Once Upon a Geek

FLASH WEEK continues here at ONCE UPON A GEEK…

Sorry if this is spoiling it for you, but Barry Allen came back from the dead in issue #2 of Final Crisis.  I’ve been ranting about this for a while here at ONCE UPON A GEEK and on THE UNIQUE GEEK list serv.  Since this is my blog, I’m going to continue to rant a bit more.

It was recently announced that in early 2009, there will be a “Flash: Rebirth” mini-series by Geoff Johns & Ethan Van Sciver (the guys who did “Green Lantern: Rebirth” and “Sinestro Corps War”).  This comic is going to reintroduce Barry Allen as the Flash to the DC Universe.  Geoff Johns has said that all the different Flashes will be touched upon in this mini-series (i.e. Jay Garrick and Wally West).  It’s also assumed this mini-series will lead into a monthly Flash book with Barry Allen in the lead role.

I have no doubt these comics will be well-written and be drawn excellently.  I’m envisioning a sort of superhero version of “CSI: Central City”.  My issue is with the lack of necessity in bringing Barry Allen back from the dead and the impact on Wally West.  I feel that bringing Barry back after being gone for 22 years is simply to satisfy the writer’s sense of nostalgia, rather than a story that grew naturally from the recent plotlines in the DCU.  Wally West was a very strong character that made an excellent Flash.  There is no denying that he was handled poorly since Infinite Crisis, but just like any other comic book problem it could have been fixed.  Instead now Barry Allen is going to take the spotlight as the primary DCU Flash, while Wally and Jay take a back-seat.

This really bums me out as the character of Wally West spent the past 20 years growing out of the shadow of Barry Allen and trying to live up to the heroic ideal that Barry represented.  Now with Barry back, Wally’s hero will once again be the Flash.  Why would Wally continue to be the Flash, and in the same costume as Barry?  Will Wally retire and simply raise his kids?  Will he continue on as the Flash and look like a carbon copy of Barry?  Will Wally change his codename and/or costume?  Will he become the Nightwing of the Flash family?   Or will he be more like Connor Hawke; same superhero name, but different costume than his namesake.  For me personally, any of these options are a disappointment.  Wally represented growth in the DC Universe.  Here was a young hero suddenly left on his own to make his way.  He idolized Barry, strived to be like Barry, and eventually surpassed Barry in abilities (at least that is how he was portrayed during Mark Waid’s initial run).  Wally’s journey to become a hero was a fantastic tale to follow.  Now with Barry returning to the primary Flash role, it feels that Wally’s journey was simply clocking time.

I also get the sense from reading interviews with Geoff Johns and Grant Morrison that they feel Barry Allen “deserves” to be the Flash more than Wally.  That statement hasn’t been in print, it’s just my gut instinct from reading their interviews.  It’s like they feel that Barry is the “real” Flash, while Wally has simply been keeping the legacy alive.  I take issue with Barry “deserving” to be the Flash more than Wally.  As I mentioned above, during Mark Waid’s initial run Wally surpassed Barry in abilities.  Does that mean Wally deserves to be the Flash more than Barry?  If you base the decision solely upon publication history, then it’s not really clear.  Yes, Barry obviously came before Wally as the Flash.  However, the amount of time each of them have been the primary Flash has been very similar.  See below…

• Barry Allen had a 247 issue run; Flash (volume 1) 104-350.
• Wally West has had 242 issues so far as the Flash (and will go at least a few more); Flash (volume 2) 1-242 (and still going).
• Barry Allen was the Flash from 1956 to 1986 = 30 years.
• Wally West has been the Flash from 1986-2008 = 22 years.
• Barry Allen was a member of the Justice League for 232 issues; Justice League of America (volume 1) 1-232.  While Barry wasn’t in every issue, he was around for the majority of issues.
• Wally West has been a member of the Justice League as the Flash for 205 issues; Justice League Europe 1-68, JLA 1-125, and Justice League of America (new series) 12-23 so far.  While Wally wasn’t in every issue, he was around for the majority of issues.

If you’ve been following the recent “Flash: Rebirth” thread over a THE UNIQUE GEEK, you can see several sides to this.  My buddy Michael Bailey and I are pretty much in-synch on this issue.   My friend Terry believes that a title can carry multiple characters as the Flash.  While I agree conceptually, the title will eventually select one individual to be the lead character.  As of right now, that looks to be Barry Allen.  So Wally West and Jay Garrick may continue to call themselves “The Flash”, but DC comics will be pushing Barry Allen as the primary Flash character.  Another alternative would be to launch a “Flash Corps”-like title, but I’m not sure that would be successful.

Okay… I’ll get off my soapbox now.  Truth is, I’m going to buy the ”Flash: Rebirth” mini-series and the subsequent ongoing.  I’m probably going to love both because Geoff John’s is a brilliant comic book writer.   I’m even over my previous issue of Barry being boring.  My friend Terry convinced me that is the fault of previous writers, rather than a fault with the character.  While I’m sure I will enjoy Barry’s new adventures, I’ll always be sad that Wally has lost his place as the premier Flash in the DCU.