The Official Flash Thread

[Changeling]

OK, here's my opinion on the whole Wally vs. Barry topic. The fans CLEARLY like Wally more than Barry, and personally I think he's more fun and interesting (from what I've read) But my opinion may change with Barry coming to be the new Flash...Even though the fans like Wally more for the Flash, I think for the first film, Barry should be the Flash, and then in the second one he should die, then in the third, Wally takes up the mantle. I still feel like Barry Allen is the Flash and Hal Jordan is Green Lantern, but Wally just seems a little cooler so far from what I've read.

 

[flash13]

why can't the movie feature both Barry and Wally

 

[Webhead2006]

Yea if they can work both characters in its cool with me. I still prefer to start with barry, and have wally in the film and maybe shown to also recieved speed powers but they dont manifest in him to the very end of the film. So then it can lead to him being flash in sequel and they can do the whole barry death deal.

 

[The Guard]

yea its probably something the film people would leave out. unless they could make it work.

I wrote part of a Flash script once where he used the ring as a sort of "key" to access his costume vault. Not nearly as cool, but it was at least a nod to the ring's significance. Although I do like the "speed force" costume Wally had for a while.

 

[ChickenScratch]

I don't get the fixation with Wally. I've tried and I just don't get it. There's nothing special about him, he's an underachiever, he has inferiority issues because of Barry as well as Clark. I prefer my heroes smart, successful and confident.

 

[flash13]

the Barry i've been seeing in Flash: Rebirth is not confident

 

[Webhead2006]

it will probably take the character some time to build it back up.

 

[ChickenScratch]

There was an interview with the crew working on that book over at Newsarama a couple weeks ago stating that Barry's characterization early on would lack the confidence he use to because he's been dead for a couple decades. He's trying to find his place in the world again.

 

[Kevin Smith]

the Barry i've been seeing in Flash: Rebirth is not confident

Ummm...he's the Black Flash right now. Just like Hal was Spectre/Parallax in GL: Rebirth. Johns said he didn't want to start the series with the smiling, optimistic, easy going Barry that we know.

 

[flash13]

I really like the Barry Allen in Flash: Rebirth he is alot better than i excepted him to be. I like that he respects Wally instead of treating him like a sidekick.

 

[Webhead2006]

i been wanting to pick up flash rebirth, since i dont read much if any dc stuff but since i dont have alot of cash i been sticking only with my select titles i read.

 

[Kevin Smith]

i been wanting to pick up flash rebirth, since i dont read much if any dc stuff but since i dont have alot of cash i been sticking only with my select titles i read.

Aww, man. You poor guy, lol. I feel like sending you one of my copies lol.

 

[Kevin Smith]

Am I the only person who thinks the Flash ring is just silly? I mean, how do his earpieces fit inside the ring?

LOL. No, you aren't alone there. I thought it was silly for a while but I don't mind it now. The bigger question is how do his boots fit into it lol.

Who know, Geoff Johns probably has some explanation for it that will make like perfect sense lol...

 

[Kevin Smith]

I don't get the fixation with Wally. I've tried and I just don't get it. There's nothing special about him, he's an underachiever, he has inferiority issues because of Barry as well as Clark. I prefer my heroes smart, successful and confident.

Me neither.

Wally West = a less jerky Anakin Skywalker
Barry Allen = a younger Obi Wan Kenobi

^ That's the way I've always seen the two as Flashes.

Personally, I don't find the story of a kid who meets his hero, gets powers identical to his hero, then fights along side his hero, then eventually gets to be his hero, as interesting as the story of a naturally slow, easy going "lazy" guy who is late for everything who went into forensics to prove that his dad didn't murder his mom, even though both his parents are dead, who gets super speed.

I prefer Barry Allen for the same reason I prefer the Post Crisis Superman; because he is the real person, Flash is just something he does. He is more of a person than he is a superhero and has a personal life that Wally doesn't have, and I find that more tangible and believable than a guy who is a full time superhero celebrity and has been so since he was a kid.

Anyone has got to admit that a guy who is naturally slow and easy going who suddenly becomes the fastest thing on earth would be fun to watch. Dude is late for everything, everyone's always waiting on him, now he's waiting on everyone else. The new perspective would make for interesting character development. And he's "lazy", getting super speed won't change that. He can be as fast as he wants but still be late or distracted. It's like he has super speed, but is he going to use it? Personally, I find that aspect very interesting and it would look good on film.

 

[Kevin Smith]

I really like the Barry Allen in Flash: Rebirth he is alot better than i excepted him to be. I like that he respects Wally instead of treating him like a sidekick.

Just like Hal and Kyle in GL: Rebirth.

And Barry always treated Wally like a person, not a "sidekick". That's part of why I think Wally was the only guy to "fulfill the promise" and take over the mentor's role, Barry was a compassionate and fun guy to hang with (unlike Batman or even Green Arrow to an extent) and that was good for Wally considering his parents were *****.

 

[flash13]

Even Though i like Kyle Rayner i prefer Hal Jordan opposite of my Flash choices

 

[Flash Facts]

Personally, I don't find the story of a kid who meets his hero, gets powers identical to his hero, then fights along side his hero, then eventually gets to be his hero, as interesting as the story of a naturally slow, easy going "lazy" guy who is late for everything who went into forensics to prove that his dad didn't murder his mom, even though both his parents are dead, who gets super speed.

I find this comment interesting considering before Flash: Rebirth one of the reasons you argued that Barry is the superior Flash and what made him so special in comparison with other superheroes in general was because he wasn't motivated by death.

 

[Kevin Smith]

I find this comment interesting considering before Flash: Rebirth one of the reasons you argued that Barry is the superior Flash and what made him so special in comparison with other superheroes in general was because he wasn't motivated by death.

Well, even so, it still makes him more interesting.

And if you'll look back at what I said, I said his reason for becoming Flash wasn't because of death, and to my knowledge, it still isn't. Not his reason for going into forensics. Two different things. Barry wants to prove his dad didn't kill his mom. Flash wants to fight crime.

Even so, it will be interesting to see what Geoff Johns says made him put on the red suit. Personally, I hope it isn't a death reason. But if it is it had better be a good one cuz we've just about heard them all at this point...

 

[Flash Facts]

The Flash and Barry are the same person. Seeing as how his stringent moral code and his analytical mind ( another aspect of his personality you claim makes him "better") stem from his job which in turn is a direct result of the death of his mother there is no way that it could not influence his decision to become a costumed crime fighter.

Its ironic that one of your arguments for why he was a better character more aptly apply to the character you argued he was better than.

 

[ChickenScratch]

Barry wants to prove his dad didn't kill his mom. Flash wants to fight crime.

One of the things I love about Barry, he was a crime fighter and all about justice long before the powers. It's not like other people who get powers and become a completely different person, The Flash is the person Barry always was.

 

[The Guard]

Even so, it will be interesting to see what Geoff Johns says made him put on the red suit. Personally, I hope it isn't a death reason. But if it is it had better be a good one cuz we've just about heard them all at this point...

Agreed. However, preventing death would be a great reason for him to put on the suit. Barry, in his day to day life, deals with solving crimes no one was able to stop. We all know how driven he is to see justice done. Perhaps he simply gets tired of seeing people for whom it was too late, and when the opportunity presents itself, wants to be "fast enough" to save lives before they are taken for once.

 

[Kevin Smith]

The Flash and Barry are the same person.

Duh. You know what I meant. Barry is more of a person than he is a superhero, unlike Wally West.

Seeing as how his stringent moral code and his analytical mind ( another aspect of his personality you claim makes him "better") stem from his job which in turn is a direct result of the death of his mother there is no way that it could not influence his decision to become a costumed crime fighter.

Ahh. I see what you're saying, if not for the death of his mom he would not have went into forensics and in turn would not have been in the lab the night of the accident which gave him super speed.

Its ironic that one of your arguments for why he was a better character more aptly apply to the character you argued he was better than.

Ha. Looking back at what I said again, I said one of the reasons he was unique was because there was no death in his story. Now there is (unless you count Iris' death and Reverse Flash's death). Even though I wanted him back, that was my biggest concern with them bringing him back - that they'd add death to his story and make it "dark", and to be honest when I read Rebirth #1 my knee jerk reaction was "holy ****!" when I saw that. Although not what I would have done though, soon, I actually liked this development and it makes sense, I am fine with it as long as it doesn't screw with his characterization (it hasn't yet and I don't think it will) as an optimistic, easy going guy.

Pre Crisis Barry has no death in his story. Neither did Pre Crisis Wally West and Hal Jordan (save Abin Sur). So they were all "unique" like that once.

Post Crisis Barry Allen's mom and dad are dead. His mom was murdered and his dad was blamed, his dad died in prison. Post Crisis Hal Jordan's mom and dad are dead, Hal's dad died in a plane crash and Hal's mom died in a hospital because of an illness (if I remember correctly, that was the cause (and these deaths haven't put Hal Jordan "out of character")).

I'm comfortable with this because it is good character development. There was a time when Wally West's parents weren't ***** and both the Kents were dead too.

But yeah, it is kinda ironic. The even funnier thing is that Wally's uncle isn't dead, so in a way Wally actually kinda has no death in his story now. lol.

 

[Kevin Smith]

One of the things I love about Barry, he was a crime fighter and all about justice long before the powers. It's not like other people who get powers and become a completely different person, The Flash is the person Barry always was.

Yeah, man! Me too. I like that getting the powers didn't change Barry's way of thinking per sa, unlike so many other characters, it just made him fast. That's something else that makes him unique.

In a recent interview, Geoff Johns referred to Barry Allen and Hal Jordan as going hand in hand as characters, The Flash and GL, the brave and the bold, time and space, etc. And they're both cops. Barry/Flash is the good cop, Hal/GL is the bad cop, that makes perfect sense and I love it. I would love to see that aspect explored in a JLA film or even an animated JLA and/or Flash and GL teamup flick. This is even true in the JL/JLU versions of the characters, Flash is the approachable guy and GL is the hardass.

 

[Kevin Smith]

Agreed. However, preventing death would be a great reason for him to put on the suit. Barry, in his day to day life, deals with solving crimes no one was able to stop. We all know how driven he is to see justice done. Perhaps he simply gets tired of seeing people for whom it was too late, and when the opportunity presents itself, wants to be "fast enough" to save lives before they are taken for once.

I actually like that a lot and it makes sense. It is also different from what we've seen before as far as motivation, IMO. And is much better than the "my uncle died and made me ____" a la Spider-Man.

 

[flash13]

Even if your a Barry fan you don't have to hate Wally. I am a big fan of both characters I just prefer Wally a little more.