE FIRST NATIONAL BANK

The Female Teller closes her eyes as Second Robber starts to pull the trigger. There is a loud BANG.

SECOND ROBBER
What the-

She opens her eyes. Looks down. She's unharmed.

THE FLASH (O.S.)
That wasn't a gunshot. It was the sound barrier.

The voice is male, and pleasant. Calm. The teller looks at Second Robber, who is standing there stunned. His gun is gone. He's looking at his hand, confused, and a little frightened.

THE FLASH (O.S.)
You picked the wrong town, Gentlemen.

The Robbers turn to see THE FLASH standing in the corner, holding the gun in one hand. He is clad head to toe in a padded crimson JUMPSUIT, with a sculpted, gold-winged COWL. An unmistakable metallic gold lightning bolt symbol on his chest.

FEMALE TELLER
Oh, thank God...

THE FLASH
Relax. Even if he'd fired, you still had 3/10th of a second to spare. (Research this).

The Flash places the guns between gloved palms and RUBS it RAPIDLY, producing intense friction and heat, which MELTS the weapons into a small ball of metal SLAG. The ball clatters to the floor, the muzzles now limp and useless. The Flash regards the Robbers, who are deciding their next move.

The First Robber opens fire with his own machine pistol. The Flash starts MOVING. And everything else around him SLOWS DOWN, and then STOPS dead. The Flash RUNS towards the bullets. He's moving in slow-motion. But the bullets are literally HANGING in midair. The Flash PLUCKS them out of the air as he runs, in one fluid motion. We come back to Real Time.

The Flash lets the bullets fall to the floor. He looks at the stunned Robbers.

THE FLASH
You should probably just surrender.

They don't. They rush him. Try to hit him. No good, he ducks, then appears behind them. They're starting to get scared now. The Flash CATCHES one of their fists in mid-air and decks him.

He takes them apart with a flurried superspeed combo of punches. As the Second Robber falls, a car squeals off outside, burning rubber. The Flash looks up for a moment. He has a decision to make. He looks at the hostages, and then at the fallen Robbers.

EXT. KEYSTONE FIRST NATIONAL BANK

The Robber's Car squeals around a corner at the end of the street just as a Police Cruiser arrives at the Bank, screeching to a stop near the sidewalk. The cops exit, leaving their doors open, and RACE up the stairs of the bank, guns drawn.

The Cops BURST through the glass double doors, expecting to find themselves in a firefight. Both Robbers are tied in the middle of the floor. Behind them, The Flash raises his arms in a gesture of surrender.

THE FLASH
I give up.

The cops lower their weapons.

OLDER COP
Is everyone all right?

THE FLASH
Except for them.

The Flash gestures to the unconscious Robbers.

YOUNG COP
How'd you know this was going down?

The Flash taps one of his gold earpieces.

THE FLASH
Scanners. And it sounds like their friends are tearing up Fox street. Excuse me.

The Flash takes a deep breath, and then is gone in a BURST of LIGHTNING and WIND. The Female Teller just stares, dumbfounded.

OLDER
You ok?

She nods, still in a daze.

OLDER COP
This your first time?

The Female Teller nods.

OLDER COP
Yeah. He has that effect on people.

EXT. KEYSTONE CITY -- DAY

A beautiful town. Brownstones, new stores, clean sidewalks. The Robber's Car burns rubber through Midday Traffic. We RUSH backward down the street, to where far behind it, two Police Cruisers have taken up the chase.

INT. ROBBER'S CAR

In the passenger seat, Third Robber loads his pistol. He leans out, FIRES wildly. Hits nothing but pavement.

FOURTH ROBBER
Nice shooting.

THIRD ROBBER
Shut up and drive!

EXT. KEYSTONE CITY -- DAY

A familiar crimson blur ROCKETS down the street, trailing lightning. We PUSH IN to see that it's The Flash, RUNNING hard, focused determination on his features. He DUCKS BETWEEN TRAFFIC at superspeed, until it becomes a CONTINUOUS BLUR on either side of him.

EXT. KEYSTONE CITY -- DAY

Afternoon traffic. A tour bus. Behind it, the Robber's Car is accelerating. Much further behind, the lights of police cruisers.

EXT. KEYSTONE MEMORIAL PARK -- DAY

Set amidst the cornucopia of fall colors, a beautiful, well-manicured public park, complete with playground, benches, and a large pond. CHILDREN play on the swingsets and teeter-totter under the watchful eye of their parents. Senior Citizens feed a group of cute little ducklings. Two LOVERS embrace on a park bench. Several people walk their dogs along a path.

The Flash SPEEDS past a FEMALE JOGGER, who doesn't even seem to notice, she's so intent on her time.

EXT. POND -- DAY

A piece of bread floats toward a duckling, who goes after it. The ducklings looks up. Something is coming. A RED AND GOLD BLUR ROCKETS through the midst of their pond, causing the ducklings to SCATTER, honking in confusion.
THE FLASH runs across the water, kicking up waves on either side, toward the office buildings on the other side of the park.

EXT. OFFICE BUILDING

The Flash speeds toward a tall office building, and somehow RUNS up it and onto the rooftop. He SKIDS to a stop on the edge of a gravel rooftop, looks down and sees the chase taking place down the avenue below him. A tiny car, several police cruisers. And far ahead, a TRAFFIC JAM.

Thinking quick, The flash takes off running, and LEAPS from the rooftop, soaring through the aire and landing on the next roof, already RUNNING and LEAPING to the next. He does this on several rooftops, leaping progressively lower.

INT. TOUR BUS

A group of Senior Citizens listens with rapt attention to a Young Blonde Tour Guide.

TOUR GUIDE
Coming up on the left is Keystone City Hall, where-

The crack of gunfire interrupts her. The tour bus passengers crane to see what's going on behind them.

EXT. KEYSTONE CITY -- DAY

The Robber's Car SCREAMS past the tour bus, Third Robber still leaning out the window and firing at the police. Civilian Vehicles SWERVE to avoid the fusillage.

INT. TOUR BUS

Commotion. People fumble for their cameras.

The Flash moves past the window.

TOUR GUIDE
And that was The Flash.

A few moments elapse, and people watch as a Police Cars rocket past.

The Senior Citizens look at the Tour Guide, who is silent. She has nothing left to say.

More chasing...more chasing...

INT. POLICE CRUISER

A Cop drives, intent on the road ahead. There is a knock from his window. He ignores it. A second, more insistent knocking. The Cop turns toward his window, startled to see The Flash, who is running at half-speed. The Flash makes a "roll the window down" motion with one of his arms. The Cop lowers
the automatic window.

THE FLASH
Good afternoon, Officer.

COP
My kids will never believe this...

THE FLASH
Yeah, I can hardly believe it myself. Look, the gunman has to reload at some point. There are too many people around to risk a shootout.

COP
Our thoughts exactly.

THE FLASH
Great, then we're on the same page! Look, I know this is against protocol, but I'm asking you to hang back. Don't give up the chase, just hang back a little. I'll take care of this.

The cop thinks for a second. Then nods.

COP
Do it. We're right behind you.

THE FLASH
Be careful.

And then he is gone, pouring on the speed, lightning coursing around his form as he tears up a half a mile in a split-second.

INT. PATROL CAR

Fourth Robber glances up and sees the police car slowing and dropping back in his overhead rear-view mirror.

FOURTH ROBBER
What the hell are they doing?

THIRD ROBBER
Maybe I hit a tire. Put some pavement between us!

Fourth Robber glances to his left rear-view mirror. The Flash can be seen, running after them, about 300 yards back. The mirror, as all car mirrors do, reads: OBJECTS IN MIRROR ARE CLOSER THAN THEY ACTUALLY APPEAR.

FOURTH ROBBER
Grant...

THIRD ROBBER
I see him. Wait...where'd he-

Like lightning, The Flash reaches in and GRABS the gun from Third Robber's hand. The Flash is now running alongside the car, smiling at the stunned Third Robber. The road ahead appears to be clear for a few blocks. The Flash is now running along the driver's side of the vehicle. Fourth Robber stares at him, floors the car, but can't lose him for a step.

THE FLASH
Now that we've established that's not gonna work, do you think you could maybe pull over and end this destructive rampage you're on?

Angry, The Fourth Robber jerks the wheel toward Flash. The car SWERVES toward him, but Flash evades at superspeed, falling behind the car for a moment as it swerves into the wrong lane, then swerves back, barely avoiding a minivan

THE FLASH
Damn it.

Pumping his arms, The Flash RACES forward, pulling AHEAD of the escape car, which is heading for the traffic jam ahead.

INT. GETAWAY CAR

The Flash passes the window on the driver's side, heading toward the rear of their car. Then again, on the passenger side, heading toward their front. And again, heading toward the rear. Odd.

EXT. KEYSTONE CITY STREET -- DAY

The Flash continues to RUN AROUND THE CAR in a loose counter clockwise semi-circle AS IT DRIVES, and his plan becomes apparent. Because the car's forward momentum begins to slow at about the same time that The Flash becomes a red and gold BLUR circling the fleeing car, his revolutions around it creating the powerful, swirling winds of a miniature TORNADO. The car is caught in the red, lightning-streaked wind, and begins to SPIN RECKLESSLY.

INT. GETAWAY CAR

The Robbers are FREAKING OUT, hanging on for dear life as their car ROTATES WILDLY in the midst of a red and gold WINDSTORM.

INT. CRUISER

Two Cops watch the red and gold tornado from inside their car as it approaches the scene.

FIRST COP
I'm glad he's on our side...

The second cop just looks at him.

EXT. KEYSTONE CITY STREET -- DAY

The tornado reaches it's apex. The Robbers are SCREAMING. And then, as police cruisers arrive at it's edge, the winds die down, and the Flash slows, still running in circles, but "backing it down". The car is still spinning, but it comes to a bit of a halt. The doors open and both Robbers stumble the car...and promptly fall to their knees, throwing up. They're still on their hands and knees, disoriented and sick, as cops move toward them.

POLICE
Freeze!

The cops RUN across to the car.

THE FLASH
Officer?

One cop turns. Flash hands him Third Robber's gun.

The tour bus pulls to a stop in the middle of the street, behind the site of the incident. People stare from open windows. Flash looks uncomfortable. The Officer regards him. This one's a real hardass.

COP
You ran a red light back there.

THE FLASH
I did...

COP
You also sped.

THE FLASH
Yeah.

COP
And went left of center. And alot of what you did before and after that could technically be considered jaywalking...

The Flash looks at him.

COP
And there was that whole...tornado thing.

The Flash continues looking at him. People are snapping his picture. FLASHES exploding everywhere.

COP
(Breaking into a smile)
Unfortunately...we were so far behind you that we didn't see a thing. Thanks for your help.

The Flash smiles. Warm. Genuine.

THE FLASH
You're welcome.

The sound of helicopter blades overhead. The Flash sees a NEWS CHOPPER cresting the buildings behind them, heading right for the incident.

THE FLASH
I'm sure you can handle things from here on out. I have to run.

And he does. The chopper descends, but The Flash is diseappearing down the street.

INT. NEWS CHOPPER

An attractive dark-haired young woman, mid-twenties, looks out the window as he disappears over the horizon. LINDA PARK.

LINDA
Damn it...

PILOT
Now what?

LINDA
Set us down...there's still a story here. Justin, prep the camera!

INT. TOUR BUS

One of the Senior Citizens looks at their polaraoid picture, anticipating...their grin turns to a scowl. The picture contains a red blur.

 

[Kevin Smith]

1: That doesn't mean anything. Bucky is the Captain America of the current generation, but who's getting a movie? Steve Rogers.

2: It does. Good eye for noticing that, Kevin!

3: Hal Jordan? The one who was chosen to become a Green Lantern because of his great willpower, bravery and imagination?

4: He meant Barry is easier. Wally and Bart are heavily based on the Flash legacy, which might scare the newcomers.

5: Wally only got a personal life in the last four years, thanks to Johns. Barry had one since his creation.

6: Because they didn't had a forensic background. Barry does.

7: 50%. If not more.

8: People also think Earth is flat, and that the man never went to the moon.

9: OK.

10: Wally's not witty. He's Spiderman level wisecracking. And that's a matter of perspective.

11: Barry's one is better. t:

12: Actually, they're not.

13: He has a point.

14: But he returned nevertheless. And returns are normally mixed.

15: Point being?

16: OK.

17: But Barry is easier to write and to develop.

18: Barry is the most. t:

19: It's quite the other way arround.

20: No, they don't.

Good post, my brother.

 

[Kevin Smith]

.....

1. Barry Allen is the DEFINITIVE Flash. 20 years ago. Wally is the Flash of the current generation

Umm...Not to me, and I grew up with Wally stories, I was born post crisis. And did you see why I said he is the definitive Flash? It wasn't because of his emoluments or accomplishments or the longevity of his time as Flash, it was because:

Spoiler

Barry Allen is all about speed which is what The Flash is supposed to be about. He matches the powers. Everything about him literally is about speed and its related forms. His whole life is about speed. That's the premise of his comics, and in the age of technology where everyone wants everything instantly, instant communications, etc, speed is an incredibly relevant concept. Barry Allen is slow, The Flash is fast. That is the character.

Now I know that people like Wally West because he took over for Barry (and acts like a less jerky Anakin Skywalker) and I don't mean any disrespect to the character because frankly, despite my Barry fandom, I do like Wally too, but The Flash was never supposed to be about a guy trying to fill a dead guy's boots (which is a cool concept, it works for Wally and Bucky and will probably work for Robin, but honestly, what else were they gonna do with the "legacy" characters?). The Flash was always supposed to be about speed. That's what the character is supposed to be about, that's what the book was always supposed to be about (which is a fact I think people have forgotten or are just completely oblivious to with Wally and the legacy aspect so prevelant in the last few years), and that's what the movie needs to be about: the fastest man alive. And that man is Barry Allen.

Had he not been late for work/everything else, he would not have had to work late in the forensics lab to make up for lost time the night he got hit by lightning/electrically charged chemicals (at age 24) and gained superspeed. Barry Allen is essentially fast because he is slow. He goes from being the guy everyone is waiting on to the guy waiting for everyone else. In a more complex sense, this is like how Jon Osterman became Doctor Manhattan in Watchmen, because he was a watchmaker and could reassemble things. That is what makes Barry Allen the definitive Flash, it's not his accomplishments, it's not his emoluments, it's not the fact that he was The Flash longer than anyone else, it's not that he's the iconic/greatest Flash that makes him the definitive Flash, Barry Allen is the definitive Flash because he is the only one who is all about speed. He is fast because he is slow. He's all about speed. No other Flash has that. Barry Allen is to Flash as Hal Jordan is to Green Lantern.

I respect your opinion, but I'm beginning to doubt your comprehension skills.

2. Barry Allen is the only MAJOR DC characters to have powers because of an accident. That doesn't mean anything to why he is better, but it is true

It's part of what makes him unique. And it was...original when he did it. Not so much with Wally.

3. Barry Allen is the only MAJOR DC character to have his powers because of his FLAWS. Hal Jordan

How exactly? Hal Jordan has the ring because he is honest and brave, those are his good character traits. Hal Jordan's major character flaw is that he is selfish. He was the first comic book character (Or DC character at least) to have used his powers for selfish reasons (trying to get Carol to fall in love with him) and personal gain. Part of what lead to his "demise" as Parallax.

4. Barry Allen isn't bogged down by years of continuity and a legacy to scare new readers. He is his own person.

??? Batman was held down by continuity but Nolan didn't care

Ummm...yeah. He did, and that's why he REBOOTED the Batman franchise and started at the BEGINNING. It brought in new fans because it was accessible to them. That's what needs to be done with The Flash.

5. Barry Allen is the only Flash who has a PERSONAL LIFE. What are you talking about. Wally West gets married and has kids how is Barry the only one with a personal life?

Wally has a family life now, but I would hesitate to call it a "personal life" in the sense that we think of a "traditional" superhero's personal life. Everyone he socializes with knows he's The Flash. He's still the "full time superhero" more or less. If people wnat that kind of personal life they can read Fantsatic Four. But like Protocida said, Barry's had a personal life, a CONSISTANT one, since his inception. There isn't anything continuous or consistent about Wally.

6. FORENSICS are COOL. So? Aot of the other superhero movies don't have forensics and they have been doing well so far

This is one of the reasons WHY Barry Allen is cool. The other superhero movies also aren't bogged down by years of continuity and their characters can stand on their own. Can't really say that for Wally West.

7. Barry Allen is the GREATEST Flash. Not in most fan's opinions

It's pretty much an accepted thing when it comes to Flash. Whether you think he's the best or he's your favorite or not, Barry is acknowledged as the "greatest" Flash in the books and by fans. Wally thinks so. Barry was Batman's, Hal Jordan's, and Green Arrow's favorite Flash to name a few. He certainly accomplished most as Flash. How is he not the greatest Flash?

8. Barry Allen is the FASTEST Flash. People think otherwise

And they can be wrong. [heheh]

9. Barry Allen is INTELLIGENT. OK

10. Barry Allen is witty and serious. SO is Wally. In fact Wally is funnier

If he is funnier than that would make him....less serious (as Proticida said, he isn't witty, he's wisecracking on a Spider-Man level which is a matter of perspective). If you prefer Wally's snarky Anakin Skywalker humor or Bart's sheer jackassery for your humorous heroics than that's fine by me and your opinion. I prefer Barry's intelligence and sarcasm and total bad-assery when it comes to fighting crime. That said, Wally is whinier than Barry. Probably the whiniest Flash. "I'm never gonna be the man Barry is" and statements like that were usually in Wally's stories a lot, especially the early ones.

11. Great supporting cast. Wally has one or even Bart for that matter

They can't compare with Barry's. Wally has B-level Rogues of his own and "flame of the week" type romances (before Linda, a reporter, derived from Iris West which is why DC had Wally marry her). I hope you weren't serious when you brought up Bart.

12. Great Rogues Gallery AS I said the other time, they are both so similar that it's wahtever

No, they aren't. All the iconic/great ones are either from Barry's Rogues Gallery or derived from them. Wally's Rogues - Magenta? Cicada? Tar Pit? Murmur? Girder? Double Down? Peek-a-Boo? Fallout? Brother Grimm? Do any of these guys even compare to Barry's classic Rogues Gallery?

13. Barry's blue eyes just look better in the red and gold suit than green or yellow eyes. I'm serious. It goes perfect. ???

LOL. Matter of opinion. I still agree though.

14. Barry Allen is the current/lead Flash. But the reception of him returning as the Flash has been mixed and he just returned

Returns are always mixed. There are people who will not like the book no matter how good the story is just because they don't like Barry, don't want him back, and don't want new Barry Allen stories, just like with Hal Jordan. The story is only starting, it's a small piece to a very large puzzle, why don't you read the issue and tell me what you think of it.

15. Barry Allen has been The Flash LONGEST. And he also was dead the longest.

Another thing that makes him unique among superheroes. He's the only character, major or not, to have stayed dead for over 20 years. Way to go, Barry. Barry set the record for longest time on the sidelines even though his return was inevitable.

16. Barry Allen is in the same league (pardon the pun) as Superman, Batman, and Hal Jordan. No sidekicks here. OK

17. Barry Allen is the most compatible for movies and the way DC is doing things. It can go either way it depends on writer/director

Only if they "re-invent" or retcon Wally West in some way.

18. HE IS AWESOME So Is Wally...or Jay or Bart

But Barry is more so. :P

19. Barry Allen is The Flash who has been used most in alternate media in terms of story and character Ya but alot of those times he's just been Barry Allen by name, he has Wally personality

Comprehension skills again, man. Here it is for a fourth time:

Spoiler

Let's go through this again:

JL/JLU: Barry Allen in story with Wally West's name and appearance and Bart Allen's personality. They used Barry's story because it's the simplest to "get", i. e., not bogged down by legacy continuity and grew up with Barry/were most familiar with him, they used Wally's name and likenes at the end of season two because he was The Flash in the current comics which were very popular at the time because of Geoff Johns, and they used Bart's impulsive personality because they were originally going to use Impulse in the JLA instead of Flash because they were pitching the series to WB and WB likes mostly kid/teen characters in their shows. When they sold the show to Cartoon Network with a phone call they decided to use The Flash because he's such of a staple in the JLA and because they were doing CN and they don't mind cartoons with more adult protagonists, but they kept the personality so young kids would have someone to identify with.

The Batman: Barry Allen

That's an obvious one. He came from Central City, fought the silver age version of the Mirror Master, the silver age versions of GL, GA, and Hawkman and just about everyone else were used on the show, and Alan Burnett, who produces the show and wrote the episode, is a huge Barry Allen fan. Besides, how could it have been Wally or Bart when Robin who is clearly a child is Dick Grayson, and Grayson is the same age as Wally West/Wally's best friend?

The Flash TV show: Barry Allen with Wally West story elements

Read The Flash Companion. The writers/producers went with Barry for a number of reasons; his origin/job, he was the one they grew up with, and he seemed to have more humor than most of the other DC heroes. That's a direct quote. If you read it you'll see. The Wally elements that were used were Tina McGee and STAR labs because they needed someone for Flash to discuss his powers with and they needed another "pool" for stories. They had the forensics job as a story pool and the STAR labs thing as a story pool. In tv they need as many "story pools" as possible because they have so many episodes, so it's understandable that they did this. The writers put their own spin on a lot of things.

Justice League: The New Frontier: Barry Allen

DC Super Hero Cartoons from the 60s-80s: Barry Allen (Superfriends, the DC Filmation shows, etc)

1970s Legends of the Superpowers tv movie: Barry Allen

Crappy JLA tv show movie: A ****** version of Barry Allen a la "Friends"

So after looking back at that, guess who the creators of these shows find more interesting and accessible to audiences? That's right, Barry Allen.

That said, even if Wally's "mannerisms and personality" were used, what else would you expect? Barry was gone before it became custom to flesh out characters with "personalities" in comics, and has had runs by two of the greatest writers in comics. You're being unfair because Barry never had any of that at the time of any of these shows, yet the creators still used him and/or his story, so what does that say about how great a character he is? They need a great stand alone character and that is Barry Allen.

And Barry also has the movie "Catch me if You Can" with Tom Hanks and Leonardo Dicaprio, directed by Stephen Spielberg. Guess people in Hollywood prefer Barry as well.

20. He's the BEST. People think otherwise

And they can be wrong. :P

That bold print is getting annoying lol.

 

[Kevin Smith]

both our opinions are biased...most opinions are. Its all fun protocida and I argue in more than 1 thread buts its always respectful and fun.

We do play favorites. Everyone does.

 

[Kevin Smith]

You could say the same exact thing about Kevin's reasons.

Some things were obviously biased (like the eye color thing and the "he's the awesome-est"), but my post was uninformed? Hardly. Everything I posted as far as "facts" went were well researched and well documented. I've done my homework on all this stuff and have multiple books and interviews on it. I'd say I'm pretty well informed, unlike half the people who voted.

 

[Kevin Smith]

If those reasons aren't a joke then both (protocida and Kevin) of your perspectives are way too clouded by fanboyism to discuss the subject.

Dude, I've seen your posts before and I know that you are Wally biased. That's fine with me, I know who you voted for, but don't lock us up for having an opinion too.

Not meant to be a flame.

Likewise.

 

[Kevin Smith]

I'm with Kevin Smith on this one. Most of the reasons to use Wally over Barry sound incredibly biased and uninformed.

Thank ya fer that.