Why are Wally West, Cassandra Cain, and Stephanie Brown considered "TOXIC"?

[Warhammer]

Simple question that won't have a simple answer. I am sure this has been addressed before around here, but because I don't frequent around too too often, I apologize in advance. To those few who don't know/forgot, West is a Flash and Cain/Brown are Batgirls.

Why does DC consider these characters considered toxic? Mainly Wally West, actually. Why is he considered toxic?

 

[The Question]

Because they're not who Geoff Johns and Dan Didio grew up with and things they grew up with are naturally superior and the existence of anything else is blasphemous insult to the things they grew up with so coexistence is impossible.

Also those guys are ****ing tools.

 

[Majik1387]

Well Steph Brown sucks, so there's that for her. I used to not like Cassandra Cain at all, but now I'm just indifferent to her.
Wally West isn't toxic though.

 

[Donnie Darko]

I just don't get it. I mean, Johns had a good long run writing Wally, so I don't get why he would. E against having him around.

 

[RoughNTumble]

if i was going to put steph brown in a movie

i would hire hayden panettiere

 

[Majik1387]

Does every thread have to turn into a casting thread?

 

[RoughNTumble]

i would cast you as gilbert gottfried imo

 

[Cain]

Well Steph Brown sucks, so there's that for her. I used to not like Cassandra Cain at all, but now I'm just indifferent to her.
Wally West isn't toxic though.

That opinion becomes outdated halfway through her Batgirl series where she went from most obnoxious character ever to a character superior to many of the ones we have today. Truly deserving of the most improved award. Stephanie Brown in her latter years >>> Wally West in his.

 

[Roose Bolton]

^This

 

[Majik1387]

That opinion becomes outdated halfway through her Batgirl series where she went from most obnoxious character ever to a character superior to many of the ones we have today. Truly deserving of the most improved award. Stephanie Brown in her latter years >>> Wally West in his.

Was all this before or after her death?

 

[Primal Slayer]

Because having those characters around reminds people of the titles they once took up and DC doesnt want fans wanting the "replacement" heroes as opposed to the originals that just HAVE to be successful.

 

[The Question]

Stephanie Brown = Christmas

 

[Donnie Darko]

i would cast you as gilbert gottfried imo

I don't know why, but I got a good laugh from that. Well played.

 

[Majik1387]

i would cast you as gilbert gottfried imo

I'd rock that role. No holds barred? Owned.

 

[KevanG]

I always liked Wally better. I found he had better stories and was more well rounded. He couldn't do everything Barry could do like travel through time but I found he had more of a relationship with his cast.

I miss him.

 

[Warhammer]

Because they're not who Geoff Johns and Dan Didio grew up with and things they grew up with are naturally superior and the existence of anything else is blasphemous insult to the things they grew up with so coexistence is impossible.

Also those guys are ****ing tools.

Ugh. That makes me sick.

 

[HighFivingMF]

They aren't considered toxic. They just aren't in any books.

 

[The Batman]

Because DC is trying to promote Barry and Barbara Gordon as the iconic and "only" Flash and Batgirl around.


I guess they think that if Wally, Cass, and Steph were around, fans would just complain about Barry and Babs because they were before said fans time and not "their" Flash and Batgirl. So, much like how Barry was taken out of the picture as Flash so that people could get used to Wally, the same is being done for Barry and Babs.

 

[The Question]

I think Barry was taken out of the picture because they wanted to kill off a major hero in Crisis. Wally becoming The Flash was just a logical result of it.

 

[Baramos]

DC is schizophrenic about pruning. They get rid of Wally West or Stephanie Brown but have no problem introducing yet another new Batman universe character into the mix every few months.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Because people aren't attached to new characters. There's not a rabid fanbase constantly demanding more information about Wingman or the new Talon at every convention panel, so they don't have to worry about fans' not giving the main characters of that franchise a chance.

 

[Naked Shia]

I miss Wally.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Many do. But DC's clearly pushing Barry and don't want any distractions in the form of other Flashes, so I wouldn't expect to see Wally anytime soon.

 

[Mouse]

Many do. But DC's clearly pushing Barry and don't want any distractions in the form of other Flashes, so I wouldn't expect to see Wally anytime soon.

Except that there IS another Flash--Jay Garrick on Earth 2. If Wally were on another Earth in the Multiverse, there would be no competition with Barry. I think DC's editors simply do not like certain characters (Cass and Steph). I also think they know Wally is popular. And DC has fumbled Barry's return. Ethan Van Sciver says Didio likes to troll Wally fans. According to him, Wally will return at some point, and in the meantime, Didio enjoys seeing fans angry and talking about him.

If they put as much effort into making Barry Allen a great character and less effort into antagonizing fans, maybe some fans would accept Barry. Barry's book has beautiful art, a boring lead, and an unpleasant supporting cast. Too bad. I hope one day a new DC brain trust will take over that really loves these characters and doesn't play favorites.

 

[HighFivingMF]

Barry's book is doing great though...